Oak Barrels Replanted

Way back in February 2009 the team took delivery of nine oak pots for the diplay in the Provost's Yard, see blog entry 'The Oak Pots'. Along with a number of specimen plants, a Eucalyptus coccifera ( Tasmanian Snow Gum) and Liquidamber styraciflua were planted in two of the pots.

Two and a half years later these two trees have grown too big for their pots and have had to be removed and replanted in the college grounds. The Eucalyptus is now in the herbaceous border and the Liquidamber in the lakeside border.

Now that these giant trees have been removed from the pots, smaller shrubs and trees have replaced them for a winter display.

The shrubs used to make this new display are:

Cornus stolonifera 'Flaviramea', a common Dogwood with bright yellow-green winter shoots;

Cornus alba 'Kesselringii', a red barked Dogwood with blackish purple winter shoots;

Cornus alba 'Elegantissima', a red barked Dogwood with red winter shoots;

Mahonia x media 'Winter Sun', with dark green, sharply toothed leaves and arching clusters of bright yellow, fragrant flowers;

Ilex aquifolium, the Common Holly with spiny leaves and red berries;

Ilex aquifolium 'J C van Tol', a Holly with almost spinless, ovate, glossy dark green leaves with bright red berries.

These new displays will remain in place until June when our summer display will replace them.