Best trees to plant

[Fishlegs]

We’ve recently moved and have a couple of large leylandii along the back fence. We are having them removed, along with a huge cheese plant (I think).

I’d like to plant a couple of native trees instead that would be good for birds and insect life, and thought of hawthorns, but everyone I’ve mentioned this to has expressed horror at the idea. Would hawthorns be so bad? Any other ideas of suitable trees? It’s a smallish suburban garden so I don’t want anything massive. Thanks

Blackthorn isn't as vicious as hawthorn, but you could consider damson instead and make damson gin.

I wonder if Mrs Bert's plum was a cooking variety - tasteless raw but wonderful cooked. 50 years ago it was more common to cook plums than to eat them raw.

Spindles are lovely with amazing autumn colour, we have two, but the berries are incredibly poisonous.

We’ve had a crab apple for 5 years which has made a lovely tree with fab flowers and fruit. My favourite in our small native hedge are the guelder roses (viburnum opulus) but they need spraying a few times a year as blackfly love them (and strip the leaves).

My favourite in our small native hedge are the guelder roses (viburnum opulus) but they need spraying a few times a year as blackfly love them (and strip the leaves). I wonder whether Wayfaring tree (Viburnum something-else) would be an alternative?