Help with a tree for Shade?

I love sitting outside on the terrace in the Summer, especially feet up, in my dressing gown first thing with a cuppa and a bacon sarnie. Listening to the gentle breezes in the trees and distant birdsong, sensing a cloud pass in front of the sun behind my closed eyes. Heaven.

But I've got freckley skin and feel very uncomfortable in strong sunlight. Little Cacadore also plays in the blow-up paddling pool there and should have protection too. I could put up some awning or pergola but one day I'd love to have a tree to sit under and look at from the living room. Can anyone help me decide what tree to plant for shade at the back of our house? Perhaps something I can buy that might give some limited shade within, say, five years?

Here's a plan of our house. The south-facing brick terrace (that's the little oblong of grey above the yellow house) extends about 9 foot from the rear glass doors.


I'd like the tree to be deciduous, close to the terrace, its roots not to damage anything and for it to give good shade.

Any candidates?

 

Tall order, I reckon.

You could clamber something over a pergola much quicker (and with no worry about root damage), or put up a sun-shade during the Summer (which is an instant solution of course )

Sun Shade could do until tree has grown up ...

... but for shade that is cast [as a shadow] in summer when the sun is very high in the sky the tree needs to be tall - which will take more than 5 years I reckon.

To sit under it, instead, then it needs to have some decent length branches, and that takes "quite a while"

 

Quite like Kristens idea re. pergola. Could build the uprights in a brick to match your paved bit and use wood cross bars.
But, if you are willing to wait a bit for the shade...Acer Griseum, beautiful dappled shade, fantastic small tree ideal for near house, brilliant autumn colour and beautiful peeling bark for A.Y.R. interest.
Or Rhus typhina, less expensive and makes quite a good canopy. You could remove the odd branch as it developed to create the perfect shape for your needs too?

 

How about Robinia, which I think is also called False Acacia. There was one at my last house. It was 6ft tall when we moved in, and when we moved out 10 years later it must have been easily 15ft tall, and I'd cut loads off it along the way. Its a lovely looking tree, quite delicate looking with almost yellow leaves. The canopy isn't overly dense, so it creates dappled shade rather than a deep shadow.

 

There's a nice variety called something like "frisia" (begins with an F anyway ) which goes a lovely Yellow in autumn, before the leaves call.

 

Yes, paper Maple. Now that looks nice. I forget to mention that it's a bit slow-draining by my terrace. I'll try to hasten the drainage as best I can but can maple cope with a day or perhaps two in waterlogged ground?

That's an idea. I can get some Stag's Horn Sumach from near the river which is similar. Is that as good? I love it. For ages we called it the 'Teddy-bear Tree' because of the fur that covers the young shoots. I think it wilts if it can't drain rapidly though. Would I be right? They're only light so I guess I could give it a bit of a raised bed to get it through the first years.

 

Thank you for your kind and helpful answers so far. I'm actually quite excited about getting down the garden centre to see if they have them!

I like the laterally spread leaves: it looks like I could get some decent shade if I could get close under it. It's a lovely shape.

What about roots from these trees? Is the root spread about the same as the actual canopy spread - in other words can I control the spread of roots to the house by cutting back the branches? Or is there no relation between branches and roots? How far from the house should I allow for these trees? And what about roots under the terrace bricks? I guess the Sumach isn't going to tilt the bricks much but I'd like some idea of a safe distance for the maple and False Acacia if any of you kind people know.

 

Might be worth looking for a bare-rooted plant at this time of year? You would almost certainly get a bigger starter-tree for your money.

No, pruning the branches won't restrict the roots to match. Might make the plant less vigorous and correspondingly reduce root growth ... but you need a tree known to have little root damage impact. Best to ask a knowledgeable nuseryman on that score I reckon. I would think that most "small garden trees" are not going to be a problem.

Sumach tends to sucker I think? Probably not a problem, other than just to consider it

 

Robinia, especially Frisia is a beautiful tree...but a bit large for so close to the house? Also, they seem to shed branches regularly. Considering the thorns, I wouldn't want one too near a seating area incase I got one on the head!!
Similar look from Gleditsia tricanthos? Love these trees and they cope with moist conditions...but quite slow and not particularly wide canopy.
It's true that Sumachs do sucker. I can't think of anything in their defense re. that! You just have to remove them when they appear.

Bare root def the way to go re. value for money.

If you can afford it...a multi stemmed Prunus serrula makes a very attractive tree for a courtyard/close to house type tree. As does Betula jacquemontii, but even though the multi stemmed ones are a bit smaller than a single stem specimen, they do make a medium tree eventually.

I think an Acer of some type would be a good bet. Size, situation, shade and roots considered?

 

Also...I love a Medlar!

 

Why don't you consider a few fruiting trees?

 

The bark would look lovely, near the house. A useful benefit in winter when the leaves have fallen.

 

It seems the Paper Bark Maple's roots aren't such a problem for buildings. And it looks ace. Have to see if I can afford a bare root one.

I've dug up two sumachs from near the river and they're at the far back of my garden.



They seem like ferns to me: a number of them are all joined underground. They like the sun but I've seen two doing well shoulder-to-shoulder with bigger trees: one jammed against a fir tree and others growing under an apple tree. Maybe drainage is important when they're young. They sucker out new saplings which means it might as well be a specimin tree on the lawn and the mower can stop it spreading. On the other hand I've got a flower bed nearby so now I'm not so sure if it's wise to have a sumach close.
Apparently this Aralia Elata doesn't sucker so much:

 

The Gleditsia tricanthos you suggested. It looks great but doesn't it send out suckers a bit aggressively?



On the other hand, the Prunus serrula, Tibetan Cherry you suggested looks like a very special tree. Might have to save up for one of them!

 

I've got a little orchard drawn on my garden plan! Near the house a fruit tree would get plenty of sun, but there's very occasionally standing water and fierce winds and perhaps fruit trees like softer conditions? What do you think?