Any ideas for a tree for this space?

Hello!

I am in the process of demolishing an old broken down play house - see photo (not the swing). It will leave me with some space which I'd like to try and use for planting. I'm keen for a small tree in that area - I was thinking of something like a multi stem tibetan cherry. However, you will see from my photograph the proximity to the much larger tree next door. The spot will get most of the morning sun till about 1100, be in dappled shade from the big trees till about 1400 when the afternoon sun in the summer will be on it till at least 2000.

I'm on rather sandy soil and Im about 100m from the coast in NW england.

Would love to hear if my idea is workable or if you have any other suggestions. Other thoughts I've had are amelanchier or strawberry tree.

Many thanks in advance

 

I’ve grown all three of your choices @Nickoslesteros, they have all survived my sandy soil! The bark of the Tibetan Cherry is a very attractive feature, particularly in winter. The Amelanchier flowers more impressively and has better autumn colour. The Arbutus is evergreen, the red flowered variety is an alternative to the white flowered one. I think that all three would suit your soil and location. Hope that helps.

 

If a multistem tibetan cherry is your first choice, I would go with that. They don't get that big and should be fine in your conditions.
It's hard to judge how close that pine is but it wouldn't put me off, it might just mean you need to do more work to establish it.

 

Does Tibetan cherry have cherry fruits? Even if they are only suitable for the birds, that would be lovely to give the birds food and be able to watch them.

I was thinking some sort of Prunus, cherry or plum or other fruiting tree, whether or not the fruit is any good for humans. Tibetan cherry looks to have the advantage of beautiful bark and shape.

I have some small plum trees growing in pots, grown from plum stones, which today I noticed are starting to re-grow their leaves after the winter. They may not work out, as they may get too big for pots, and eventually in a garden could be too big to grow near house foundations. I may end up trying to do some sort of bonsai effect with them. I already transplanted to giant pots a few months ago, and they have coped with that well.

I like the idea of spring blossom, very welcome after the winter and probably to waking bees.

I read that you can get all kinds of ornamental or edible cherry or plum trees on dwarfing rootstocks, though I don't know how difficult these are to grow. I have so little space that I was tempted by the idea of getting one of these for a beautiful big pot.