Square Park - new trees offered. But what types?

Some of you may remember me posting photos of damage caused to my local green space by tree surgeons. It led me to set up a Friends Of group and we have been campaigning for the damage to be repaired and replacement trees put in. All of the present trees are about the same age so will deteriorate at the same time, leaving us with no canopy cover at all.

The company who trashed the field have agreed to plant 5 trees. So we need to decide what we want. I'm thinking native trees that are good for wildlife as the long-term plan is to turn it into a mini nature reserve.

Any ideas on what would be the best trees to have? Nothing that needs a lot of maintenance, preferably.

 

Rowan, crab apple, wild plum, hawthorn, oak if there is room? Chosen from the trees growing in my local park-come-nature reserve. All natives, none requiring much attention.

 

Ooooh.... rowan. That's quite a pretty tree, isn't it? Crab apple sounds good. Already thought of oak as we had two removed. And hawthorn as it's good for the wild life. And the thorns will stop the local drinking club from hiding in it.

 

It's not the one I was thinking of but it does have the berries which birds love. So that's a good one.

 

Blackthorn's another one with fruit (sloes), but doesn't grow that large.

There are some more suggestions here from the Woodland Trust, though aimed at gardens: Top 10 British trees to plant in your garden

 

Thanks Clare, I found that yesterday. Having spoken to the group I think the general consensus is an oak, 3 hawthorn and either a beech or a rowan. Both if we can get them.

 

I did but was a bit worried about Die Back. A lot of ash trees have been removed in recent years, haven't they?

 

The Tree Man at the local council is going to source the trees so I don't need to worry about that part.

 

Met with the Tree Officer this morning. We have decided to put trees along the fences and will underplant with shrubs later.

He gave me the catalogue for the Council's supplier and I've decided to go with smaller trees that have blossom and fruit. Two types of apple, a common holly, a wild cherry and a sorbus are on the list. Plus hawthorn and rowan.

So it depends on what is in stock as to what we get.

He did say that he'd had an email from a local resident saying that she didn't want hawthorn as the thorns were dangerous to children. I gave him a puzzled look and said 'Well yeah, but they will only go near it once.' He nodded.

 

The list is now winging its way to the TO!

Asked for hazel, apple, hawthorn, holly, wild cherry and rowan. Will see if he agrees and if those are in stock.

 

You haven't said what the wider habitat of this location is like. I ask because you give no clue to where it is situated, just "in the middle".....in the middle of what? a marsh, an inner city? I'm not being flippant but it does to some extent determine what your choices could or should be. What is the soil type, elevation, distance from the sea? Native is good but native to where is my point.

 

It's an urban park. Basically a square of grass on boggy ground that slopes from north to south. It is surrounded by houses on 3 sides. There are mature trees in the middle - oak, horse chestnut, Scots pine and beech. At the bottom of the slope is a very boggy area of reeds and a few small oak.

The damaged area where the new trees will be is at the top of the slope where it is drier but still damp. The soil is clay loam.