In article , Kay Easton
writes

I've only just come into this thread, but picked up you want a 20ft tree
and would prefer a british native for the wildlife - have you considered
whitebeam? Opening leaves show their white undersides and look like huge
white tulips, then you have white flowers, and berries in the autumn.

It's also got to sit 12 foot from the house Kay, in the front garden,
instead of the wild cherry which has caught some terrible lurg and will
be completely dead by 2006! The drains run immediately under it but we
wanted to keep the shade for the summer months (hence the 20 foot)
though I guess 10 - 15 would be okay. 8 foot hedge next to it so
anything too small would be squashed unless the crown reaches 8 foot
eventually. Tom wants a deciduous and not an awful exotic
Besides all that I am sure we don't mind what we put there

The other great news the tree surgeon gave us (a good tree surgeon by
the way!) was that he can reduce the crown and lighten the red oak which
is taking over the middle of the back garden. Having been told by RHS
Quercus rubra is slow growing it turns out to be one of the fastest
growing oaks. Often grown for a quick crop in forests........ We
excepted to have moved by now but as it doesn't look like we are going
to yet a while we need to do something about the oak!
(Sigh)

janet

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Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk