Every garden should have a tree

[Georgie]

I've heard this adage many times but it's not easy when you have a small, narrow garden.  However, having lost my Buddleia to the recent high winds, I'm thinking again about planting one.  I'd like it to be native and it would be about 30' from the house.  I'm thinking Sorbus (Mountain Ash) is probably the best option but I'd welcome your thoughts and other suggestions. 

G x

[Georgie]

[tonybloke]

mountain ash is a good choice, well suited to town use. ;)

[Flighty]

A good idea!  :)  Here's two links that may be of interest

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=117

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2006/nov/18/shopping.gardens

[Georgie]

Thanks Tony and Flighty.  So now all I have to do is decide which one to go for.  :)

G x

[Tin Shed]

We have got  a quince tree - wonderful blossom in the spring and then quince in the autumn.

[saddad]

A Black Mulbery ....  :)

[Pesky Wabbit]

Every garden should have a tree.

As a closet tree hugger, I cannot agree more.


Selections I have made in the past:-

Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku'
Acer platanoides 'Drummondii'
Acer rubrum 'October Glory'
Amelanchier lamarckii
Cercis siliquastrum
Cornus 'Norman Hadden'
Ginkgo biloba
Gleditsia triacanthos
Magnolia stellata
Malus 'Golden Hornet' (Yellow crab apple)
Malus x robusta 'Red Siberian' (red crabapple)
Mespilus germanica 'Nottingham' (Medlar tree)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides

[tomatoada]

Amelanchier Ballerina.

[betula]

Love Mountain ash.............they have looked wonderful this year. :)

[BornAgainGardener]

Very true. We haven't stopped planting trees since we bought our house in 2000.

At the time the back was slabbed and the front was tarmac. Now both are like jungle! Its great we love it and so do the neighbours. One long time resident even commented 'its lovely to see trees in the street again; when we came here it was all trees' You have to wonder why we are still the only ones creating green space instead of destroying it.

[Georgie]

Ooh, lots of suggestions there, thanks, but I'm only interested in natives.  :)

G x

[BornAgainGardener]

Ooh, lots of suggestions there, thanks, but I'm only interested in natives.  :)

G x

We've a lovely red blossomed hawthorn, and a rowan, both of which feed the birds in the winter.

[Geoff H]

I would have gone for a Rowan or Sorbus. It is quick and most natives would be too big for the situation. Another one might be Bird Cherry. It has lovely sprays of white blossom in spring.

[Georgie]

I would have gone for a Rowan or Sorbus. It is quick and most natives would be too big for the situation. Another one might be Bird Cherry. It has lovely sprays of white blossom in spring.

Geoff is 'Bird Cherry' one of the Prunus genus? 

I think I've narrowed it down to Sorbus (Mountain Ash, Rowan) and Crataegus (Hawthorn).  I want something fairly quick growing and wildlife friendly that has interest for most of the year and doesn't cast too much shade.  Not that I'm fussy!   ;)  ;D

G x

[dtw]

I've got a Stella cherry tree in my garden.

[Pesky Wabbit]

I've got a Stella cherry tree in my garden.

Who gets the fruit, you or the birds  :(

[Geoff H]

I think bird cherry is Prunus padus. There is another native cherry, Prunus avium, the wild cherry but that can get big. With cherries you must not prune them in winter, it has to be in spring or summer otherwise they are likely to be infected by a disease - I think it is silver leaf disease.

[Georgie]

I think bird cherry is Prunus padus. There is another native cherry, Prunus avium, the wild cherry but that can get big. With cherries you must not prune them in winter, it has to be in spring or summer otherwise they are likely to be infected by a disease - I think it is silver leaf disease.

Thank you.   :)

G x

[landimad]

Hi,
I would first dheck the soil type you have and the location next.
This will then narrow your choice a bit as there is such a vast array of trees which could be chosen.
Once that is sorted then you can see what you want from it.
IE colour, berries, canopy, height and the rest of it.
I chose an Oak due to the amount of ground I have and the return it will give both the family and the wildlife in the area.
Best of luck with whatever you choose.
And remember a tree is for ever not one season.

[Digitalis]

I've just bought a morello cherry tree from Homebase for £9.99........I was previousky going to buy one from T&M for £30!!!! Phew!