Best trees for a small garden... Even the smallest garden can benefit from the addition of a tree. Trees make use of vertical space when ground level is at a premium. In drawing the eye upwards, trees also make the garden look bigger. Planting a tree near the edge of your garden can create the illusion of space by masking the boundary or providing valuable privacy, but dont plant where the tree will grow into a fence or hedge or where it will start to overhang a neighbours garden. In small spaces its important to choose a tree that also works hard for its place, giving you plenty of interest at key times of the year. Trees add height and the impression of maturity to a mixed border, plus valuable interest in otherwise bare winter herbaceous borders. But be careful to choose a spot where it wont cast shade onto plants or parts of the garden that benefit from the sun. On the other hand, you could strategically place a small tree to introduce shade into a suntrap garden to create planting opportunities for shade loving plants that you otherwise wouldnt be able to grow. trees can also be used to create a focal point. Often, the best place to feature a specimen tree in a small garden is in the centre, perhaps in a small island cut into the lawn, where it will have the space to fill out into its natural height and form. A tree planted as a feature in a gravelled or paved area can also make a beautiful focal point, providing useful shelter for a seat too. Contrary to popular belief there are not rules on how close you may plant a tree close to a building, but common sense should prevail. Ideally small, slow growing trees under 9m (30ft) tall should be planted at least 3m (10ft) away from buildings. There are several types of tree that are ideal for smaller gardens. some dwarf varieties will always stay small. Weeping trees such as Contoneaster Hybridus Pendulas , Salix caprea and prunas kiki-shidare-zakura are actually spreading shrubs that have been grafted onto a standard stem, resulting in a form that grows longer weeping branches, but remains at a fixed height. Other trees are small by nature, but still can eventually grow to over 6m (20ft). There is no set definition for a small tree, but they are usually considered to be ones that grow anywhere up to 9m (30ft) in height. This may still seem like a heft height size if your garden is small, but remember that the space that they take up is mainly vertical, and lower horizontal can be removed when the tree grows, to raise the the canopy, free up lower space and let in light. If you choose a variety that has light and open canopy such as a birch or an amelanchier, enough light will filter through to allow a variety of plants to grow beneath. Good trees for small gardens can be the ones that grow quite slowly, so that even though they may eventually get quite large, for most of their life they will remain a reasonable size. some varieties can even be controlled with pruning to the appropriate size such as hollies or bay trees or even hazels and willows, which respond well to pollarding. When you select a tree take note of the eventual height and spread on the label. These descriptions are usually based on ideal growing conditions. How ever if your garden is exposed to lots of wind the height may remain smaller that stated. Do try and include some evergreens so that you have all year round colour.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 19:46:59 +0000
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