Any thoughts on the right tree for our fairly narrow garden?
Clara Midgley
Posts: 28
Hello all, it looks like my family will be moving to a mid terraced victorian house near Thetford Forrest that has sadly had its south facing garden completely stripped and laid to lawn. We’re choosing to view this as a blank canvas for us to plant up as we like and have started to come up with a wish list for a design that'll be wildlife friendly, sympathetic to the age of the building and all revolving round the biggest tree the space can cope with. There’s just one hitch …the space is only just over 4 metres wide (but pretty long). Any recommendations for relatively fast growing trees that could grow tall and fill this width would be amazing. We have a Silver Birch (which we love) in our current garden but had hoped to go for something like a Walnut …but they seem to have a large spread that could get it in trouble in the future …and we want whoever is after us to love it too. The neighbours have trees but probably wouldn't appreciate one hanging too much over the fence. We’re keen amateur gardeners so any tree tips would be much appreciated ...
Posts
For wildlife and lots of interest you need to think about a sorbus - blossom, berries, autumn leaf colour. You might also consider one of the narrower forms of amelanchier or possibly a liquidambar if your soil is acid but sorbus is best. The RHS recommends these trees for smaller gardens - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=117
As you garden is long, you can break it up into sections - entertaining/sitting/eating; a play area for kids; fruit and veg; pond and wildlife; work area - compost/cold frames/greenhouse etc linked and divided by either trellis or shrubs and climbers. Using circles of diagonals will make the garden feel wider.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
It will be 50 years before it gets to big for the space.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Metasequoia+glyptostroboides&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiP5P_nhIXcAhVBbFAKHabZAvEQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=943
The golden form is super.
https://www.google.com/search?q=metasequoia+glyptostroboides+'gold+rush'&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiNseKZhYXcAhVHZ1AKHUJkCGAQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=943
Amelanchier comes in more upright versions but they can be pruned readily.
Good old Buddleja grows quick and easily managed.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Clara a row of trees may look odd in a very narrow garden
You need to leave at least a meter from your neighbours boundary.
Even a very thin columnar tree will take at least another meter/maybe more as tree gets older. Leaving just 2 m on the other side.
A specimen tree as a focal point at the bottom, would still leave you the rest of the garden for veg/flower beds/shrubs later on.
A specimen Liquidambar stracifolua Slender silouette as suggested by K67 would make a wonderful focal point.
Fab colour in the autumn.
Quote....."An extremely narrow columnar tree that grows to approximately 6m height and just 1 metre in spread in 20 years, "
https://www.google.com/search?q=Liquidambar+styraciflua+'Slender+Silhouette'&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiq9dCb84fcAhUFL1AKHeUTCJcQ_AUICigB&biw=1920&bih=943
Or another suggestion...Cornus alternifolia variegata.or Cornus contraversa variegata....they would eventually fill the space.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cornus+controversa+variegata&client=firefox-b&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjx5rTM9YfcAhUJPVAKHeiKBMkQ_AUICigB
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b&biw=1920&bih=943&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=rgg-W4-LGYXQwQLcxKvgCA&q=cornus+alternifolia+variegata&oq=cornus+alternifolia++variegata&gs_l=img.1.0.0.25911.33251.0.34408.24.24.0.0.0.0.105.1992.23j1.24.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.24.1982...0i7i30k1.0.3cNudOKnD5k