I CAN’T write about plants at this time of year without being inspired by the visual feast of colour that autumn provides.

So I have decided to pay homage to the genus Acer (maples), which rarely gets appreciated outside the “Fall”. This genus is part of a natural wonder and attracts thousands of tourists, known as “leafers” to the North Eastern United States each year. Normally hidden and overpowered by bigger species, the Acer trees really come into their own this time of year with their vibrant flashes of colour.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of maples is the Japanese varieties.

These rapidly increasing groups of small trees and shrubs come in many captivating forms and offer a variety of foliage and colour. The Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum are among the most popular species in gardens, but we tend to forget about the humble sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), the silver (A.saccharinum), red (A.rubrum), and, of course, the sugar maples (A.saccharum).

These, along with the black maple (A.nigrum), are the leading source of sap for making maple syrup. Other maple species can be used but their sugar content is lower and some can produce cloudy syrup.

The sugar maples are also valued as furniture and flooring, as they are the hardest and densest of the maples: they are commonly used in the manufacturing of bowling alleys, pins and basketball courts.

When selecting Acers for your garden there are plenty to choose from. Some are large, imposing trees, while others take a century to mature to 3m (10ft). Some are in between and these medium-sized specimens offer a broad choice for smaller gardens, including A.palmatum, my favourite, because it produces mounds of foliage that, from a distance, look like curled-up sleeping, friendly monsters.

The name “palmatum” refers to the number of lobes on each leaf: like your own “palm”, they have five, hence the name.

The cultivar “Osakazuki” displays the most intense red I’ve ever seen and can be best seen in Thorp Perrow Arboretum – one of our partner gardens – where it can be found in an avenue.

“Vitifolium”, which I’ve newly-planted on the stream-side at Harlow Carr, boasts an eclectic mix of colours from yellow to purple, and then there is “Dissectum Group”, which has a feathery texture and is very soft in appearance.

Acers are generally easily grown and very hardy, but it is advisable to plant them sheltered from the wind: they look their best in autumn and wind can prematurely blow off their leaves. Also, some species such as A.palmatum can be damaged in cold winds. It is also advisable to avoid positions where late frosts may occur followed by early sun.

Many Acers are grown for their attractive bark. The A palmatum “Senkaki” has coralstained branches, whereas the bark of A. pensylvanicum resembles the skin of a snake with shades of cream and green. The A.griseum, which is also known as the paper bark maple, has red, papery, flaking bark.

Come and look at our colourful autumn display.

You can’t help but be inspired.