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By: Jonathan Ya'akobi, Tue Nov 13th, 2007
It's quite common to hear remarks from people complaining about fallen leaves littering the backyard or front porch. This leads some to object to planting deciduous trees and shrubs at all in their garden. I'm often told by customers to plant species that are "green all the year round, and that do not make a mess". The idea though, that woody plants can be divided into two groups; evergreens which do not litter, and non-evergreens that do, is false. Actually, some of the messiest plants available for the Mediterranean garden, are evergreens like Bougainvillea and Ficus benjamina, because the litter occurs all the year round, while deciduous trees drop their leaves in one brief period, fall. Litter however from falling flowers and fruit is common to all types of trees and shrubs, whether evergreen or deciduous.
At this point it would be worth distinguishing between naturally deciduous plants and conditionally deciduous ones. The former, having evolved in cold winter climates, are genetically programmed to drop their leaves. The latter are often of tropical and sub tropical origin, and drop their leaves in response to the cooler winters prevailing in Mediterranean climates. Many ornamental trees and shrubs fall into this category like Jacaranda mimosifolia, whose sticky flowers make a dreadful mess on cars and paths as they fall to the ground.
Getting unnecessarily hung up about the leaf litter from naturally deciduous trees, can cause you to miss out on the breathtaking effects of colorful autumn leaves. People of course from cold climates need no introduction to this subject, but many from mild winter climes are often unaware of the significance of fall color. In frost free areas, fall color intensity is almost entirely lacking, but in places where even mild frosts occur, then there are a number of species that do provide lovely hues of orange and gold. Examples that come to mind are Lagestromia indica, Pistacia atlantica, and some deciduous oak and ash species. I particularly recommend a small tree called Sapium sebiferum, because it is usually very colorful even in areas where the minimum temperature does not fall below -2 centigrade. In order to avoid disappointment, ask at your local professional nursery for those varieties of a particular species that do perform well in this respect. Furthermore, many trees have their own special type of beauty and fascination when bare of leaves. That no doubt is why so many artists have bothered to draw them over the centuries!
In addition to leaf color in the fall, the juvenile leaves in the spring are often a very attractive, and much over looked characteristic of deciduous trees and shrubs. Next spring, make a point of looking out for this. One of the reasons that I usually try and include pomegranate bushes for instance (Punica granatum) in my compositions is precisely because of the bright, fresh green hue that covers the plant in the first few weeks after it has comeback into leaf following winter dormancy. These seasonal changes provide a dynamic element to the garden. A garden consisting entirely of evergreens, is essentially static in nature. Of course over planting with deciduous plants is liable to make the garden look rather empty in the winter, and so it's important to recognize the stability provided by evergreen plants, and of course shrubs used for screening and privacy, must be, well, "green all the year round.
My name is Jonathan Ya'akobi. I've been gardening in a professional capacity since 1984. I am the former head gardener of the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, but now concentrate on building gardens for private home owners. I also teach horticulture to students on training courses. I'd love to share my knowledge and experience with you. So you're welcome to visit me on http://www.dryclimategardening.com