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Hidcote - pt. 1

I'm just now getting around to organizing the photos from my trip to England back in May. As I've said a million times, this was the trip of a lifetime, and I had an incredible time. This was a 3-week trip organized by the HPSO (Hardy Plant Society of Oregon) during which we visited 35 different locations. Most all of these were gardens but there were also a few castles and villages thrown in, as well as the icing on the trip - the Chelsea Flower Show. This tour focused on the southeast region of England, notably the Cotswolds and Cornwall. I've watched so many programs and read so many books about England and the gardens there that I was afraid it would tarnish the image I had built up in my head. I'm pleased to say that it not disappoint. The trek from London to Bath by train was not the best first impression. However, as we gained distance from the city, the rolling green countryside gave me glimpses of things to come. After arriving in Bath and finding my hotel, I m...
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Black Tupelo - a spectacular tree for autumn color


This is my favorite tree at the moment. It wins the prize for the most colorful leaves. It is known by a string of different common names - 'Black Gum' (also spelled as 'Blackgum'), 'Black Tupelo', ' Sour Gum' and 'Pepperidge'. I like the name 'Black Tupelo' since we used to live close to Tupelo, Mississippi (birthplace of Elvis). The scientific name is Nyssa Sylvatica - Nyssa after the Greek water nymph and sylvatica is Latin meaning 'from the woods". It is a member of the dogwood family (Cornaceae).

The tree will probably get much larger than I'd like and I'm sure it will cast a lot of shade - not necessarily a bad thing. I did not know until recently that it is a major bird and insect attractant. The female tree produces purple/blue drupes that bees use for honey production and birds love to eat. 

The fall color is spectacular - a combination of bright orange, yellow and deep reds but it was one of the last trees to change color. It does hold them nicely and still has leaves at the moment despite some really strong winds. 

My video shows the tree is various stages over a three week period. The tree is 3 years old and was planted in September of 2018.


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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  1. chavlinessNovember 9, 2021 at 8:18 AM

    Once you explained the name's meaning, Water Nymph From The Woods, I was totally invested in memorizing the latin name Nyssa Sylvatica. The fall colors are wonderful and would get even more impressive the bigger the tree gets.

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  2. Kris PetersonNovember 9, 2021 at 9:11 AM

    Wow! It's spectacular.

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  3. Hoover BooNovember 9, 2021 at 4:41 PM

    A very beautiful tree. The autumn color is spectacular, but the growth habit is also lovely.

    Of course I had to go listen to Van Morrison 'Tupelo Honey'.

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