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Tree for a small garden
Green Foot
Posts: 5
in Plants
Hi All,
We have quite a small garden. I love the idea of having a tree as a centre piece but am quite nervous of choosing the wrong type of tree. Any advice or ideas of trees for a small space would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
0
Posts
dimensions of garden?
I love Rowan (mountain ash). I've had one for 17 years and it's about 15-20ft high. I chose a chinese lace variety because I didn't want too much shade but it doesn't berry particularly well so I've always chosen the "ordinary" ones since then.
Before making a choice check out what your soil is like; clay, sand etc, acid or alkaline. I would also take into consideration the aspect [ how much sun will it get, is it exposed to wind]. Then when you look at the choices available to you, factor in this knowledge to make the best choice for your site.
how small is small?
you could have a nice Japanese acer (about three to four foot tall)
a rowan (10-20 foot tall)
or a Himalayan birch (25-35 feet tall)
Crab apples (or Malus) are my go-to tree.
They are relatively small, traditionally shaped, deciduous trees providing year round interest. Usually smothered in blossom over quite a long period in spring (the closed buds are attractive too), they provide shade in the summer and have brilliant bright fruits in the autumn and winter. The fruit can be harvested to make crab apple jelly or left for the birds over winter.
John Downie is a classic with lovely coloured fruits but is very susceptible to scab and loses it's fruit very early (mine never make it beyond Sept). I wouldn't recommend it if it's the only tree you are growing.
'Red Sentinel' has beautiful red fruit - I find they last through till about Jan / Feb and look stunning against a clear blue sky. 'Gorgeous' has larger red fruit but I don't know how long it lasts.
'Evereste' has more orangey fruit - these last right through until Feb when the blackbirds have a field day.
Last edited: 20 July 2016 12:03:18
Hi Green Foot,
Like others have said, "small" is vague. What are the dimensions of your garden, please?
I agree with Topbird about Malus being a good choice for a smallish garden. My own Malus 'Evereste' is rather young, planted in the autumn of 2014, but I love it. See photos at http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/malus-perpetu-evereste-2/
Re my experience with M. 'Evereste', I'd say the flowering season is on the short side (2 to 3 weeks) but the flowers are splendid. Last year my specimen had a fair number of crab apples on it, considering its young age. As Topbird says, these miniature apples remain on the tree for quite a long time, at least until January the following year, unless the blackbirds get at them (as seen on some photos on my garden site). BTW, the cultivar name 'Evereste' has nothing to do with Mount Everest, as is sometimes thought, but it was a pun made by the (French)man who created that variety, 'Eve' (Adam's companion) as the symbol for 'apple' + French verb 'reste' (meaning stay, remain) because these fruit stay on the tree for a long time.
Other than that, you might browse the excellent advice given on the RHS website here under Trees for smaller gardens: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=117 That's a huge choice, you'll agree!
Last edited: 20 July 2016 15:32:02
I used to have quarter of an acre, backing onto fields, RSPCA home checker said that was medium size
Hi All,
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for all the great suggestions, which I will research a little. My garden is about 22ft x 22ft with some flower beds and an 8 x 6 shed. It is three quater lawn anf one quater stone area.
That is soo pretty doghouse. Yes, 22ft is small, I would stick with an acer, maybe in a pot on your stone bit, otherwise you wont have any garden left!
Me again Greenfoot.
That is quite a small garden for a tree.... even for one of my beloved crab apples... unless you can find one grown on a dwarf root stock and I'm not sure if they do that for crab apples.
As Nanny B says perhaps a small acer - but you will need to check out soil type and potential exposure problems first.
Failing that - perhaps a topiarised shrub might be the answer? Something like this?
http://www.crowntopiary.co.uk/topiary-standard-topiary-lollipop
or even this?
http://www.crowntopiary.co.uk/topiary-clouds-topiary-pom-pom