We are in the process of having a 40ft sycamore tree cut down. It is decaying, if it falls it will likely damage our property and our neighbours and it is also so large it prevents light entering the garden and nothing else has a chance to grow. We are in a conservation area so we have planning permission etc and have a further 5 mature trees in our garden and at least 10 trees surrounding our garden so please don't feel too sorry for the tree.
Anyway, we would like to plant another tree in its place but we need to plant something that won't grow into a monster and seed everywhere. The garden was always pretty much in the dark by 1pm due to the trees but we are hoping we may get sunshine until 3pm ish now. Does anyone have any tips? We have a nice apple tree which is only small so we were considering something like that. I also love the look of olive trees but I'm not sure it would do well given the lack of light / sunshine etc.
I am very much not a gardener so know next to nothing about trees.