Garden Photo of the Day

The Brilliance of Japanese Maples

By Kim Charles

Terry Meier looks back at her Japanese maples in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

"I am obsessed with Japanese maples here in Tulsa and they fortunately they seem very happy in my small bungalow yard. There are just so many varieties each with their own striking qualities I can't seem to stop myself from wanting more. My maples were particularly fetching last fall."

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Comments

  1. Maggieat11 02/17/2017

    Very nice, Terry! The varieties available are amazing. Do you have particular favorites? I especially am drawn to the reddish one in the slate-blue pot. What a great specimen!

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Margaret! I love them all and that one is Hana Matoi, I've had it a few years and it's done really well in the pot. I'm loving it's graceful shape!

  2. Jay_Sifford 02/17/2017

    Hi Terry. Aren't Japanese maples just incredible trees? I had two more arrive in yesterday's mail. I love the last photo, of the front of your home. I love the rock work and the paths. It's so quaint and cozy-looking. I lived in Tulsa in the 1980s, and I don't remember any houses quite like yours. I love it.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Jay & I do love my little bungalow, it's just perfect for me. I too love getting unique varieties of japanese maples by mail order and they've done really well for me. Glad you enjoy the pics!

  3. user-7007498 02/17/2017

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful maples with them. I am also smitten by them. Besides the beauty of their leaves and fabulous fall color, they provide great winter interest. I've squeezed 11 into my landscape. The future for me is to put new ones into containers. I love the 2 you have in blue pots.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Kevin and I've really just started the pot thing in the last few years and they really seem to grow well in pots here in Oklahoma. Summers can be brutal here & the pots let me move them from the sun if needed.

  4. user-4691082 02/17/2017

    Good morning Terry. Your maples and home are so cool! I was amazed at the way you used the yellow one up against the house. It seems like a groundcover. Very clever use of a tree!!!! They are all beautiful- thanks for inviting us over!

    1. User avater
      meander_michaele 02/17/2017

      Ha, Rhonda, looks like "great minds" think alike on the ground cover observation! I had clicked post just as your comment showed up!

      1. user-4691082 02/17/2017

        Great minds do think alike! I feel honored to be in that category with you!

    2. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Rhonda and that one is Waterfall. When I planted it I never imagined it would reach these proportions as it's supposed to be a dwarf but certainly has grown into a groundcover of sorts spanning a good 6 or 7 feet long. I've had to severely prune it to fit into that space and it comes back with tons of foliage and branching every time.

  5. User avater
    meander_michaele 02/17/2017

    Your selection of Japanese maples are beautiful, Terry and you have quite the magic touch for keeping the container planted ones so happy looking .The spread of the one in the second photo down is quite amazing...it almost looks like a ground cover. Your house is thoroughly charming and I'm so glad you included a picture of it also.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      I guess they're kinda like children you can't really pick a favorite but they each have such individual charms over the seasons it's just a constant joy to watch. I am rather enamored this spring with Ukigumo and it's variagated foliage of green, pink and cream. It's still young yet (2 years) and is supposed to grow more striking as it ages, fingers crossed.

  6. User avater
    treasuresmom 02/17/2017

    Oh, my, they certainly are gorgeous!

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks!

  7. tennisluv 02/17/2017

    Lovely, lovely Japanese maples. Looks like all of us have been smitten by the Japanese Maple bug. The yellow orange one by the side of your home and the red one in the blue pot have me re-thinking ground cover/wall overhanging plants. New places to put new ones. Don't you just love using them in pots instead of plants? Thanks for sharing.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Love them in pots & they seem to love it too. There's one I don't have called Ryusen I believe and it has a really cool draping habit perfect for an overhang situation or spilling out of a tall pot. Wish I could have them all!

  8. Sunshine111 02/17/2017

    My goodness! How do you overwinter them all? What zone are you in? It is a lovely collection, very inspiring, thank you!

    1. anitaberlanga 02/17/2017

      the overwinter: that's my question, as well! You're in zone7, right? Can they stay out in their pots or do you have to put them in somewhere!?

      They are GORGEOUS!

      1. Beezos 02/17/2017

        Thanks Anita I really feel gardens are to be shared and that's something I really do enjoy. I get a real kick when I look out the window and see someone stopped to admire them.

    2. Beezos 02/17/2017

      I'm in zone 6 and they all live quite happily outside in the ground or I have several in pots. I live in a pretty urban setting which may help keep temps a bit warmer in the winter but here in Oklahoma protection from the blazing afternoon sun in summer is probably most important.

      1. Sunshine111 02/17/2017

        Thanks Terry... how do you over winter the ones in pots?

        1. Beezos 02/17/2017

          I just leave them outside but I do pull them to a south facing exposure so they'll catch as much winter sun as they can. I hardly water at all in the winter but do make sure they're watered well if we're going to get an extended period of below freezing temps which never last long here.

  9. NCYarden 02/17/2017

    Terry, you got my eye for garden gems. Fantastic favorites. Japanese Maples are without a doubt the darlings of the garden. I can't imagine my garden without them - I have a pretty significant collection myself, with 2 fairly new introductions going in now. Your trees look healthy and happy. Do you have a favorite, or at least one at the moment? By the way, really like the stonework on the front of your home...very pleasant accent. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks and I'm so glad you enjoy the pics. This spring I'm kinda excited about watching my Ukigumo leaf out as it has grown quite a bit this past year & looks very healthy. I've had it about 2 years now and it's the only variagated one I have.

  10. Chris_N 02/17/2017

    We could rename GPoD "The Cult of the Japanese Maple Lovers." And what's not to love? You have a great collection, Terry. The second one down caught my eye as well. Japanese maple as ground cover, only with none of the mundane qualities often associated with ground covers. It has such great structure. I have to find out what conditions it takes to overwinter dormant Japanese maples inside because I want some in pots like yours.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Chris and that second one down is Waterfall and is planted in a relatively narrow strip next to my driveway. I was worried it might not grow in less than wonderful conditions but it has exceeded any expectations I had & I've had to severely cut it back from encroaching into the driveway.

  11. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 02/17/2017

    What a great collection and you've used them to great effect. Beautiful. I am completely smitten with the containers you have with the horizontal ridging; both on the front porch and with the maple in the fourth photo. My luck with Japanese maples ran out. I'm going to nurse the ones limping along in my garden and enjoy they from afar from now on!

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks Tim and I've really been pleasantly surprised at how well Japanese maples will do in pots, especially dwarf varieties which are my favorites.

  12. User avater
    LindaonWhidbey 02/17/2017

    Hi Terry, you're in good company here since many of us have Japanese maple fever. We planted and lost many in our WI garden so are so happy to see them thrive in WA even in pots. You have some great specimens. I especially like the one in the blue pot. Is it 'Tamukeyama'? Thanks for sharing and have a good weekend all on GPOD.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      The blue pot is Ukigumo and it was very young in that pic, I've only had it about a year. It has really grown nicely and seemed to like more sun than I thought it would but that's the beauty of pots, you can just drag things around until they find their happy place. Ukigumo is also known as Floating Cloud tree due to it's etherial foliage of green, pink and cream!

  13. GrannyCC 02/17/2017

    Wonderful collection! Thanks for sharing. It always amazing how many different varieties there are of Japanese Maples. I love the look of your house too.

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      My yard just isn't big enough to hold all the varieties I want! Each has their own beauty & i never really realized the endless varieties and cool stories that come with most until I caught the fever.

  14. schatzi 02/17/2017

    Gorgeous! To paraphrase an old commercial jingle, "nobody doesn't like" Japanese maples! (Sara Lee),

    1. Beezos 02/17/2017

      Thanks! Glad you like them too.

  15. nhans 02/18/2017

    What variety grows in Zone 9 and only to 8 foot tall and looks like a tree not a bush?

  16. greengenes 02/18/2017

    All so very nice Terry! I really like the blue wall behind one of them! Have a wonderful spring ahead!

  17. linnyg. 02/21/2017

    Zone 5 and holding my breath that the one we planted from Costco (cringe - my non-horticulture hubby got it for me) will make it one more winter. Planted it on a berm right next to the house somewhat near our dryer vent....these are wonderful, Terry. Thanks for sharing...and if mine doesn't make it, I'll come back here for another look!

  18. user-7008425 03/24/2017

    Wow, Terry! So beautiful...Sorry I am a little late to the party. :-)

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