Trees for a Small Garden
With careful & knowledgeable plant selection, beautiful and healthy gardens can be created in spaces of any size.
The most popular trees for small gardens include Japanese Maples, Dogwoods, Hawthorne, Japanese Snowbell, and Sumac.
With the rising popularity of smaller properties, many gardens are becoming smaller, too! This means more thought must be given to the selection of plants, as the size of plants must often be scaled down to suit your space. Functions to consider include creating privacy, shade, seasonal colour, texture, edible food, attracting wildlife and creating a restful space.
When selecting trees, look at their ultimate size. Pruning can control size but should not destroy the trees natural form. Dwarf trees mature in the 8 ft. range, with small trees growing into the 15 ft. range. Trees do not stop growing, so when selecting for size, look at what height they will reach in a 15-to-20-year time span.
Characteristics for selecting trees include flowers, form and structure, leaf colour and texture, fall colour, fruit, and finally winter form and bark. Some trees are well suited for training and can be held to very precise sizes and shapes. This adds a maintenance component that you must be willing to master.
The most popular trees for small gardens include Japanese Maples, Dogwoods, Hawthorne, Japanese Snowbell, and Sumac. For more control of the tree size, nurseries will top graft onto a compatible trunk, weeping branches, or a compact form of the species. Another nursery technique is to take a vigorous shrub that is trained with a single trunk and pinch at the desired height to create a bushy top. This is labeled as a ‘standard form’ and is commonly done with PG Hydrangeas, Portuguese Laurel, and Wisteria.
For the edible garden, dwarf and semi-dwarf forms of apple and cherry are available. Any variety can be selected, as the rootstock determines the tree size. With careful and knowledgeable plant selection, beautiful and healthy gardens can be created in spaces of any size.