what tree to get?

[starlover]

when we move we're thinking of getting a little tree in our front garden as the street isn't that attractive!

anyway, I really want a cherry blossom, but it can't be anything that's going to grow too huge.
have seen a few littlish ones around here... but are they just young? or can you get ones that oinly grow to a certain height?

Cherries can grow huge. The trees all the way down the road where I live are cherry trees and they're all over 20ft tall.
We've got a little willow tree in our garden - only grows to about 6ft and has cute furry catkins in spring and gorgeous traily swishy leaves in summer.

ours is massive although a tree-bloke told us it is iro 100 years old. Beautiful, but massive.

What about a lilac? We have those too and keep them at around the 6ft height.

i definitely want something with flowers, though your willow does sound nice lklboo!

did a quick google and there are some that grow to just 2.5-3metres which would be ok i think.

just going to have a look at lilacs too!

SL, be careful with willows, Iklboo's is probably fine, but some willows need loads of water and suck the moisture out of the soil to the extent that it can damage foundations.

oh i'll bear that in mind!

lilac looks nice... also considering maybe a magnolia

Dear god no - don't get a willow!! Apparently they should be something like 40m away from houses! My uncle's house has severe subsidence caused by a willow tree in his garden. I'm about to have ours taken out and hopefully replaced with a pink flowering cherry :)

Magnolia - absolutely gorgeous but my word they create a lot of mess :o Just swept up all the petals from ours at the weekend (ours is a big one though).

ooh i might stick with cherry i think! they are so pretty.. and there's a random reference to cherry blossom in a manics song too (not that i'm obsessed or anything)

ah yes but soupy, they are gorgeous!

yeh... don't want any complaints from new neighboutrs i suppose! lol

I know :) Ours was absolutely glorious for about a week. Worth the mess really (just about!).

Hows about a rowan? There are some lovely delicate ones. I have Sorbus 'Joseph Rock' which is small, has delicate leaves and has vivid red autumn colour ans yellow berries. Or a Sorbus with pink or pearly white berries. Sorbus cashmiriana is good.

are the berries poisonous? only, i KNOW ds will eat anything he can get his hands on! lol

Not a fan of lilac, they are straggly trees and they sucker. Their period of interest is very short.

Amelanchier is a great favourite with the media gardeners, it has lovely spring flowers, but personally I think it is over rated. Anyway mine fell over!!

No Sorbus berries aren't poisonous. You can turn them into rowan jelly to eat with your lamb chops!
Amelanchier fruit is edible and is (allegedly) sweet. Haven't tried it.
Here are couple of links
\link{http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/a/amecan/amecan1.html\Amelanchier}
\link{http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/pl/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4734&CategoryID=\Sorbus 'Joseph Rock'}

you can prune cherries so they stay small

We have recently put in a tibetan cherry with a lovely red bark. Gorgeous

\link{http://www.pbase.com/image/51872936\nice pic of bark}

oh that is nice cd!

Would that be Prunus serrula? [show off emoticon]

The bark is wonderful. Want one, want one now.

But does it have pink blossom?

am loving that cd