BARK UP THE RIGHT TREE

The bark of this pretty cherry is about the best you will find – the white blossom is attractive without being spectacular, but the bark has the deep nutty gloss of a newly hatched conker or the burnished toecaps of your grandfather’s best brogues. If you are particularly keen, then much family fun can be had polishing the bark: a bit of vigorous buffing livens up the circulation on a cold day.

Prunus serrula

Best planted in a spot with full sunshine. Tricky to propagate (needs grafting), although softwood cuttings can work. HxS 10m x 10m