My Garden

What trees could I plant in my garden? I'm clueless!

Last post 06-09-2009 3:53 PM by Chocosmos. 3 replies.

• 15/03/2009 07:54 PM

  Jo Location: Cheshire Joined on: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 4

  Reply | Contact Hello - I'm hoping someone can help as I'm going round in circles on this one. We've got a blank canvas to play with, and I'd like to plant a couple of trees to obscure the view of some of the neighbours windows.  One tree would get a reasonable amount of sun (along a west-facing fence) and the other not as much (along a north facing fence). The soil is fairly heavy clay and will hopefully drain better now we've had the drainage put in. We'd like trees that don't cast too much shadow - particularly the one along the north-facing fence as it would shade out the garden and don't want anything that is going to grow too big or has roots that are too shallow as I'd like to plant at the base. How far out from the fence should we plant - our garden isn't tiny but it isn't huge either.   Any ideas would be much appreciated please as I'm struggling. Would a Whitebeam (sorbus aria?) be ok? Or is there a narrow acer? Are flowering cherry roots too shallow?   Thanks in advance for any ideas.   Jo

• 15/03/2009 10:19 PM

  In reply to

  Baldrick Location: Wye Valley Joined on: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

  Reply | Contact Hi,  Couple of points firstly, do not plant close to fence as a). not nice for neighbours, b). fence provides rain shadow forcing roots further out, c). fence provides a rubbing point for the tree risking infection. - absolutely 1metre away minimum if it's not going to affect the neighbours!!  Tree wise: Acers do not seem over keen on "wet feet", particularly the smaller varieties and trust me you wouldn't want a bigger one! I've planted a selection of apple/pears in an orchard of clay that gets boggy when a cow pee's in the next field and they are all doing very well. Ornamentally the Crab Apple Evereste as mentioned  by another is a great tree, tonnes of flowers and the fruits in the Autumn are good looking too. Another option could be traning an apple/pear against the fence.   Hope this helps

• 27/03/2009 09:42 AM

  In reply to

  James Gardner Location: Cambridgeshire Joined on: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 29

  Reply | Contact Hi If you have a blank canvas and clay soil and you've had drainage put it, sounds to me like a new build property? If I'm right, don't expect land drains to work. The drainage problem arrises from the clay soil and compaction due to the builders activities and complete lack of cocern for the garden combined with a total ignorance of the fact that soil is a living thing. The water cannot get to land drains through compacted soil it'll just site on the top making the surface very muddy and wet. So before you do too much work on your garden rotorvate the ground as deep as possible, hire the type of machine that has the engine directly above the cutting blades as this type digs deeper and incorporate as much organic material as you can across the whole garden. This will break up the clay and keep it open to allow better drainage and generally be of great benifit to your garden. I have found the Birch Betula pendula Dalecarlica has a good habit of tall fairly narrow growth and only creates a dappled shade as it allows a lot of light through, also it will tollerate and even thrive on clay soils. James Gardner

• 06/09/2009 03:53 PM

  In reply to

  Chocosmos Location: Suffolk Joined on: 08 Sep 2008 Posts: 4

  Reply | Contact  You don't say how much space you have available, but I would go for an ash or a weeping willow (+50 feet away from buildings) which both cast light shade and grow fast. if you have a lot of space — Ash tend to grow up tall and straight with lovely lacey leaves whereas willows do the job and you can trim the trailing branches easily. Both deal with soggy ground easily — they like it. For less space a Rowan,  Whitebeam or Birch(es). All the last 3 varieties look lovely in Autumn and Winter too with bark and berries.