Which tree to plant?

[Big D]

Ive just enough room to plant a tree in my garden and i'd like some advice on which trees might attract birds, (eg trees with berries/fruit etc). It must be suitable for the british weather. Any ideas?

[Andrew Rowlands]

It will have to be a genuine native strain. No fancy variety will be as good as a true native.

If you have room for one, couldn't you squeeze an extra one in as well?

What plants/shrubs/trees do you have now?

What size is your garden? Do you have an eyesore you would like to hide?

Crab-apple, Birch....

Andy.

[Gerry Hooper]

I'd have to say Birch Tree Big D,
So many species stop off to feed on the seeds or aphids it's a winner in my garden!
A birch would fit in most gardens and won't ruin the lawn underneath coz of the light shade they create.

[Richard D]

Technically a shrub, but Hawthorn is great for wildlife and attractive. Silver birches are good, or how about a Goat/Pussy Willow? Rowan is small and decorative whilst providing an autumn feat.

Richard

[florall]

I would have to agree with Richard about hawthorn - and it can be made tree shaped if you cut off the lower branches, as I have. Mine is always full of birds, it has berries, and because of the thorns it offers the birds protection from sparrowhawks, cats etc. I've also heard it's very good for insects as well, which has to be good for the birds.

[Richard D]

I would have to agree with Richard about hawthorn - and it can be made tree shaped if you cut off the lower branches, as I have. Mine is always full of birds, it has berries, and because of the thorns it offers the birds protection from sparrowhawks, cats etc. I've also heard it's very good for insects as well, which has to be good for the birds.As Florall says, protection from predators is also worth considering, as are roosting requirements. The link below shoes the umber of insect species a tree supports, but berries are an important food source as well.


http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/woodland_manage/tree_value.htm


Richard

[Brian Stone]

Berries are all very well but for all year interest it is hard to beat birch. We have birch and rowan close together in the garden and it is hardly ever worth looking at the rowan. The birch on the other hand always has birds and has attracted almost all of the garden's less frequent visitors: Redpoll, Siskin, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, etc. Birds seem to find food on it throughout the year. Collared Dove and Goldfinch choose the birch to nest in.

The grassy ground under our birches has autumn crocus, lesser cellandine and various fungi and birds are often feeding there too.

I also planted alder and hawthorn in recent years. The hawthorn has been incredibly slow to develop and is a bit disappointing but the alder has grown very rapidly and I hope that will soon prove as attractive as the birch.

For berries, if there is room, why not plant something like wild spindle (Euonymus europeus) or guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) under the tree once it is big enough.

[oceans]

Hawthorne deffinately but dont get the fancy ones!! The type you find in the wild are the ones. They have berries as mentioned, thorns for protection and loads of bugs live of hawthorns and theyre so beautiful!!

[StevieEvans]

Silver Birch has great wildlife/birdlife credentials.
A very attractive tree year round, my first choice.

My first consideration when planting a new tree is its optimum height & canopy extent. Something like a Birch may well be 'too much' if you've just enough room....
Remember (as a general rule) the roots can extend one & a half to two times the canopy extent......you dont want to inadvertantly create the potential for direct or indirect damage to your house or any other properties in close proximity...... ;)

BigD, a photo of the plot would be helpful.

Id say if space was limited then :- Hawthorn & a Western Red Cedar side by side. One a native with all the benefits that brings also its spikey protection, which can be expertly hacked back by anyone with very little chance of it suffering after its haircut. The other a non-native 'leylandii-type conifer which again can be hacked back to any shape & size, again giving year round cover & safe nesting sites. (This tree regenerates even if you 'accidentally' cut all the greenery off it.)

There again you could plant a row of hybrid poplars or leyland cypress....& keep all us tree cutters in work ! ;)
SE.

[Nina P]

If you want to know I have planted Hawthorn and Sloe together with a silver birch in between you would create a dense planting that will not detract from each other but compliment perfectly! Mine are kept clipped to make a pleasing show and yet wild enough to give bird protection, all three can be planted in a three foot wide rootball and yet provide a wonderful display, not too dense leafage but a good show for all nature!
The bluetits, thrushes robins wrens and all the little birds love it and these trees are only five or six years old but full of life, all get trimmed by me every year, to keep them where I want them, but with birds in mind. I have won several awards for this place already, so if you have room for a single tree then the three en mass are far better.

[Gill Osborne]

I too would go for Hawthorn but make sure you get the native one...not one of the fancy hybrids with red flowers YUCK! I love the creamy flowers with that delicious scent and then the red berries which, around where I am, is attracting dozens of Fieldfares, Redwings and other thrushes! Plus I've always found Hawthorn to be wonderful for attracting all sorts of wildlife...I've spent many an hour sorting through all the varied invertebrate life which I've found in the shrub.
If not hawthorn then why not Mountain Ash....lovely creamy flowers early on and then bunches of berries which the birds love....and they don't grow too big either!

GILL

[florall]

Hawthorne deffinately but dont get the fancy ones!! The type you find in the wild are the ones. They have berries as mentioned, thorns for protection and loads of bugs live of hawthorns and theyre so beautiful!!

That's a lovely photo of a Hawthorn Oceans, so evocative. Looks as though it was taken on Downland, not anywhere near Manchester.

[florall]

[QUOTE=Nina P]If you want to know I have planted Hawthorn and Sloe together with a silver birch in between you would create a dense planting that will not detract from each other but compliment perfectly! Mine are kept clipped to make a pleasing show and yet wild enough to give bird protection, all three can be planted in a three foot wide rootball QUOTE]

What a brilliant idea, Nina. Wish I'd thought of that. Too late now, my hawthorn is several years old, although I do have a rowan and a small crab apple further down the garden.

[Big D]

Great replies, thanks. It seems that Hawthorne and Birch are well recommended.

Nice picture by oceans but perhaps to big for my garden. Is this Hawthorne a tree, or a 'tree shaped' bush as mentioned by florall?

StevieEvans Ill try and post a picture of my garden for you.

Cheers everyone.

[GrahamR]

Beech is full of insects and is a good nesting site, a pair of blackbirds have nested in our beech headge this year, last year we had robins nesting in it, both rearing young.

[oceans]

That's a lovely photo of a Hawthorn Oceans, so evocative. Looks as though it was taken on Downland, not anywhere near Manchester.
The glorious Peaks!!!
Big D...that particular Hawthorne does look big but it has had free reign....you can keep Hawthorn in many guises, you can buy from the nurseryman and ask for a particular size, that being when the main stem is cut. Some hedges are Hawthorn, theyre very adaptable.
Oh and I forgot to mention how jewel like the first green growth is after the bareness of winter....and hoverflies like the flowers and in turn will scoff your aphids for you!!

[Gerry Hooper]

Good to see your for the Birch! Big D.
Brian is spot on saying Birches tempt the rarer birds to hang around in the garden.
I'm grateful to my Birch for adding Yellow Browed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Brambling,Firecrest and many more to the Garden List...... 99 now. :eek!:

[Big D]

Ive decided to plant a Hawthorn hedge in addition to a tree such as birch. Anyone know of a nursery in the Yorkshire area that sells established trees rather than tiny sapplings?

Gerry Hooper, is yours a Silver Birch tree? Ive read they can grow very tall. Do you have to cut yours to keep it at a manageable size?

[florall]

Ive decided to plant a Hawthorn hedge in addition to a tree such as birch. Anyone know of a nursery in the Yorkshire area that sells established trees rather than tiny sapplings?

Gerry Hooper, is yours a Silver Birch tree? Ive read they can grow very tall. Do you have to cut yours to keep it at a manageable size?

Try the RHS website - they have a plantfinder section which will point you to all nurseries in an area selling particular plants. Can't remember the URL offhand, something like www.rhs.org.uk - if that's not right, google will find it.

As for the birch getting large, they will do, eventually. We're talking a good few years down the line, and when they do get too large, you can cut them back.

[oceans]

In Pickering, Yorkshire!! But I cant just think of their name and I no longer have the catalogue!!
I just know that say you were parked in the car park situated behind the new (rather fancy) loo`s and you were waiting to exit this car park you turn right then immedietly left and carry along there. I know its not much but its all I can remember.
This dormant time is the right time of year to be planting tree`s and hedges, so he should have a good stock.
Sorry I cant be more helpful.
Good luck!!

[oceans]

Remembered!!!
R.V. Rogers!!!!
Took a look on the internet and recognised the name.

[Nina P]

[QUOTE=Nina P]If you want to know I have planted Hawthorn and Sloe together with a silver birch in between you would create a dense planting that will not detract from each other but compliment perfectly! Mine are kept clipped to make a pleasing show and yet wild enough to give bird protection, all three can be planted in a three foot wide rootball QUOTE]

What a brilliant idea, Nina. Wish I'd thought of that. Too late now, my hawthorn is several years old, although I do have a rowan and a small crab apple further down the garden.
Definately not too late! Put in a couple of seedlings of birch and blackthorn, and they will intermingle nicely as the hawthorn is the slowest grower of the lot!

[Gerry Hooper]

Gerry Hooper, is yours a Silver Birch tree? Ive read they can grow very tall. Do you have to cut yours to keep it at a manageable size?[/QUOTE]
Yeah Big D, it's a normal Silver Birch - Belula pendula.
I prune off the lower branches to let the light in underneath.
As Florall says it takes some time for them to reach an unmanageable size and they respond well to pruning.
My Birch has Honey Fungus which slows the growth down , and lots of Buff Tip caterpillars which defoliate it every year,so it'll probably fall over before it gets too big for the garden!

[Big D]

Looks like im going to have a cold days work in the garden soon.

Thanks for your excellent suggestions. :clap:

[StevieEvans]

Big D
Try Johnsons of Wixley, N.Yorks. (Specialists. They can get you anything/anysize. I got a quote for £5,000 for a mature & insured specimen once !)

Prepare planting holes first
Ensure the sides of holes aren't glazed, in order to allow roots to penetrate out of what was the hole.
Plant on a calm day if possible, as wind will desicate the plants root hairs.
If your putting a hedge, allow for at least 10% losses. (plant some 'spares' nearby or in large pots, so you can beat up the gaps if any fail)

Hope you get plenty of birds using them over the years. Enjoy!

Regards Stevie.

[gw4aurora]

In my garden I have a Pyracantha which has proven to be a great asset for the birds.
It has been trained along the garage wall, it provides flowers,berries and safety.

The robin, hedge sparrows, blackbirds, house sparrows(20-30 birds) roost in it at night.
The poor sparrow hawk cannot gain access to the birds at all. I also have nest boxes
in it which the house sparrows use.

I have other bushes in the garden but this seems to be the best.

Regards,
Chris.