Trees for a small garden

Any suggestions for a tree that grows no taller than 12' for my small garden . Maybe a Magnolia or acer ???

 

It is hard to beat a nice Japanese maple

 

Be very careful if you go for magnolia to get the right one. Some can grow huge. Whis4ey is a little bit biased about acers but I must admit you can go a long way to find better. I just bought an Acer atropurpureum (you know, that nice deep purple/red one) at Wilko's for £3. Small but healthy and it will grow. It's technically a shrub of course but for the small garden is excellent, or as a feature in a larger garden.

 

Hi Bally,

Before deciding on a tree you also need to take into consideration the location (full sun, shade, wind etc.) water requirements, soil type and nutrition levels. Sticking any old tree in the ground is often a cause for concern in the future when they grow out of hand or fail due to nutrient deficiencies etc.

 

a pear tree (provided that it has a quince root stock it will stay small)

 

Amelanchier (Amelanchier lamarckii I think) makes a neat small tree. Have a look on Google images. White blossom in the spring, black berries later, which the birds eat.

I think Magnolia doesn't like limey soil, and the blossom can be prone to late frost -we had a poor show this year for that reason. Not sure if these things are a problem to you.

 

How about a paulownia, fast to get to the height you require and loves to be pruned to keep it at that height and responds with lovely lush leaves. Personally if I see a tree I like I plant it, my garden is only 40 to 50x27 and I just shape them every few years. I have never confined myself to what I can have by the size of my garden. :eek: Another good tree is the common fig tree, acer brilliantisimum, sorbus whitebeam, acer drumondii, prunus nigra, malus tschonoskii and of course the Jap maples of which I have a lovely bloodgood:D

If you like magnolia, 'Susan' is a great choice as is 'black tulip'.:thumb:

 

BM. You are talking metres aren't you? Not kilometres.

 

how about a blue spruce in a large half barrel , it will bonsai hapilly to around 10' and will tolerate the tub drying out/ sun/ wind

 

Hello,

I have a Sorbus Kashmiriana (Mountain Ash Kashmir) in my garden and it should grow between 10 to 15 foot, but mine has stopped at round about 12. It has delicate pink/white flowers in the spring and white fruit over winter.

 

Yep have to agree there, spectacular they are :thumb:

 

Feet actually :eek:

 

How could anybody resist an autumn colour like this one?

 

hi all can anyone help with this prob, my dad has a vibernum tinus it has been in his garden for about three years, its done great up until just after christmas it looks dead its leaves have gone dark brown berrys have shriveled up and withered. Its been pruned after flowering and treated the same way all the time its been planted, just this year its gone down hill, its still there cause dad not sure if its dead,will try to get a photo if any one can help, it was a present to him so any tips would be great, thanks k.x

 

Wow whis4ey, how can anyone resist a tree like that, its gorgeous!! 02