Top trees for small spaces

To celebrate the Tree Council of Ireland’s National Tree Day on October 2nd, we asked award-winning Show Garden designer OLIVER SCHURMANN of Mount Venus Nursery in Dublin to recommend his top three trees for small gardens.  

 A tree makes a welcome addition to any garden or outdoor area, providing multiple points of interest and benefits for wildlife and the environment. But trees are also a big investment and it is important to make the right choice for your space, the orientation of your garden, and indeed, your lifestyle.  

Do your research first and understand how the tree will grow in the seasons and years to come. Be honest about your involvement – do you want to spend time pruning to maintain its shape or would you rather leave a tree untamed? Don’t just rely on AI! Ask the team in your local nursery or garden centre for advice or look up reputable websites and books. The UK’s Royal Horticultural Society offers practical information that can help you make an informed choice. 

Deciduous trees are better suited to small gardens. Evergreens, while good for privacy and shelter, can create a dark cloud and enclose smaller spaces. A deciduous tree will provide dappled shade in summer and allow more light through the house and garden in darker winter months.  

These are my three preferred trees for small gardens: 

 1. Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple) 

This slow-growing deciduous tree with its attractive cinnamon-toned bark is ideal for small gardens which need multiple points of interest throughout the seasons. Flowering in spring, it produces berries in autumn when its leaves turn gloriously red and orange. The papery bark peels distinctively throughout the year adding interest and appeal. 

It will thrive in most gardens where it has enough space and sun. In five or six years it will grow to approximately three metres high and two-and-a-half metres wide, giving the sense of a big tree without getting too large. 

 2. Cornus kousa ‘Miss Satomi’ 

While this handsome deciduous tree will grow relatively tall, it is light enough not to overshadow the buildings and planting that surrounds it.  

It welcomes spring with a display of healthy green leaves, blooming later in June and July with an abundance of pinkish white flowers. Spreading 3cm in diameter, they appear like a flock of butterflies fluttering across its branches. Autumn brings a splash of scarlet leaves and strawberry-sized fruit in deep red hues which, while inedible for humans, will delight neighbouring squirrels. It will grow well in full sun or light shade. 

 3. Gleditsia triacanthos Sunburst (Honey Locust) 

This deciduous tree produces fine, serrated leaves that arrive quite late in the spring in a blaze of bright yellow. Its colour transitions to light green in summer and a coppery yellow in autumn before the leaves start falling. Its flowers, while quite inconspicuous, are attractive to wildlife and the tree will draw a buzz of activity in spring. 

Horizontal-growing branches can be easily thinned, allowing for planting close to the house and providing a beautiful, dappled shade on summer days. It will not fare well in darker areas so is best suited to a spot in full sun. 

Top tips for planting new trees 

Once you have selected your new tree, it’s time to start planting. While potted trees can be planted throughout the year, bareroot trees are better lifted, transported and planted during the dormant season from early November to the end of March. 

Soil preparation is crucial. Start by digging a hole about three times the size of the root ball. Before you add the infill soil, break the edges of the hole with a crowbar or spade so that the roots are surrounded by loose, aerated soil. This is very important in gardens in urban areas, particularly with new builds, where the soil may have been compacted by machinery. 

Be careful not to plant to deep in the ground and never stamp around the trunk to secure the tree – that is awful treatment! Trees do better when planted a little raised from the ground, almost on a mound, as if the roots are too deep, they will get sodden. For them, it is akin to standing in wellies filled with water! 

Cut some of the lower branches back a little before planting as this will encourage growth. Make sure to support the tree with a stake as this will help the roots to take hold and protect it during the stormy season. 

Water intensively when planting to wash the loose soil around the root ball, then follow by checking moisture levels every week. If the soil is moist for a couple of inches under the surface, then your tree does not need more water. Overwatering can be bad for trees so it’s important to take care. 

And remember to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour. A well-chosen, planted and cared for tree will benefit you, your garden, and the environment for years, maybe even generations, to come. 

Together with his wife, Liat, Oliver Schurmann has designed numerous award-winning Show Gardens at Bord Bia Bloom. The couple own Mount Venus Nursery, which has recently moved to an exciting new space near its former nursery in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16. You can learn more about Mount Venus on mountvenusnursery.com and follow Oliver and Liat on social @mountvenusnursery.