5 Beautiful trees for your garden
Choosing a tree for a garden can be a daunting task. Unless you are lucky enough to have a very large garden.
Most of us have gardens where space is a premium and we worry that we will make the garden feel even smaller by adding such a large plant as a tree.
Trees get big and take a long time to grow... Is it really worth adding them to my garden?
The answer is YES!
Trees add structure and height to your space and contrary to belief can make a small garden feel larger by breaking up the space, creating and separating different areas.
They can add seasonal interest with blossom, fruit and leaf colour. Many are a haven for wildlife, they improve air quality and create a calm, stability to your outside space.
It’s important when choosing a tree for your garden that you choose carefully, think about -
* How big the tree will get - give it space to grow
* How far from the boundary does it need to be
* Is your site in sun or shade? Is it sheltered or exposed?
* What is your soil like - wet? dry? clay? sand? deep? shallow? acidic? alkaline?
Once you have a clear idea of the conditions the tree will be living in it helps to narrow down which trees will thrive in your garden, which will be perfectly suited to your space.
There are some amazing small trees that are perfect for gardens.
These are my 5 favourite:
1. Amelanchier lamarckii -
Snowy mespilus
A beautiful, deciduous tree with all round seasonal interest.
It produces masses of white flowers in spring. The leaves have a coppery tinge as they emerge becoming green in summer. In mid to late summer dark red berries develop that become purple-black as they ripen then in autumn the leaves turn glorious shades of scarlet and crimson before falling.
Amelancheier lamarckii is happiest in moist but well drained neutral to acidic soil in full sun to partial shade.
2. Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ - Redbud
Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ is a deciduous tree that produces masses of pea-like, rosy-pink flowers along its bare stems in spring before the leaves emerge.
The large heart-shaped leaves are a beautiful red-purple colour in spring and summer turning rich shades of orange and bronze in winter.
A fabulous tree that is happy in full sun to part shade and moderately fertile moist but well drained soil.
There are lots of different Cercis canadensis varieties available:
For a smaller tree look for ‘Red Force’
or for a weeping form ‘Ruby Falls’
Cercis canadensis f. alba has white flowers and mid green leaves
3. Sambucus nigra - Black Eldar
When does a shrub become a tree?
Black Elder seems to fall between both but I love them for their large flat heads of edible pink flowers in spring which are a magnet for bees, the rich dark purple black foliage, and masses of edible dark purple berries in late summer loved by garden birds and winemakers alike.
A colouful easy to grow shrub - My favourite variety is ‘Black Beauty’ and for finer foliage try ‘Black Lace’
4. Malus ‘Royalty’
A lovely spreading crab apple tree.
The young leaves are a bronzy-red when they emerge becoming greener over the summer and finally turning red in autumn.
It is covered with clusters of beautiful fragrant dark red-purple blossom in spring with masses of deep dark purple crab apple fruit in autumn.
5. Flowering Cherry - Prunus
A fantastic addition to any garden!
Happiest in full sun and moderately fertile, moist, well drained soil.
So many beautiful varieties and forms available - Flowering Cherries are renowned for their masses of blossom in spring which range in colour from the darkest pink to pure white. The flowers can be single or double and the the bark rich reds and browns.
- Narrow and upright - ‘Amanogawa’ or ‘Snow Goose’.
- Weeping - ‘Pendula Rubra’
My absolute favourite is Prunus ‘Pink Parasol’
All forms are attractive to bees and many have fabulous autumnal leaf colour.