Share your favourite tree
Do you have a much loved tree growing in your garden? We would love to hear more about it - you could even share a photo or two. Send an email to info@thrive.org.uk
Trees make a wonderful addition to any garden, whether you have acres or just a patio.
There is a tree for every situation, every soil type, some are evergreen while others are deciduous. You can even get ones that are semi-evergreen. Trees also come in various shapes and sizes, colours, textures, some with flowers, others with fruit or interesting bark and stems.
Before heading off to the garden centre or nursery to buy a tree there are a few things to consider.
1. Ultimate tree size
First, think about the final height and spread of the tree. Most trees respond well to pruning, so you can always keep them in check.
If you want a low maintenance tree, spend some time looking at the spot in your outdoor space where you want to plant it. Think about how tall it will get and how far it will spread. This could save you money and unwanted effort in the future.
Think about the planting of the tree in the ground if close to a property. A little research on how far a tree’s roots will spread is invaluable.
Mark Lane
2. Tree characteristics
Do you want evergreen, semi-evergreen or deciduous? Do you want a tree for privacy, for its fruit or to attract wildlife into the garden?
3. Planting location
And, finally, think more about where you plant to planting the tree. If it's going in the ground close to a property, a little research on how far a tree’s roots will spread is invaluable. Ideally, never plant a tree up close to a house unless you can restrict the root run or you intend to train the tree and keep it small.
Also think about the conditions where you are planting it. What type of soil do you have and does it become waterlogged?
You might be planning to grow your tree in a pot. If so, will it need ericaceous soil if it's an acid-loving tree? How big a pot can you fit in your space?
For small gardens you cannot beat:
The Amelanchier has clusters of white flowers in spring. This is followed by bronze-colour foliage changing to green for the summer. In autumn it then changes to red-purple. It’s a tree that does everything. It even has berries which the birds love. It gets to about 4 metres in height and 4 metres in width.
For foliage colours then Japanese maples and Cercis really are wonderful.
For some scent, why not plant Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’, with sunflower-yellow-scented flowers in late winter.
Trees can be trained in the garden, which keeps them more manageable. You can also have fun using espaliered, pleached or topiarized trees.
Yew (Taxus) or box (Buxus) make excellent topiary.
The crab apple Malus ‘John Downie’ or Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) make excellent pleached trees.
For fruit in the smallest of spaces, espaliered fruit trees are an excellent choice, as are stepover fruit trees. Pears, apples, peaches and apricots respond really well to this way of growing.
If you want to grow a tree in a container or pot, then you need to go for the largest pot you can get that will fit your space.
There is a lovely dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’) with very fragrant, sweetly-scented flowers.
The Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) has large mimosa-like leaves and pink flowers that look like powder puffs.
Magnolia stellata or the Star Magnolia will need to be grown in ericaceous compost, because it is an acid-loving tree. In spring, it will be covered in white star-shaped flowers with a soft scent.
If you want an over-the-top topiarized tree, then the Flamingo Dwarf Willow (Salix integra ‘Hakuro-Nishiki) is the tree to grow. Throughout spring and summer, the small white and green variegated leaves are tipped with flamingo pink. Grow this as a lollipop shape for an eye-catching display.
For low maintenance trees you cannot beat Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) with conical panicles of flowers.
Another good option is the Sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica). It is not actually a bamboo! Strictly speaking, it's also a shrub and not a tree. It has red berries for the birds and superb foliage colour with bright red tips.
For a scented tree why not try something that not many people grow. The Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) has maroon flowers with a sweet fruity fragrance.
And, as mentioned above, Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ is great for scent in small garden spaces.
Trees provide oxygen, store carbon, stabilise soil and are home to many forms of wildlife. Cities and towns are getting hotter, yet trees can help cool the location by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit or -12 degrees Celsius. They provide food, shield us from ultra-violet rays by reducing the UV-B exposure by c. 50 per cent.
For me though, trees in the garden mark the seasons and attract birds, bugs, beetles, bees and squirrels, giving life to my garden. So, go on plant a tree in your garden. You will not be disappointed.
* Mark Lane is a garden designer, author, BBC gardening presenter and Ambassador for Thrive.
Do you have a much loved tree growing in your garden? We would love to hear more about it - you could even share a photo or two. Send an email to info@thrive.org.uk
Trees can bring so many benefits to your outdoor space. We share a step by step guide to planting a small tree in your garden.
