Carol Klein explains why now is the perfect time to plant a tree
But it’s important that you pick the right one for your garden...
Without trees, none of us would be here. They’re the lungs of our planet, helping turn harmful carbon dioxide into oxygen that we can breathe. It’s easy to take them for granted, and the further away our daily lives become from the natural world, the easier it is to forget their importance.
In ancient civilisations, and still in cultures all around the world, trees not only have importance for their usefulness, be it environmental or economic, but just as much for the aesthetic and spiritual qualities associated with them. Trees are particularly valued for their longevity; the fact that they continue to grow in our gardens, and even one tree gives a sense of permanence.
Most of the trees in our temperate climate are deciduous. They spend roughly six months clothed in leaves and six with bare branches. As such, they provide a calendar of where we are in the year. In May, their leaves unfurl, translucent and brilliant green, new and fresh with the promise of what the year will bring. This is surely the time when they’re most noticed.
Each species has its particular shade, subtly different from its neighbours. At this stage leaves are often joined by blossom. Cherries, apples, pears and plums are smothered in their pretty white and pale pink flowers and in the countryside, the creamy froth of hawthorn blossom outlines field edges.
Gradually, as spring turns to summer, the shades of green become less distinct, until by July, they merge together. By then they often play a more subsidiary role in our gardens, the chorus that backs up summer’s stars – flowers in vibrant colours.
In turn, as perennials and grasses take on more muted tones, leaf colour overhead takes on a kaleidoscopic range of colour. In parks and gardens and throughout the countryside the landscape is set ablaze.
Even just one tree can tell the story of the year in our gardens. The smaller the garden, the more important it is to choose the right tree, one whose scale suits the garden, will love the conditions and one that will provide as much interest as possible throughout the year. It should have attractive structure and shape, interesting bark and foliage that hopefully displays beautiful autumnal tints, blossom perhaps, which will not only delight the gardener but be a magnet for pollinating insects, followed if possible by fruit to be enjoyed by the gardener and perhaps also by birds and small mammals.
That’s quite some check list and there are few trees that would satisfy every criterion, but many, many trees from which to choose that possess several of these qualities.
When we moved here, there were no trees on the land apart from the surrounding hedge where oak and beech provided a glorious backdrop. One big tree on the boundary up by the cottage – an ash – overlooked the whole space. Sadly it seems to have contracted ash die back
‘It’s worth taking any amount of trouble to ensure your tree gets off to a flying start – it will be around for a long time’
disease, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Already its branches are dwindling.
Several of the trees we’ve planted over the years are thriving though, and several of them would be suitable for most gardens. Taking centre stage would have to be Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’ – the wedding cake tree, so called because of its tiers of branches. Its softly variegated foliage of glaucous green and cream lights up the entire garden. It also bears umbels of small, creamy-coloured flowers that add to the magic. As the foliage dwindles its strikingly symmetrical structure is revealed and as winter progresses, the polished red buds containing next season’s leaves become more and more obvious. The shade it casts is dappled so many other plants grow happily within the circumference of its branches.
We have other trees here that wouldn’t outgrow their space in small to medium-sized plots: Cercidiphyllum japonicum
(especially its weeping form), Acer aconitifolium, A. palmatum
‘Osakazuki’ and our crab apple, malus ‘Golden Hornet’, would all be ideal. So too would any of the crab apples. It’s worth researching but when you’ve chosen, this is an ideal time to plant a tree, either containerised or bare-root.
Prepare the planting area well, adding lots of organic matter, and rather than make a deep, narrow hole, make it shallow and wide so the roots can spread out. It’s worth taking any amount of trouble to ensure your tree gets off to a flying start – it will be around for a long time.