Janet Tweedy wrote in message ...
I am sure someone out there can suggest a suitable tree for our front
garden to replace the cherry which is now about 50 years old and has
succumbed to a virus (brought on by the cable installations down out
road)

The front garden is about 30 foot long and about 40 foot wide (no idea
of metric measurements!) The tree is almost on the boundary west
boundary about 15 foot from the house but has never caused any problems.
We like it because it gives shade in the summer due to the fact that our
front wall faces south.

The cherry is directly over the drains but again no problems. We have
clay and slightly alkaline soil with loads and loads of flint. No doubt
chalk some way down due to us being in the Chiltern area.


Hedges on boundaries are hawthorn and about 8 feet high.


Thought of a multi stemmed jaquemontii but would like a reasonable
height, not the dreaded Robinia (false looking thing)


A malus floribunda would be in keeping with the "natural"-sounding
site. Or a standard orchard apple looks beautiful in bloom: I don't
really know why people don't use them as ornamentals (too slow for
today's taste, perhaps). Or a self-fertile plum or a damson (you'd
need to change the soil a bit after the fowering cherry, of course). I
love the gnarly shapes mulberries grow into, but I know they make a
mess.

Mike.