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Trees for an urban garden
buddyb
Posts: 11
Hi
We are wanting to plant a tree in the centre of the lawn to act as a focal point and hopefully to have a tree seat around it in years to come. We would ideally like a flowering cherry. We like the sound of Prunus Kanzan but will it grow too big? Any other suggestions are most welcome. Thankyou
0
Posts
How big is the lawn area,how far from the. House?
The lawn is approx. 50 metres square and the tree will be placed approx 6 metres away from the house.
Thankyou that is certainly FOOD for thought! A great idea!
Prunus serrula has pretty flowers in spring and wonderful glossy red bark for winter interest. There's a rarer one called Prunus maackii. which has Amber bark.
This is my Prunus Kanzan, planted about 25 years ago. Photo taken in 2005, so it must have been about 15 years old at the time. Absolutely beautiful tree BUT it took most of the sun off the garden when in leaf, the blossom only lasted 2 to 3 weeks before the wind and rain knocked it off the tree and blew it all over my garden (and the neighbours), and the garden took a lot of clearing in Autumn. I admit that I only have a very small garden and in hindsight, it was the wrong tree for the space. I also planted it too near the small wall, which got pushed out of line over the years and threatened to fall over. Last February we had it chopped down. Daughter took the wood for her log burner so all was not lost. The difference to the light in the garden was unbelievable - still haven't got round to fixing the wall yet.
If I had a big garden, I would certainly put another one in - they are gorgeous when in flower, and shady on a hot day.
Hope this helps
Kathy
What about Pyrus salcifolia which is a weeping silver leafed pear ,very pretty pale grey foliage and white blossom .this can also be trimmed to keep it to the size you want .
Go for fruit trees and if you have children they can have fun climbing the tree and picking the fruit. We have a cooker and apple picking even now they are grown up is a highlight along side the first apple stew.
Our tree is fairly old but some nice person clipped the tree long before we were here, in a way to make it easily claimable without any steps or ladders and quite pick-able from the ground. Spring apple blossom is stunning.
Depends really what the neighbourhood is like - you may find the local kids strip the tree of fruit if it is in your front garden. How about an Amelanchier - blossom and autumn colour and a smallish tree.
Hogweed thats a horrific thing to say about children.
My house is on the main way to the local park that regularly holds functions that get thousands and i plant my 8x5 foot front garden upto the wall with odd veg. Sweetcorn one year, tomatoes and chillis last year everybody jokes about pinching them and all the young children, mums and OAPs stop me to ask whats next year and regularly stop and look but nobody has ever been seen to pick things even the current tomatoes that flowed over the foot high front wall were left alone.
Nin - I think you are one lucky cookie. It wouldn't happen round my way and I live in a small village. The apples would be stripped before they were ripe.