Can anybody recommend a fruit tree or any other tree for a border that won’t cause too much shade(cherry?)

[N0addedsalt]

My border ref needs something to add structure . Keen on another tree but don’t want to bring too much shade. Already got an Alamanchier.

I’ve just put an eating cherry in, a merchant on a rooting stock that will only get to 8 foot. I’ve also put a snow queen silver birch in that I hope will be veil like, I’ve accepted at some point it will get too big and I’ll have to take it out. An apple would be good.

ive got a patio quince as well and an upright dark leaved flowering cherry, a cherry autumnalis would probably be not too shady either.

So if I got a Stella cherry on a small stock it wouldn’t cause too much shade?Would kind of like a column shaped tree but also want something we can eat- ideally.

I have prunus autumnalis and it is lovely, so agree that would be good. They are beautiful.

Or, you could go with something with a very narrow shape - a flagpole cherry, maybe?

Or, I have a quince that I've pruned into quite an open shape, and I don't feel they give much shade? They are beautiful trees. Depends how architectural - or how informal - you like it.

Cross posted.

If you want something to eat, personally, I'd get a standardised fruit tree with a fairly upright habit - anything self-fertile, or fertilised by what you've got, would be fine. All fruit trees will cast a bit of dappled shade, but you need them pruned to an open shape anyway, so they're really much of a muchness IMO. If you get a standard, you'll get more light underneath anyway.

Alternatively I guess you could get something narrow on a very dwarfing rootstock, but I'd think it wouldn't make much structural impact?

Or, would you consider training a fruit tree into a cordon or pleach? That could be quite visually interesting, but would still be architectural.

How do you find fruit trees with an upright habit? Keep googling but just get ornamental trees.

Wondering about a Cornus Kousa maybe but would rather a tree that paid its way iykwim.

We've just got rid of our cherry tree, the birds ate all the fruit and covered the garden and my washing in the resulting purple poo!

Sorry! In all honesty I just trawl through individual descriptions looking for mentions of upright habit. But in general, pears are more upright than apples or cherries; damsons are generally more upright than other plums, etc.

I would have a good browse of sites like Ashridge, Chris Bowers, or R. V. Roger - they'll describe each tree, and if it's notably upright, the description will say so.

You can also train fruit trees on dwarfing rootstocks into columns, though TBH I don't think they're very reliable - often very short-lived/healthy. Guide here: https://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/article/the-essential-guide-to-columnar-fruit-trees/

Cornus Kousa is beautiful!

My conference pear on quince rootstock is pretty small (2.7m) and vertical after 4 years.