Find me a small pretty tree (8-10 ft) or climber with...

[spikemomma]

A narrow trunk but a canopy, to block out the view into the house opposite! X

Will it be in a pot or in open ground? You need to be wary of planting trees very close to the house, because the roots can damage drains or cause subsidence.

How about a flowering cherry? You could grow a clematis up it, to provide more colour later in the year.

ooooh and me please (apologies spikemomma)

On a shady cold fence

yes yes me too please

and preferable in dry soil as a bit overhung by a bay tree (but not enough to screen the view).

Amelanchier lamarckii is a lovely small tree, with beautiful pinky-white blossom round about now, and lovely autumn colour. It usually seems to be supplied as a tree, but I've seen it in gardens as a large multi-stemmed shrub.

could I train a ceanothus to go up on a slim trunk then bush out at about 7 ft high?

the amelanchier is lovely Onehand.

Stupid question please - how do you get height without spread? ie so that the first branches are a few feet off the ground?

Further options for your perusal

Amelanchier is lovely

Crab apples are good for colour nearly all year round

More suggestions from the RHS for trees for small gardens

Plants for under trees

Snap! at OneHandFlapping suggesting amelanchier!

You can prune most large shrubs/trees by removing the lower branches, to get a sort of lollipop effect. It's called raising the canopy and, as ever, the RHS will tell you how to do it.

thank you for those suggestions, much to ponder.

Op, sorry to have hijacked.

Oh, thanks for responding - I'm in a small tree gang!

Mine is towards the end of the garden and the fence will stop a lot of sun getting to it, until it get's above 6ft.

I'd quite like a bit of brightness too, as I've got a big brown leafed tree quite near it. (sounds like I have a big garden; I don't!).

Just going to surf your suggestions now... Back in a mo!

Hi. We brought a standard Photinia Red Robin (small tree) for this purpose and it does the job perfectly. Has taken a couple of years to get to the ideal size (getting a bit big now but fine to prune!) but the greatest plus is that it is evergreen so does the job of providing privacy all year round. Also looks lovely at the moments which is bonus! Worth a consideration.

To get the lollipop shape you are after buy a standard tree rather than a feathered one. It's easier to start off with the right shape than to try to create it later.

If, on the other hand, you don't necessarily want a single stem but simply want some clear space between ground level and the lower branches, you can use a multi-stemmed tree or shrub and raise the canopy (as illustrated in the RHS advice). If you are very keen on pruning, you could even have a go at cloud pruning.

Rowan is good, with an open habit, leaving dappled light. The brief flowering DOES rather smell as if an elephant has died in the years, but not for long. The berries are beautiful, and birds love them. Berries are not poisonous.

Some species have a more dense habit, which will give you more privacy.

more lovely ideas, thank you

wow- cloud pruning! they look like CGI effect trees

Yes, the cloud-pruned trees look very contrived - the opposite of naturalistic - but nonetheless I rather like their sculptural qualities. I just found this blog, complete with an appearance by the ever-chirpy Alan.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me suggestions- they have given me a brill framework to decifer what I want.

So, i now think I want a green or light green/yellow leaf, with an open- ish canopy. Ie. not too dense, so dappled light can enter the garden. Ever green if poss, but doubtful! About 8-12ft. With nice wiggly branches (!).

I do like little apple trees or small willowy type trees, a bit cottage gardenesk!

What can you gurus do with that mis match information?! More than me, that's for sure!

Hits interwebular search again...

None of these fully fit your criteria - and some of them would need a lot of work, as time passes, to keep them down to the size you want - but here are some more suggestions....

Catalpa

Robinia

Corkscrew hazel

Koelreuteria

Lots of apple trees could be suitable (espcially if you are careful about which rootstock you buy, to keep the size down) but beware willows as they can grow huge and have very extensive root systems which can damage drains and cause subsidence.

Maud - Thankyou! I love the robinia, it is gorgeous, it led me to finding one called casque rouge, which is wonderful. Not sure if it is too big though and also from the RHS web research it looks like the robinia's can have a bit of a problem with growth? Hmmm...

You have got me thinking about apple trees too, as it is to replace an old apple tree which sadly died. If I think the robinia is too big, I may go for a good disease resistant dessert apple tree. Ooh, can't decide now... Thank you, you are brilliant!

You're, err, very kind!

As I said, any of these could be problematic if you want to limit the tree to 10 feet.

This doesn't really meet your specifications either, and it's quite a fussy plant, but I went past one in bloom today and it was lovely - ceanothus.

I'd be wary about planting another apple tree until you know what the first one died of.

I inherited a potted ceanothus, they are nice. The neighbour I'm trying to screen has a huge one in their garden and that's what started me thinking about a brighter green, to contrast with that and my brown leafed tree.

I think the apple tree was old and became a cropper to my husbands over zealous pruning. I was left with the stick man in my garden...