Tree recommendation

 

I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable field up
until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come nice
climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
martins.garden@sykesm.xglobalnetx.co.uk ( Remove x's  when replying )
<http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm>

 

these words:


   One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of  UK native ones), or
there's  lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

  Janet

 


Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)
--
Kay
       "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"
                                        

 



flowers,

Hi Janet and Kay,

Actually, you're both right .. sort of.  All the books say C. prunifolia has
persistent red berries.  My local birds *totally* disagree!  This tree also
has huge thorns - good for deterring cats (which I love, but I provide for
the birds, too).
C. x persimilis 'Prunifolia' (to give its full name) would be my
recommendation: it has typical 'May' blossom which attracts many insects,
fabulous fiery foiliage which attracts my neighbours(!), and those great
berries.  It is also polution tolerant, in case that is an issue.  Mine is
growing on heavy SE London clay.

Spider

 


Janet writ


   Yeah yeah:-)  Native rowan berries get stripped as soon as they're
ripe. The non-native ones are usually left later and aren't bird food of
first choice, though most of them get eaten before December.

IME birds just won't eat some of the large, pale pink rowan berries. The
berries would hang on the trees in my last garden until they went brown
and fell off, the hens wouldn't eat them either (unlike the red native
ones). The crataegus prunifolia berries did get eaten. but often not
until  quite late winter...like some cotoneasters.

   Janet.