Trees for pots please!

[Pottedpalm]

DD has just got a property with a smallish garden. It’s very bare, just a small patio and a lawn. Fenced all round.
I have a very large pot ( bargain from Home Sense), and want to plant a tree in it for the patio. It’s a rental so don’t want to plant it out.
I browsed a bit online for suggestions. Many types of Acer came up but I’m a bit wary as I have lost a few in the past due to wind/wet/who knows what?
Is there a more robust variety? Or could you suggest something else? Nice foliage is the priority, and something which looks good for most of the year. It can face north, west or south.
Many thanks.

I have Olives and Bays in pots and they do well. Magnolia stellata, camellias or azaleas would work maybe

My potted olives and acers have all thrived (with liquid feed). Haven’t got one but am told magnolias like pots, too.

@DenisetheMenace

My potted olives and acers have all thrived (with liquid feed). Haven’t got one but am told magnolias like pots, too.

Is your garden sheltered? Do you need to protect your acers in winter? I do love them, just wary of killing them. I know she won’t be terribly reliable over watering, etc. I have bay trees and an olive; I was thinking of something with more ‘wafty’ foliage.

Bamboo? I’m fairly rubbish with gardening and have had a big one in a large pot for years that still thrives despite being benignly neglected by me

I've got an amelanchiar in a pot. Just flowered but the red foliage in autumn is nice.

I’ve had Salix Flamingo tress do really well in large pots. They are really beautiful when they have the pink foliage.

Pottedpalm

Is your garden sheltered? Do you need to protect your acers in winter? I do love them, just wary of killing them. I know she won’t be terribly reliable over watering, etc.
I have bay trees and an olive; I was thinking of something with more ‘wafty’ foliage.”

No, not sheltered. We’re in the NW (coastal) and the wind can be unforgiving but the acers, much to my surprise, are very robust. Our experience is that they can cope with windburn but don’t like intense sunlight at all, part shade seems to be best.

If you want something wafty, we also have an acacia which in theory should hate our location but doesn’t and a very vigorous eucalyptus gunnii (spelling?)

Following!

Rowan apparently does well, or we have apples and pears.

I’ve just seen Robinia Lace Lady False Acacia on Gardening Express website. Pricey but looks very lush! Anyone know anything about this one?

Tamarisks are pretty, but do not have foliage all year round. Our next door neighbours is just about to come out with feathery pink flowers.
But I’d go for an Amelanchier, with all year round interest.

how large is very large?
for a shrub a pot needs to be at least 30l for trees at least 50l.

what do you want? something to look at or something productive?

@redcandlelight

how large is very large? for a shrub a pot needs to be at least 30l for trees at least 50l.

what do you want? something to look at or something productive?

Something to look st really, with more spread than aa ‘lollipop’ bay style tree. Garden is really bare, though I will be putting some shrubs etc in slightly smaller pots. And a row of sunflowers along the short fence, which is painted white.

japanese maple?
cherry (you would need one with a dwarf root stock)
shrub hibiscus (looks bare over winter though)
rhododendron
amalancier

We have Photinia Red Robin in pots – evergreen and colourful.

Flagpole cherry is my favourite.
Not a tree but a large shrub - witch hazel, looks amazing in winter.
I have a small courtyard garden and I have an upright growing hornbeam, 2 apple trees, a flagpole cherry and a totem pole cypress tree.

A weeping willow? They're lovely and wafty.
Or, if she'll have a home to plant it in in a few years, a silver birch, they're so lovely when the wind wafts their leaves.

Crab apples are good for a long season of interest or how about Photinia Red Robin?

My Fig tree is thriving in a pot so is my acer.

I really enjoy my cherry tree. Blossom and fruit.

I have a cut leaf elder in a pot, has the look of an acer but considerably hardier.

Small Holly trees go well in pots. I've had one in a pot for years and it is doing great and gets berries on every year too. Its in a not very sheltered position so puts up with all weather.

Does it have to be a tree? I really like Escallonia Pink Elle, which flowers in July, and stays small for an escallonia (one metre height and spread). I think you can get white ones too. Evergreen.

Small ceanothus also look lovely in pots.

I have an acer in a pot and it is doing well. I keep it near the house, so more sheltered than out deep on the patio. South east. It was 10pence in Morrisons.

I have an olive tree in a pot. Has been great but it's looking a bit sad now even though it was repotted just a year ago, (into a half whisky barrel pot).

May need to put it in the ground & replace. I'd definitely go for olive again if I could find a big one, or evergreen or other year round interest. Red Robin is also good. Depending on the size of pot & position, a tree fern is delightful!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I visited three garden centres today looking for ideas and chatted to an expert about Acers. He said the very worst thing for them is to be in a wind tunnel, so that explains where we went wrong. I’m leaning towards a lime green acer in a galvanised pot, along with some dark green foliage plants/shrubs in smaller pots.
Luckily DD will be happy with whatever I suggest, especially if I’m paying 😄