Talkback: Teeny tiny trees for small gardens - Talkback

02/05/2008 at 14:26

This is most interesting. After further research, I had realised myself that it was not such an easy question; I had to revise my spec. upwards to 5-6 metres. One plant I did buy was Cercis chinensis 'Avondale'. My garden is fortunately sheltered, so I will try to make space for the Albizia and/or Weinmannia. Thank you very much for your suggestions.

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02/05/2008 at 15:44

I've become the owner of a young grape vine planted in a large container in my greenhouse. The idea is to grow it as a single layer espalier. Trouble is I'm not sure when or how to prune. Currently the vine is around 18 inches tall, and has 6 tiny bunches of grapes. can anyone advise please?

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02/05/2008 at 19:07

What about a Kilmarnock Willow, fairly slow growing and I have never seen a huge one but then there are a lot of places still to visit!

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02/05/2008 at 19:30

I have just moved into a house with a lovely (if a little overgrown) small, established garden that has several healthy trees in it - I don't think there is enough space for anymore trees to be planted in the ground but there is a concreted area in the shade of the house where I would like to grow trees in containers. I guess that the smaller final size of the tree, the better it will do in a container - but if i intend to plant it on in 5-6 years, could i plant a bigger growing tree?

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06/05/2008 at 09:28

I've successfully managed to get three nice trees into a small garden without them dominating. I have a Prunus Cerasifera Nigra which has a five foot clear stem, the top is bushy but I prune out three year old branches, the simple pruning keeps it small.

The other two are 'multi-stemmed' Acer sacharinum and Betula jacquemontii. The acer has four stems the Betula has five. The fact they are multi stemmed reduces the vigour and growth rate. If they get too big I'll resort to pruning.

You could try Eucalyptus and 'pollard' it every couple of years.

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16/05/2008 at 18:08

Where has Monty Don gone?

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28/05/2008 at 22:49

I have a lovely sambucus nigra which i hard prune every year - it flowers profusely and stays quite small - approx 7ft.

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10/06/2008 at 08:41

What do I feed my grape vine with

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09/07/2008 at 22:48

I am going to try to move a tree from one section of my garden to another and as an amaturer gardener ( and a very bad speller) i would appreciate any advise

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14/07/2008 at 21:28

Do please consider the Acer Griseum, with gorgeous peeling maple bark and fantastic changing leaf colours throughout Spring/Summer/Autumn.I have a very small garden and so this tree that I bought mail order from a tree specialist at 3 feet has pride of place in the middle. This fulfils the garden plan in my mind of enticing the visitor to explore beyond the tree, which tends to hide the garden beyond. After 8 years it has reached a height of 9 feet and width, 5 feet. It is kept company around the roots by Sweet Woodruff and I love it to bits and thoroughly recommend it.

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25/07/2008 at 16:20

Not sure if this is the right place for this but I need some help. We have a weeping pussy willow (Salix Caprea Kilmarnock) and it has developed a brown growth, about the size of a tangerine, towards the top of the trunk. Can anyone give us any idea what it might be and how to deal with it?

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29/07/2008 at 08:52

We have just had two trees taken down (with consent) which had tree preservation orders. A condition of removal is replacement with 'native deciduous' although we would like a type that remains as small as possible! Any suggestions?

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22/08/2008 at 18:06

can anyone tell me when is the best time to trim an acer. mine are beginning to lose their shape.

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01/09/2008 at 10:52

Could anyone advise me on the best spray to combat mildew on my outside grape vine. I have made sure I have opened it by cutting back some leaves. I lost most of my crop last year due to this problem. And it has just started to appear - Thanks

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31/03/2009 at 16:57

I am looking for a small Birch tree i.e. 12/16ftare ther any Birch as small as that and if so where could one aquire ome. Thankyou

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23/08/2010 at 20:54

I am trying to find information on the Willow trees. I have been given one as a present, but not sure where to plant it? I have a space behind my gardening shed which would give me privicy from the neighbours. Are the roots dangerous? Would they damage my shed? How much space would i need to leave around the tree? Please help very new and kine gardener.

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31/08/2010 at 07:55

Sammeek: Difficult to help without knowing exactly which willow you have as there are many different sorts. If you have been given a weeping willow (salix babylonica) then remember that it is a very large tree that grows extremely fast (faster if the ground is damp). There are other willows (Salix melanostachys, Salix wehrhanii, Salix eleagnos etc etc) which are much smaller and would not be perfect for privacy.

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21/02/2011 at 07:19

I have had success with some of the weeping conifers like Larix decidua pendula and also weeping Bald cypress, Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls'. No way are conifers unfashionable in my garden and are the backbone. Also growing Acer sempervirens, a real stunning small tree, still only eight feet tall.

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21/02/2011 at 07:22

For some excellent willows look out for; Salix magnifica, leaves like a Magnolia, stunning Salix fargesii smooth stems are like mahogany in the winter Both large shrubs/small trees but like almost all willows can easily be pruned without damaging the structure or character of the plant.

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28/11/2011 at 18:31

There are some interesting Sambucus (Elder) cultivars like Sutherland's Gold & Black Lace that can easily be kept to this size.

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