On Sat, 3 Jan 2015 22:19:37 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

On 2015-01-01 22:43:40 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"Chris Hogg" wrote

"Bob Hobden"wrote:

I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small garden
and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft. and it's
about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site with
houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide and is
not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds into the
garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers or autumn
foliage colour would be a bonus.


Something fastigiate? There's a selection here
http://tinyurl.com/ok88vbw including a couple of Liquidambars which
have good autumn colour. Some RHS suggestions here
http://tinyurl.com/pz7rgoh


Thanks Chris but we had a Liquidambar once, grew like Jack's beanstalk.

Did anyone suggest Amelanchier - Ray's suggestion.

I second that suggestion. In fact I have one but it is still small and
has been in the ground for about 5 years. A neighbour has one which
has not grown a huge amount in over 10 years.

On 04/01/2015 16:09, Pam Moore wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jan 2015 18:07:51 +0000, David
wrote:

On 03/01/2015 17:44, Pam Moore wrote:
On Thu, 1 Jan 2015 18:23:26 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small garden
and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft. and it's
about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site with
houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide and is
not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds into the
garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers or autumn
foliage colour would be a bonus.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK


My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

Far be it for me to disagree with Bunny Guinness but I would want then
spaced so you could sling a hammock between them.
David

I suppose I might just have room for the hammock, but certainly not
for the rope slide! (aerial runway!!!) Takes half a lifetime to grow
trees big enough though!

But if you put in a couple of 8ft stakes with a girth of around 6 inches
then the tree can be left to grow up alongside them and they can support
the hammock.

On 03/01/2015 23:36, Emery Davis wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jan 2015 17:44:35 +0000, Pam Moore wrote:

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from which
I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer palmatum
which is much admired but now needing the attention of an expert to take
it back a bit.


Another idea is a small snakebark Acer. These are at best 4 season
trees: lovely shiny spring growth, dark summer leaves with red stems,
excellent yellow-orange fall colours, beautiful striped stems in winter.
What's more the stems change throughout the year, in some species going
from red to bright green. You might look at A. micranthum 'Candelabrum',
A. x conspicuum 'Silver Vein' (or 'Phoenix' or 'Mozart'), A. pectinatum
ssp forestii, A. tegmentosum.

I bought a flowering crab about 5 years ago from B & Q at Xmas when they
had slashed their prices to stupid amounts, it cost me around £2.00, no
label but it sat in it's pot for a couple of years till I wanted it to
mark where I had planted a cat.
Since then it's put on around 3ft but it's still only around 7 ft tall
and around 3 ft wide, masses of spring flowers, then fruit by August and
that fruit is still on it now at the start of January, when it comes off
the Blackbirds will have it.
If it starts to get to big then it could be pruned easily without doing
it harm.
David

"Pam Moore" wrote

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

That reminds me of a situation a friend found himself in, it was a posh
gardening black tie dinner and he was sat next to some chap who proceeded to
tell everyone he had a small arboretum at home, to which my friend said "Oh
you keep Bonsai then".
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 04/01/2015 17:19, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

That reminds me of a situation a friend found himself in, it was a posh
gardening black tie dinner and he was sat next to some chap who
proceeded to tell everyone he had a small arboretum at home, to which my
friend said "Oh you keep Bonsai then".

Oooouuch!! You don't say that to a serious tree man! I wonder if it was
Michael Hesseltine, the tree man, that is?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 09:37:17 +0100, Martin wrote:

Oooouuch!! You don't say that to a serious tree man! I wonder if it was
Michael Hesseltine, the tree man, that is?

You Jane?

Hehe, nice one. Start as you mean to go on...

It always surprises me how many tree lovers are into bonsai. Personally
don't care for them, very "cute and posed" for my tastes. Perfect hobby
for control freaks!

Should have mentioned another small Acer with great year round interest,
the paperbark maple Acer griseum. Peeling cinnamon bark (not unlike a
paper birch in texture), and great red fall colour. I'm trying some seed
this winter (not for the first time) but it is notoriously difficult.



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On 05/01/2015 08:37, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 04 Jan 2015 18:16:23 +0000, Spider wrote:

On 04/01/2015 17:19, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

That reminds me of a situation a friend found himself in, it was a posh
gardening black tie dinner and he was sat next to some chap who
proceeded to tell everyone he had a small arboretum at home, to which my
friend said "Oh you keep Bonsai then".

Oooouuch!! You don't say that to a serious tree man! I wonder if it was
Michael Hesseltine, the tree man, that is?

You Jane?


Too right! I rather like 'St. Michael' ;~)
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 01/01/2015 18:23, Bob Hobden wrote:
I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small
garden and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft.
and it's about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site
with houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide
and is not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds
into the garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers
or autumn foliage colour would be a bonus.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK



I know it's not a tree, and almost everyone here will throw up their
arms and eyebrows with horror when I suggest it, but ivy is very good
for birds and other wildlife, including spiders and Holly Blue
butterflies. It offers year-round shelter, nectar and pollen in autumn
and berries which birds love in winter. It's as cheap as chips to buy
and doesn't have to take up lots of space.

I created a 'holly tree' in my garden by erecting a metal post (actually
8ft angle iron) and 3"x3" post for the trunk. A wooden post alone will
rot; been there, done that. On top of the 'trunk', a large wire hanging
basket was inverted and fixed in place to give some shape and substance
to the crown of the 'tree' as it developed. It is now about 30yrs old
and gives height to the garden without creating too much shadow. It has
a healthy crown of mature growth, producing flowers and berries in
season. Some of the woodier, mature branches in the crown are perfect
for hanging bird feeders on, offering another form of sustenance to
encourage birds in.

For those who cringe at the thought of ivy on houses or trees, this
stand-alone method of growing ivy simply shrugs all those problems off.

Worth a thought?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

"Spider" wrote ...

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

That reminds me of a situation a friend found himself in, it was a posh
gardening black tie dinner and he was sat next to some chap who
proceeded to tell everyone he had a small arboretum at home, to which my
friend said "Oh you keep Bonsai then".

Oooouuch!! You don't say that to a serious tree man! I wonder if it was
Michael Hesseltine, the tree man, that is?

I think my friend was being a bit sarcastic about a "small" arboretum, is
there such a thing?
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 05/01/2015 16:24, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote ...

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Pam Moore" wrote

My garden is even smaller. I have 2 trees, one a columnar yew from
which I periodically cut the tallest trunk. I also have a red acer
palmatum which is much admired but now needing the attention of an
expert to take it back a bit.
Both have been in for 25 years and I've no regrets.
I also have a beech, 2 Scots pines, a ginkgo, 2 larches, a mulberry, a
cedar and a few other trees but those are all bonsai! The only way I
can grow an arboretum!!!
I remember on GQT Bunny Guinness once said "Every garden should have 2
trees with a rope slide between" (or words to that effect) and I have
taken all her advice since with a few pinches of salt!

That reminds me of a situation a friend found himself in, it was a posh
gardening black tie dinner and he was sat next to some chap who
proceeded to tell everyone he had a small arboretum at home, to which my
friend said "Oh you keep Bonsai then".

Oooouuch!! You don't say that to a serious tree man! I wonder if it
was Michael Hesseltine, the tree man, that is?

I think my friend was being a bit sarcastic about a "small" arboretum,
is there such a thing?



Indeed there is. I may very well have one :~).
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 2015-01-04 16:17:21 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Sat, 3 Jan 2015 22:19:37 +0000, Sacha
wrote:

On 2015-01-01 22:43:40 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"Chris Hogg" wrote

"Bob Hobden"wrote:

I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small garden
and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft. and it's
about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site with
houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide and is
not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds into the
garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers or autumn
foliage colour would be a bonus.


Something fastigiate? There's a selection here
http://tinyurl.com/ok88vbw including a couple of Liquidambars which
have good autumn colour. Some RHS suggestions here
http://tinyurl.com/pz7rgoh


Thanks Chris but we had a Liquidambar once, grew like Jack's beanstalk.

Did anyone suggest Amelanchier - Ray's suggestion.

I second that suggestion. In fact I have one but it is still small and
has been in the ground for about 5 years. A neighbour has one which
has not grown a huge amount in over 10 years.

Would Luma apiculata be happy there? It's not very large and is easily
contained, even cloud-pruned. It's evergreen and it flowers, on and
off, almost all year. Ours has had a breather for about a month and
I've just noticed flowers beginning to break again on one of them in a
sheltered spot.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 05/01/2015 14:38, Spider wrote:
On 01/01/2015 18:23, Bob Hobden wrote:
I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small
garden and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft.
and it's about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site
with houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide
and is not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds
into the garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers
or autumn foliage colour would be a bonus.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK



I know it's not a tree, and almost everyone here will throw up their
arms and eyebrows with horror when I suggest it, but ivy is very good
for birds and other wildlife, including spiders and Holly Blue
butterflies. It offers year-round shelter, nectar and pollen in autumn
and berries which birds love in winter. It's as cheap as chips to buy
and doesn't have to take up lots of space.

I created a 'holly tree' in my garden by erecting a metal post (actually
8ft angle iron) and 3"x3" post for the trunk. A wooden post alone will
rot; been there, done that. On top of the 'trunk', a large wire hanging
basket was inverted and fixed in place to give some shape and substance
to the crown of the 'tree' as it developed. It is now about 30yrs old
and gives height to the garden without creating too much shadow. It has
a healthy crown of mature growth, producing flowers and berries in
season. Some of the woodier, mature branches in the crown are perfect
for hanging bird feeders on, offering another form of sustenance to
encourage birds in.

For those who cringe at the thought of ivy on houses or trees, this
stand-alone method of growing ivy simply shrugs all those problems off.

Worth a thought?

Did you know that if you root a stem of Ivy that has turned shrubby then
you will grow an Ivy bush, it doesn't revert to a climber.
David

On 05/01/2015 20:01, David wrote:
On 05/01/2015 14:38, Spider wrote:
On 01/01/2015 18:23, Bob Hobden wrote:
I put "very" in the title because the TV presenters idea of a small
garden and reality is not the same. We are talking about 20ft by 30ft.
and it's about 5 miles from Heathrow.

Friend needs a small decorative tree, preferably deciduous, for her back
garden, gets sun for a couple of hours daily, quite a protected site
with houses all around. Needs something that won't grow too tall or wide
and is not horrendously expensive to buy. Her wish is to attract birds
into the garden because at the moment she has no cover for them. Flowers
or autumn foliage colour would be a bonus.

-- Regards
Bob Hobden
Posting to this Newsgroup
from the W.of London. UK



I know it's not a tree, and almost everyone here will throw up their
arms and eyebrows with horror when I suggest it, but ivy is very good
for birds and other wildlife, including spiders and Holly Blue
butterflies. It offers year-round shelter, nectar and pollen in autumn
and berries which birds love in winter. It's as cheap as chips to buy
and doesn't have to take up lots of space.

I created a 'holly tree' in my garden by erecting a metal post (actually
8ft angle iron) and 3"x3" post for the trunk. A wooden post alone will
rot; been there, done that. On top of the 'trunk', a large wire hanging
basket was inverted and fixed in place to give some shape and substance
to the crown of the 'tree' as it developed. It is now about 30yrs old
and gives height to the garden without creating too much shadow. It has
a healthy crown of mature growth, producing flowers and berries in
season. Some of the woodier, mature branches in the crown are perfect
for hanging bird feeders on, offering another form of sustenance to
encourage birds in.

For those who cringe at the thought of ivy on houses or trees, this
stand-alone method of growing ivy simply shrugs all those problems off.

Worth a thought?

Did you know that if you root a stem of Ivy that has turned shrubby then
you will grow an Ivy bush, it doesn't revert to a climber.
David


Rather like Hedera erecta? ... or different?
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay