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Too much sun...no shade

hashim.al90Z5UDklXahashim.al90Z5UDklXa Posts: 1
in Garden design
Hi All. Currently have a blank canvas garden see photo attached. South facing garden means we get a lot of sun but there currently is no shade at all. Will eventually get around to building a pergola potentially near the house. But i want to plan some trees at the back of the garden where the fences are. What sort of trees would people recommend? To be honest the less maintenance the better.. thank you!

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The problem with adding more trees, bearing in mind the proximity of other trees further back, is that they could be difficult to establish. The ground will need to be reliably moist and that fir on the right could be a problem in that regard.

    What is your general climate like, and the soil @hashim.al90Z5UDklXa? That will help with good suggestions.
    Any tree will need some good prep to get it established and thriving, so doing that now will mean you can hopefully plant in autumn with a smaller specimen and that will have a better chance of doing well for you   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    The garden isn't big enough for anything too big and heavy. A silver birch, Jacquemontii would be nice. It would provide dappled shade and the leaves in autumn are easy to mow up. They do like a reasonable amount of moisture though.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    I personally don't think we should plant trees anywhere near a neighbouring fence/boundary. The roots and canopy of the tree will encroach on your neighbours plants/space, and root expansion can push fences aside. We have lost quite a few plants over the years, because the roots of our neighbours trees are sucking up all of the water and nutrients in our garden. It's also a struggle to cut our neighbours 4-5 metre high trees that are hanging over our garden, and to have to dispose of the branches.

    If you thoroughly research the trees you want, and fine out the size of the canopy when it is mature, that will give you a guide as to how far to plant it from the fence. We have found Hawthorn and Sorbus to be well behaved small trees (but make sure to check the individual hydrid that you are interested in). 

    Don't rule out shrubs that can also be trees. We love Sambucus Black Lace, and Sambucus Golden Tower. These can be grown as shrubs, and hard pruned every year, or you can leave them to grow into small trees. 


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