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Tree selection help

JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
in Plants
I’m putting in a selection of trees at the back of the garden near a NW facing fence so they won’t get much too much sun until late spring and summer.  The left corner will get lots and lots of sun in the summer and the right corner will stay mostly shaded.  In the middle I already have a young Christmas tree and a young cherry tree.  The theme is essentially The Seasons, running from right to left; Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer.  The area is 11m across, soil is probably the best quality in the garden which I haven’t touched. Obviously, it’s the smaller size of trees I’m going for.

Im content to be going with acers on the right for Autumn, conifers for Winter, but I’m not sure about Spring.

So to my question, I have a cherry but I’m looking for something else that blossoms late spring around May?

Posts

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,526
    Have a look at
    Some ideas there.
    Hawthorns are great as they give blossom in the Spring and later in the year berries for the wildlife.
    Love your idea.

  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Thanks.

    We’re pretty much settled on Amelanchier Lamarkii but not a variation yet, our local nursery isn’t getting anything until November.

    Online there’s quite a spread of sizes available so it would be good to gauge what size to go for - too young will take too long, too mature and I believe it could take longer to settle into the new conditions.

    We’ve decided on the location as well, against the 6ft fence.

    Top soil is good down about a spit and a half then it’s clay.

    So do we go tall enough to catch sun earlier in the year? Say 2m?  Is it likely to bloom next May?
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,337
    You're worrying about it too much....

    I've grown Amelanchier lamarckii 'Ballerina'..  may now be called 'Grandiflora'.. there is another called 'Robin Hill' more recent..

    ... mine was about 8 feet on planting it in another garden... really fabulous light airy small tree..  just get your tree and plant it, there's no need to worry about which way it faces.. yes it will flower next Spring for you..  best wishes.. 
    East Anglia, England
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Yes I am, I kind of need to get it right for this one more than the others.
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Marlorena said:

    I've grown Amelanchier lamarckii 'Ballerina'..  may now be called 'Grandiflora'.. 
    I’m confused - some sites have Ballerina as a different tree to a Lamarkii, some sites have Grandiflora as different to a Ballerina and some have them as the same thing.  I’m looking at Paramount plants which has “Amelanchier Lamarkii or Snowy Mespilus” where Primrose has “Snowy Mesiplus…Amelanchier Canadensis”

    Is there some sort of disagreement on the naming convention of Amelanchiers?
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,337
    ..well there used to be, botanists could never agree, but Canadensis is the same as lamarckii, it's a synonym... they are all Snowy Mespilus, which is a common name..

    ..so if you see one labelled variously as..
    Amelanchier lamarckii 'Ballerina'
    Amelanchier laevis 'Ballerina'
    Amelanchier grandiflora 'Ballerina'
    Amelanchier canadensis 'Ballerina'

    it's all the same plant..   'Ballerina' is the cultivar against which all others are judged and is an improved version.. in my opinion this is the one you should seek out.

    ..the cultivar 'Robin Hill' is slightly different as it's a hybrid of Amelanchier arborea, although again very similar.. and is a compact selection of that species..
    East Anglia, England
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Okay so it’s the cultivar name in quotes that’s the differentiator.

    And if there is no cultivar name given is that a mistake on their let or does than mean it’s a distinct but common form?


  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,337
    ..the cultivar name is just a selection of the species, noted to have especially good qualities, however I understand that it takes an expert eye to differentiate between them, such as you nor I would have..
    ..so, if it suits your pocket and convenience to buy a plant called Amelanchier canadiensis, lamarckii, or grandiflora then go for that..  it's really not worth worrying about which you go for as you'll get the same thing...

    I'm not an expert on these trees myself but I used to know a tree nurseryman, and one he was very excited about at the time, which was just being introduced, is sold as Amelanchier canadiensis 'Rainbow Pillar'... I've just looked it up and see it's available now, so that might be another for you to think about if budget allows.. 
    East Anglia, England
  • JoeXJoeX Posts: 1,783
    Quick update:

    I went for the “Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘ballerina’ “

    And it blossomed a few weeks ago :)


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