GARDENING JANUARY 2025.qxp_Layout 1 20/12/2024 12:59 Page 1
GARDENING
Branching out At this time of year, the garden lies mostly dormant and its bare bones are revealed, writes Elly West, who explains how this makes it easier to decide on any structural changes, and why midwinter is actually the opportune moment to consider adding a tree to your plot
M
y house is opposite a huge oak tree, and as I sit in my upstairs office looking out of the window and across the road, I realise how much I appreciate the view, constantly changing with the weather and the seasons. Oaks are the best trees for biodiversity in the UK, according to the Woodland Trust, with mature specimens supporting around 2,300 wildlife species (not including the multitude of bacteria and other microorganisms). While we may not have the space, or the patience, in our gardens for an oak, even the smallest plot can benefit from a tree, to add height and structure, plus a sense of permanence. My front garden at home is not large, but has five trees in total: two Japanese maples, a potted lollipop bay, an amelanchier and a magnolia, all earning their keep and providing their separate interest all year round. At this time of year, the garden lies mostly dormant and its bare bones are revealed, making it easier to decide on any structural changes. When everything has died back, you can plan ahead and see where height is needed, perhaps to provide extra screening or a focal point, and it’s a good time to think about features that aren’t working, and what to remove or add. Trees can also be found at bargain prices during the dormant season, when they may well be sold root-balled or bare-root at a fraction of the cost of their potted counterparts. A tree makes a great addition aesthetically, providing vertical interest all year round. Trees can frame a view, divide sections of the garden and blur the boundaries, creating the illusion of a larger space. Evergreens provide permanent structure and greenery, while deciduous trees often bring blossom and berries, plus changing foliage colours. Many trees, such as eucalyptus, silver birch or paperbark maple, also have the benefit of interesting and/or colourful bark. 64 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2025 | No 242
Trees are great for wildlife, providing shelter and food for birds, squirrels, bees, caterpillars, moths and butterflies, plus they provide a good spot to hang bird feeders. They can also help our own physical and mental health, improving air quality and reducing noise pollution, and generally adding to the outdoor serenity that we look for in our gardens.
Which tree is right for me? When choosing a new tree for the garden, perhaps the first consideration is its size and overall form. Although you can always cut back trees that get too large, it’s far better to choose one that is suited to the space to avoid too much maintenance. Trees with airy canopies, such as rowan (Sorbus), crab apples and hawthorn are good in smaller spaces as they filter the light, rather than becoming too dense and dominating the garden. The autumn cherry, Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is another favourite of mine, producing semi-double, pink-tinged or white flowers from November to March, when not much else is flowering. Deciduous trees are generally more interesting in terms of seasonal change, but may lose their appeal in winter when the branches are bare. If you want a tree for privacy or to screen an eyesore, then an evergreen option might be better. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a popular choice, with attractive leaves that turn from red to glossy green, or try Portuguese laurel, which has slim dark-green leaves and reddish stems. Both of these are easily pruned and trained to different shapes, such as a lollipop or pleached (clear stem, topped with a rectangular framework giving a contemporary look that’s good for adding extra height above a wall or fence). In a sunny and sheltered spot, an olive tree is an attractive evergreen choice, although slow growing. Holly is quick-growing if you don’t mind the prickles, while varieties of pittosporum, such as Pittosporum tobira and P. tenuifolium, although generally considered evergreen shrubs rather than trees, can grow