Here you go

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought Id make a list for Santa - I hope shes reading...but if youre looking for gifts for the gardener in your life, or need some inspiration as to what to add to your list for Santa, Ive got just the thing(s) for you...

1. Bird Feeder
I first saw these Bird Feeders at the I Heart Market in Durban. They come as a do-it-yourself kit, with everything you need to make your feeder right in the box. The feeder stands 18cm high by 16cm across, and can be hung from a tree or pegged on a broom handle. The kit includes a stack of little signs to bling your feeder once its assembled.



2. Leafsnap App
Well this is not quite as helpful for us South Africans (being developed for American users), but Im putting it on the list anyway. More in the hope that something gets developed for South African budding botanists. The name says it all - take a picture of the leaf of an unidentified tree, and using images and algorithms, the app will identify the tree for you. How amazing is that! Or maybe Im doing myself out of a job?

 
3. Ornate Spades by Master Artist Cal Lane
These spades are not very practical, but I think Form used these to bury Function in a shallow grave. As is the case with so many beautiful things - I love the contrast she creates with her work.



4. Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa iPhone App
Yes, another app, but youll love this if youre a big twitcher...no, nothing to do with coffee...If you enjoy the classic bird book, then youll love this app. Its a perfect gift for avid birders or even just for casual spotting in your garden. With images, distribution maps and text descriptions for over 950 bird species found in the Southern African region, its a perfect tool to use with your iPhone, Blackberry or Android.


5. A Pile of Compost
A slightly eccentric gift to be sure, but no gardener would look a gift horse in the...er...manure maker. A load of manure or well-rotted, weed-free compost is like gold to a gardener. If youre in Durban, you can order truckloads from Allgrow or Gromor.


6. Deluxe Weather Station

The DIY Network always is a great resource for home improvement ideas. In todays blog, we take a look at a competition between two landscape designers and two homeowners redesigning their outdoor living rooms.

One features a custom outdoor fire pit and seating area nested next to sliding patio doors with an enclosed sun room with grill area and hidden flat screen tv.

The second yard included transforming a barren backyard into a beautiful sectioned off outdoor living room with privacy walls with an inset fireplace, a flagstone patio and custom concrete bar.

Both transformations are remarkable from the before to the after, but as in all competitions, there can only be one winner. So check out the video below and see the transformation take place.

So when you are in the market to upgrade your outdoor living room, call us at 1-877-556-5255 and well be happy to help you with any questions you may have.

Aesculus

A genus ( tribe ) of about 15 trees native to North America, Europe and Asia. They all have palmately compound leaves and non edible fruits that are contained in large seed capsules.
The Buckeyes prefer full sun and deep, fertile, moist, well drained soil.
Most Buckeyes are unbothered by deer, floods, ice, salt, windy sites and severe storms.
Buckeye leaf scorch ( not all species are prone ) is due to the trees inability to absorb and transport from the roots to the leaves enough water to compensate for water transpired from the foliage. Thinning the canopy may sometimes help.
Young trees should be pruned to a single leader and feathered. Eventually you want a clear trunk to 12 feet in height on the larger species. Pruning is best done in winter.
Buckeyes should either be planted from seed sown fresh in permanent location and protected from rodents by wire mesh; or moved while small. If not planted immediately during autumn, the seeds require 4 month stratification at 40 F except for the California Buckeye which needs no stratification. The Buckeyes do not transplant well and must be moved while small.
The named cultivars are grafted in late winter.

Aesculus assamica ( Assam Buckeye )
A large tree reaching 80 feet to a maximum of 100 x 30 feet with a trunk diameter of 3 feet. It is native to the mountains of northern Vietnam.
It has very large 7 oblong leaflets ( up to 15 x 5 inches ) and smooth fruit.
Hardy north to zone 8 and is known to reach up to 50 feet in southern England.

Aesculus californica ( California Buckeye )
A medium sized, long lived, fast growing, spreading tree to 40 feet native to mountain woods of central California. Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; 20 years - 30 feet ( average ); largest on record - 70 x 80 feet with a trunk diameter of 5 feet. One of the largest known trees grows at Walnut Creek, California. The California Buckeye lives up to 100 years.
The foliage is downy when young, becoming glossy, deep blue-green above & gray-green below. The 5 ( rarely 4, 6 or 7 ) stemmed, oblong leaflets are up to 7 x 2 inches.
The leaves drop off early as a drought protection mechanism where no rain falls in summer. They will leaf out the following year; in the British Isles it usually keeps its leaves into fall. Occasional deep watering is recommended for trees in California to keep a lush canopy all summer long.
The fragrant, creamy white ( sometimes rose-pink tinged ) flowers are borne in cylindrical panicles up to 10 inches in summer.
The flowers attract butterflies.
The fruits are pear shaped up to 3 inches; they contain only 1 glossy brown seed.
The bark is whitish or pale gray and thinly scaly to almost smooth.
Hardy zones 6 to 10 ( northern populations tolerating -15 F or possibly colder ) and tolerates hot summers better than most Aesculus.
Not commonly grown in the east but is reported to survive in southern Michigan.

* photo of unknown internet source

Canyon Pink
Mid pink flowers, otherwise similar.

Aesculus x carnea ( Red Horse Chestnut )
Also Aesculus x carnea Briotii. A hybrid between Aesculus hippocastanae & A. pavia originating in Germany almost 200 years ago. Reaching up to 50 feet or more; some records include: 3 years - 6 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; largest on record - 130 x 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 51 inches. The Red Horse Chestnut is long lived up to 200 years.
The foliage is deep green. The 5 or 7 sharply toothed, obovate leaflets reach up to 10 or rarely 12 inches in length.
The flowers are deep red-pink with yellow blotches, borne in erect panicles up to
12 x 4 inches in mid spring.
The fruits are smooth shelled and up to 1.5 inches in size, containing up to 3 seeds.
The bark is reddish brown.
Much better adapted to hot summer climates than A. hippocastanae but also grows well in cool western Europe. Hardy zones 2 to 8.
This Buckeye does grow true from seed.


* photo taken on May 5 2010 in Clarksville, MD






Fort McNair
handsome deep green foliage that is disease resistant, even as far south as Virginia and does not scorch. Grows 50% faster than average for Aesculus x carnea.

ONeil Red A rounded, medium to large-sized tree reaching up to 70 feet. The intense red flowers are borne on panicles up to 12 inches in length.
Aesculus chinensis ( Chinese Buckeye )

The Chinese Buckeye is a fast growing relative of the Horse Chestnut and Ohio Buckeye. It grows up to 4 feet per year though averaging about 66 feet in 50 years and may eventually reach a maximum size of 100 x 40 feet with a trunk diameter up to 6 feet. This eastern China native enjoys hot summers and cold winters and is scorch and disease resistant making this rare tree an excellent shade tree for much of eastern North America. It is hardy from zone 5 to 8.
The leaves are composed of 7 leaflets each reaching up to 10 inches. The very attractive foliage is deep red-purple at first, during spring turning glossy mid-green in the summer. The leaves turn to scarlet-red during autumn.
The flowers look like the Ohio Buckeye and are in long clusters up to 16 inches long.
Hardy zones 4 to 8





* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum


* photos taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.






Aesculus glabra ( Ohio Buckeye )
A fast growing, dense canopied, medium to large sized tree to 50 feet or more that is native to the midwest and eastern U.S. from Iowa to Michigan to Pennsylvania; south to Texas to Tennessee.
Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 8 years - 20 feet; 10 years - 33 x 23 feet; largest on record - 150 x 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 4.8 feet.
Some very large trees are known to grow at Dunnville, KY and Adrian, MI
Largest known Canadian trees are on Lakeshore Road near Niagara Falls, Ontario & Yarmouth Twp, Elgin Co. ON.
long lived up to 125 years.
The leaves are composed of 5 leaflets are up to 5 x 2 or rarely 8 x 3 inches in size. Among the first of all trees to leaf out in spring.
The foliage turns very attractive in the fall.
The greenish yellow flowers are borne in wide, pyramidal panicles up to 6 inches long in mid spring.
The rounded fruits are up to 2 inches wide and are spiny unlike that of the Yellow Buckeye
The light gray bark is thick and deeply fissured.
Hardy zones 2 to 7 tolerating -33 F or possibly colder. Tolerant of shade and floods.
Prefers soil PH from 5 to 7
The Ohio Buckeye even grows well in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada making for an excellent prairie tree far north of its native range.
It does grow smaller in the Dakotas with a maximum 50 x 40 feet which is still good considering how few trees actually thrive there.
Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Ohio Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe.
Difficult to transplant unless very small due to deep taproot. Leaf blotch can be serious during extended drought to occasional deep watering is recommended during the summer. Ohio Buckeye gets the same fungal disease as Aesculus hippocastanae, though disease resistant selections are available.
The State Tree of Ohio; the Ohio Buckeye was once common in Ohio but is now rare due to destruction of Ohios forest.

* photo of unknown internet source

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken by W.D. Brush @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


* photos taken on April 18 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum






* photo taken on May 1 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.




* photos taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario






* photo taken on August 4 2010 @ Stratford, Ontario

* photo taken on Aug 20 2011 in Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Aug 18 2013 in Columbia, MD

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E., et al. 1996. North Dakota tree handbook


subsp. Arguta ( Texas Buckeye )
Up to 25 feet or very rarely 50 feet with cream colored flowers.
Leaves consist of 7 to 11 very narrow leaflets.
Native to rich woods west of the Mississippi River ( eastern Neb. to Iowa; south to central Texas to w Arkansas ) and is exceptionally drought tolerant. Hardy zones 4 to 8 but rarely seen in the landscape.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Fall Red
Intense red fall color.

Homestead
Fast growing hybrid Buckeye growing around 20 inches per year to 13 x 15 feet in 10 years. Clean disease free foliage turns to spectacular long lasting orange-red in the fall.
Very well adapted to North Dakota.

Prairie Torch
Hardy north to zone 3a. Scarlet autumn color.

Purple Haze
rich purple spring leaves last for a month

Aesculus hippocastanus ( Horse Chestnut )
A large spreading tree up to 100 feet in height and 5 feet in trunk diameter, that is native to mountain woods in northern Greece and Albania. While very rare in its native range; it has been planted abundantly in northern Europe since the 1500s.
Some records include: growth rate - 5 feet; 20 years - 47 feet; 273 years - trunk diameter of 7 feet; largest on record - 165 x 120 feet with a trunk diameter of 8 feet.
Best growth seems to be obtained in the British Isles and Germany.
A tree of 110 feet is reported to grow in Harford County, MD and in Canada huge trees are known to grow in Bayfield and west of Leamington, Ontario.
One tree with a 6.7 foot diameter is reported from Maine.
The Horse Chestnut can live up to 400 years.
The foliage is palmately compound with 5 or 7 sharply toothed, obovate leaflets.
The leaflets are very large, up to 12 x 5 inches.
The foliage appears very early in spring and turns to deep green in summer then to yellow or rarely red in November in areas where leaf scorch isnt a problem.
The creamy white flowers with red or yellow basal blotches are borne in late spring in conical, upright panicles up to 12 inches in length.
The fruits ( Conkers ) are round and prickly with up to 3 glossy brown seeds.
The nuts can be prepared as animal feed by crushing them and soaking in water for 24 hours before boiling in fresh water for 30 minutes.
The bark is red-brown and scaly with long thin plates.
Hardy zones 3 to 7; it even grows as far north as Edmonton, Alberta and Trompso, Norway ( north of the Arctic Circle ). The Horse Chestnut is a very hardy tree tolerating hard pruning, pollution and windy sites.


* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum


* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.




* photo taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario


* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos of unknown internet source





* photo taken on Aug 2 2012 in Bayfield, Ontario
* photos taken on Aug 4 2013 in Bayfield, Ontario


Baumannii
Double flowers, otherwise very similar to above

Aesculus indica ( Indian Buckeye )
Much better adapted for the Pacific Northwest and western Europe than the hot humid East; in ideal climates this spectacular Himalayan native grows fast and huge.
The Indian Buckeye can reach 100 feet with a very dense, tall, oval crown and some records include: growth rate - 4 feet; first year - 2 feet; 5 years - 16 feet; 20 years - 60 x 40 feet; largest on record - 150 x 70 feet with a trunk diameter of 13 feet. It can grow very large in England.
With 7 ( rarely 5 ) large leaflets to 15 x 5 inches, this Buckeyes leafs out orange-pink turning to glossy deep green; its foliage stays green very late into the fall before finally turning to orange ( mid November in Seattle ).
The Indian Buckeye blooms a month after the related Horse Chestnut. The pyramidal flower panicles are huge, up to 16 x 5 inches and are white with either yellow or red tinge.
The fruits are pear shaped and brown and contain up to 3 seeds.
The bark gray and smooth; peeling in long narrow strips with age.
Hardy zones 6 to 9, the species is easy to grow from seed planted on permanent site.

* photo taken on Febuary 2009 @ U.S. National Arboretum


* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.


Sydney Pearce
sturdy and very vigorous

Aesculus octandra ( Yellow Buckeye )
Also called Aesculus flava. It is a fast growing, large, tall oblong crowned tree to 75 feet, native to fertile valley woodlands in central and eastern U.S. from southern Illinois to northern Pennsylvania; south to northern Alabama and Georgia. Some records include: growth rate - 4 feet; largest on record - 155 x 82 feet with a trunk diameter of 6 feet. One extremely large tree grows on Gabes Mountain Trail in Smoky Mountain NP. Another giant in Perryville, West Virginia is reported to be 100 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 7 feet across its widened base.
The Yellow Buckeye is a long lived tree. With a very dense canopy; this makes for an excellent shade tree and is among my favorite of all trees. It looks great in every season!
The 5 or 7 leaflets are up to 10 or rarely 12 x 5 inches.
The foliage is typically luxuriant, verdant, bright green in spring however can be bronze-purple very early. The Yellow Buckeye is one of the very first trees to be in full leaf in the spring.
The disease free foliage is deep green in summer and turns to spectacular orange- red in autumn.
The yellow flowers are borne in erect panicles up to 7 x 3 inches in late spring.
The rounded fruits are smooth surfaced and up to 3 inches across. Enclosed are 2 seeds up to 1.5 inches each.
The bark is brown, fissured and peeling in large smooth scales.
The wood weighs up to 25 pounds per square foot.
Hardy zones 2 to 8; it even grows as far north as Saskatchewan.
Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Yellow Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe. Unfortunately this Buckeye is not a big fan of urban pollution.


* photos taken on April 7 2010 in Columbia, MD






















* photos taken on April 23 2010 in Howard County, MD








* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.


* photos taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA



* photo taken on May 16 2011 in Washington, D.C.

* photo taken on Oct 17 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 15 2013 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 17 2013 in Harford Co., MD

* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton National Historic Site, Towson, MD

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database


Autumn Splender
Scorch resistant foliage is glossy deep green in summer turning red in autumn. The flowers are yellow.

Aesculus parviflora ( Bottlebrush Buckeye )
A large graceful shrub native to rich woods and bottomlands, from central Alabama to South Carolina, south to Florida. It has naturalized in Pennsylvania around Pittsburg, Lancaster, Reading, Easton and Philadelphia. It forms a wide spreading clump that can cover large areas, reaching 15 x 20 feet or more. Some records include: growth rate - 4 feet; 6 years - 6 x 7 feet; 12 years - 10 x 16 feet; largest on record - 20 x 40 feet with trunk diameter of 1 foot.
Very beautiful and easy to grow; it is rare in the wild.
The foliage when young is bronzy above and downy below. It later turns to deep green for the summer then to yellow in the fall.
The 5 to 7 oblong or elliptical leaflets are up to 11 x 5 inches. The leafstalk is up to 9 inches long.
The white flowers with long reddish pink anthers are borne in dense, long slender panicles ( "bottlebrushes" ) up to 21 inches in length in summer.
A very tough large shrub, being resistant to drought, flood, ice, snow, winds, storms and deer. It is also NOT bothered by leaf scorch. The Bottlebrush Buckeye prefers hot humid summers and is hardy zones 4 to 8 tolerating as low as -31 F.
It grows well in sun or partial shade on any moist soil. Through cultivation is has lost much of its natural range it lost during the last ice age.
It enjoys the Mid Atlantic region so much; it now grows in the wild in some parts of Pennsylvania. In a woodland setting; the Bottlebrush Buckeye is extremely beautiful.
Damaged wood is prone to rotting so pruning should only be done if really needed, however old leggy plants will resprout vigorously if cut to ground while dormant.
Many plants produce very few seeds; one of the reasons the Bottlebrush Buckeye is so rare. It can also be reproduced from root cuttings and suckers.

* photos taken on May 8 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.






* photo taken on annual Horticultural Society of Maryland Garden Tour






* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.




* photos taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario





* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton Ntl. Historic Site, Towson, MD


Rogers
Extremely long flower panicles, up to 30 + inches in length.

* photos taken on July 6 2013 in Columbia, MD


Serotina
Very large flower spikes up to 18 inches in length, 2 or 3 weeks later than species. Where there is room, it can be planted in the same garden as the regular species to extend the season of festive summer color.

Aesculus pavia ( Red Buckeye )
A small, dense canopied tree reaching 30 feet or more, native to coastal plain woodlands of the eastern U.S. from Oklahoma to Kentucky to North Carolina; south to Texas to central Florida. Some records include: growth rate - 5 feet; 14 years - 23 x 20 feet with a trunk diameter of 0.9 feet; 20 years - 33 x 20 feet; largest on record - 65 x 58 feet with a trunk diameter of 3.5 feet.
One of 57 x 40 x 2.5 feet grows in Hartford, CT and other exceptionally large trees grow in Kalamazoo, MI and Roanoke, VA
The 5 or 7 glossy deep green, narrowly oval, pointed, toothed leaflets are up to 7 x 3 inches or rarely 10 x 4 inches. They are usually disease free and turn red in autumn.
The 1.5 inch flowers are deep intense red and are borne in erect panicles up to 10 inches in length in late spring. The flowers attract hummingbirds.
The rounded, brown fruits are smooth surfaced, up to 2 inches across and contain 1 or 2 seeds.
The bark is pale brown and smooth when young. One older tree I seen in Maryland had very attractive, very rough, orangish bark.
Hardy zones 4 to 9 on any moist, well drained soil in sun or partial shade.
Leaf blotch can cause defoliation in mid summer on hot sites, with good growing conditions its foliage generally remains luxuriant and healthy all summer long.

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum

* photo taken on March 28 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum








* photo taken on April 11 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum


* photo taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken on May 16 2012 in Howard Co., MD
* photos taken on Mar 8 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Aesculus sylvatica ( Painted Buckeye )
A medium sized, rare tree native from Arkansas to southeastern Virginia; south to central Alabama and Georgia, that typically reaches up to 60 x 45 feet but sometimes much larger.
Some records include: growth rate - 3 feet; 20 years - 30 feet (avg. ); largest on record - 155 x 61 feet with a trunk diameter of 4.5 feet; largest in England - 57 feet
The 5 or less often 7 oblong or elliptic leaflets are up to 8 x 2.5 inches or rarely 10 x 5 inches. They are deep red-purple at first in spring turning to shiny deep green with an orange midrib turning entirely orange or scarlet in the fall.
The inch long flowers are yellow sometimes tinged with red and are in upright panicles up to 6 inches in mid spring.
The rounded fruits up to 1.5 inches across are smooth surfaced and typically contain 1 seed.
The bark is brown, shallowly fissured and scaly.
The twigs are orange-brown with large red-brown buds.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* photo taken @ U.S. National Arboretum on March 28 2010

* photo taken on June 23 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC


Neglecta ( Sunrise Buckeye )
Foliage emerges early in spring and is bright pink turning to pale green and yellow before finally medium green. Fall color is orange.

* photos taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD




Aesculus turbinata ( Japanese Horse Chestnut )
A large, vigorous tree native to Japan this is similar and very closely related to Aesculus hippocastanae. Some records include: 20 years - 50 feet; largest on record - 135 x 90 feet with a trunk diameter of 13 feet.
largest in England - 82 feet; largest in Pennsylvania - 65 x 50 x 2 feet in Montgomery County; largest in New York City - 77 feet. An excellent shade tree for the northern U.S. Very long-lived, this tree is known to survive for up to 1300 years in age.
Its foliage is among the largest of all Aesculus Buckeyes. The leaflets can reach as large as 18 x 7 inches, though more normally around 12 inches. The leaves are borne on stalks up to 11 inches in length.
The foliage is blue-green turning to bright orange in autumn
The white flowers appear in panicles up to 12 inches in early summer.
The fruits are up to 2 inches across and are not spiny.
More drought and leaf scorch resistant than Aesculus hippocastanae, but still prone to powdery mildew.
Hardy zones 4 to 7, thriving in much of the eastern U.S.

Aesculus wilsonii ( Wilson Buckeye )
A large spreading tree native to western China reaching a maximum size of 82 x 82 feet with a trunk diameter of 4 feet. Some records include: 20 years - 40 feet.
The foliage is similar to that of the Chinese Buckeye but is downy in spring.
The white flowers with long stamens are borne in panicles in summer.
The fruit is spiny.
Hardy zones 4 to 9
Despite hot humid summers in its native range; the Wilson Buckeye does grow vigorously and large in western Europe.