What trees?

macraignil

Landscaping a new garden and will have space for a few trees. It would be good to have ones of different sizes and the garden is fairly exposed so I can't plant anything too delicate. I've been told that there are to be no conifers and yew and trees with thorns are also not allowed. There is a type of winter flowering cherry (Prunus subhirtella autumnalis rosea) that I would like to get and please let me know if there is a good supplier (preferably near Cork). A flowering crap apple of some sort would also be good and any suggestions on a good variety would be much appreciated.

Andy-Pandy

Future Forests are in Cork and are a top notch nursery. They have a good range and will be able to help you choose the right tree for your conditions.

self3137

I second future forests, great place.

You could look at a number of different Eucalyptus varieties, Gunnii been the most popular but there are many others. Gunnii are hardy to about -15c and can be kept small by pollarding. Another variety is Eucalyptus Baby Blue, Eucalyptus silver dollar is another.

looksee

Crab apples are lovely. My favourite is always silver birch. Holly is good too, especially variegated, let it get established then cut off the lower branches to make a tree of it, unless you prefer a bush.

macraignil

Lucky to have a few silver birch already growing in the hedge next to the house. Ive also planted a holly bush I found as a self sown seedling last year. It is still just about 30cm high so I have not cut off any lower stems. What's the best time of year to prune holly? I was going to give it a couple of years before trimming off any branches but could I start shaping it into a tree sooner? There is a eucalyptus in the garden on the other side of the road that has most branches dead so I think the area is too exposed for me to plant eucalyptus. I will be calling to future forest for more trees and got a nice liquidamber and some siberian pea trees there already.

looksee

I think the advice is to let it get well grown for a few years before you take off side branches. I have taken chunks off mine at any time of year, it doesn't seem to mind. I would not cut it yet at 30cm, they seem to take a few years to get going then once established grow at the same speed as any other tree.

Oldtree

Target pruning is the best method of pruning trees, a how to example is here:

http://www.hellistreeconsultants.co.uk/kbi1000023_natural_target_pruning_how_and_where_to_remove_a_branch.html

macraignil

Thanks for the suggestions on suitable trees. At present it seems native crab apple might be best as I want one that will grow big and the other types available seem to be grafted and so might not grow as big. Is this true or will the grafted varieties also grow to a good size? If this is the case, is there a variety of crab apple that anyone would recomend?

rje66

macraignil wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions on suitable trees. At present it seems native crab apple might be best as I want one that will grow big and the other types available seem to be grafted and so might not grow as big. Is this true or will the grafted varieties also grow to a good size? If this is the case, is there a variety of crab apple that anyone would recomend?

Malus 'evereste'

rje66

macraignil wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions on suitable trees. At present it seems native crab apple might be best as I want one that will grow big and the other types available seem to be grafted and so might not grow as big. Is this true or will the grafted varieties also grow to a good size? If this is the case, is there a variety of crab apple that anyone would recomend?

Malus 'evereste'