On 01/01/2015 18:23, Bob Hobden wrote:
I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small
garden and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft.
and it's about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site
with houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide
and is not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds
into the garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers
or autumn foliage colour would be a bonus.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK



I know it's not a tree, and almost everyone here will throw up their
arms and eyebrows with horror when I suggest it, but ivy is very good
for birds and other wildlife, including spiders and Holly Blue
butterflies. It offers year-round shelter, nectar and pollen in autumn
and berries which birds love in winter. It's as cheap as chips to buy
and doesn't have to take up lots of space.

I created a 'holly tree' in my garden by erecting a metal post (actually
8ft angle iron) and 3"x3" post for the trunk. A wooden post alone will
rot; been there, done that. On top of the 'trunk', a large wire hanging
basket was inverted and fixed in place to give some shape and substance
to the crown of the 'tree' as it developed. It is now about 30yrs old
and gives height to the garden without creating too much shadow. It has
a healthy crown of mature growth, producing flowers and berries in
season. Some of the woodier, mature branches in the crown are perfect
for hanging bird feeders on, offering another form of sustenance to
encourage birds in.

For those who cringe at the thought of ivy on houses or trees, this
stand-alone method of growing ivy simply shrugs all those problems off.

Worth a thought?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay