Recommend a Tree to grow in a pot for patio

Hi,

We have a very small back garden and trying to add a bit more to the boring grass and concrete we currently have.

So, decided to maybe add some pots to the patio area and decided we would maybe like a tree that grows and stays in the pot.
Having had a brief look online I kind of like those single stem trees that have a bit of long stem with the leaves on top, kind of like a skinny human with a big head.

We are on the east coast of Ireland the back garden is south facing (so gets the sun in the afternoon and evening).

Just looking for recommendations please.

I included a couple of pictures of the type I mean.

 

Or maybe go for a Cloud Pruned tree, Ilex crenata or similar. (Just throwing the idea out there).

 

How about a Standard Oleander? It is colourful. evergreen and there are some hardy.

 

There are trees/shrubs which will suit, but it largely depends on how much time you have to spend on care. Even in your location, that summer sun will dry plants out in containers, and woody plants can struggle, so getting the growing mix right is important. You may also have to provide a slightly shadier site through summer.
In addition to @kindredspirit 's suggestion - Pieris are very good for cloud pruning. They'll also manage well in containers. Many people grow Yew or various conifers as lollipops/standards too.

While normal holly [as opposed to the I. crenata above] can certainly be grown quite easily as a lollipop/standard, anything jaggy that you want to shape means you need sturdy gloves!

 

Check the ultimate size of any tree you choose. No tree stops growing when "you" want it to. Keeping a tree in a container happy is a full time job. It will need repotting, watering, feeding and pruning reguarly as there are very few plants which can be put in a pot and left.
It would help to use a dwarf variety of anything as they are usually grafted onto small growing stock.

 

The first picture is euonymus which is a very good candidate for what you are planning and it would need less tlc than the photinia in the second picture because they aren't as vigorous. Many shrubs can be grown in the same way and if you have a sunny site then ceonothus might be another to look at.

 

I have an Irish Yew in a container. It's an attractive green with fresh green new growth, slim and columnar, takes a little while to settle but then grows quite quickly. Not very demanding, no regular pruning needed. Plus, it's evergreen. Another conifer, Thuja Smaragd makes another attractive container plant, with a slim, upright habit, also evergreen. You could also try an ornamental grass like Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, which will also give winter interest with its dried stems and flowers.

 

I'm growing Arbutus Unedo in pots as patio tree, evergreen, flowers, easily shapeable, fun fruit- what more can I ask?

I have the regular type which will eventually go in the ground, and "compacta" version which I got for free as the nursery initially sent me the wrong variety.

 

OP here, thank you all for your responses. Very helpful suggestions and advice.
Realistically I want something that does not require an awful lot of minding, watering regularly won’t be an issue. Happy if it requires some effort.
The dwarf version suggestion is a good idea.

I have looked at each of the recommendations mentioned above and the more I think about it and consider how tight our patio is due to how small our garden is and the fact we would have garden furniture, a bbq and a heat pump on our patio, I definitely think it needs to be a tree(s) that can be shaped or will grow into a lollipop shape and not grow too wide and take up more room, or if it does grow wide is easy enough to shape back.

I am liking the olive tree suggestion along with the euonymus in my original post and pic, and for a second tree with a bit more colour I too like the a) Standard Oleander, b) Ceanothus and c) Photonia.

So, I guess it may come down to what is available in the garden centres near me.
Will some of the trees grow into a lollipop shape or is that dependant on pruning ?

Thanks

 

Anything in a totally 'lollipop' shape doesn't get like that by accident. It's all in the pruning.
Some will grow quicker than others, so that will determine how often it needs trimmed.

A shrub/small tree that's already being formed will be an expensive outlay in a GC.

 

Thanks @fairygirl good to know that.

 

If you buy an euonymus already in lollipop format, it may be the round growth at the top has been grafted onto a different rootstock. The only work required on the stem would be to trim off any stray bits that sprout along it as soon as you see these. The plant will stay at roughly 4" tall as the stem does not actually grow. You can keep the mop head pruned, but they are slow growing so a tidy once a yr would probably suffice. They can cope with drought to a certain extent. The only thing to watch out for is euonymus scale which can appear as whitish stuff on branches. If your plant starts to look sickly and drops a load of leaves, that would be the first thing to check for.

 

Thank you. I am going to pop along to a garden place that has a good selection of plants later.
Will also need to get a pot, I’m sure they can advise me on a size depending on what we select but typically should one go for a larger pot (50/60cm for example) to future proof if it is a tree that will grow?

 

It really depends on what size rootball the plant has. I would choose the plant first. You can then either get a slightly bigger pot than the one it is in and pot it on every couple of yrs. Or you could get a "final size" pot. I tend to do the former, as the plant stays more stable (especially if you are in a windy area). Either way, I'd use a mix of multi-purpose compost and top soil. If you just use compost, the roots will grow out into it very quickly, but won't be happy long term. Make sure there is a good sized drainage hole.

An annual slow-release feed will be essential.