Who doesn’t like trees? Nobody. Everybody likes trees.

Trees look beautiful no matter what the season, clean the air & provide oxygen, offer a home for wildlife, and block out unsightly views. Plus, a property’s value can be increased by up to 15% if surrounded by a well planted area. Most gardens – from small to large or even a balcony can happily accommodate at least one beautiful tree.

In a small or medium sized garden many trees are unsuitable due to size, and it is important to take note of the eventual size before choosing a tree. However, there is still a wide variety of suitable species and the style in which they're grown should also be taken into consideration when planning a garden.

Standards

Trees known as ‘standards’ give a classic, elegant feel to a modern garden and are ideal for instant visual impact. Standard trees are either grafted on a single stem or grown on their own stem with side growth removed. They are trimmed in to a ball shaped head giving them the ‘lollypop’ look.

Species tend to be evergreen to maintain the look year round with Box, Bay, Viburnum, Photinea and Olive being popular choices.

Pleached

Pleached trees are an attractive way to add greenery to an existing boundary – they comprise a clear single stem below a bamboo frame around which the foliage is grown. This creates a ‘hedge on stilts’ and looks beautiful above an old brick wall or smart painted fencing. Trees are planted in a line and their branches are tied together with foliage regularly pruned to keep their shape.

They are the perfect way to provide privacy whilst taking up minimal ground space. They can be evergreen- Quercus ilex (Evergreen Oak) or Photinea, but you must be careful with blocking out light from neighbours’ gardens - so more often deciduous – with suitable species including Ash, Beech, Hornbeam and Ornamental Pear.

Multi stemmed

A row of Himalayan Birch trees make an attractive border.

A tree that has multiple stems originating near to the ground is known as a multi-stemmed specimen. My absolute favourite of these trees is the Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis). Glossy green summer foliage turns an attractive yellow in the autumn and then falls to the ground. It then makes way for the beautiful peeling bark in white, chocolate or copper to take centre stage. Eye-catching yellow catkins adorn the branches in spring, making it another fantastic specimen for year round interest.

Works equally as well grown as a single specimen as in a cluster or straight line, white stems against a dark background look particularly striking.

Other species that make great multi-stemmed trees are Amelanchier, Cornus kousa (Dogwood), and Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood) and Prunus (Cherry) varieties.

Impressive individuals

An Acer provides a eye catching feature in a modern courtyard.

All of the above suggestions make a huge impact planted in a group or in a row. Alternatively – a single tree can be just as impressive. Acers, magnolias and fruit trees are all striking in different ways in different seasons – whether it be blossom in spring, leaf colour in autumn or stem interest in winter. A single tree (multi or single stemmed), either in a pot on a patio or a suitable spot in the garden, can be a show stopping addition.

Pyrus callerana ‘Chanticleer’ has both stunning spring blossom and autumn colour and is a beautiful tear-drop shape. It’s easy to grow, windproof and generally pest-free. Additionally, its foliage, which isn’t very dense, makes it a perfect tree to use in front of windows as screening, without blocking out too much light.

Acers (Japanese Maples) are ideal trees to grow in a pot on a balcony due to their very slow growing nature. Thew have a graceful habit and beautiful delicate foliage which offers stunning autumn colour ranging from red, orange and yellow to green and deep purple.