Painting with Trees

I am playing with colour in this combination, using very tough trees which will probably end up on "Australia's most un-wanted Weeds" list because they are so tough and easy to grow. But I plead innocence your honour. I need tough trees in my rock hard clay.

The yellowish tree in the background is Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia'. It seems reasonably well behaved so far, taking about ten years to reach a height where it shades our kitchen all summer long.

The reddish tree in the middle ground is Gleditsia triacanthos 'Ruby Lace' and she is very beautiful too, but not nearly so genteel as the other. She sadly sends up little suckers all over the place, and the suckers are vicious, spiny little root stock trying to take over the garden. So, though we love Ruby Lace for her gorgeous colour we may be sorry for years to come that we invited her home.

The orange in the foreground is Campsis. It is better known by various common names, the one most heard around here is Trumpet Vine, and the honeyeaters adore it. It is visited all day long from now until late autumn. It grows very easily and is very attractive but, and it is a big but, it too tends to send up suckers everywhere, even in the deep shade under the verandah, and they are tenacious little devils indeed.

I do love the colours together though. Underneath Ruby Lace I have planted Cliveas grown from seed I collected from a rather gorgeous deep orange Clivea. It remains to be seen whether they come true to colour or not but I reckon I have at least 3 years to go before I see any flowers.

In the meantime I wait.