Tree for small garden

Today I was in the garden centre while my car was being washed. I was looking at climbers and small trees and came across Prunus Kiku shidare zakura. The label said it grew to 2.5 m x 2.5 m and didn't need pruning. That would be ideal for my sunny spot. When I got home I read that its final height was 4m and it needed pruning. Which of these do I believe?



G.

 

it's weeping you could put in a container to keep it small

 

Hi @jon nash . It's nice to meet you. Thanks for replying so quickly. How big a container would I need? How big would it grow? If it were in a container would it take a lot more looking after? For now I'm aiming for zero maintenance. Maybe in a few years when I'm a bit more experienced I might want to be more hands on.

G.

 

Hi @Jack Sparrow - snag with container trees is they need lots of watering. The only thing I'd say about the cherry is that if you are looking for something for a very small space, you need it to give you good garden value. Cherries are glorious in flower but for a short time... How about a small crab apple? If grafted on a dwarfing rootstock it will stay small. You could get one with purple foliage, pink flowers and then miniature crab apples that last quite a while and feed winter birds

 

Hi @CarolineL . Food for thought definitely. I will look into it. The plot won't be ready until spring but the tree will have to be the first thing that goes in.

G.

 

Maybe have a look at Sorbus Cashmiriana altho I doubt that would flourish in a container. As Caroline rightly says you want plenty of interest from a specimen a tree. Cashmiriana has pretty blossom and then really big white berries in the Autumn which birds don't tend to scoff too quickly(unlike many other varieties of Sorbus berries the minute they colour up). The obvious choice for a small tree which would be ok (not ideal) in a container would be 1 of the many varieties of Japanese Acers which are glorious IF you can provide the right conditions for them.

 

@silu I don't want a tree in a container. I want to plant in the ground. I just don't want it too big. There was an acer in this garden once. I believe the cold wind killed it. I don't know which variety of acer it was.

I did start to grow a smoke bush once upon a time in this location. It started off really well and then died. I think some of that was due to the weeds that were surrounding it. It was grown as a backdrop to an arbour which would have looked great had it transpired.



I'm going to have to take a new photo as all the plants in this one have gone.

G.

Ps this is a continuation of "ideas for a rockery garden". For now I am focusing on the tree so I will happily stay here for now.

 

Hi Jack,.

How about ......
Prunus Incisa " Koko No Mai "
Prunus Mume " Beni - Chidari "
Both of these grow to around 6' after 20 years.

Magnolia Stellata ( a few varieties ) grows to around 5'.

Or even Dwarf Lilac , there are loads of these available now from 3' to around 5'. Look especially for Korean or Canadian varieties.

 

@KFF Koko No Mai looks good. 2 local garden centres list it as well.

G.

 

There are plenty of fruit trees options that will grow to that size if you pick one on the right rootstock. My tzar plum is probably the nicest looking of my trees (apples, pears, cherries, plums), kind of weeping. It should grow to about 2.5m and is on a VVA-1 rootstock I think. A big garden centre will have a range of options

 

I've only just seen this thread. Sorry @KFF, I was inclined to think the same until I saw one around 30ft high some years ago, a magnificent tree in full bloom.

 

@Sheal. Your post was very timely. I have trouble keeping up with what I've posted where. Only this evening I have written a lengthily post in What are we doing in the garden knowing in the back of my mind I had written it all before somewhere. And here it is.

So, to update.

@KFF mentioned koko no mai. I really liked the look of it. I had the chance to buy one in the sale but I turned it down as I had no where to keep it safe until I needed it. That turned out to be shortsighted as I now have a tree far more delicate than that would have been.

@CarolineL was straight off the bat with crab apple. By default that is what I have ended up with. At the moment it's just a twig so it might be a while before I can do anything with it. I was given it for free so I have nothing to complain about.

@Mike77 thanks. Your contribution is appreciated.
I will try to keep a photo record of the tree as it grows. It might take some time.



G.

 

@Jack Sparrow our neighbour across the road to us has a Prunus Kiku Shidore Zakura (Cheals Weeping Cherry) and it has grown to around 5ft (Sorry don’t know what that is in meters) and is a bit wide but you could always trim it back to keep it less wide.

I personally think this one would grow to big for a container unless the restricted root growth would Keep it in check but cherries need lots of water to do well as they are quiet thirsty so you might have your work cut out.

The upside is that because it is a double variety the flowers won’t be pollinated by the bees so will stay in flower for quiet a few weeks before the flowers go over and once established will look beautiful when full of pink blossom

We have two small cherries that only grow to around 18” high that we bought from Tesco’s a few years ago and in the spring they have lovely white single flowers on them and in the Autumn the leaves go a reddish colour before they drop The best time to see cherries before you buy is in the spring when they are in flower in the garden centres but you don’t get to appreciate the full height of some of them until you have them established in your garden

 

How about a dappled willow, Salix Integra?

If I remember correctly, two or three on here have those in their garden, including myself. They dont take much space, give plenty colour, and grown as a standard can have spots on them to make them look like small moons at night.

 

A few suggestions there but Cheals Weeping CAN easily get to 4 metres.....at least they do down here. Not ideal for a container if only because of the constant need for water and nutrients in my opinion. Many of the prunus family sucker too and they can become problematic in later years.....I have removed a few because of this and not always easy. I also think their flowering period can be very short lived. Nice tactile wood though so its all about choices and decisions

I would go for Salix hakuro nishiki, I love it and is an eye catcher here......easily controllable with judicious pruning in spring (removing die back or for shape). So good I have 2 here and also grew one in a container for 2 years (until scrounged by a cousin)but far better in the ground as most shrubs, trees, etc. are. Planted several for friends too such is its popularity. My niece has already asked me for one for her new build .......I will associate it with purple; lots of allium purple sensation in spring for example and purple lilies in mid spring. I will not add any crocus....for me it is a weed despite its charm in (brief) flower. Purple foliage from astilbe Shogun, persicaria Red Dragon or geranium Black Beauty. Possibly geranium Patricia Purple Pillow or Ann Thompson. A beautiful shrub to make a real impact with the right plants to set it off.

Concerning cotinus/smoke bush Gary, two likely reasons for its demise.......if the soil was too wet or verticillium wilt. VW is an increasingly worrying disease. For an alternative "purple" foliage if it is damp there physocarpus diablo is worth considering; lady in red for better foliage. Or consider acteas......Varieties like Brunette, James Compton, Hillside Beauty have superb purple/black foliage.

I am aware I go on too long but hope this helps Gary