Laburnum x watereri "Alford's Weeping"

I have two lumps on my head from this "Golden Chain" tree, one on my forehead and one atop my head. These are not strong-growing trees. They should be well-staked when young, so they'll grow upright, and then pruned regularly, to keep their branches from getting too lanky.

This one got none of that attention, even though I planted it in the narrow space on the east side of the house where it -- and I -- could have got along without the leaning and the head-bonking. The idea was for it to grow in front of the two large double-hung windows in the library, a shield from the neighbors. Which it did for a year or three, and was mighty pretty. Then the "hurricane" of December 2007 blew it over. I should cut it down -- and I will -- but not until it stops looking like THIS.

You might take a look at a gorgeous closeup of one of its flowers, from flickr.

Laburnums grow wonderfully well here on the North Coast, where everything is in partial sun unless it's in shade. (You can't really call any aspect "full sun" when you get about 20 days of that a year.) They have all the characteristics of sweet peas in giant size: fast growth, great flowers, unpicky about soil and fertilizer. Its relatively modest size makes it a good tree for our small city lots where we are trying to preserve views for ourselves and our neighbors. It begins to flower in early- to mid-May and goes along for at least a month. Then the sweet-pea-like flowers are followed by seed pods.

By all means, if you have space, make yourself a laburnum walk. Stop drooling!