Birch Trees

[twostripycats]

We’re about to install a new fence in our garden. I like the idea of having 4 or so silver birch trees in front of the fence really just to add interest.

The fence will be 6 foot and I’d like the trees around this height too. I don’t want to end up with big huge trees that block light in our garden.

Is this possible to do? Of course I can buy them at the height I want them but is it possible to keep them this height or does it not work like that with trees?

Thanks!!

I have 4 silver birch, One of which I keep at 5. Feet with no problem. I would buy them a bit smaller than 6feet so that you can train them easier. They will soon reach 6 ft quite quickly

Oh excellent! Is it just a case of snipping off the height I don’t want? I’m a total novice.

I mean when they become taller than I want them to be, I’m not talking about buying a bigger tree and chopping it to size

Birch are beautiful trees, 'the lady of the woods'. If you wanted something slightly different you could consider weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii') or golden birch (Betula alleghaniensis) as an alternative.

And, yes, with careful and judicious pruning they can be kept to the height that you want. Be mindful though that birches do shed a good deal of twigs and small branches following strong winds, so constant raking up of debris required!

The good thing about birch trees is they don't really block too much light. I've planted five quite close together in the hope they will stay quite small. I've seen it in various places out and about. The one they all came from, apart from one, was a beautiful tree. I am very much looking forward to the colours and sounds of the leaves.

To keep them to height you would need to remove the vertical growing 'leaders', when they are dormant, but this would encourage them to bush out laterally which may, or may not, be an advantage, depending on your viewpoint.

Personally I like to see birches 'reach for the sky' as the beautiful and elegant trees that they are!

Concur with @longtompot that groups of birch together look stunning and, planted as a grove, one can have good underplanting too, since they do not diffuse too much natural light.

And you can always make a traditional birch besom from the twigs if you so wished!

Thank you both! I totally agree they’re gorgeous trees.

It sounds like I can do what I want to do but need to decide if I want the commitment!

Maybe once the fence is up I’ll know better if having the trees taller would be an issue. We’re sort of creating a garden from nothing and it’s hard to even picture how it’s going to look!

I’ll look into those ones you’ve mentioned Beekeeper.

Amelanchier and hawthorn (can have coloured blossom) won't grow so big.

Oh I’ll look into those Edwina!

Are the silver birch ‘weird’ trees to have in the front garden/driveway area of an ex council house? We don’t live anywhere grand or anything. Maybe it’s OTT.

I wouldn't say birch are weird in such a setting - they lend themselves admirably to urban suburban and rural environments in equal measure and are frequently used in contemporary city gardens, looking elegant in gravel gardens, as the centrepiece in a lawn or in a herbaceous border. And they do look good against a fence, helping to soften the harshness of sùch a structure.

With all of my Silver birch, I cut out any side branches that spoil the look. the 11 feet ones no longer sprout from the sides but the 5. Foot one does. With good secetuers it is easy to keep under control

Sorry to jump in, was considering a few birch along my fence, boundary with neighbour. We both have quite large gardens so not worried about their light, but are they an antisocial tree to plant on a boundary?

@Kamma89, I cannot see why they should be considered antisocial in any way, apart from their propensity to drop debris, after strong winds, as previously mentioned. Certainly I would welcome them on a boundary far more than many other species of tree I can think of!

My neighbour had them, they drop seeds, sap and insects depending upon what time of the year it is. My garden is littered with the catacombs and seeds, I’m considering buying a Hoover for the garden one day. Also, I’m allergic to them in April.

I think they are lovely trees. They move easily in the wind and aren't too dense. They are pretty all through the year. I've had them in a lot of my gardens. I buy multistem. I wouldn't put them somewhere where short of space. I always get them checked from time to time by a tree surgeon so they don't grow too huge but keep a nice shape.

I think if I was wanting something smaller I would buy beech. You could buy some copper beech and some normal beech. They are cheap, very easy to look after and look lovely all year around. I think they would look better than a birch tree that is
kept small.

Sorry for typos

They are lovely trees but as mentioned they do drop so much crap! My neighbour has one next to my patio which is impossible to keep clean because of all the debris.

I don't think I'd call anything that was only 6ft tall a tree...A lot of the beauty of a silver birch is its graceful trunk, it seems a bit of a shame to keep them quite so short. Their natural mature height can be 50-100 ft.

It really might be better to go with a smaller type of tree or shrub - I've seen a few silver birches around here get too big (too and/or root system) and have to be felled which is a shame.

be aware that birch trees produce a lot of pollen and some people can be very allergic to the pollen. So if you have allergies, maybe pick something else.

You could try Betula x jaquemontii. Very white trunks, and it doesn't grow so fast as the usual birch.