Martin Sykes wrote:
I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable
field up until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of
flowers, leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be
maximum benefit to wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider
combining it with come nice climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

Betula jacqumontii - ideally as a multi-stem as you can then cut out any
getting over your 25 foot limit

http://www.hort.net/gallery/view/bet/betja/


google for loads of images.

IMHO the best tree for year round interest.

No berries but hit the other points

pk

On 26/4/05 19:07, in article , "Martin
Sykes" wrote:

I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable field up
until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come nice
climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

Rowans and hollies.
This isn't quite what you're asking for in terms of height or spread but
it's a spectacularly lovely shrub, beloved of birds for its berries:
Viburnum plicatum forma tomentosum mariesii.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable field
up until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come
nice climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm



Kashmir Rowan

"p00kie" wrote in message
...

"Martin Sykes" wrote in message
...
I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable
field
up until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of
flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit
to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come
nice climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm



Kashmir Rowan



I looked into this last year and also found the Rowan to be a good choice,
flowers
in the spring ( not spectacular, but hey... ), light airy attractive foliage
in summer
followed in autumn by good leaf colour then berries. You do need to have a
good
look at all the Rowans available though, as there are quite a few
differences
in leaf colour/autumn colouring/berry colour/berry durability etc. There is
also a
fastigiate version available. Joseph Rock is another good variety. There are
at least
seven varieties.

Andy.

In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from "Martin Sykes" contains
these words:

I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable
field up
until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come nice
climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of UK native ones), or
there's lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Kay wrote in message
...
In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from "Martin Sykes" contains
these words:

I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable
field up
until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of
flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit
to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come
nice
climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of UK native ones), or
there's lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Hi Janet and Kay,

Actually, you're both right .. sort of. All the books say C. prunifolia has
persistent red berries. My local birds *totally* disagree! This tree also
has huge thorns - good for deterring cats (which I love, but I provide for
the birds, too).
C. x persimilis 'Prunifolia' (to give its full name) would be my
recommendation: it has typical 'May' blossom which attracts many insects,
fabulous fiery foiliage which attracts my neighbours(!), and those great
berries. It is also polution tolerant, in case that is an issue. Mine is
growing on heavy SE London clay.

Spider

Dave Poole muttered:

I must put in a
word for the Tibetan cherry - Prunus serrula.

Some kind person put one of these in our garden about 20 years ago and you
are quite right, it's truly lovely.

However, how much longer will it be around for us to enjoy? Other cherries
I've had seem to succumb after around 30*40 years from one thing or another,
and I'm wondering whether to get a junior partner to take over when it's on
it's way out.

In article , Magwitch wrote:
Dave Poole muttered:

I must put in a
word for the Tibetan cherry - Prunus serrula.

Some kind person put one of these in our garden about 20 years ago and you
are quite right, it's truly lovely.

However, how much longer will it be around for us to enjoy? Other cherries
I've had seem to succumb after around 30*40 years from one thing or another,
and I'm wondering whether to get a junior partner to take over when it's on
it's way out.

It's very hard to say. Few trees have a lifetime as such, and ones
such as Prunus species almost invariably die due to things like
fungal infections. It will go on until it gets one that carries
it off. But you knew that ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

from "Martin Sykes" contains
these words:

I want a tree for my front garden which will provide all year round
interest:

Maximum Height: about 25ft
Maximum Spread: about 20ft
Quite light airy foliage which won't cast too dense shade
Soil is about neutral and reasonably fertile, having been an arable
field up
until 3 years ago.

I'm looking for good colour all year round from a combination of flowers,
leaves and/or berries. Possibly something native to be maximum benefit to
wildlife. If that's too difficult, I'd consider combining it with come nice
climbers.

Not much to ask but any suggestions?

Janet Baraclough
writes
One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of UK native ones), or
there's lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

Kay writes
Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)

Oh I don't know. I have a youngish weeping Cotoneaster (is it a
Rothschild??) which had a great number of red berries on all through
Autumn, and they were still there in January, and I noticed the
blackbirds eating them in the snowy weather through Feb. By the time the
new leaves were emerging they had all gone. Maybe they aren't that tasty
and were a food of last resort??
--
David

Dave Poole writes
Though I'm normally a bit dismissive of cherries because they
invariably outgrow their welcome in smaller gardens, I must put in a
word for the Tibetan cherry - Prunus serrula. It is a magnificent,
modest sized tree, eventually getting to around 30 feet after very
many years, but with very light, airy foliage so it never develops
that ponderous bulkiness of many cherries. It starts the season with
drooping clusters of 1" wide, pure white flowers that give way to
small, bright red cherries in late summer. These are much loved by
the birds so their appearance is fleeting.

Later, the foliage turns a wonderful shade of orange yellow, but the
best is reserved for winter once the leaves have fallen. Then you
are treated to one of the finest barks possessed of any hardy tree.
Rich, glossy, warm mahogany that demands a stroke whenever you pass
and which glows in the low winter light. Utterly fabulous and each
year it gets better and better. Easy to grow, never an embarrassment
and relatively disease free, what more could you want?

Well maybe a bit less lichen on the bark? I have a Tibetan cherry near
the kitchen window, but its bark is almost covered with grey lichen, so
the shiny mahogany bark isn't as visible as I'd like. I normally wash
down the silver birch - actually himalayan (Jacmontii??) - so they have
really white bark, and it looks very good. But I haven't done the
Tibetan cherry as its an older tree and the bark already looks pretty
rough.
--
David

On 29/4/05 11:23, in article ,
"Dave" wrote:

Dave Poole writes
snip Utterly fabulous and each
year it gets better and better. Easy to grow, never an embarrassment
and relatively disease free, what more could you want?

Well maybe a bit less lichen on the bark? I have a Tibetan cherry near
the kitchen window, but its bark is almost covered with grey lichen, so
the shiny mahogany bark isn't as visible as I'd like. I normally wash
down the silver birch - actually himalayan (Jacmontii??) - so they have
really white bark, and it looks very good. But I haven't done the
Tibetan cherry as its an older tree and the bark already looks pretty
rough.

OTOH, the lichen is beautiful too and you have the consolation (presumably)
of knowing you live in very clean air! We were in the gardens at Tresco
once with Mike Nelhams, the curator, when someone asked him what to do about
the lichen on her trees back home - his answer was to the effect of leave it
alone and thank your god for it! ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article , Dave
writes

Janet Baraclough
writes
One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of UK native ones), or
there's lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

Kay writes
Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)

Oh I don't know. I have a youngish weeping Cotoneaster (is it a
Rothschild??) which had a great number of red berries on all through
Autumn, and they were still there in January, and I noticed the
blackbirds eating them in the snowy weather through Feb. By the time the
new leaves were emerging they had all gone. Maybe they aren't that tasty
and were a food of last resort??

I think so. My Cotoneaster horizontalis is smothered with berries still,
but we have an awful lot of other berries around. Redcurrant,
elderberry, rowan go first, followed by crabapple, hawthorn and red
holly. Then viburnum. Now all we have left is cotoneaster, skimmia,
pernettya and yellow holly.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Dave Poole writes
snip Utterly fabulous and each
year it gets better and better. Easy to grow, never an embarrassment
and relatively disease free, what more could you want?

"Dave" wrote:
Well maybe a bit less lichen on the bark? I have a Tibetan cherry near
the kitchen window, but its bark is almost covered with grey lichen, so
the shiny mahogany bark isn't as visible as I'd like. I normally wash
down the silver birch - actually himalayan (Jacmontii??) - so they have
really white bark, and it looks very good. But I haven't done the
Tibetan cherry as its an older tree and the bark already looks pretty
rough.

Sacha writes
OTOH, the lichen is beautiful too and you have the consolation (presumably)
of knowing you live in very clean air! We were in the gardens at Tresco
once with Mike Nelhams, the curator, when someone asked him what to do about
the lichen on her trees back home - his answer was to the effect of leave it
alone and thank your god for it! ;-)

Yes indeed :-)) Although in the last 3 years I have started to be
overflown by planes from both Stansted and Luton, which I am not
particularly thrilled about. The irony is on most really sunny days they
have a different flight pattern and generally don't come over!

I was pleased to see how many I have acquired on some new stone
'mushrooms' (can't think of correct name atm) but they have only been
there for 5 or 6 years and are now grey, with several colours of white
/orange lichen on them, and the covering varies from one to the other,
presumably as microclimates are different - more sun /shade, less / more
wind / moisture.

--
David

In article , Dave
writes

Janet Baraclough
writes
One of the rowans (birds prefer the berries of UK native ones), or
there's lovely crataegus prunifolia (a bit slower growing than rowan,
IME, but the berries last longer)

Kay writes
Of course, one way in which trees can 'benefit wildlife' is by providing
berries for birds - in which case 'long lasting berries' and
'benefitting wildlife' are slightly contradictory ;-)

Oh I don't know. I have a youngish weeping Cotoneaster (is it a
Rothschild??) which had a great number of red berries on all through
Autumn, and they were still there in January, and I noticed the
blackbirds eating them in the snowy weather through Feb. By the time the
new leaves were emerging they had all gone. Maybe they aren't that tasty
and were a food of last resort??

Kay writes
I think so. My Cotoneaster horizontalis is smothered with berries still,
but we have an awful lot of other berries around. Redcurrant,
elderberry, rowan go first, followed by crabapple, hawthorn and red
holly. Then viburnum. Now all we have left is cotoneaster, skimmia,
pernettya and yellow holly.

That reminds me, I must make efforts to cover my cherries and
gooseberries and redcurrants this year. Last year I was surprised to see
the gooseberries were being eaten, never happened before. I usually lose
the cherries at the green stage along with a lot of leaves :-((

Then if I get greengages I must watch them as they don't tell you when
they are ripe! The first fruiting a few years ago I didn't notice until
the hornets had excavated their way into quite a lot of them....
--
David