If you are considering adding a tree to your garden, then we are just approaching the start of tree planting season so now is the time to think about what you want. It is best to plant a tree when it is dormant, so roughly between November and March, when the tree isn’t growing, is likely to be the most successful period of time.
There are many trees to choose from, however if you want a tree that is valuable to wildlife and easy to care for, a native tree is certainly the best choice. Trees that are native to the UK will be suited to the climate and conditions so are the perfect choice.
Of course all trees need some TLC, and when the tree is smaller it is wise to protect it, and when it is larger, it may occasionally need to be cut back a little by someone like this Tree Surgery Newent based company to keep it healthy.
Here are some of the most popular native trees for the garden…
Silver Birch – As one of the first trees to settle in the UK after the ice age, Birch is a pioneer tree. The silver birch is a beautiful tree for a garden with its distinctive silvery bark and pretty leaves. In the autumn, the leaves turn a blazing yellow bringing more colour to the garden.
Many birds enjoy the seeds of the silver birch including the siskin and the greenfinch.
Blackthorn – If you want a tree to protect your garden boundary from intruders then Blackthorn is the perfect choice. You will also find that birds love to nest in it, protected by the thorns. The long thorns are a great deterrent to intruders! The beautiful white flowers arrive early in the spring giving you a beautiful show of early blossom, and the fruits of the tree are sloes, which are of course great if you want to make your own gin or jam in the winter!
Holly – If you want a tree that stays green all year around then holly is perfect. It is a small tree, so you don’t need a huge garden to grow it, and the berries are an important food source for birds in the winter when many other foods are scarce.
You can also cut some of the shiny green leaves off to use as home decoration at Christmas time.
