TREES FOR SMALL GARDENS

Photo: Cherry blossom.

I was looking at old aerial photos of Inshowen last week. I couldn’t help noticing that there are far fewer trees to be seen than at the turn of the century. Ireland used to be more or less covered in large trees but with the increase in farming and housing we are now down to around 3% coverage. Planting trees is important today not just because they clean the air but because of the amount of development that is going on. We live in a hilly area and new houses stand out like beacons on the hillsides. Trees will hide the houses and give shelter and hopefully soon the developers and designers of the new houses will get houses to blend into the landscape a bit more a well. Don’t be put off if you only have a small plot, there are lots of small trees that will fit nicely into small gardens without being too invasive or damaging your underground pipes. Here are a few choice specimens that you will find grow well and are available to buy locally.

TREES FOR SMALL GARDENS
Flowering cherries: (Prunus). Cherry blossom is a beautiful sight in the spring. Different varieties include, Prunus Kanzan with pink flowers in spring and Prunus Shirotae with white flowers.

Flowering crab:(Malus). These grow as large as the cherries (about 15 feet). Varieties include Malus Golden Hornet, which has yellow flowers in spring and the Malus Gorgeous with red flowers. In the autumn the fruit from these trees is suitable for making wines or jellies.

Hawthorne:(Crataegus)-Pauls Scarlet. This is not the common variety you see in the hedgerow but one more suitable for the small garden. It has lovely double red flowers in spring followed by red berries.

If you would like to have a tree with a weeping habit, check out the following varieties:

Cotoneaster Hybrida Pendula: This Cotoneaster is evergreen, with white flowers in spring followed by red berries that last until winter.

Kilmarnock Willow: Very undemanding. It has yellow catkins in spring.

Cherry (Prunus) Cheals - weeping. Pink flowers in spring.

Weeping Copper Beech (Fagus Purpurea Pendula). Spectacular purple leaves.

Weeping Silver Birch (Betula Pendula Youngii). Yellow catkins in spring. The weeping branches can touch the ground.

PLANTING TREES
If you buy a containerised tree you can plant it at any time of year as long as you keep it well watered. There has been research recently that claims that the tree will stand a better chance of thriving if you don’t put enriched soil into the planting hole. The roots of the tree will turn back on themselves when they get to the edge of the rich soil. Planting trees gets easier! Here are some other tips.

1. Make sure you choose the right tree for the right spot. Willows can stand wet soil for example. Don’t plant trees under power lines as you might end up paying out lots of money to get it pruned back if it grows too big
2. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and 3 times wider.
3. Don’t lift the tree by the trunk. Lay it down on it’s side and slide it out of the container
4. Put the tree in the hole and make sure the soil level is the same as when it was in the pot.
5. Refill the hole with the garden soil tread down to get rid of any air pockets, as the roots would not be able to get past these.
6. Create a basin area around the tree so that it will hold water.
7. Water thoroughly, if you use a hosepipe, trickle the water into the basin.
8. Check the tree for dead or diseased wood and prune out.
9. Apply a 3-inch layer of mulch around the tree and keep it a couple of inches from the trunk as this could rot it. Put plenty on as it keeps the weeds down, feeds the tree and helps retain moisture.Water often in the first year.

TIP

To make planting even easier, if you have young trees and they are planted in the ground firmly they will not need staking. Research has shown that large trees that are staked can be slow in developing and damage can occur to the trunks. Buying smaller trees will save you a fortune and they will catch the big trees up in no time!

Horticultural.