At this time of year, the garden lies mostly dormant and its bare bones are revealed, writes Elly West, who explains how this makes it easier to decide on any structural changes, and why midwinter is actually the opportune moment to consider adding a tree to your plot.
My house is opposite a huge oak tree, and as I sit in my upstairs office looking out of the window and across the road, I realise how much I appreciate the view, constantly changing with the weather and the seasons. Oaks are the best trees for biodiversity in the UK, according to the Woodland Trust, with mature specimens supporting around 2,300 wildlife species (not including the multitude of bacteria and other microorganisms).
While we may not have the space, or the patience, in our gardens for an oak, even the smallest plot can benefit from a tree, to add height and structure, plus a sense of permanence. My front garden at home is not large, but has five trees in total: two Japanese maples, a potted lollipop bay, an amelanchier and a magnolia, all earning their keep and providing their separate interest all year round.
At this time of year, the garden lies mostly dormant and its bare bones are revealed, making it easier to decide on any structural changes. When everything has died back, you can plan ahead and see where height is needed, perhaps to provide extra screening or a focal point, and it’s a good time to think about features that aren’t working, and what to remove or add. Trees can also be found at bargain prices during the dormant season, when they may well be sold root-balled or bare-root at a fraction of the cost of their potted counterparts.
A tree makes a great addition aesthetically, providing vertical interest all year round. Trees can frame a view, divide sections of the garden and blur the boundaries, creating the illusion of a larger space. Evergreens provide permanent structure and greenery, while deciduous trees often bring blossom and berries, plus changing foliage colours. Many trees, such as eucalyptus, silver birch or paperbark maple, also have the benefit of interesting and/or colourful bark.
Trees are great for wildlife, providing shelter and food for birds, squirrels, bees, caterpillars, moths and butterflies, plus they provide a good spot to hang bird feeders. They can also help our own physical and mental health, improving air quality and reducing noise pollution, and generally adding to the outdoor serenity that we look for in our gardens.
Which tree is right for me?
When choosing a new tree for the garden, perhaps the first consideration is its size and overall form. Although you can always cut back trees that get too large, it’s far better to choose one that is suited to the space to avoid too much maintenance. Trees with airy canopies, such as rowan (Sorbus), crab apples and hawthorn are good in smaller spaces as they filter the light, rather than becoming too dense and dominating the garden. The autumn cherry, Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is another favourite of mine, producing semi-double, pink-tinged or white flowers from November to March, when not much else is flowering.
Deciduous trees are generally more interesting in terms of seasonal change, but may lose their appeal in winter when the branches are bare. If you want a tree for privacy or to screen an eyesore, then an evergreen option might be better. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a popular choice, with attractive leaves that turn from red to glossy green, or try Portuguese laurel, which has slim dark-green leaves and reddish stems. Both of these are easily pruned and trained to different shapes, such as a lollipop or pleached (clear stem, topped with a rectangular framework giving a contemporary look that’s good for adding extra height above a wall or fence). In a sunny and sheltered spot, an olive tree is an attractive evergreen choice, although slow growing. Holly is quick-growing if you don’t mind the prickles, while varieties of pittosporum, such as Pittosporum tobira and P. tenuifolium, although generally considered evergreen shrubs rather than trees, can grow to several metres in a sheltered spot, and are easy to shape and train to suit the space.
Trees offer scope for ‘layers’ of planting, combined with bulbs, and low-growing perennials and shrubs around their base. I love a bit of a woodland theme, underplanting trees with hellebores, ferns and pachysandra, plus bluebells and snowdrops. Smaller trees can be grown in pots, then moved around to suit the season, or to change your garden layout. Japanese maples are a good choice for containers, providing a focal point on a patio or terrace.
A new tree is an investment that could be in your garden for many years to come, so it’s worth taking the trouble to give it the best start. The perfect time to plant is from autumn to spring, as long as the ground isn’t waterlogged or frozen. Dig a large planting hole, as deep as the tree’s root-ball, but three-times as wide, breaking up the soil and loosening it in the bottom of the hole. Soak the root-ball thoroughly before planting, and gently loosen the roots to encourage them to grow out into their new space. Make sure the tree is planted at the same height as it was in the pot and no deeper, then refill the hole and firm the soil with your heel to get rid of air pockets.
Larger trees will need staking, and you may also want to add a tree guard if rabbits or deer are likely to be a problem. Finally soak the area with water, add a layer of mulch, and keep watering regularly during dry spells for at least the first year while it gets established.
Ashton Court is a great place to see ancient trees, with the largest cluster of veteran oaks in the country outside of Windsor Great Park. It is home to the renowned Domesday Oak, very much coming to the end of its life, but estimated to be at least 800 years old. If you’re choosing a tree for your garden, Chew Valley Trees has an excellent website (chewvalleytrees.co.uk) that will help you select the right tree for your space. The RHS website (rhs.org.uk) is another good starting point.
Plant of the month: Amelanchier
The snowy mesipilus, more formally known as Amelanchier lamarckii, is one of my absolute favourite trees for a small garden. It’s at its show-stopping best in spring, when the star-shaped pure-white flowers emerge in combination with the new small bronze leaves, that later turn green. It has a beautiful multi-stem form, and is fairly compact, so needs minimal pruning, which can spoil the shape. Purple-black fruits appear in summer through to autumn, and it also offers vibrant autumn colour. The berries are edible and can be used to make preserves, or as an alternative in sloe gin.
Amelanchier will grow in most soils and locations, but prefers a sunny spot for the best autumn colour. Underplant with spring bulbs such as Narcissus ‘Tete-a-tete’ and fritillaries for an elegant spring display.
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