Trees and Other Plants January / June interest One of the nicest gifts you can give for a birth, wedding or other anniversary is a tree or shrub that will flower or "do its thing" at the time of the event each year.

For an unusual way to celebrate a special event - wedding, birth, anniversary etc. or even as a memorial, little really beats a tree or shrub planted especially for the event. 

To go one step further, choose a plant that does its "thing" at the time of the event. Here's a list of suggested trees, shrubs and climbers that should be looking their best (or the best in the garden at that time in the case of the winter months) for each of the months of the year. Those suggested are chosen also because they are reasonably undemanding and grow to a reasonable size for the average or small garden. Many fine larger trees are available of course, but I am deliberately confining myself to smaller specimens here.

Please bear in mind that the given months are approximate and vary a little between different parts of the country and from year to year depending on the climatic conditions.

This is one of the occasions where it may be an advantage to go plant shopping in precisely the month you want the plant for, so that you can see what it's doing.

T - Tree    C - Climber    S - Shrub

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Winter interest. Bark or evergreen foliage

Most prominent mainly from around November when the leaves fall off until March when they start growing again.

Acer capillipes - snake bark maple. T Deciduous tree grown for the winter colour of the bark which is green with white or pale marking that snake up the trunk and the branches. Red winter shoots which add to the decorative effect. Suitable for most situations. Spreading habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually. Buy Acer / snake bark maple

Acer griseum - paper bark maple. T Slow growing spreading tree with red-brown to orange bark that flakes off in paper thin sheets giving an attractive shaggy effect especially during the winter months. Bright autumn foliage colour too. Suitable for most situations. Spreading habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually. Buy Acer / paper bark maple

Birches - Betula spp. T The birches are admirable trees for small gardens, some types can grow tall (eventually to 50ft or more), but they tend not to spread very far and have an open canopy that gives a dappled shade, a lovely effect. They need an open sunny situation. The native silver birch Betula pendula is a popular choice, but the bark is rather rough and splits with dark patches forming with age, go for  named cultivars such as "Dalicarlica" / "Laciniata" or "tristis" if you can find them. I prefer the Himalayan birch, Betula utilis "jacquemontii" (usually sold as Betula jacquemontii) or the paper birch, Betula papyrifera. Both have a smoother, brighter bark than the native species and are fairly easy to find. If you have more space, birches can be planted as a triangular group of 3 about 3 feet apart. You tend to get a similar sized canopy as if a single tree was on its own, but 3 times the trunks and bark which is the main feature. Buy Betula / Birch

Corylus avellana "contorta" - corkscrew hazel. T A variety of the native hazel tree with strongly twisted shoots that are particularly effective in winter and frequently seen in flower arrangements. To 20ft by 20ft. Buy Corylus / corkscrew hazel or try here

Ilex aquifolium "Ferox argentea" - hedgehog holly. T/S An unusual variegated holly - green leaves edged with cream - that has spines on the surface of the leaves as well as around the edges. Slow growing, colours best in a sunny position. Eventually gets to 25ft high by 12ft wide, but easily trimmed to less. Buy hedgehog holly

Prunus serrula. T (sometimes also called P. tibetica). Deciduous tree with peeling mahogany coloured bark that extends along all branches and shines like it's just been polished. Flowers in the spring as a bonus and the leaves turn yellow in autumn before falling off. One of the best trees for winter bark colour. Grows to 30ft high and wide. Buy Prunus serrula / tibetica

January

Little active growth. Features that are most prominent at this time of year are evergreens, and plants grown for their bark colouration.

February

Little active growth. Features that are most prominent at this time of year are evergreens, and plants grown for their bark colouration. winter interest

March 

April

May

June

Next page, July - Dec and winter interest

Special plants. There's a chance that in your garden, you will have a "special plant". It won't be the most beautiful plant you have it won't be the most admired or "hardworking" in terms of always looking good at a particular time of year. It will be a plant that has a particular memory for you.

Probably my most satisfying moment as a gardener came when I was planting up a new garden for a couple who had recently moved into a new property. Amongst the mess and mud was a small rather battered lilac bush, grabbed at the last moment from the previous house and plonked in a hole in the new garden, apparently neglected but fretted about by the non-gardening owners. It turned out to be "Granddad's Lilac", bought by the father of the lady of the house for the youngest child on her birth. Granddad didn't live much longer after this and his lilac hurriedly rescued, looked to be going the same way. 

I had no idea of any of this, but after planting loads of brought in plants, I saw this forlorn, but perfectly sturdy and viable specimen. I planted it in what I thought was the best position by what turned out to be another of Granddad's last projects, a play house for the same granddaughter. I was completely taken aback by the tears and gratitude when they saw what I had done, the lilac thrived and now shelters the play house and provides loads of fragrant flowers every year.

The wonderful thing about plants is that they can be propagated from cuttings. We have a rose bush grown from a cutting of my late mother-in-laws favourite rose from the house where my wife grew up as a child. The next time I go to Nottingham I intend to knock on the door of the house where my grandparents lived when I was a child and ask for a cutting or two from the old hydrangea that my granddad used to love, and that I had the highly responsible task of pruning and deadheading every year.

Some plants help to keep memories alive, and by the fact that they flower and grow as vigorously now as they do in our memories when the person we connect them with was with us and looking at the plant, they open the door to happy memories more so than an inanimate object ever could.

One of the nicest gifts you can give for a birth, wedding or other annual anniversary is a tree or shrub that will flower or "do its thing" at the time of the event each year.