I am looking for ideas for a specimen tree ( a standard ), no
higher
than 25 feet, if possible less. I'm in a v. mild area, clay soil and the
tree would be in full sun, pretty much. It would be nice if it didn't cast
dense shadow.

---------------
Have a look at Cretaegus "Prunifolia", it is said to be one of the best
hawthorns for autumn coloured leaves and fruit.

I hope so as I have just planted one as a specimen in the lawn ;-)

Marina
E. Sx

I am looking for ideas for a specimen tree ( a standard ), no
higher
than 25 feet, if possible less. I'm in a v. mild area, clay soil and the
tree would be in full sun, pretty much. It would be nice if it didn't cast
dense shadow.

---------------
Have a look at Cretaegus "Prunifolia", it is said to be one of the best
hawthorns for autumn coloured leaves and fruit.

I hope so as I have just planted one as a specimen in the lawn ;-)

Marina
E. Sx

I am looking for ideas for a specimen tree ( a standard ), no
higher
than 25 feet, if possible less. I'm in a v. mild area, clay soil and the
tree would be in full sun, pretty much. It would be nice if it didn't cast
dense shadow.

---------------
Have a look at Cretaegus "Prunifolia", it is said to be one of the best
hawthorns for autumn coloured leaves and fruit.

I hope so as I have just planted one as a specimen in the lawn ;-)

Marina
E. Sx

How about a Mount Etna Broom? Genista aethensis. Said to be the only
broom to reach tree size in Britain. Frequent in Southern England as an
upright tree with pendulous outer shoots. It has a few tiny narrow
leaves to 1cm long. The shoots are bright green through winter as well
as summer. Flowers are yellow and prolific in mid-late summer. Can be
raised from seed. My tree book says that this is a first class tree,
with excellent shape, good flowers and of great character for choosing
for prominent sites where only one or a few can be planted. Height
after 10yrs:5m, 20yrs:7m, ultimately:10m

Seed available from Chiltern Seeds, www.chilternseeds.co.uk email:
£1.59. Chiltern describe it as "A large
elegant shrub with graceful, smooth and almost leafless branches, with
loose pendant racemes of of silky yellow flowers."

--
Cheers,
Compo

If a man talks in a forest and there is no woman there to contradict
him, is he still wrong?

Thanks for the suggestions, I didn't see this post before I posted an udate
on my specimen tree search. I'll look at the Mount Etna Broom, I'd no idea
they could get that large. I like the idea of a hawthorn too, as I suggested
in my original post, but have come to the conclusion that as any tree I
plant will cast shade on the lawn, it will have to have either a small
footprint or an airy, light canopy. I'm thinking that the Hawthorn will be
fairly dense? Depends how I trim it of course, but don't want to be up a
ladder pruning too much!

cheers,

Andy