A tree for every garden
It’s hard to list all the ways trees are amazing, but here’s a few of the big ones:
When designing a garden, trees are important structural features. They add height to the garden and can be used as focal points, to frame views and to screen less attractive areas.
Trees provide habitats and shelter for a huge wealth of wildlife – from fungi and insects to birds.
Trees capture and store carbon – removing carbon dioxide in the air via photosynthesis and locking it up, potentially for centuries.
In urban environments trees help cool down cities and prevent flooding.
There are trees suitable for all sorts of different garden situations. When you are choosing a tree consider:
Mature size – putting a tree that’s too big into your garden will cause problems down the line as it outgrows the space you’ve given it.
What type of soil and aspect it needs – a tree can be a big investment and you want to make sure it has the right conditions to thrive.
What benefits are there to wildlife – as well as providing shelter, is the tree a food source for insects and birds?
Here’s some suggestions of some of our favourite trees for different sized gardens. These are just a few of the many options available!
Small courtyard
If you have a paved space with no open ground try something that will do well in a container, remembering that it will rely on your for all its water and food needs. Good options include small fruit trees – for example apples on M26 or M27 (dwarfing) rootstock, Olea europea (olive tree) and Acer palmatum (Japanese maples).
Olive tree in a pot
Small garden
Choose small trees that will give structure without taking over and dominating your space. Amelanchiers are a great choice for a small tree that has a long season of interest – white blossom in spring, berries in summer and great autumn leaf colour. They make lovely multi-stemmed or standard trees. If you want a tree that will add winter interest then Prunus serrula (Tibetan cherry) is a wonderful option, with beautiful shiny copper bark. For a more unusual fruit tree then Mespilus germanica (medlar) has unusually-shaped fruit which can be used for jams and jellies.
Amelanchier blossom
Prunus serrula bark
Medium garden
If you have a bit more space to play with and can find a place for a medium-sized tree, then a couple of our favourites are Sorbus aria (whitebeam) with their white-felted leaf undersides, Alnus glutinosa ‘Imperialis’ (alder) with finely cut leaves and great for wet ground, and Liquidamber styraciflua (sweet gum) which has the most incredible autumn colour.
Large garden
Not many of us have room for really large trees, but for those lucky enough to have the space some beautiful options are Populus tremula (aspen) which likes wet soil and has leaves that flutter in the breeze, Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) with its exotic flowers, and Tilia cordata (small leaved lime) which is great for wildlife and can be used to create impressive avenues.