With the size of the average garden getting smaller these days, it’s not surprising to learn that the best selling garden trees are getting smaller too. Big on impact on the eye, but low in impact on the ground is the name of the game nowadays, with gardeners looking for space-saving trees which deliver as much beauty as possible, for as long as possible.
One of the first things to think about when designing a small garden is to consider what lies beyond it. Are there any views beyond the boundaries which you would like to retain and are there any plants or features which you would like to replicate? By forming a relationship between your garden and the surroundings, you can create the illusion of your plot being bigger, by making it feel a part of a greater picture.
Trees are the most common features that can be used to link your garden with the surrounding planting. In the early spring, trees and hedgerows in the countryside come alive with blossom from the likes of hawthorn, flowering cherry, plum and almond and you’ll find many of these available as smaller growing forms in the garden centre.
The shape of your plot may dictate that you wish to give it the appearance of looking longer or wider. You’ll therefore need a focal point to draw the eye in a particular direction and trees make the perfect solution. One tree often used for this purpose is the very upright growing Flagpole Cherry, Prunus “Amanogawa”.
Avoid the “Monkey Puzzle Syndrome”, a common sight in urban plots where the smallest front garden has given rise to one of those enormous trees which looks great for maybe the first eight years but turns into a monster that costs a small fortune to remove. Instead of such a beast, choose a petite beauty like the flowering Crab Apple, Malus sargentii.
It pays to pack as much interest as possible into a small garden and there are plenty of trees which provide more than one feature such as spring blossom and autumn fruits. Crab apples are one of the most popular trees in this respect, such as Malus “Golden Hornet,” but don’t overlook trees with other benefits such as colourful autumn foliage like Acer “Senkaki”.
Plants with attractive bark really come into their own in the winter time. Many of the birches make excellent choices for the smaller garden, with their tall upright habit and sparse canopies which don’t create acres of dense shade below. When grown as standard trees (with the bottom branches removed), they make perfect specimens for the lawn and look superb when under-planted with early spring flowering bulbs.
If you are really struggling for space, why not grow a tree or two on your patio? A number of trees, such as Acer “Sunshine” launched by Peter Seabrook for Notcutts this year at the Chelsea Flower Show, make great container plants.