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Tree for Raised bed help

MrsgardenerMrsgardener Posts: 6
in Garden design
I am getting a raised bed 1m square and 55cm high with no bottom. I will be placing it over an old tree stump to allow me to plant in that area.
My question is what tree to plant, I fancy an apple but dont want maintenance & worry of deseases. It must be attractive, nice blossom, nice shape maybe other planting around it. I even thought of putting an obelisk up the middle with a climber.
can anyone give me any suggestions please. Also what sort of soil do I fill it with?

Posts

  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    would  your old tree stump  hinder a tree from growing properly and not sure whether honey fungus could develop.
    I have a crab apple in a 4ft square bed which had spring blossom and the red fruits stay on the tree all winter as birds around here  don't bother with them.
    It's filled with the existing soil, had to buy in top soil as didn't have enough, added some multi purpose compost as cheaper to buy and its top dressed every year with manure 
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    I have some raised beds with trees in. The dimensions are 3.15m x 0.75m x 0.35m with no bottom. I have two dwarf plum trees and one dwarf greengage. So far they haven't been any trouble but they've only been in there about 7 months. Blossom was amazing and the bees and hoverflies loved it. I just filled the beds with topsoil and multipurpose compost from Wickes with a thin layer of native soil.
  • MrsgardenerMrsgardener Posts: 6
    Thanks for your ideas. I hadn’t thought about honey fungus! I don’t really know what causes it. Wonder if I would do better to put a barrier in the bottom of the raised bed? 
    I would have thought a small tree would be ok as smaller ones can be grown in pots. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd get the old stump out first. Apart from the possible problems, I can't see how there would be room in a 1 sq metre bed if there's a stump as well. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • MrsgardenerMrsgardener Posts: 6
    The stump is level with the ground. No way of getting a stump grinder near it either. 
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I would plant a June Berry Amelanchier alnifolia.. I've read that shrubs and bushes are less affected by planting in a location where honeyfungus trees have been removed.  Not knowing what caused the demise of the existing tree, the fact that the tree has been removing tree necessary nutrients from that area, and the fact it will take some years for the roots to rot away enough for something else to grow through them.. I think you are better off with something else in that area.  June Berries are lovely shaped, grow to a reasonable height, would do well in a bottomless raised bed over a stump, and pretty no fussy.  No maintenance or pruning, pretty flowers, little editable fruits a bit like the sweet taste of a dried blueberry, and doesn't require a huge about of water or effort once established.  My first one took about five or six years to reach maximum height, from a few sticks in a one liter pot.  I bought a second one, I liked the other so well.  The first produces tons of fruit without cross pollination (as my second one planted last year hasn't bloomed yet, and I've never seen it in our neighborhood growing).  

    Underplant with annuals until it reaches a good size, just to fill the bed with something nice to look at instead of soil.  Mine sort of has the shape of a stemless wine glass, so I would suggest you plan on a wide base and not put other perennials too near.  They can be bottom pruned, and trained like a multi-stemmed low tree.. if you want that maintenance.  
    Utah, USA.
  • MrsgardenerMrsgardener Posts: 6
    Thanks Blue Onion that sounds a good option. I don’t think I have ever seen one of those but it sounds perfect.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Put Amelanchier alnifolia into an internet image search.. lots of different ideas of what they look like pruned or not..or even as a hedge.  

    A number of U.K. nurseries stock them.
    Utah, USA.
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