Trompenburg

Coming from the Trompenburg arboretum in Holland, this superb Japanese Maple is suitably named 'Trompenburg'....It always reminds me of the lady who, a few years back, came up to me with an erigeron called 'Pink jewel' and asked me what colour it was? I remember sarcastically replying 'Purple'...and believe it or not she actually asked 'Why is it called PINK jewel then'? .....I didn't have a reply to that!

Getting back to Trompenburg, I have to say it is one of my favourite maples, making a large shrub with purple-red spring foliage gradually turning bronze-green until its superb display of red in autumn ignites the gardenscape. The leaves are deeply divided, almost to the base and the margins of the lobes are strangely rolled or curled under. It is an outstanding form and deserves to be more widely planted not just in gardens but in the general landscape also where it can delight us all.