April 15, 2025

Smoke - but no fire

Or only when the leaves change to their rich autumn colour as they’ve done again this year. This Purple Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria Purple Form) was well-established when we moved to the property ten years ago, but as that was in July we missed seeing its stunning  autumn glory. This species isn’t an Australian native although some varieties of smoke bush are.

 

The purple smoke bush is lovely in every season though, with purplish green leaves in spring and soft, smoky feathery flower balls in summer, that float about like thistledown. Previous owners of the property were clearly taken with this small tree as there’s a second one in the garden, but it never achieves the spectacular quality of this one, which has been a blaze of glory every autumn almost to the point where it hurts your eyes to look at it.

 

There have been many plants in the garden that were unknown to us initially, and several others that were revealed as shrubs and bushes have needed to be cut back or cut out. Then of course the resident guru has planted more native trees and shrubs since being here, most of which have thrived and grown – and from which seeds and cuttings have been taken so others can be planted, or given away to good homes.

 

But a changing climate is noticeably affecting some plants, with summer flowers hanging on this year during what can only be described as an Indian summer, while spring bulbs are already shooting up in places despite winter having barely begun.

 

Meanwhile there’s been no rain for weeks so hand watering continues to be necessary for some favoured plants. Others have to fend for themselves. I fear for the lovely oak tree and the lilac – both of which are unused to drought-like conditions, coming as they do from Europe and which remind me of the land of my birth. These lovely trees may be well-established but I cannot help feeling surely there must be limits to their tolerance for lack of water. 

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