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Small trees
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Posted by FISBEY MIDDLESEX (My Page) on Tue, Sep 13, 05 at 10:35
| My garden is moving on - finally got round to getting the structural things planned - the latest being a fairly large pergola towards the back of the garden and it's pretty impressive! - be growing plants up it starting next spring.
However next to the pergola is a Gleditsia Triacanthos Sunburst which I planted a year ago - this is a beautiful tree, but seeing as my garden is only 15 or so feet wide I fell it will grow WAY too big - it grows very fast!
I am resigned to having to replace it with something a bit more manageable (sadly) - something that will provide dappled shade and survive if fairly hot, dry conditions (which is partly why I built the pergola - to provide some shade) oh and be fairly upright in growth habit.
Any suggestions? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Small trees
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| Perhaps you could keep it small for a year or two by pruning / root pruning? If not, my first thought was Genista aetnensis, the mount Etna broom, 15ft max and lovely flowers in July with a slight scent. I had one in my old garden and it is very well behaved. It is not very upright however. What about one of those Italian cypresses that are very narrow, or Juniper Skyrocket. There is also an upright form of the rowan. |
RE: Small trees
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| What about one of those tiny sorbus trees? I've seen some very dinky ones in people's gardens, lacy bluegreen leaves, blossom, pink berries, autumn colour. I've got one called s. vilmorinii, which has been in about 4/5 years and is still only 9 feet high, final height supposedly about 12 feet. If you want height without shading the entire garden you could try a pawlonia tomentosa. Left to grow it forms a large tree, but if you stool it down to one bud each spring it forms a 12 foot high stalk with a number of leaves at least a foot across on it. So it's very tall but only about 3 feet wide. And temporary, because you start afresh each spring. You could hang on to the gleditsia for a few years if you prune it carefully, maybe raising the crown by removing some lower branches. I have done this successfully with a viburnum tinus and notice several round here which have formed small, pretty trees using this method. Gleditsia looks like it may not enjoy being pruned , seems prone to dieback - anyone know? |
RE: Small trees
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| I have Sorbus vilmorinii too. It is at least 15 years old and is still only about 3.5 metres tall. However mine is not very good at setting berries despite lots of flowers. I would try to see several Sorbus now when they are in berry and choose one you like. They have flowers, autumn colour and fruit. |
RE: Small trees
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| I absolutely love Sorbus! - there was one smallish variety in my garden when I arrived, since then I have planted a Chinese Lace and a Joseph Rock - the latter unfortunately is rather poorly and may be replaced by a smaller variety such as Cashmiriana - so your advice is pretty much spot on! Thanks! |
RE: Small trees
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| My s. vilmorinii hasn't flowered this year hence no berries. Several others nearby have also failed to do so. Any ideas why? |
RE: Small trees
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| Disease? fireblight?, apparently fireblight can cause non flowering :( |
RE: Small trees
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| Most Sorbus had a huge bumper fruit crop last year. They're exhausted now, and taking a rest for this year with little or no fruit. A blank year also helps keep seed-eating pests under control, so it benefits the trees to have blank years from time to time. Resin |
RE: Small trees
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| Phew I hope you're right! I have now replaced my ailing Joseph Rock with - another Joesph Rock! - albeit smaller and yonger, but with a lot of TLC I'm sure this will come through this time. Not replaced the Gleditsia but will give it some more thought in the coming weeks. |
RE: Small trees
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| Fireblight? Aaargh, hope not, sounds terminal. Pineresin - isn't Nature clever!? |
RE: Small trees
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| blimey, my first thought was a sorbus too - there is a gorgeous one with pink berries - cashmeriana, I think. Just lovely. Also, can I recommend an amelanchier - something all year round, lovely white spring flowers and fabulous autumn colour. Finally, eucalpyt gunni can be hard pruned every year to keep the juvenile foliage - this is a lovely tree. |
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