"I don't quite understand why one would call purple leaves copper when purple and copper are two distinct colors" Because the two grade into each other in the numerous different cultivars. The first cultivars selected were copper-coloured, and got the name Copper Beech; slowly, subsequent selection found steadily slightly more intense purple new clones. There was never a clean break between copper-coloured and purple-coloured clones, so never an easy point to decide to call some 'purple'. Resin

The copper beech is just a color variety of the European beech. The only ones I have seen in the US with the copper colored leaves have been seed grown. Since almost all european beech offered for sale are grafted selections chosed for leaf shape or Dark purple of yellow color those with the true copper color are hard to find. David

Hi, You are experienced gardener, so you probably know much of what I wrote. Your question was simple, and I made the answer complicated! But I'll leave it as is in case someone else is planting trees. first, cross post to tree forum. You'd get excellent advice there, too second, from what nursery is your landscaper buying the trees.? If it is local they should be able to offer him and you advice about planting locally. To clarify, if you decided to go ahead, when can the trees be installed? If you have two weeks to water them, and can soak them the day before you leave, I think they'd be ok. Idon't know if those 'gator type watering bags are actually effective for extended watering in the absence of a human with a hose or soaker I think you can plant in zone 5 until mid October, as long as they can be watered- drenched and soaked- adequately and periodically before the ground freezes. In my experience the ground doesn't freeze until January. The cooler weather is more hospitable to tree root growth than a spring planting followed by unexpected heat or drought in late spring and summer. Your trees are all deciduous; that's a plus for minimizing winter damage or loss Finally, for now, do you trust this landscaper to know how to install the trees? Just as important, you should know how to plant a tree so you tell him what you expect.... what to do with potbound roots (hard to find any nursery stock that is not seriously potbound) dig a "saucer" around the tree to retain water ? No amending soil, especially NO fertilizer, compost etc. Yes, you are reading this correctly Do not mulch up to tree trunk Imperative not to plant too deep; the flare of the trunk should be exposed. Better too high than too deep. Might want to protect all these young trees with hardware cloth so rabbits and voles don't gnaw and girdle the bark this winter Lots and lots of web information. Especially good is LindA Chalker-Scott, an extension biologist and researcher who has written about the good, the bad and the ugly in the nursery industry. She debunks horticultural myths and gives advice based on research. You might want to google her and "planting trees" or some thing like that. I have planted dozens of trees and shrubs on our half acre, many recommended by gardenweb contributors. The majority of casualities were due to root girdling that wasn't noticed or remedied by me and underwatering when I was too ignorant to know better. Good luck,! Marie/Idabean This post was edited by idabean on Fri, Oct 3, 14 at 17:16

Apparently it is not. A viable page that is. Sorry about your tree. I would have loved to have had it. I am Littlestown and raise Corgis (Pembrokes) and your name caught my attention. spiderwoman