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Tree for near pond?

keysnatcherkeysnatcher Posts: 17
in Plants
Hi, I know this must have been discussed before but can’t find any links. I’d like to plant a small tree to block the view of our neighbours opposite, but the only available space is on top of a small decorative mound around 1m from our (liner) pond. I was originally thinking of a Betula Jacquemontii Trinity College as it seems to have the right proportions and a nice light canopy, but Googling has frightened me out of birches near ponds due to their aggressive root systems. I’m now considering a tree-shaped sorbus, e.g. Pink Pagoda. Has anyone successfully grown a small tree (to 4-7m tall) this close to a pond without the roots puncturing the liner, and can recommend one? Unfortunately my garden is too exposed for Japanese Acers to thrive. 
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Have a look at ‘root barriers’ … Google will reveal various options.
     
    Another tree to consider would be an amelanchier … blossom and  fruit for wildlife, a light canopy of foliage with glorious autumn colour, and about the right sort of size. 

    Any tree near a pond will mean that you will have to net the pond during leaf fall in the autumn. I’ve found that Amelanchiers seem to shed all their leaves over a pretty short time period so the net won’t have to remain over the pond for very long. 

    Birches do have a tendency to drop leaves and catkins throughout the summer, well before autumn, so the pond would need netting for most of the summer as well as the autumn. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I've had trees near ponds without any problem, but I wouldn't pick birch. They're a pain because of the constant drop. Rowans and Amelanchiers are pretty easy. I also had an ornamental pear - Pyrus salicifolia, which gave no problem.  It also depends on the wind direction. I had a pond with two mature trees close by - a maple and a lime, and the pear. It was never a problem because of the wind direction.  :)

    It would depend on the size of the pond as well. The bigger it is, the easier it is for it to withstand the onslaught.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • keysnatcherkeysnatcher Posts: 17
    Great suggestion @Dovefromabove. I don’t know why I haven’t considered amelanchiers. Most of the ones I’ve come across only seem to reach about 3 metres high, are there any that get to 5m or more? It’s the upstairs windows of the opposite house we’re hoping to screen a bit. 
    We already net the pond in autumn and most of winter as our neighbour’s bamboo ends up in there as soon as we get a bit of wind, so don’t mind a few more leaves dropping - but wouldn’t want to net in summer so I guess that’s the birch definitely out! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The heights/widths of any tree will vary because of your conditions, but you'd also have to factor in the amount of shade you'd get from a tree of 15 to 20 feet if it's so near a pond.
    Not so good for the pond  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • keysnatcherkeysnatcher Posts: 17
    @Fairygirl fortunately the tree would be at the north-west corner of the pond, so I’m hoping the light wouldn’t suffer too much with a slightly larger tree as long as it wasn’t a wide spreading one. To be honest the pond could do with a bit more shade - the water lilies etc. didn’t seem to help much last summer, and the poor fish were getting a bit uncomfortable in the all-day sun! 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The shade is always better if created by surface planting in the pond, rather than from external plants. 
    If you have fish though - that changes things a bit, because the pond needs to be deep enough to give cooler areas for them.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    This is ours last spring  … it was 6 ft when we planted it five years ago 

    This is it in the autumn two years after it was planted. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • keysnatcherkeysnatcher Posts: 17
    @Dovefromabove that’s lovely! What type is it? I would probably need a single stem form but most amelanchiers seem to have both forms available. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It was bought from a large garden centre labelled simply ‘Amelanchier’.  Pretty certain it’s ‘ ‘lamarckii’. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The flowers hang differently on lamarckii and canadensis. On the former the flowers hang down and it's the opposite on the latter.
    To be honest - there's not a huge difference between the types and varieties though @keysnatcher. 
    The biggest problem might be getting a particular variety. Stocks are low in many nurseries. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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