Chestnuts

Few trees make as bold a statement as Aesculus. Grown for their striking candle-like flower spikes in spring, handsome palmate foliage, and — in many varieties — the familiar conkers that follow in autumn, these are trees with real presence. From the towering common horse chestnut to more compact, brightly flowered cultivars, there's an Aesculus to suit gardens both grand and modest, bringing structure, seasonal colour and a touch of nostalgia to any planting scheme.