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Sharon Roberts

shazbat35shazbat35 Posts: 3
in Plants
Hi, I've looked in a few discussions but can't quite find the answer I'm looking for. I'm looking for a dwarf tree that I can keep to a maximum of approx 7ft for a small patio that will be fine in a container with interesting bark that I can put fairy lights on. I was hoping for a Birch or Maple but I've found the choices mind boggling and alot are out of reach financially. All ideas welcome and thanks in advance!
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Posts

  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    Have you considered a dwarf conifer? I have had one in a blue pot from the days of "blue pots" so it is quite old.  It is about 2ft tall and is still a good architectural feature. You could go to any reputable garden centre for advice (and I think it would look nice with twinkly lights)
    SW Scotland
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    An acer would work well. Are you looking for something 7ft tall? There are lots of good acers that work well in pots that are smaller than that.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    Acer gets my vote.
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    But....they are so temperamental. If they were human they would be called snowflakes.
    SW Scotland
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    It's true. But can be so beautiful.
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    I know. I have one that I protected over Winter and it is lovely, but like you I won't give it houseroom if it misbehaves this time 😀.
    SW Scotland
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,348
    The acers with fern like leaves seem to be less hardy than the broader leaf types. Saying that we've got 4 acers here that have survived for years now in pots and we can't get much more extreme weather than we've had in that time. I'm a big believer in buying trees as young as possible and letting them grow to suit your garden rather than dropping a large tree that has probably been mollycoddled into a new place. i guess that might not suit your requirements though.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • shazbat35shazbat35 Posts: 3
    Thanks everyone, it doesn't have to be 7ft, that's the max I'd like it either to grow to or that I can trim it to at that stage. I have had some beautiful acers and lost them to the climate or squirrels! I'm getting on in life so would like something that's a bit mature like myself, I'm not being miserable saying that! Also the more mature trees I have seen have been quite expensive. maybe I'm asking to much or I'm looking in the wrong places.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,348
    There are quite often mature trees for sale on ebay when people clear out gardens. It might be worth a look to see if there's anything local to you that would suit.

    I've got a lovely acer that I bought bare root from Aldi for £2. It should have been planted a month or so before I bought it and it sulked for the first year and only put out a few leaves but picked up the year after. We're up at high level here, on the snow line in the winter and facing right into the prevailing wind. The tree is in too small a pot and doesn't get the care it deserves, it was buried under 3' of snow during this winter but it's still doing fine. I never get why people say they're soft plants. :D
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • shazbat35shazbat35 Posts: 3
    Thanks everyone for helping a forum newbie you've been fab. I'm going to have another look around and see what I can find and I'll post what I decide on. I've read that some trees don't like being moved until autumn so I'll bear that in mind. I do wonder and I'm in total awe of the Chelsea designers who bring in big trees, here's me being kept awake thinking about a little one! 
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