Compact Spaces? Even Yet, a Tree Might Fit - Explore Top Trees Ideal for Mini Gardens
In small gardens, the strategic placement and selection of trees can significantly enhance the space, offering a myriad of benefits. From creating a sense of calm and connection to supporting local wildlife, trees are essential components of any garden design.
One popular method of growing trees in small spaces is espalier, where fruit trees are trained against a fence or used to screen a space. Pleached trees, with their straight stems and formally trained branches, are also ideal for small gardens, providing privacy and screening.
Trees can be bought in various trained forms, such as umbrella or parasol trees, including hornbeam, lime, and mulberry. For those seeking a more architectural feature, mulberries can be grown as standards or half standards.
When it comes to popular tree species for small gardens, delicate canopies and those that provide dense shade differ notably. Delicate canopy trees, such as the Japanese maple, Redbud, and Persian ironwood, offer light, airy foliage and ornamental interest, making them suitable for small spaces. On the other hand, maples, sycamores, American hornbeam, and crepe myrtle provide broad, spreading crowns for extensive shade and cooling.
Japanese maples are especially valued for their sculptural form and delicate leaves, while Redbud offers seasonal blooms and is suitable near structures. Persian ironwood, with its colorful autumn foliage, adds year-round visual interest. Maples and sycamores act like green umbrellas, lowering surface temperatures, while American hornbeam and crepe myrtle are smaller, adaptable species that provide excellent shade without invasive roots.
Fig trees, such as 'Brown Turkey' and 'Brunswick', have been bred to grow in the UK climate and are ideal for small spaces due to their preference for root restriction. They bear delicious fruits and have scented foliage.
Trees are often overlooked in the New Perennial Movement of planting design, but they play a crucial role in creating welcoming, wildlife-supporting, and visually dynamic outdoor spaces. Incorporating trees in small garden designs can improve air quality, contribute to soil stability, and extend to self-seeding saplings like hornbeam, oak, or ash, which can be pruned into low cloud-like forms or twisted together to form an abstract shape or tunnel.
Birch trees can be planted up close to the glass of a modern extension to frame intimate views, while the practice of 'halo felling' can be used to create a halo of light around a single tree in a small garden, enhancing its beauty.
In summary, selecting trees with either delicate canopies or dense shade depends on your garden's light requirements and spatial constraints. The cost of planting a mature tree is considered a worthwhile investment compared to other garden features, as trees enrich small gardens both practically and aesthetically.
- Espalier and pleached trees, with their specialized training methods, are useful for small gardens as they provide privacy, screening, and aesthetic appeal.
- For those seeking visually striking trees in small spaces, mulberries can be grown as standards or half standards, offering architectural features and seasonal interest.
- Delicate canopy trees like the Japanese maple, Redbud, and Persian ironwood, and shade-providing species such as maples, sycamores, American hornbeam, and crepe myrtle, are valuable components for small garden design, contributing to a harmonious balance between practical benefits and visual appeal.
