Acer palmatum 'Hemelrijk'

[whis4ey]

We have had a disastrous year for the Japanese maples this year with incessant rain for almost 3 months waterlogging the ground
Whilst this has resulted in an absolutely astounding seed production, it has meant that very few indeed of my trees have shown autumn colour, many leaves just shrivelling to brown and falling off
Of my new trees Kinran and Moonfire in particular have simply just lost their leaves with no colour change at all
Hemelrijk has been an exception although it is fast succumbing ......

[ideasguy]

Those are great photos Billy. I'd have great difficulty taking a snap in sunshine like that. It does make the colouring all the more vivid in the sunshine.

What a disappointment that your plants didnt go through that autumn colour phase this year. I'm sure you had the camera at the ready to get material for your website (mind you, its well documented already!)

As you may have read on the forum, Ive kept my Acers in pots. In complete contast to your situation, Ive had the best Autumn colour ever (particularly my ever reliable Osakuzuki and Tamukeyama)- and I was even surprised by a spectacular display from a couple of plants which hadnt shown much colour in Autumn in previous years.
Some are still in leaf. I'm keeping an eye on Shindeshojo.

I see autumn colour in the background of your photo - is it from a Rhus?

[whis4ey]

The suggestion is that it is a lack of water that has caused the leaves to simply brown up and fall off
Certainly it has been a little drier since August and I dare say that the over watering the trees got during June July and August (and, indeed, a part of May) has put them under considerable stress.  To then meet a drier period probably hasn't helped
Your plants being in pots have obviously received a 'constant and reliable' water supply and have rewarded you handsomely
Ah well ...  we live and learn

[ideasguy]

I wish I had the bravery to commit mine to earth, Billy. I like to see them at every opportunity, so it would be a difficult decision where to site them.
Ive decided to rip out a few fruit trees (pears and plums) to make way for a few acers (O-kagami and Aoyagi, perhaps Trompenburg)
(I've decided its cheaper to buy pears in the supermarket, and I already have a couple of other plum trees.)
They have grown quite large and are probably too big for their pots. If I dont plant them out, I'd need to do some pruning and root pruning.

Do you have Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum' in your collection Billy? (or should that be Brilliantissima? Need to look up my RHS book)

[whis4ey]

I don't have it George
It apparently gives a new meaning to the word 'sycamore'
Maybe I should be looking out for a specimin?

[ideasguy]

As far as I know, it was the very first Acer to take my fancy.
It was at May Nobles garden in Belfast- an open day fund raising plant sale event. I didnt know May at the time.
This vivid pink beauty was about 100 yards away from the house, and all I could do was focus on it 
I found out what it was, and my fascination with Japanese maples began.

In 2005, I had the pleasure to take photos of members gardens in the Rose Society of Northern Ireland with Norman Beck.(A very interesting project)
When we went to a members (May's) house in Crawfordsburn, we got talking and she told us about the fantastic large garden she used to have.
She showed me photos, and the penny dropped. It was the house with that Brilliant pink tree.
I was so pleased to meet the owner - I never thought that would ever happen.
May is an absolutely wonderful plantswoman!

Anyway, Brillaintissimum it was and BRILLIANT it most certainly is.
If you find a source, let me know!

I found another one growing in Dromore. It was up this little lane, and I used to drive past and get this flash of pink in spring.
I ventured up the lane one day, and found it was also (I'm pretty sure) the same variety.
Billy, it is exceptionally good! You are right, the leaves are more coarse that other fine varieties.

I took photos of the plant in Dromore. I'll dig them out and publish here.
Incidentally, the tree in Mays garden in Belfast was about 8 ft high and wide.
The one in Dromore was quite small - only 4 or 5 ft.

[whis4ey]

It isn't a Japanese maple, of course, but as I am thinking of moving many of my maples into the front meadow maybe I would have room for such a fine treeI must look out for it
Certainly it is available from Esvelds as a full standard for only 50 euros
Maybe this coming year?
http://www.esveld.nl/~laur/index.php?lan=eng&s=plant&q=product_details_pl&id=2425

[ideasguy]

Been playing with a new feature on IG Pro.
Its an RHS button.
Click the button, opens the respective page on the RHS Plant Finder web site, after doing a query using the plant name in the IG Pro database. Fun!!
Playing with Acer names (as you well know, probably one of the more complex Genera for plant names) I decided to resolve a duplicate in the Master Database. I had one entry as Brilliantissimum another as Brilliantissima (as from plant lists supplied by different customers)
Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum'  is the name on RHS Plant finder, so Ive rationalised to that name.

To get to the point of this new posting, I find Brilliantissimum has the RHS Award of garden Merit.
Rightly so in my opinion!

Played a bit more. Cant find Acer palmatum 'Hemelrijk' in the RHS database.
Will explore some more

[whis4ey]

It is a very new cultivar George
You will find it on Esveld's site
It probably originated in Holland as the name is certainly Dutch ...  meaning 'Kingdom of Heaven'

[ideasguy]

Ah, I see.

and yes, the description is good. Its a bit out of this world