PADDLE PETALUMA

Designer Paul Rozanski’s plan for the Potter family’s Sonona home incorporates their affection for Japanese maple trees, which the designer sourced at Sweet Lane Wholesale Nursery in Santa Rosa. Nursery manager Joe Hadley says Japanese maples are a subtle, beautiful choice: “They have an elegance of form and structure that is unique to the species, and their sizes are ideal for more personal or intimate gardens. Plus, they are quite nice from a distance and exquisitely sculptural up close.” Hadley says a landscape designer or nursery professional can help homeowners choose the right Japanese maple for their site’s light, water, and soil characteristics. “Maples can be more complicated than people imagine,” he says. He recommends the book “Right Plant, Right Place” by Nicola Ferguson for learning more about how to match plants to a particular location. The most popular Japanese maples Hadley sells for Sonoma gardens include Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood,’ ‘Green,’ and ‘Emperor One.’ But he encourages people to branch out, as there are many lesser-known varieties that offer unique color and character. For three-season color, Hadley recommends Acer palmatum ‘Omato.’ And he likes varieties of Acer shirasawanum (the “full moon” maple) for beautifully layered texture and form.

Japanese maples are a perfect foundation planting, adding fall color plus elegant form and structure, says Sweet Lane Wholesale Nursery’s Joe Hadley.