Small focal centre point - maple tree?

Hello all,

I`m new on here and gardening, so stick with me!

I`ve moved in to a small terrace house and we have a small front garden - approx 9 x 8 foot and a back yard. There is currently no garden, just pebbles. I intend to have four rounded beds at each corner and a focal point in a circular middle bed in the centre. I`ve been pondering over the centre point. With the garden being so small and directly in front of the living room window I want something relatively small - max 3-4 foot high. I was thinking a small conifer but I find that a bit dull. I like the idea of a maple but when I see them in the garden centres they look nothing like the wonderful bushy small trees I see when I`m browsing the web. Is there a specific way of shaping a maple to keep it small and bushy or is it a specific variety? Any further suggestions as to what I could use?

Chris

 

I throroughly recommend hammamelis - witch hazel. It will keep low, growing slowly out rather than upward, has the most excuisitely fragrant blossom right now, in either sulpur yellow, yellow or rust and has lush green foliage, then the most amazing rainbow leaf change in autumn. A fabulous all rounder!

http://images.google.co.uk/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=hamamelis+shrub

 

Hi craynerd and welcome to GC. I think JarBax has come up with a good solution but I would go for one of the yellow-flowering ones.

We have a red one and although it is nice, it is so drab against the evergreens, that it is almost not noticed. Actually, some years we have not seen that it is blooming until it is over :eek:

Personally, I would go for one of the stronger yellow ones, just the thing for during the cold and dreary winter days.

Good link there, JarBax.

 

Yeah Kedi Gato,my next door neighbour has a redish one which goes unnoticed, as the flowers just look like autumn leaves from a distance.

 

Hi Chris, and welcome. Hammamelis are beautiful plants but they will grow to 8ft plus. Go for an Acer, but make sure it`s on dwarfing rootstock. I`ve got an Acer pal.dissectum purpureum in a pot, it is about 3 ft tall, with a spread of about 4 ft. In the ground it would be a little bit bigger. It`s about 10 years old.

 

Hi Chris what about a standard Salix "Hakuro-nishiki" or Flamingo tree if you like, it has wonderful leaves splattered with white and pink it doesn't grow any taller but just thickens up, as the top is grafted onto a stem the tree will not grow any higher than what it is when you first buy it.... so it's pretty easy to judge what size you're happy with. Below is a picture of mine.

You can trim the leaves so it looks tidy without any harmful effects. The tree might look bare in winter but come spring your neighbours will be green with envy!
:D Hel.xxx.

 

welcome, conifer need not be boring there are so many to choose from and evergreen (if not golden, variegated, blue) also a good back drop for the hamemalis. What about:-Cryptomeria japonica 'Vilmoriana' or Bassia scoparia f. trichophylla or Platycladus orientalis 'Rosedalis' to name but a few.
Why not try fruit trees on dwarf root stock for production as well as spring blossom. Hey the world is your oyster!
Have fun!