JANINE CRIMMINS

GARDEN DESIGN

Garden Worthy Trees

Now that spring has finally decided to arrive in May, the sight of all the blossom is a wonderful thing. Equally as lovely are the new fresh leaves unfurling on the trees making everywhere look sparkly and new.

I am not happy unless I am surrounded by trees, moor land and beaches do nothing for me I much prefer wooded valleys which are far more visually interesting and create a sense of enclosure and security.

Most of us do not have rolling acres which can support majestic trees in large groups or even one majestic tree! However there are many lovely trees worthy of a place in the garden and every garden however small should include at least one.

Below are a few trees that I regularly use in gardens for many different reasons.

Amelanchier
There are several available varieties, most common is lamarckii which is perfectly suitable however if you would prefer a better behaved variety that grows in a more regular fashion then look for Robin Hill.

Amelanchier has so much to offer and never gets too large, it also responds well to pruning to keep it a regular shape. As the leaves appear in spring they are a delicate bronzy colour which contrasts well with the small white blossom which arrives at the same time in April/May. Another bonus is fiery orange autumn colour.

As a single stem tree this is perfect but you can also grow it as a multi stem shrub which when mature can have the lower branches cleaned of side shoots to give an architectural shape.

Prunus Snow Goose
This is a well behaved cherry which has a narrow crown to about 2m wide making it ideal for small gardens. It has beautiful clear white flowers in the spring before the leaves arrive and again has the bonus of good autumn colour.

Pyrus Chanticleer
This is an ornamental pear but seldom produces any fruit. This is a perfect screening tree because it is the first to come in to leaf in the spring and the last to lose its leaves in the autumn.

The head grows in a natural pyramid shape and stays very neat and tidy so it is lovely to plant several in a line to create an avenue.

Delicate white blossom appears in April with the leaves and this is another tree that doesn’t disappoint with autumn colour.

Excellent for using along driveways due to its neat habit and deep roots.

Pyrus salicifolia Pendula
A beautiful weeping pear with silver foliage which can be trimmed to a tight shape or left to create a
solid dome of foliage.

This is very good as a focal point due to its strong outline and it looks lovely with pinks and purples and other silver leafed plants.

There is a wealth of other trees to consider which have smaller varieties such as crab apple, japanese maple, flowering dogwoods, magnolias, lilacs, rowan, apple, plum to name but a few.

The choice of tree depends not only on the site and situation but the style of the garden and the colour theme.

It is worth taking time to research the right tree as it is a feature that will be there for a long time and give you many years of enjoyment.