On 19/01/16 15:50, Emery Davis wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jan 2016 22:24:55 +0000, Jeff Layman wrote:

Another suggestion - Cornus capitata

That's a nice tree, was recently told there are some hardy cultivars
around now that can be safely grown in the UK.

It might be hardier than you think. The RHS gives it an H5 rating (hardy
in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters [-15 to -10]). I
got one earlier this year from an NGS garden in Chandlers Ford. The one
there was around 6 metres high and had been there quite a few years.
Mind you, there is also a 12m Embothrium there, so it must have good
microclimate! I've put my C. capitata near a SW-facing wall, and hope it
will be OK.

Bear in mind that walnuts take many years to fruit, I have one planted
in '93 (Franchette) that only has a few nuts, and another from 2002 that
has no sign of 'em.

How about a beautiful maple like Acer opalus? Will do well in the
climate and has lovely spring flowers (though not showy to some).
Alternatively a fast growing sub-tropical snakebark maple like A.
rubescens or A. morifolium would be fantastic.

Hadn't heard of those, but they seem pretty hardy. From internet photos
A. rubescens looks to me rather like A. davidii. The autumn colour of A.
morifolium looks great, but the bark doesn't look as good as davidii.

--

Jeff