ACER palmatum 'Saoshika'  The star-shaped bright green foliage is almost translucent, tipped red and an even brighter yellow green when young. It forms a bushy head, with the leaves held horizontally, giving a layered effect as it develops. This can be a difficult tree to establish, but has some of most wonderful multi-coloured autumn colours. Make sure it doesn't have competition at the roots. 2-3m See it in our Maple Glade.
	ACER palmatum 'Satsuki beni' Another more recent addition to our collection that has rapidly become a firm favourite. The simple green leaves are mid sized, with simple chubby lobes. However the brilliant gold and orange autumn colours set it apart. Potentially vigorous once established, this makes a small, round headed tree. See it in our Maple Glade.
	ACER palmatum 'Sazanami' I can't believe that this cultivar was recorded in Japan in 1733! Plant a piece of maple history! Difficult to describe but quite unique. The leaf bases are almost horizontal giving way to 7 lobed blades. The name meaning "Ruffles" is derived from the doubly serrated margins. New leaves are orange-red, becoming dark green with red petioles. Dark golden autumn colour. Height to 6m by 3m wide. See it in our Maple Glade.
	ACER palmatum 'Seigen' A delightful dwarf, shrubby tree. The amazing new spring growth is basically red, but with tones of both orange and pink to give an outstanding display. The small leaves are proportional to it's growth rate and habit. In a shady site, the leaves will mature to green in summer before taking on wonderful colours in the autumn again. More colour will be retained in a sunnier site, but treat with care - the lack of vigour can make it harder to please than some so we seldom propagate it. The more typical members of the 'Corallinum' group are generally more robust. 2m.
	ACER palmatum 'Seiun kaku' I think this is a brilliant plant - and one of our firm favourites. I have described it as a "better behaved" and more vigorous version of the highly desirable 'Mikawa yatsubusa', which immediately gives it potential, and vigorous it certainly seems even though it shouldn't exceed 3m in height. The overlapping leaves give it a tidy denseness which certainly appeals to me, though each leaf is longer and narrower, with an elongated central lobe. It has a captivating Japanese character to it, yet is fundamentally tolerant and easy to grow. Perfect. Fundamentally dark green in summer, it colours much later in the autumn than many, giving a kaleidoscope of all the bonfire colours according to the weather. See it in our Quarry Garden and Maple Glade.
	ACER palmatum 'Semi-no-hane' The very subtlety of this one distinguishes it from other maples, yet shows them off to perfection. The understated leaves are bright green with a brown-red blush through the growing season, followed by yellow-orange autumn colour. It makes a small, well branched, rather shrubby tree. Potentially 3m x 2m in 10 years.
	ACER palmatum 'Sensu' See Acer shirasawanum 'Sensu'
	ACER palmatum 'Sharp's Pygmy' A wonderful dwarf selection from Oregon with a dense bushy habit. The small leaves open a delightful pinky colour (see photo right) before becoming green through summer (photo left). They are elegantly shaped as you can see and develop deep orange to red autumn colour. 1m See it in our Quarry Garden and Maple Glade.
	ACER palmatum 'Sherwood Flame' Very similar to 'Burgundy Lace', this one holds its colour into late summer a little better in drier, hotter climates. In this country, there is very little difference! 4-5m.
	ACER palmatum 'Shidava Gold' Discovered and named by John Emery in New South Wales, Australia, this is a fantastic plant. A witches-broom from 'Aoyagi', it shares the bright yellow-green bark, but is smaller growing. See it in our Quarry Garden.
	ACER palmatum 'Shigarami' Some of these translations defy logic - try this one: "posts in a river or steam to which boats are tied". I'm also told that it means the unwanted but unavoidable complications in our lives, particularly in human relationships, that don't allow for easy (or straightforward and logical) decisions, which is an altogether more poetic option. Although not technically of the linearilobum group, this has narrow lobed, deeply divided leaves. The colours are quite different to any of the others of similar leaf shape, being green shading to purple along the edges in spring. This purple area increases to half the leaf area. Rich orange and yellow autumn colours complete the effect. A small tidy tree growing eventually to 4m. This description does not do this plant justice - suffice it to say that the bigger our stock plant grows, the more I like it!