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Container plant with year around interest
We have a small, flat garden, part paved and part lawn. I'd like to include a small tree ideally, or shrub-like tree with year round interest (although I love autumn colours and would consider a deciduous plant with great colour too) that can grow in a large container so that we can add a bit of height to the garden. The spread is the most important factor as it can't be more than 2m wide at most.
Any suggestions?
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hi Kai
Possibly an Acer although it is deciduous and require an acid soul wel. grow out approx that wide and that height .The only draw back is that they are slow growers but will give you great colour in summer and late autumn
You could also grow something like a variegated holly which would give you year round foliage interest and berries in autumn and winter as long as you choose a female or self fertile variety. They lend themselves well to pruning to a shape so you could easily keep it to a cone or a pyramid or let it grow a main trunk with branches.
The RHS has this article on trees in containers - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=274
If the pot is generous size, you could try quite a few of the flowering cherries. Prunus serrulata will give you a lovely shape and fabulous, glossy winter bark as long as you pick one of the cultivars as they don't get as tall as the original.
Apples and pears on dwarf root stocks would be good too and you can now get "family" trees with more than one variety grafted to the main stem so they cross pollinate and you get blossom and fruit.