For an established feel to the garden with a constant reference to the changing seasons, deciduous trees play a vital role. From the compact Cherry, with their spring blossom and autumn colour, through to the semi-mature Oak, deciduous trees allow you to make your mark on the landscape.
The Maple is unrivalled for its autumn leaf colours and different leaf shapes and textures, it produces a distinctive 2-winged fruit and has attractive bark usually gray or greenish in colour. Maples prefer, damp conditions with plenty of rain in spring and summer, they prefer a planting position sheltered from strong winds, but will grow in any reasonable soil in full sun.
Sizes available from 2.5m in height / 18cm girth plus.
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The Horse Chestnut produces large candles of white or pink flowers in spring or summer followed by large nut like seeds (conkers) they can grow up to 20m in height grow where there is shelter, deep soil and good moisture.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Tree of Heaven is a fast grower and can reach 18m in 20 years, the long branches and leaves finish in large flower clusters, with the female producing decorative winged papery fruits in the summer. The Tree of Heaven will grow in any reasonable soil and in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 2.5m in height/18cm girth plus.
The Alder is an upright and fast growing tree, the egg shaped catkins grow in groups at the branch tips, it has brown or blackish bark sometimes furrowed. Most Alders require cool climate and moist soil.
Sizes available from 2.5m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Birch is one of the most popular trees as a landscape sector even though their fruit and flowers are not spectacular. Their appeal lies in the white to pinkish brown trunks and vivid green spring foliage which turns mostly gold in the autumn before dropping. They grow very fast at first, yet a fairly modest final height makes them ideal use in the garden. They will grow best in full sun in deep well drained soil.
Sizes available from 4m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Hornbeam’s beauty lies in its usual smooth fluted trunks and limbs, and there small veined leaves that colour attractively in autumn. The Hornbeam is long lived and has small to medium-sized trees ideal for parks and lawns. They will grow in any garden soil in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Sweet Chestnut likes a cool-climate, all bear an edible nut enclosed in spiky husks. The round edged leaves turn from yellowy green to gold to russet. The Sweet Chestnut will grow in any reasonable soil except chalk and is happy in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 16 to 18cm girth plus.
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The Judas Tree produces clusters of bright rose pink to crimson pea like flowers in the spring, followed by pointed buds, slightly deeper in colour and then the heart shaped almost round leaves. The Judas Tree thrives in well drained soil and full sun.
Sizes available from 2.5m in height/16cm girth plus.
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The Hazel is best known for its edible nuts which ripen in summer, the branches are tough and supply bear heart-shaped toothed leaves, strongly veined. They will grow in full sun or partial shade, moist but well-drained soils.
Sizes available from 1.5m in height/18cm girth plus.
The Hawthorne has fruits that look like small apples, and has long sharp thorns. The leaves are either toothed or lobed. The Hawthorn produces white and sometimes pink flowers which are clustered in flat to rounded umbels in late spring. The Hawthorne is very frost hardy and will grow in most soil conditions and thrives in full sun.
Sizes available from 2.5m in height plus.
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The Handkerchief Tree has a rounded head and can reach heights of 18m. With its long stalked flower heads each sat between 2 large white drooping bracts is a spectacular sight when in full flower. The leaves are toothed and large. The Handkerchief Tree thrives in any fertile soil in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 2m in height plus.
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The beech tree is long lived and can grow to 40m (130ft) in height with rounded crowns. The delicate foliage turns golden brown in the autumn, a small white flower appears in spring and beech nuts are produced in early autumn. The Beech likes well-drained soil with some shelter and sun.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Ash is a fast growing species with widely spread branches and leaves broken up into leaflets, it produces small flowers with the winged fruits appearing in summer. The leaves do not change colour in the autumn before falling. The Ash will grow in any reasonable soil in partial shade or sun.
Sizes available from 3m in height/16cm girth plus.
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The Honey Locust is usually thorny and has wide spread branches, it is grown for its attractive foliage that appears late in the season, turning yellow in autumn. It produces seed pods which are normally twisted. It will grow in any well drained soil in either sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 2m in height/14cm girth plus.
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The Laburnam has compact leaves with three leaflets, its long sprays of bright yellow flowers appear May or June, followed by brown pods which remain until mid winter. The Laburnam will grow in any reasonable soil in sun or partial shade. Precautions must be taken when touching as it is poisonous particularly the seeds.
Sizes available from 2m in height/14cm girth plus.
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The Sweet Gum is known for its handsome foliage which produces superb colours in autumn. It can sometimes be mistaken for a Maple. With autumn the leaves turn red, purple or gold. The Sweet Gum will grow in any reasonable, moist soil that is not chalky, thrives in sun or light shade.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
The Tulip Tree is fast growing with straight trunks and symmetrical crowns, the shaped leaves have four lobes with flat ends, turning bright gold in autumn. The pale green flowers with orange at the base do not appear for about 25 years. The Tulip tree likes any garden soil including chalk and thrives in full sun.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Plane is known for its flaking, mottled bark, which it shreds in winter. The leaves are Maple like with 5 lobes and it produces brown seeds balls that hang in clusters in the winter. The Plane thrives in deep well drained soil, very tolerent of dry periods and will grow in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 3.5m in height/16cm girth plus.
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The Poplar is very fast growing and reach 24m. The catkins arrive in early spring and again in winter, the leaves appear in early spring and are set on long flexible stalks, turning yellow or gold in the autumn. They thrive in any reasonable soil, preferably with soil in both sun or light shade.
Sizes available from 3.5m in height/16cm girth plus.
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The Prunus family includes Cherries, Plums, Apricots and Peaches to name but a few also has ornamental species with beautiful flowers. Most common species produce white flowers in the spring, with 5 petalled scented white or pink flowers. They will grow in any reasonable soil, preferably with some lime present and thrives in full sun.
Sizes available from 2m in height/12cm girth plus.
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The Pear is slow growing and can reach 24m in height but are normally smaller. The 5 petalled clusters of fragrant white flowers are sometimes tinged with pink appear in early spring, the leaves are glossy and round to quite narrow in shape. The Pear has been grown for many years for its yellowish green sweet juicy fruits and does not require much moisture and will grow in any reasonable garden soil.
Sizes available from 3m in height/18cm girth plus.
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The Oak is famous for massive frame, dome-shaped head and hard timber. Their leaves are mostly lobed and leathery with some turning bright scarlet in autumn. The acorns sit in knobbly cups. They will thrive in any deep garden soil with plenty of room and is best in full sun.
Sizes available from 2m in height/14cm girth plus.
The Robinia is fast growing with species reaching 24m in height. The leaves are normally with a pair of spines at each base have small oval leaflets, occasionally occasionally turning buttery yellow in autumn. Bearing sprays of pink, purple or white pea like fragrant blossom in spring. Robinias prefer a sunny sheltered position, and grows in all types of soils.
Sizes available from 2m in height / 14cm girth plus
The Willow is quick growing with heights ranging from 3m to 24m depending on the species. The leaves are normally bright green, narrow lance shaped. The flowers are fluffy catkins and appear before or with the leaves. The Willow is frost hardy and thrives in full sun and deep soil.
Sizes available from 3m in height/16cm girth plus
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The Mountain Ash is a graceful but rather slender tree, producing season long colour, starting in May or June with its white or cream flower clusters. Then producing a display of red berries amongst leaves that turn gold in the autumn. The Mountain ash will grow in all soil types and thrives in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 3m in height/16cm girth plus.
The Lime is a tall fast growing tree with a thick trunk and is often planted in avenues and streets, its rounded to heart shaped leaves, briefly turning yellow in autumn. The small cream cup shaped fragrant flowers appear in clusters, producing small round green hard berry like fruits. The Lime is frost hardy, preferring moist but well drained soil in sun or partial shade.
Sizes available from 3m in height/16cm girth plus.
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The Elm is a large limbed tree with furrowed gray bark and domed, high crowns. The leaves have lateral veins and toothed margins. The Elm produces small disc like fruits which are carried in clusters and have a wing. The Elm will grow in any reasonable soil and thrives in sun or light shade.
Sizes available from 3m in height/16cm girth plus.
