In article ,
Inge Jones wrote:
In article ,
says...

What about a Sorbus (mountain ash) with a columnar shape - sorry, cant
remember which ones. Light canopy, white flowers, coloured berries, and
without that irritating habit of birches of dropping twigs all over the
place.

I've got a Rowan outside the front of my house (on the pavement). It's
beautiful particularly in late summer early autumn, and attracts lots of
birds. I keep an eye on it and call the council if it needs some
attention. But that particular tree would be far too wide and dense for
my back garden - as it must be planted in the only spot that gets
sunshine, it would completely eliminate anything other than moss or
shade-loving plants from my planting scheme, and cover a quarter of the
garden (-: Presumably there are varieties of sorbus that grow
differently? Do you happen to know a URL where I could see some? I'm
doing a search right now....

My feeling is that you are crying for the moon. Perhaps a better
possibility is one of the borderline tree/shrubs that can be pruned
as a tree (i.e. cut out suckers). If it gets too tall, you can then
cut it down and it will grow again at the rate of 3-6' a year!

Plants in that category include hazel (ordinary growth, not contorta)
and several willows. S. daphnoides should do well, as might
S. viminalis. They are rather thirsty, but their shade is fairly
light.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679