Mzzz B's Garden notes

Acer griseum /Paper Bark maple

Amelanchier Obelisk

Prunus Amanogawa – flowering cherry

Hardy cyclamen coum

Early snowdrops

The Garden inJanuary.
2025-a new year, but in the garden we are left clearing up the damage done by the storms and floods of last year. There seem to be many gardens around the village that have lost trees, or will have worries about trees under water. But it is important for wildlife and the climate that we plant trees or large shrubs to take the place of those that have come down.

So what trees are good for small gardens?
Here are some factors to take into consideration when choosing a tree for a small garden.

Height and spread: This is probably the most important factor. Even small ornamental trees may, over time, reach a height of 6-8m (20-26ft) or more. If this is too much, consider a weeping form, as these rarely increase much in height, or choose a large shrub. A columnar tree would be good ina very restricted area.. If planting in the corner of your garden, be aware that most of the canopy will shade neighbouring gardens.
Eg Amelanchier Obelisk- this has spring flowers, berries and autumn colour .

Season of interest: do you want flowers, foliage, fruit and colourful bark?. If you only have room for one tree ideally look for one with more than one season of interest such as flowers,fruit or autumn colour.. Eg Paper Bark Maple – Acer Griseum or a flowering cherry.

Deciduous or evergreen: Both types of trees have their advantages, the obvious one for evergreens being that they keep their leaves throughout the year.But many deciduous trees provide lovely autumn foliage colours not available with evergreen trees.

Trees for wet soils- clay is a good soil for trees as it is rich, but as it gets waterlogged in winter and dries hard in summer , a planting hole needs preparation- dig a large hole and ensure the edges and bottom are loosened so that the hole doesn't fill with water. Add bulky organic matter like composted bark or manure that has straw in it, to enable the tree to get established. As clay is so rich a lot of trees grow quite tall so shrubs like Cornus might be a better replacement if space is restricted.

To help you choose, you may find it useful to visit gardens where a good range of well-established and mature ornamental trees can be seen and evaluated.

• Jobs for January
• Stay off the soil and grass if frosty or wet as this compacts the soil.
• Take photos of the garden in winter to remind you of its structure and help to think about any changes you ight make.
• Plan your garden next year, order seeds- remember if you are a member of Tattenhall Garden Society you get up to 50% off seeds.
• Enjoy whatever flowers have managed to flower- hellebores, snowdrop, cyclamen coum, and winter aconites and hazel catkins are all beginning to appear.

Click on photos to enlarge.

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