Get involved this National Tree Week with these 10 trees to grow

This year is the 50th anniversary of National Tree Week, the UK's largest tree celebration. During this celebratory week, The Tree Council encourages people to join and organise events, helping to plant thousands of trees across the UK. Libraries will be offering free resources, and there are many events listed online, for everyone from individuals looking to volunteer, to communities and schools that want to get involved. It runs from 22 November to 30 November. Even planting one tree in your garden can make a difference.

We've picked our favourite trees you can plant now.

Crab apple

A crab apple is the perfect tree for small gardens, with many compact varieties available. With spring blossom and small apples that can be made into jelly, these attractive trees look good across several seasons. They're also invaluable for wildlife – the flowers provide early nectar and pollen for bees, while the fruit is eaten by birds and small mammals such as voles and mice.

• Buy a crab apple tree from Crocus and Thompson & Morgan

Hawthorn

Standard hawthorn trees look good at different times of year, bearing masses of spring blossom, followed by red-orange berries (haws) that remain on the branches well into winter. Hawthorn trees also provide shelter and food for birds, and the blossom attracts pollinating insects in spring. Check how tall the variety will get before buying, as some reach 10m. For pink blossom, try 'Paul's Scarlett', or choose 'Plena' for double white blossom, but bear in mind that this won't attract pollinators.

• Buy Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlett' from Crocus or Crataegus x media 'Plena' from Crocus

Arbutus unedo

Native to the Mediterranean and south-west Ireland but not mainland Britain, the strawberry tree makes an interesting tree choice. It looks good all year round, with bell-shaped flowers appearing in autumn, alongside the previous summer's strawberry-like fruits, against glossy, evergreen leaves and peeling brown bark. Strawberry tree flowers are attractive to bees and the fruits are eaten by birds, though are distasteful (but edible) to humans.

• Buy Arbutus unedo from Thompson & Morgan or Gardening Express

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

A rowan, also known as mountain ash, can live for up to 200 years. This graceful tree is easily recognisable with its narrow green leaves and abundance of small red berries in late summer. These berries are attractive to birds including blackbirds, redwings and fieldfares. It's a low-maintenance and slow-growing tree that will thrive in most situations, with white spring flowers and autumn colour.

• Buy rowan from Crocus or Thompson & Morgan

Hazel (Coryllus avellana)

Hazel is a versatile tree for the garden, which can be used for hedging or as a feature tree. The contorted variety 'Contorta', known as the corkscrew tree, is particularly attractive with its twisted branches and leaves. In early spring the yellow catkins of hazel add colour to the garden.

• Buy hazel from Crocus or Coryllus avellana 'Contorta' from Thompson & Morgan

Silver birch (Betula pendula)

This fast growing tree adds elegance to any planting scheme. Popular for its white peeling bark, silver birch has vibrant green leaves and a narrow shape that makes it a good choice for borders where you want to avoid the shade cast by a wide canopy.

• Buy silver birch from Crocus or from Thompson & Morgan

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

There's a huge variety of holly to choose from, whether it's variegated with golden edges, berries that can be orange, red or black, towering holly trees and dwarf types that are suited to pots. Being evergreen, holly looks good year-round, adds structure to borders and can be clipped for a formal look. Choose a self fertile holly if you only want one tree, as only the female hollies bear berries and will need a male holly growing nearby.

• Buy holly from Crocus or from Thompson & Morgan

Field maple (Acer campestre)

Acer campestre is the only British native maple, a lovely choice for a medium sized garden. Its leaves are a bright green in the spring, turning a deep yellow in the autumn. The foliage also provides food for a variety of moth caterpillars.

• Buy field maple from Suttons or from Thompson & Morgan

Elder (Sambucus nigra)

Sambucus nigra is a small tree that can grow to around 6m tall. It has flat heads of scented cream flowers in early summer which can be used to make elderflower cordial, while the black berries that follow can be used to make wine.

• Buy elder from The Woodland Trust or from Thompson & Morgan

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

Often confused with beech, hornbeam is used for hedging and as a pleached tree which makes an attractive boundary in larger gardens. It can also be grown as an individual tree, but does reach 30m tall as a mature specimen. In a small space, 'Fastigiata' is a good choice, as it reaches only 7m and has an attractive slim shape. If trimmed as a hedge, its leaves stay on all year round, providing shelter for wildlife such as birds and small mammals.

• Buy hornbeam from The Woodland Trust