Celebration Trees and Other Plants,  May - August

    Hawthorn - Crataegus T

Hawthorns are sometimes called simply "May" or "Mayblossom" in England because they produce masses of flowers in May. Spiky like all hawthorns, but excellent small specimen trees or a great addition to a mixed species hedge. A wonderful sight in full flower nevertheless. To about 20ft by 15ft. esp. C. oxycantha - "Paul's scarlet" - double scarlet  flowers.

    Prunus "Tai haku" - Great white cherry. T

A magnificent variety of ornamental cherry and easily the best for my money (yes I am biased). Covered in single white flowers up to 2" across that somehow always appear to catch the light and glow whichever direction the light is really coming from, flowers in the early part of the month. Spreading habit, to 25ft x 25ft.

    Sorbus aria "Lutescens" - Whitebeam. T

This is a really beautiful understated deciduous tree. The new leaves are what make it special, they open a wonderful lime green on top with a silvery-white underside. There are white flowers too, but these pale in impact besides the leaves. The leaves get darker as the season progresses, but are always paler beneath so the tree seems to shimmer when the wind catches it. Unfussy about soil, better in sun, to 30ft x 25ft.

    Wisteria

Arguably the finest of all climbers (no argument as far as I'm concerned). A member of the pea family with great trailing racemes of vivid blue or purple flowers in late spring (white ones are available, though I tend to regard them in the same category as red Delphiniums - why?). They can be quite slow to flower and it's the grafted named varieties that perform best, so dig deep in your pocket when going to buy one. Get a good cultivar and as large as you can afford. They need regular pruning of new growth to keep them flowering rather than just producing leaf. - Twiner. Zones: 5-8S/5-10W

    Laburnum vossii. T

A well known and fairly common small tree grown for its large clusters of golden yellow flowers up to 40cm long. Lives up to about 30 years and grows to 20ft tall and 15ft wide. A good shape for a small garden, mainly upright and all above head height once grown up. The seeds in the pods (it is a relative of peas and beans) are highly poisonous and can be fatal if swallowed in any quantity. Sometimes known as false ebony on account of it's very hard wood.

    Philadelphus - Mock Orange S

A deciduous shrub that produces masses of fragrant white flowers. Fully hardy and may be grown as a specimen or in a shrub or even woodland border. Recommended "Virginal" double flowers and particularly fragrant. To 10ft tall by 8ft wide, but easily trimmed and fairly quick to recover. Zones: 4-8S/4-8W

    Roses, various varieties. S

Roses can be very long-lived and in recent years, varieties have been named with an eye on the "celebration purchase" hence we have "Wedding Day", "Silver Wedding", "Golden Wedding" and others, there are also other varieties that have peoples names that might be appropriate, particularly girls names "Grace", "Meg"  and "Penelope" are ones that come to mind (it's probably not worth the effort of looking for a "Malcolm" or "Arthur" though - however there is a "Sexy Rexy" if this is appropriate). If planting as a celebration then I suggest one of the larger species roses, bush or climber, rather than a hybrid tea as they are more resilient and need less looking after. Roses of course frequently flower through the summer or at least again in September, so could be used for a celebration through to September.

    Catalpa 

Catalpa bignoides, the Indian Bean Tree.  A fine tree with especially large leaves.  The leaves come out quite late in the season and in the species are shortly followed by large white flowers followed by slender seed pods that give the tree it's common name. A particularly handsome cultivar is "Aurea" that has bright yellow foliage, bronze when first out, though with less of a display of flowers. Spreading habit to 50ft tall and wide, 30ft in each direction for "Aurea".

    Roses see June

    Hydrangea. S

A large group of familiar shrubs  with large panicles of blue, white or pink flowers. The blue and pink forms can be affected by soil pH. Acid soils of less than 5.5 give blue flowers, and pH above this give pink flowers, if the pH is borderline it may be possible to change the color by using a commercial blueing compound. Methods such as driving a large rusty nail into the soil are also supposed to work, though it also depends on what the soil is like as whether or not such methods tip the balance. White varieties are not affected by soil pH. Available in many cultivars, size varies correspondingly, generally from 3-5ft high and across for H. macrophylla (the most often seen varieties) to 8ft high and across for species types such as H. quercifolia.

The commonly seen varieties are not always to everyone's taste because of the large showy flower heads. Try the more delicate "lace cap" varieties instead which are utterly charming, or the Oak Leaved Hydrangea, H. quercifolia that has oak shaped leaves up to 8" long - a bit more fussy about soil though.

    Rose of Sharon - Hibiscus. S 

A large group of shrubs and perennials with large showy blooms, the most exotic of which unfortunately require minimum temperatures of 5-15C. There are however several varieties that will grow well in cooler climates and will flower well if given a place in full sun. Flowers in a variety of colors, white, pink, red, blue often with contrasting centres. To about 6ft high and wide. Zones 4 to 10

   Magnolia grandiflora - Bull bay, Evergreen magnolia. T

A dense evergreen tree with large glossy leaves with paler green or rusty colored hairs to the undersides. Huge creamy white flowers up to 10" across are produced from July through to the first frosts. Available in several varieties that grow to medium to largish tress. "Little Gem" to 20ft high and wide, others up to 60ft high and 50ft wide (eventually, but probably not in your life-time!).

    Tamarix ramosissima - Tamarisk. T/S

A graceful deciduous shrub to small tree with attractive feathery foliage and pink flowers borne in dense racemes on the current years shoots. Often recommended for coastal areas where they cope very well in sandy soil and are resilient to salt spray. They also cope well with marshy soil being surprisingly resistant to waterlogged conditions. Height and spread to 15ft.