Thanks Nollie I didn't realise hazel could be cut right back each year. If I can ever get the hazel in the ground I shall initially leave it to see how it goes naturally, but it's good to know it can be chopped back if required. It's interesting you say the other's roots are possibly contained by the boulders. I saw a root barrier membrane in the garden centre and I wonder if that would work in the same way to keep a tree small?
I am fairly new to gardening and only bought my house a couple years ago. The front and back gardens are a decent size and there is also an extra bit of land near the road that's mine. It was pretty much all boring grass. I started in the back first. To save money I went to charity sales and also bought discounted plants that needed a bit of TLC. Now all the plants look healthy and full of life. I've started working on the front garden and that extra bit of land as it looked so plain and boring. The back was far easier to dig. The front however is rock solid. I was the only house with a plain grass lawn in the front. Now I'm the only house with mud and manure for a lawn But in time it will be filled with trees and shrubs and flowers and I hope it will look natural as if it's always been there. I'm certainly looking forward to having autumn colour next year.
Root barriers are normally designed for invasive plants, for example, bamboo that spreads by runners and gets everywhere, I don’t think you need to worry about that with hazel as it’s easy to coppice and, so far as I am aware, not invasive. Not here anyway, but others may be able to advise you better there.
On the one hand, @Fairygirl and I have been advising you to improve and work your soil so that plant roots can spread and result in a healthy plant, but if you think they may need restricting because they will spread too much or grow too big that’s sort of the opposite problem! I think if you are worried that any tree will spread too much or get too big to handle, it might be better to choose smaller trees and shrubs perhaps? There are lots of those that will attract pollinating insects, provide cover and food for birds etc.
Sounds as if you have made a great start on your garden re your follow up post, you will get there
Fairy, since we seem to be doing a two-hander on this, over to you!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Oh sorry Nollie, I have another area that I was considering putting a tree for privacy but it's a bit closer to the house. The garden centre mentioned possibly using a root barrier on that side of the planting to ensure the roots grow down or away from the house. Not sure if I'll go through with all of that or not. Not keen on having a tree too close to the house. Especially with what I'm now reading about tree roots and houses and clay soil.
The hazel and field maple I think will be ok in the space I have allocated for them. It's about 10x15m, no where near the house and there is nothing else there at the moment so the space is all theirs. Although, I might inter plant with a few bulbs like bluebells whilst I'm digging around. @Fairygirl
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On the one hand, @Fairygirl and I have been advising you to improve and work your soil so that plant roots can spread and result in a healthy plant, but if you think they may need restricting because they will spread too much or grow too big that’s sort of the opposite problem! I think if you are worried that any tree will spread too much or get too big to handle, it might be better to choose smaller trees and shrubs perhaps? There are lots of those that will attract pollinating insects, provide cover and food for birds etc.
Sounds as if you have made a great start on your garden re your follow up post, you will get there
Fairy, since we seem to be doing a two-hander on this, over to you!