Carol Klein's favourite trees for spring blossom

Even if you have a tiny garden, you need not be without blossom’s gracious presence. We have two small flowering cherries that have spent their lives in pots. They are Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’, which roughly translates as ‘flight of the butterflies’ and is one of the prettiest of cherry trees. They are about 12 years old, but just a couple of feet high – perfect miniatures. Every year during March and April, they're covered in tiny, pale-pink flowers. In winter, the twiggy branches make an engaging silhouette while in autumn the leaves take on a range of reds, oranges and russets.

More on spring displays:

• 10 trees with beautiful spring blossom
• 10 cheerful spring posies
• Seven spring container displays for indoors

No matter the size of your garden, there's a blossoming tree or shrub to suit your space. Browse my list of eight blossom trees to grow, below.

Cornelian cherry, Cornus mas

The Cornelian cherry is one of the first shrubs to flower. Its brilliant yellow flowers have prominent anthers that provide pollen for early insects. Bright-red fruit follows a hot summer.

Flowers: Jan-Mar

Height x Spread: 4m x 4m

Pearlbush, Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’

Arching branches are smothered in masses of white blossom. Its buds are spherical, giving it the vernacular title of pearlbush.

F: Apr-May

H x S: 2m x 3m

Dogwood, Cornus ‘Norman Hadden’

Our tree at Glebe Cottage is 40 years old now and makes a fine spectacle when covered with huge, white bracts that turn pink in warm weather.

F: May-Jun

H x S: 8m x 8m

Crab apple, Malus hupehensis

This Chinese crab apple has ascending branches covered in fragrant blossom, followed by deep-red fruit. Most have white blossom, but there are also fuchsia pink varieties.

F: Apr-May

H x S: 12m x 12m

Ornamental quince, Chaenomeles ‘Toyo-Nishiki’

An unusual ornamental quince growing taller than many, with elegant single flowers in white, flushed with pale pink.

F: Mar-Apr

H x S: 3m x 3m

Magnolia, Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’

An outstanding tree, one of whose parents is the ever-popular Magnolia stellata. Ideal for smaller gardens, flowering prolifically.

F: Apr

H x S: 8m x 6m

Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum

The Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum) produces masses of its magenta flowers and is always part of the blossom event.

F: Mar-Apr

H x S: 10m x 10m

Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna

The hawthorn is an ubiquitous feature of the countryside and one of the most bountiful of trees for flowers and fruit.

F: May

H x S: 10m x 8m