Tree for small front garden

I would like to give a friend a small low mainteneance tree for a front garden that would have reasonable year round interest. The house is a bungalow so height and spread would need to be about 3m (10ft) max. The location is fairly exposed, afternoon/evening sun during summer, with quite good fertile soil on the acid side. Some coastal influence and temperatures not extreeme (for up here) but the sea is about 5 miles away so no salt problems. Can get a strong easterly though.

I was thinking along the lines of a dwarf crab apple, (Malus), however, if anyone else has other ideas fire away!

 

I have just taken a sneaky picture of my neighbours front garden tree. It is a Pineapple Broom'Cytisus battandieri'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/251.shtml

Description:

Cone-shaped clusters of delicious, pineapple-scented, lemon-yellow flowers in mid- and late summer and silvery-grey leaves. This vigorous, upright pineapple broom makes a stunning specimen plant for a sunny, sheltered, well-drained site. For maximum enjoyment of the fabulously fruity scent, plant near to an entrance or well-trodden path.
�·1 Position: full sun
�·2 Soil: fertile, well-drained, neutral to acid soil
�·3 Rate of growth: fast-growing
�·4 Ultimate size: 4x4m/15x15ft
�·5 Flowering period: July and August
�·6 Flower colour: lemon-yellow
�·7 Other features: silvery-grey leaves
�·8 Hardiness: fully hardy

Garden care: Requires minimal pruning. In late summer after flowering remove old, diseased or misplaced branches.


This description says sheltered but all I can tell you is this tree in the picture is full North facing in a very windy situation. It has a light prune for shaping after flowering and is the envy of everyone when in flower. It has the benefit of being evergreen and does not drop any debris like Malus does. I have malus and it does make work for you clearing up.



Highly recomended from BM! :D :D

[ 26. May 2006, 08:51 PM: Message edited by: Banana Man ]

 

Remember this topic? some interesting ideas there-
http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=12;t=000056#000000
I suppose ideally it should :
Be evergreen or have some interesting bark or shape
Have attractive perfumed flowers
Have autumn fruit/berries
have good autumn colouring
Crab apple does fill most of those!

 

How about a Beauty bush- Kolwkitzia amabilis with a Perle d'Azur clematis growing through it, or possibly for a treeish thing a Crataegus punifolia - dark shiny foliage, covered in white flowers, scarlet autumn foliage, red berries that hang on after the foliage has dropped and contrast with the crackled silvery bark. Not up on photos - attempting to load one of it here:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/jazid

 

Well that didn't work. How do we load images? PLease help!!

 

Wow! Answered my own question. Here's the winter show. Berries do drop and are a drag to rake up off (for example) this gravel drive. Otherwise a good tree.

 

Beautiful trees Jazid, and great pics.

 

BM: Had a look at Pineapple Broom'Cytisus battandieri' in a garden centre yesterday. Interesting tree and a 'possible'

jazid: Also had a look at the Crataegus varieties (Mountain Ash or Rowan) - maybe another possible.

I also had a look at Contorta, a Judas Tree, the red hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha Paul�s Scarlet) and something else that I can't remember the name of but looks like a weeping willow with dull yellow flowers. I also had a look at all the malus and the choice is bewildering. :eek:

So far all I've bought is a small 8 section stone slab circle to plant whatever in the middle of and I'm off to lay it in a minute :D

[ 28. May 2006, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

Was it this?

http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/pl/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4700&CategoryID=

Not a fan of these.

'Cytisus battandieri' is a plant I wanted and never got round to buying so I am little biased. No room left now. :(

Sorbus/Rowans or malus will all bring insect and birds into the garden with their flowers and berries. I have both sorbus and malus but I am a real fan of all things evergreen.

This is sorbus Whitebeam
'Sorbus aria Lutescens'

http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/pl/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4716&CategoryID=

I have it in my garden and its really nice.

 

OOh and I forget to say, am a big fan of the Judas Tree too, sadly didn't get round to buying one of these either.

 

Bit late now but I have never had much luck with pineapple brooms. Lovely plant, wish it would grow, and it does, like stink, for a couple of years. It is then rather wiffly, and I can either

1)Prune it - which they hate, they seem to just die back and look all mournful

2) Ignore it - fine until the wind snaps the stems and/or it all gets tangled up

3) Neither of the above, the honey fungus has got to it first.

Don't know why but if there's honey fungus in my garden it sniffs out the broom hotfoot.

I reckon all you need is a 15ft high sheltered south facing wall. Any offers?

 

Not too late at all jazid so keep the suggestions and info coming.

The slabs got put in yesterday on top of weed control fabric then a 1" layer of sharp sand (minimal traffic so no need for concrete) but the person concerned is away for a week and we'll go and choose the tree once she comes back.

Re. honey fungus. No history of it on site but you never know when that particular evil will pop up so I would rather steer clear of any susceptable species.

 

Banana Man: That Sorbus Whitebeam looks interesting and one that I might add to my wish list, but although they say it has a compact habit and slow growing, in the end it still reaches 10m!

Much too big for my garden, my question is with slightly more pruning than normal each year, could it be kept to a limited size without problems?

 

Hi Frogesque, okay here's a couple more...Stewartia pseudocamellia, or Arbutus andrachne - the strawberry tree. Both like acidy soil, and are well mannered. On top of this the Stewartia has beautiful flowers and attractive flakey bark and is rarely seen by me :( Doesn't like a lot of exposure though I have read - more woodlandy conditions. The Arbutus is evergreen, grows well in a pot, also has nice if discreet flowers and fruit, and a lovely reddish bark and good habit. It should thrive by the coast though it might be too cold in the winter (what temps do you get?)