Tree suggestions

[georgedawes]

We've had some major garden work and had to have a number of trees removed as they were in a bad shape. Very sad to do so especially as they attracted so many birds.

We're thinking of replacing them with one tree that will have space to grow for a number of years. However we're not great gardeners and would like some recommendations.

The garden is south facing but it is on a boundary and a bit shaded. It will be next to a laburnum that is not in fab shape, but we really love. Ideally we'd like something that will have beautiful blooms and possibly fruit. A hawthorn is on the other side.

What do you think will suit you and the plot. You don’t say how big your garden is, or how close the tree will be to the house.

For all year round interest I can recommend

www.rhs.org.uk/plants/26602/Amelanchier-lamarckii/Details

Which can be pruned to keep it at large shrub size, or left to become a smallish tree.

Good luck

Sorry not enough info! Garden 100 foot + and it will be near the bottom, far from the house. Lots of room. We'd really like some colour and coverage I think.

Google gardeners world trees for small gardens. The Amelianchier above is lovely.

Flowering cherry are lovely but not a long season of interest.

If you look at Barcham Tree Nursery, their website is like an encyclopaedia of trees. They are also happy to give advice by email.
Another good site for research is Paramount plants.

Sorbus for flowers, fruits and autumn colours. The red and orange berried ones are liked by birds more than the white or pink berried ones. The genus splits roughly into half, with the rowan type sorbus with leaves divided into leaflets along a central spine, and the whitebeam type sorbus with big lobed leaves, often with downy undersides, so in spring they look almost like big white tulip flowers as they open.

Holly is also good for birds, attracting redwings and mistle thrushes to the berries (if you have a female tree). It copes with shade.

For flowers, but not berries, try a magnolia. There are many species so don't go automatically for the usual Magnolia soulangiana.

I had a sorbus Joseph Rock. loved it in autumn, yellow berries for the birds, beautiful in spring. It doesn't get too big, we had it in a raised bed in a back yard, so you could have another tree as well.