11 trees for small gardens and limited space

It is sometimes said that gardens are not gardens, without trees. However, not all gardens are equally suitable for planting a tree or simply not large enough for it. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for tree species that stay smaller. In addition to trees that stay compact on their own, you can also choose species that are easy to keep within limits by size. Or that grow so slowly, narrow and straight that they only take up space after a long time. We have listed 11 options for you.

Almond tree: Prunus triloba

The almond tree remains quite compact in size, which also makes it suitable for small gardens. It blooms profusely in March and April with double pink flowers. In addition to the available shrub form, it is also often grafted onto a trunk.

Bolacacia: Robinia pseudoacacia Umbraculifera

Bolacacia is a tree trunk with a spherical crown. Although it really looks like a tree, it takes longer to reach a height of 2.5 meters. Trimming it every year will keep it in good condition. It probably won’t show its flowering then, but you won’t miss it that much and its spherical shape is therefore its real ornamental value.

Velvety: Rhus typhina

The velvet tree owes its name to the soft hairs at the end of the branches. The dark red flowers, which appear in summer, also have a high cuddle content. The fruits remain on the plant until winter. The tree, which stays small, has graceful pinnate leaves, which show beautiful fall colors in the fall.

Brilliant Medlar: Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’

The Photinia is fast growing, but can be kept within certain limits by pruning. For example, you can opt for a specimen on a trunk and keep it nicely in a spherical shape. When it opens in spring, it has beautiful scarlet leaves and then white flowers appear.

Japanese maple: Acer palmatum

Japanese maple is slow growing. In the first few years it takes up as much space as a bush and only after many years does it reach the size of a small tree. Plus, with its graceful foliage and beautiful fall leaf discoloration, it’s a real asset to the garden.

Japanese walnut: Ginkgo Biloba ‘Menhir’

The ordinary Ginkgo can indeed become quite high in the long run, around 15 meters, but you can also opt for the ‘Menhir’. This is a columnar version, where the branches go not in width, but in height. This keeps the tree narrow and takes up less space. It eventually reaches about 5 meters in height.

Gooseberry: Amelanchier lamarckii

By choosing a blackcurrant (on trunk), you have a tree with a lot of ornamental value in the garden at a stroke. Beginning in spring with its rich, fragrant, white flowering. During the summer months, the tree produces edible fruits (currants), which are also popular with birds. And in the fall, the leaves change color to take on beautiful fall colors.

espaliers

Patches let you know what to expect in terms of size. Annual pruning will prevent the tree from returning to its original frame. Apart from trees such as slate dogwood: Cornus officinalis, liquidambar: Liquidambar styraciflua and holm oak: Quercus Ilex, you can also choose slate fruits, to not only bring more greenery into the garden, but also enjoy apples or cherries, for example.

miniature trees

Smaller versions of different trees are sold, which is a good choice if you have limited space. Some shrubs also lend themselves well, as their shape is more like a small tree. We give a few examples: a magnolia is easily too big for a small garden, but the Star Magnolia: Magnolia stellata (pictured) is just right. Rhododendron is available in a variety of flower colors and flower sizes. There are also very graceful evergreen bonsai trees. The ornamental apple remains compact and spoils you with beautiful flowers in spring and small apples in autumn, which remain well in winter. And not a real miniature tree, but a tree that remains perfectly compact when pruned well is the olive tree: Olea europea.

Persian ironwood: Parrotia persica

Eventually, the Parrotia can reach a height of 10 meters, but it will take many years to reach this point, as it grows slowly. It has ornamental value for its beautiful fall colors when the foliage presents itself with pink, orange, yellow and red leaves. In addition, older specimens get more and more beautiful bark. It also blooms in early spring, but the flowers are less conspicuous.

Willows, also available as small trees

There are many choices in small permanent willows. It can be like a low growing shrub or a willow tree on a trunk. The little weeping willow: Salix caprea Kilmarnock is a species of willow that is usually offered on a stem and develops catkins in the spring. Salix exigua has lanceolate silver-green leaves and catkins in late spring. The variegated dwarf willow: Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki’ (pictured) has, as the name suggests, variegated leaves. The catkins that appear in the spring are pink in color.

(Source: Krijns groentips, Garden Season, De Tuinen van Appeltern, Tuinadvies, archive. Photos: Shutterstock)