Saturday 8 June 2013

Saturday Photo: Japense Maples and Russian Olives

The air right now is heavy with the smell of Russian olives. 

Not olives, but certainly a native of the Russians steppes, these hardy trees are considered a nuisance in many places where they've been introduced.

But here, the winters are so severe that they don't run wild, and lend lovely dusty green folliage to the city scape all summer, and in the early summer, a heady, orange-like perfume.

Japanese maples are another exotic, but one much more picky about their surroundings.  I've tried to grow them but never had any luck. 

These two trees, though, share a tiny front yard on the Plateau.  Each time I pass I stop to admire the play of colour and form.  Whoever planted them had an eye for pleasing combinations as well as a green thumb to make them thrive.

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