Trees for Small Gardens
Trees make a valuable contribution to the appearance of our towns and villages, as well as to individual gardens, but trees are lost to disease, old age, storms and new development. Planting new trees is important to maintain a mixed age range of trees.
Where to plant
Exactly where you plant your tree will depend on the shape and layout of your garden, but here are a few important points to consider:
- How big will it grow?
- Will it shade windows or greenhouses or neighbouring properties?
- Are there any underground drains or cables?
- Are there any overhead wires?
- Is it too close to a building?
What to plant
The table below provides a brief guide to some trees suitable for the average sized garden. However there are many more available and good garden centres will advise on all aspects of the plants they have available.
Don't be afraid of the Latin names. They are important as they help to identify trees precisely and avoid confusion especially when you are ordering a particular species. Some of the Latin names are in three parts and these relate to genus followed by species and sometimes followed by 'variety'.
It has been a popular practice to plant conifer hedgerows and single specimens of cypress and Thuja, particularly the species commonly referred to as leylandii, because of their rapid growth and screening properties. Unless maintained correctly at a reasonable height these quickly become unmanageable causing severe problems of screening, blocking light, overshadowing, soil moisture depletion and neighbour disputes. More information on high hedge complaints is available in the Conservation section.
Rushcliffe Borough Council positively discourages the use of such species in any circumstances. A garden centre or nursery will be able to give you advice on suitable alternatives.
When planting small trees it is important to keep them free from excessive weed growth which can easily suppress them in the first couple of years. Larger trees give immediate affect but can take some time to establish as the roots need time to recover and grow. It is important to keep trees well watered in dry months following planting.
| Species | Latin name | Notes and brief description (see introduction below) |
|---|---|---|
| Alder | Alnus glutinosa 'Aukea' | Leaves are bright yellow in spring and early summer, gradually fading to green later. |
| Almond | Prunus dulcis | One of the hardiest, earliest and most reliable of spring-flowering trees. |
| Cotoneaster | Cotoneaster frigidus | Usually thought of as shrubs, C. frigidus forms an excellent small tree with a good display of autumn and winter berries. |
| False acacia | Robinia pseudoacacia 'Frisia' | Striking golden yellow leaves right through from spring to autumn. Hardy, and fast growing, it's tolerance to pollution makes it a good town and city tree. Enjoys a sunny position. |
| Flowering crab apples | Malus 'Golden Hornet' Malus 'John Downie' |
Two of the most popular fruiting crab trees, spring blossom giving way to conical fruits in autumn. The large, bright orange and red fruits of 'John Downie' may be used in preserves. |
| Hawthornes | Crataegus monogyna Crataegus prunifolia |
White, pink and red flowering varieties available with berries in autumn. C. monogyna is our native 'May' seen throughout the countryside. C. prunifolia shows off white flowers and glossy green leaves in June, which blaze orange and red in autumn along with bunches of rich red fruits. |
| Holly | Ilex aquifolium | Native evergreen slow growing tree. Many varieties are available including ones with variegated leaves. I. aquifolium is the holly commonly associated with Christmas. |
| Honey locust | Gleditsia tricanthos 'Sunburst' | Striking bright yellow young foliage throughout the year. G. tricanthos 'Sunburst' is unusual for a Gleditsia in that it has spineless stems. |
| Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus 'Columnaris' | An ornamental variety of Hornbeam. Though columnar in shape when young, it soon develops a more rounded profile. |
| Paperbark maple | Acer griseum | A large group of deciduous trees include some of the finest for autumn colour. A. griseum has an attractive coloured peeling bark with leaves turning a vivid scarlet in autumn. |
| Rowan or Mountain ash | Sorbus aucuparia | A slow growing and well known tree suitable for even the smallest of gardens, it is famous for its dense bunches of red berries. 'Asplenifolia' is a variety with more finely cut leaves. |
| Silver birch | Betula pendula | Well known for its silver bark. 'Tristis' is a graceful, smaller growing variety, 'Youngii' is a weeping variety and 'Jacquemontii' possesses a most beautiful peeling white bark. |
| Snake-bark maple | Acer davidii | Attractive green and white striped bark, best admired in winter, and has good autumn colours. |
| Snowy mespilus | Amelanchier lamarckii | A mass of white flowers in spring followed by a blaze of orange and red leaves in autumn. |
| Tree privet | Ligustrum lucidum | Like Cotoneaster, Privets are usually considered to be shrubs or hedge plants. This one, however, is a handsome late-flowering, evergreen tree. |
| Whitebeam | Sorbus aria | Tough, round-headed trees which are able to tolerate pollution. 'Lutescens' is very striking in spring with pale silvery green leaves. |
| Winter flowering cherry | Prunus subhirtella 'Autmnalis' | Also known as 'Autumn Cherry', it brings colour to the garden with clusters of small flowers during mild spells from November until late March. In autumn the leaves often turn a rich red and bronze. |
Documents to download
- Application for work to trees under a TPO
- Notification of work to trees in conservation areas
- TPO application form - guidance notes
- Protected Trees: A Guide to Tree Preservation Procedures
- Example of a planting plan