Dear Readers, as I gaze out of my office window, I am often distracted by this very fine tree – it’s an Amelanchior or serviceberry, and in the spring sunshine yesterday it positively twinkled, in a way that it’s very hard to capture in a photo. Not only that, but it was also spectacular in autumn…
Amelanchior canadensis (Serviceberry) in autumn last year
At this time of year, the combination of the white flowers and the chocolate-coloured new leaves is really very pleasing.
I’ve given a more detailed account of this delightful tree here (and don’t miss the poem at the end) but I also wanted to share this little video of the Amelanchior yesterday, waving in the (freezing!) wind. Sometimes, it’s worth pausing to allow amazement to creep in…
The amelanchier is currently my favourite street tree and I too can enjoy one from my window. A new street tree to me is the Larix x eurolepsis, also I believe known as the Dunkeld larch, which Ealing council have recently planted near my front gate. It has small branches right down to the ground and has just come into leaf (needle?). I am watching its progress with great interest as I rather like a larch.