False acacia

This is one of those very popular trees that has appeared everywhere in gardens where a bright splash of gold is needed. It enjoys warm, sheltered conditions, where it will produce a late display of buttery yellow leaves. These become slightly greener in summer before turning orange in autumn and falling fairly early. Where space is limited, plants may be pruned hard each year to keep them as shrubs with the best coloured foliage. Fully hardy, it grows well in poor, dry soil and requires a sunny position. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit.