Day 17: beech

Daily details from the garden to bring you inspiration throughout the year

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All credit to the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) for giving us blocks of soft, coppery brown throughout winter. Deciduous proclivities notwithstanding, the crimped juvenile leaves are held on the branches until pushed off by new growth in the spring. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), distinguished by its more deeply corrugated foliage, does something similar, and is a better choice than beech for a hedge on persistently damp soil. Both bring handsome, year-round structure to the garden.


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Hello! I’m Andrew, gardener, writer, photographer, and owner of a too-loud laugh, and I’m so pleased you’ve found your way to Gardens, weeds & words. You can read a more in-depth profile of me on the About page, or by clicking this image.

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