There can be no greater commitment to a garden than to plant it with trees –
it is a signal of permanence and a gesture to the future, to the generations
who will enjoy them in their maturity. Think of great wooded landscapes such
as Stourhead, in Wiltshire, planted by Henry Hoare in the 18th century, or
arboretums such as Wakehurst Place, in Sussex, and Westonbirt, in
Gloucestershire.
Trees offer more than any other plants, on many levels, and have a multitude
of functions: they bind the soil together and provide shade, fruit,
firewood, timber for building, leaves for mould, habitats for animal and
insect life, blossom and pollination for other plants, as well as elegance
and beauty.
No matter how big or small the garden, there should always be room for a tree,
whether it is deciduous, evergreen, fruiting or ornamental. Trees planted in
small urban back gardens, for example, together with those in neighbouring
properties, create corridors of greenery that are just as important as
forests and fields. No plant offers carbon storage on such a scale: trees
are truly the lungs of the planet.
As man’s carbon footprint increases, there has never been a better time to
plant trees, and the garden is the place to start. If outside space is
limited, you could even just grow a maple in a pot.
Below is a list of my 10 favourite ornamental trees, suitable for the wide
range of soils and climatic conditions found throughout Britain. Most are
deciduous, but I have included a couple of evergreens for their decorative
flowers.
COMMON ASH (Fraxinus excelsior)
One of the finest of our native trees, the ash is fast-growing and will thrive
in any soil. It is suitable for exposed areas as well as the shade of a
woodland. One of its finest attributes for a garden is that, with some light
pruning of lower branches when the tree is young, it will produce a tall,
straight trunk in a handsome greyish colour. The wood, when properly dry,
burns slowly and hot on the fire.
Size: Can grow to heights of 100ft-130ft. Season of interest: Black
buds on bare wood in winter, with graceful, pointed, oblong leaves in
summer.
Suitable for: A large garden where filtered sunlight is required for
plants growing below.
Cost: £10-£15 for a 6ft specimen.
POCKET-HANDKERCHIEF TREE (Davidia involucrata)
Stunning in May, when covered in the white bracts (leaves that look like
flowers) that give it its name. Its sprawling, conical shape makes it one of
the most romantic trees growing anywhere. Size: 50ft high, with a spread of
the same. It has a life span of 200 years or more.
Season of interest: May for the flowers, but year-round for the gnarled
bark and twisting branches. A tree loaded with character, it has the
appealing attribute of looking old when it is still young.
Suitable for: The dark, forgotten corner at the bottom of the garden,
which the handkerchief bracts will lighten.
Cost: £25-£30 for a 6ft specimen.
WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis mollis)
Tiny twists of fragrant, papery yellow flowers appear on the bare wood of this
most decorative of small trees in late winter and early spring. Hardy and
unfussy about soil type, witch hazel is small and rounded – it could easily
be called a shrub. The leaves show a good yellow colour in autumn.
Size: 10ft by 10ft, but adaptable enough to be grown against a wall if
desired. It responds well to pruning.
Season of interest: Late winter and into spring for the flowers, and
autumn for the colour.
Suitable for: Any garden and any position. Well able to handle some
shade.
Cost: From £20 for a 2ft 6in specimen to £30 for a mature one.
ORANGE-BARK MYRTLE (Luma apiculata, formerlyMyrtus luma)
Another small tree, but this time conical, evergreen and slightly less hardy
than witch hazel. Prefers soil on the acid side of neutral. This tree
delivers on all fronts. The small, rounded leaves give off scent when
crushed; the white blossoms, which appear in late summer and early autumn,
are scented; and the black berries that follow are sweet and edible. Its
crowning glory is its soft, furry chestnut-brown bark, which peels to reveal
a cream-coloured smooth bark.
Size: 13ft in height.
Season of interest: Year-round.
Suitable for: Milder climates, though it will tolerate frost. Small
gardens and shady areas.
Cost: £15-£20 for a 6ft specimen.
WEDDING-CAKE TREE (Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’)
Named for its distinctive layers of branches, this green-and-silver variegated
dogwood is possibly the most distinctive and hardy small deciduous tree for
any garden. A mass of creamy flowers adorns its perfectly horizontal tiers
in May, giving it a truly outrageous appearance. Similar to Viburnum
tomentosum in its layered arrangement of branches, it is not for the
fainthearted.
Size: 10ft by 10ft. Season of interest: Year-round for its wonderful
structure.
Suitable for: A garden that needs brightening up.
Cost: £15-£20 for a 6ft specimen.
BALSAM POPLAR (Populus balsamifera)
Tall, thin and somewhat inconspicuous, like many in its genus, the balsam
poplar has one outstanding attribute: scent, in the buds, leaves and bare
wood. The presence of this tree guarantees sweet fragrance all the time. It
is hardy, it grows tall, and the rounded but pointy-tipped leaves shake
prettily in the wind.
Size: Grows up to 65ft, but often smaller.
Season of interest: Year-round for the scent, which is strongest in
spring.
Suitable for: A shelter belt, windbreak or hedge.
Cost: £10 for a 6ft specimen.
INDIAN BEAN TREE (Catalpa bignonioides)
For a touch of exotica, the catalpa is a good, hardy deciduous tree that would
suit a small, sheltered garden. It stands well in its own space on a lawn,
where its extraordinary heartshaped leaves, large and delicate when dried,
can be admired either on or off the tree. The beans that follow the flowers
and hang pendulously from the branches demand that it be placed prominently.
Size: Can grow up to 65ft (rarely) by 25ft, but usually about 20ft-30ft
by 15ft.
Season of interest: Year-round. The big yellow-and-white flowers, with
purple-spotted tongues, that mass all over the tree in late summer are
followed by large runner-bean-like pods in autumn.
Suitable for: Any soil type, but it prefers shelter, which stops leaves
being shredded by the wind.
Cost: £25-£30 for a 6ft specimen.
PERSIAN IRONWOOD (Parrotia persica)
This is a handsome, conical, deciduous and fully hardy tree, the large,
beech-like leaves of which skirt the ground in a sweeping gesture of
decoration. It needs to stand alone, so that its shape and magnificent
autumn colour can be best appreciated.
Size: Up to 30ft.
Season of interest: Autumn, when the leaves turn a vivid red, then
gold, in an unforgettable display.
Suitable for: Any medium-sized garden with enough space to admire this
tree, which should stand in full sun.
Cost: £25-£30 for a 6ft specimen.
JAPANESE MAPLE (Acer palmatum)
This classic small, mushroom-shaped tree adorns the temples of Japan and
gardens the world over. The varieties of Acer palmatum deliver much in the
way of decoration, shape and colour. This is a tree to get close to and
admire. It is hardy and easy to grow in any soil except outright chalk, and
will even grow in a container. The ‘Dissectum’ group, in which the leaves
are more finely cut, includes some fine cultivars, among them the
deep-purple ‘Dissectum Atropurpureum’.
Size: Can grow beyond 30ft, but very small varieties of 6ft or less are
available.
Season of interest: Year-round, but, as with all maples, the autumn
colour is excellent.
Suitable for: Small gardens or containers.
Cost:£18-£20 for a 4ft specimen.
EVERGREEN MAGNOLIA (Magnolia grandiflora)
I include this summer-flowering magnolia because, unlike other magnolias, it
will tolerate most soils, is hardy and will grow against the wall of a
house. It is tall and robust of foliage, and the flowers have a rich citrus
scent that sets it apart from others in its family. It is long-lived and can
be grown as a free-standing conical evergreen.
Size: 65ft or to suit. It responds well to pruning.
Season of interest: Summer for the flowers. The evergreen and glossy
leaves are decorative year-round.
Suitable for: Larger gardens, or against the side of a house of any
size.
Cost: £25-£30 for a 6ft specimen.
Direct root–how to plant them
Trees come in two forms: bare-rooted, which means they started life in the
ground, or grown in containers. If you are buying by mail order, transport
costs will be much lower for bare-rooted trees, but you must plant them in
winter, while they are dormant.
Container-grown specimens are more expensive, but can be planted at any time
of year. If the weather is hot and dry, remember to keep them well watered,
though.
When you come to plant the tree, it may be best to stake it if it is windy.
Any stake will do, from a 1in square upward. For something more sturdy, use
two stakes with a top bar to form an upside-down U, and fasten the tree to
the top bar with a plastic tie. The hole should be large enough to fit the
roots when they are spread out. If you need to, strip away any turf and add
it to the compost heap.
If the tree is bare-rooted, spread out the roots, place it in the hole, then
throw the soil back over them, treading lightly without stamping. Add a
couple of spadefuls of compost, if you wish. If it is container-grown, tease
as many of the roots away from the compost as you can, without damaging
them. Do not bury the graft union, if there is one.
Give the tree a good water, whatever the weather, but do not do any planting
while it is raining, as this will damage the soil. If you live in the
country, remember to attach a rabbit guard to the tree. After watering,
apply a good mulch of compost or well-rotted manure. Weed the area around
the tree for the first two years.
Suppliers: Landford Trees (01794 390808, www.landfordtrees.co.uk);
Ribblesdale Nurseries (01772 863081, www.ribblesdalenurseries.co.uk);
Goscote Nurseries (01509 812121, www.goscote.co.uk)
