Tree advice please!

steven.g.garner

Hi all! Excuse my crude sketch - but I’m visualising a multi stem tree to put into this spot. Any ideas on a species that would eventually give me this effect? It’s a sunny spot. Lamarckii seems to be a good option, but they seem to be in very short stock everywhere and SUPER expensive. 

Pete.8

Something like this?- catalpa 

PS - you'd need to coppice it to keep it small, but they're often grown this way for the big leaves

https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-garden/the-garden-back-issues/2013-issues/january/How-to-pollard-and-coppice-shrubs

Plantminded

Catalpa was my first thought too, before seeing @Pete.8's reply! It will suit that location as it's not a messy tree - some trees continually drop flowers, leaves, pollen, sap, seed, twigs or resin which you won't enjoy on your patio.  You'll only get the occasional leaf drop with a coppiced Catalpa.

Another option could be a large multi-stemmed shrub like a Cotinus.  Cotinus Grace is a lovely variety, and not messy either!  This one has only been in since last year but can achieve a height of 3 - 4.5m.

McRazz

What you've drawn is an umbrella form multi-stem tree/shrub. A lot more time and effort goes in to producing a shrub of this form which is why they're unfortunately so expensive. 

Amelanchier Lamarkii are a great example of this as you could buy a 2.5m plant in a 15l pot for about £75, a 2.5m multi-stem field grown for £300 or a 2.5m field grown umbrella form for £1300+++! 

If you have time and patience then you could select a much smaller plant and grow it on to suit your space.

Cornus Kousa or Magnolia Stellata can be pretty splendid.

Eriobotrya could be a curve ball for that tropical look.

Cambridgerose12

I like Eriobotrya for this too. With time and patience you could create your own multi-stemmed specimen with selective pruning to allow several shoots to grow from the base. I’ve seen this done with Acer palmatum and Acer griseum, Betula species and Magnolia stellata. But another option is to plant three of the same variety of species in close proximity, perhaps as bare-root specimens. When they grow up you will have the same effect. A large shrub can also be grown the same way. 

Cambridgerose12

PS: you might like this plant too: 
https://www.architecturalplants.com/product/daphniphyllum-macropodum/

Loxley

Prunus serrula are quite easy to find as multistems. And lovely. Eventually it will get a bit taller than your picture though.

Cornus kousa is another option, you might have to buy it as a bushy shrub form and selectively prune to make a multistem tree.