Tree ideas.

Hi. we have recently had to remove a 50 foot, 60 year old Cedar tree from our front garden due to severe snow damage. Regrettable... it now leaves a huge space. We are now looking for something to fill the gap. it is about 10m from the house in the corner of the front garden but close to a wall next to the road. It is on the north side of the house.The space to fill is about 8m diameter. whilst we loved the cedar, the perpetual shade and acid conditions created prevented us from growing much beneath it. Any advice on replacement tree/trees would be welcome. One idea I toyed with was a small collection of silver birch that would give dappled shade but would not spread too much. Any thoughts and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Sad you lost your tree bluelizard. Do you really want to replace it with something as you suggested it prevented you from growing anything beneath it? Maybe a total rethink of the area might help - do you really want a tree or might you consider other features? maybe post a photo?

Good luck, Janet

I'd avoid another potentially large tree or trees in a confined space.

I like your silver birch idea. Otherwise I would choose a tree that changes with the seasons eg flowering, autumn colour. ?Amalanchier, liquidamber, cherry.

What about a mult-stemmed amelanchier? Lots of impact, changing throughout the seasons, dappled shade so you can grow spring bulbs and woodland-type flowers underneath (primroses, trilliums - I could go on and on).

http://designersguide.hilliertrees.co.uk/shop/product/25 (scroll down a little)

And being multi-stemmed it's unlikely to grow too tall for that spot. 

I love the silver birch idea, you could perhaps have 3, underplanted with bluebells and fritillary, ferns etc.

I don't think the typo npolice are arouund ttoday

Bluelizard, have the stump and largest roots been removed?  That may have a bearing on what will grow there.

Would you like another evergreen or a deciduous tree? If it's a large elegant deciduous tree bear in mind the amount of leaf clearing in autumn. If it's close to the road you will have to keep that road clear of leaves.

Posted once and lost it

Silver birch sounds lovely. There iis a cottage nearby that has a group of 3 with stunnoing white trunks

http://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/ornamental-trees-c18/birch-trees-betula-trees-c32/betula-utilis-jacquemontii-doorenbos-multistem-tree-p668

or

http://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/ornamental-trees-c18/birch-trees-betula-trees-c32/betula-utilis-jacquemontii-silver-shadow-tree-p49

Hope this helps.

Or what about an acer. The one here shows fantastic autumn colour.

http://www.scotplantsdirect.co.uk/acer-rubrum-canadian-maple-red-sunset-tree/prod_1638.html

I am inspired by both the silver birch and maple ideas. The birch offers a great appeal if you give the trunks a bit of attention - washing and keeping white, and the acer is one I have not come across... choices choices. Two great suppliers too! thanks!

I agree - lovely trees in the links!

How about ornamental cherry tree?

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22ornamental+cherry+trees%22&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=a6wSUZnYEdOQhQf0nYC4Cw&ved=0CG0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=874

http://www.cornishgardennurseries.net/page/ornamental_cherry_trees

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3341800/On-the-spot-The-best-ornamental-Japanese-cherries.html

Janet

Again, thanks all for your ideas. I have finally managed to upload a photo of the very sad looking patch of garden devoid of tree! 

Thanks to chilli lover  - on the opposite side of the driveway, out of the photo we have an ornamental cherry, so at the moment the maple or silver birch ideas are favourite. Plenty to do, including some work on renovating the driveway after years of falling needles!! Looking forward to some gardeing action - hopefully should be warm enough this weekend although very frosty here is Derbuyshire again this morning!!

Hi all, my first contribution to the blog.  Thanks for the info on trees.  We have just had our sloping garden, landscaped to launch us into gardening as a hobby.  I am really thrilled to be able to walk around and see things spritting and developing.  I have been contemplating planting a couple of birch trees at the top of the garden to screen our summer house from the field (a potential building site for houses) to give us a little privacy.  Would the birches be fairly translucent through the branches as I wouldn't like to block out the light completely?  Any suggestions would be welcome as I am a very keen but a relatively novice gardener.  Also I planted a magnolia stellata in memory of my dear friend who passed away last year.  I am so upset to find that unlike my stellata at the front which is full of buds this precious shrub has none and some of the branches look dead.  Help!  Many thanks