Magwitch writes
Bilbo Baggins muttered:

I am currently working on a project at work which involves the construction
of a small village square. The area isn't very large (approximately 25m x
25m) but I need to put a tree in the centre. I want a semi-mature specimen
which will make a nice centrepiece but it has to be something fastigious as
there are flats around the square and I don't want to take away too much of
their natural light.

Something which will grow fairly tall (up to, say, 8 metres) with a maximum
total spread of , say, 5 metres would be ideal. Better still would be
something evergreen but I suppose this is asking too much.

I would really appreciate your thoughts.

KW


How about a Whitebeam (Sorbus aria)? Its not evergreen, but has the most
beautiful silvery undersides of leaves, flowers & berries with a very pretty
lollipop shape that would look lovely with Christmas lights in the branches
(if it had to be an evergreen I'd just go for a standard Holly ‹ conifers
are gloomy, suburban and somehow look out of place in summer).

Whitebeam's a native and more suitable for a village location. It grows
higher than 8 m, but could be kept in shape if necessary.

I've got a whitebeam, and although atm its lovely and one of the first
trees to come into leaf, with pale silvery green leaves, each year I am
very annoyed when it sheds its leaves in August!

It might be something to do with the location, on a crest of an
escarpment on the end of the chilterns, but I hate it when the leaves
start to fall so early.

What about a fastigiate beech? I can't find the bill for mine, but I
think it was something darwinensis?
--
David