Recommend me an acer?

Hello folks

On the attached picture, were re-landscaping where circled. Instead of it being a waterfall to the pond, it's going to have the dwarf wall built up in front of it and a bed created behind. I'd like to plant an acer there.

What I'd love is one which I'd keep pruned to a metre in height and encourage to spread to perhaps two metres, so that it overhangs the pond and the walling slightly. I'd then be inclined to put some cyclamen underneath it but to leave it as something of a showcase tree.

Can anyone recommend a nice variety with a spreading habit please?

 

A property round the corner from me has a mound forming type of acer.
It must be 20+ yrs old or more.
It's not pruned and is barely 1m high, but has spread at least 2m.
It flows over their raised garden wall and is nearly touching the pavement.

It looks very much like this-

 

If it's to be in full sun, your are best going for one of the red/purple leaved ones. You'll want one with a weeping, hummocky form so have a look at this one

Acer palmatum &s;Inaba-shidare&s; (D) | Japanese maple &s;Inaba-shidare&s; Shrubs/RHS Gardening

or

Acer palmatum &s;Hessei&s; (M) | Trees/RHS Gardening

or

Search for advice details & tips on garden & indoor plants | Plant finder & selector / RHS Gardening

and then check for suppliers in local nurseries or online.

If your site is windy, steer clear of the ones with cut foliage (dissectum types) as the leaves will get badly burned and be unable to photosynthise and feed the ree.

 

Thank you both.

I don't particularly like the dissectum ones, much prefer the 'proper' more substantial leaves. It will get quite a lot of sun and there is some wind too.

As opposed to the clump-forming varieties, I was hoping to find something like the one I've uploaded.

 

So I have to rule out the dissectums and I think I've narrowed it down to:

Aratama or Beni-Maiko.

Anybody care to point me in whichever direction please?

 

If you want the weeping habit, they are dissectums. Palmatums are upright habit. Plus in the sun you'll need a red. Acers don't like wind as it causes scorch which makes the leaves look unsightly.
I have a Crimson Queen which is less than a meter high, but a lovely weeping reaching spread.

 

We have crimson queen as well and it's 20 plus years old now and has formed a low mound 1m high and a couple of metres across.

 

Most are slow growing too @Astraeus , so it isn't a quick fix unless you can afford to buy a mature specimen - with all the problems that can bring.
The first one you mention looks a far better option to me, but I love dissectums, and the variations within that type, so it wouldn't be a difficult choice for me if I was in your position.
I wasn't familiar with either type [there are hundreds of varieties] but looking at the 2nd one on various sites, it seems to grow fairly large.
I also don't like the pink on it, but that might not be a problem for you.
The most important things to consider are- do you have suitable conditions and climate for it, and is the site itself appropriate for it to thrive.