Peter Gregory, retired manager of the world-famous Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, England, has researched maples and other trees for more than 40 years. He began a career in tree research with the Forestry Commission Research Division and conducted various projects for more than 30 years, including provenance studies, species trials and experiments on various plant establishment techniques, especially on difficult areas such as exposed sand dunes, mountain slopes, peat bogs and infertile soils.
For 5 years he managed the Royal Forests of Yardley Chase and Salcey in Northamptonshire before being appointed as manager at Westonbirt, one of the largest collections of trees in the temperate world–especially famous for its wonderful variety of maples of all species, ages, shapes and sizes.
He has continued his studies of maples since his retirement, becoming Chairman of the international Maple Society, which he helped to found in 1990, and Editor of the Society’s quarterly journal. He is recognized internationally as one of the leading authorities in all aspects of maples. Peter lives in Cirencester, England, where – besides trees – he enjoys photography, climbing, tennis and squash.
Interview with Peter Gregory, author Japanese Maples.
Timber Press: What attributes make Japanese Maples so distinctive from other trees and shrubs?
Peter: Their sheer versatility, variety and adaptability. Japanese maples are remarkably adaptable to almost all climatic, garden soil or landscaping conditions in the temperate world. There are so many forms, colors and sizes to select for sun or shade, as mass plantings or single specimens, garden borders, alpine gardens, patio or porch, container or bonsai planting. They offer unlimited choices for garden landscaping. There are forms for brightly colored spring foliage, contrasting summer colors, dramatic autumn color, and unique bark texture, color or branch patterning through the winter.
TP: What are the most interesting new cultivars since the previous new edition of Japanese Maples?
P: Of the many hundreds which have appeared since, the search for improved forms of popular cultivars, such as 'Katsura' and 'Sango kaku' has produced a group of late-flushing and longer-lasting orange-yellow spring-color forms such as 'Orange Dream'. There are several promising new more compact forms with more intense red winter stems lasting for several years, such as 'Beni kawa'. Among the search for more finely cut, deeper-cut and longer lasting laceleaves are the very vigorous 'Red Filigree Lace' and unusually dwarf 'Beni kumo-no-su'. The crop of variegated reticulate-leafed cultivars has produced the pink-flushed 'Ariadne', while the search for improved strap-leaves has thrown up 'Kinshi' with its deep golden autumn foliage and the bamboo-like 'Beni otake'. Among the hybrids between Acer palmatum and other related species is the delightful dwarf 'Geisha' with its unusual pink mottled/speckled leaves.
TP: What special attention, if any, do these maples need to flourish?
P: Japanese maple cultivars are so versatile and forms can be found that, once established, will grow happily with little attention in a wide range of garden landscape conditions. This is, of course, provided they are given tender loving care for the first few years after planting, until they have established a good root system and plentiful nutrient reserve in their stems and branches. They adapt to very dry or wet (but not stagnant) conditions, provided it is constant. For example, in a fairly dry situation, trees should not be flooded with water at irregular intervals, and in moist conditions they should be kept watered during dry spells. In other words, the water supply, whether little or much, should be as constant as possible. This is especially true of maples grown in containers, which can be very vulnerable to an irregular water supply. The roots of container-grown maples are also vulnerable to killing by sub-zero temperatures in the winter and early spring, and should be protected either by covering with insulating material such as bracken or burlap, or moved into the conservatory or greenhouse. Many of the yellow-leafed or variegated forms and the more finely-cut laceleaf maples may need some shade in the hottest part of the day to prevent sun-scorch.
TP: What did you add or change in this Third Edition of Japanese Maples?
P: The rationale for this new edition was to update Japanese Maples by including the great influx of new cultivars from around the world which have appeared in the last twenty years or so. This updating, besides adding descriptions of the many new cultivars, also enabled the botanical and nomenclatural information to be brought into line with current knowledge. At the same time, it presented the opportunity to correct any errors, that have become evident, and to introduce one or two modifications, which make the book easier for the reader's understanding and use as a reference. The appendices on the uses and characteristics of cultivars, and the meaning of Japanese words, have been expanded, and new appendices added to briefly describe 150 additional new cultivars, many very exciting and promising, which have yet to prove their reliability, listing cultivar names of which little or nothing is known, and giving details of the International Maple Society. The Index has been expanded to include all Japanese Maple names published, including from catalogues of major growers, which it has been possible to trace, so that Japanese Maples will continue to be the foremost reference book for years to come.
TP: How did you first become involved in horticulture?
P: My original interest and training were in botany and forestry. When I joined the Forestry Commission Research Division in 1955, I worked with the late Alan Mitchell. His knowledge of trees, and especially maples, was almost legendary, and we became good friends as well as colleagues. Eventually, in 1983, I took over managerial duties at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, England, with its 18,000 specimen trees, including about 2,500 maples of all kinds, ages, sizes and shapes. It was there I first met Roy Lancaster, a widely traveled plantsman whose knowledge and enthusiasm for plants, wild or cultivated, is infectious. The Maple Society was founded in 1990, soon after I retired, with Roy as President and myself as Chairman. Alan Mitchell and J. D. Vertrees provided their considerable support as founder Vice-Presidents. J. D. was an especially keen supporter of the Society, providing me with regular information about maples and publications in North America. As a result we became good pen-friends and it was because of this friendship I agreed to take over the revision of his classic Japanese Maples and thus, I hope, perpetuate both his aims and his memory.
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