Can you recommend a small conifer to give shelter for birds?
Sarah Hutchinson, Hertfordshire
MATTHEW SAYS You say you’re going to remove a large conifer first. You’ll find the soil will be dust-dry and lacking organic matter. Dig out the stump, or have it ground out by a machine, then add lots of well-rotted manure to improve the soil. I wouldn’t replace the conifer with another conifer. While they provide good nesting sites for birds, there are better trees for attracting wildlife. Crab apples ( malus) supply spring blossom for pollinators and edible fruits in autumn for mammals, insects and birds. Hawthorns are also beneficial, and Crataegus prunifolia and C. laevigata are good choices. CHRISTINE SAYS The provision of shelter for birds in winter is important. I have always been a fan of the Scots pine, frequently seeing beautiful goldfinches in among its branches. Although the straight species would be too large for your garden, the following pine varieties would work for you.
Pinus mugo ‘Winter Gold’ is a slow-growing conifer that reaches 2m x 1m in 10 years and has dull-green growth that turns yellow in the winter, while
P. ‘Gold Coin’ is slow-growing with creamy-green growth.
P. ‘Watereri’ has an upright, conical habit with blue-grey needles and it is also slow-growing. Before planting, remove all the roots of previous plants and enrich the area with plenty of well-rotted compost or manure.