In Praise Of Trees

NAOMI SLADE branches out and heads for the heights to consider how trees can add so much to our gardens all through the year.

- Naomi Slade

IN the garden, trees add weight. And heft, And Pizzazz. They provide height, depth, winter interest and habitat for wildlife. They are, in brief, A Good Thing.

But what you might choose, depends very much on the sort of garden that you have. Pleached horn beam and clipped yew are ideal for large and formal spaces, while airy and spreading specimens, like Cercis canadensis or crab apples can be grown in the flower border, mingling with surrounding plants without dominating or shading them out.

Adding a tree to a garden can have several beneficial effects. It can act as a screen against eyesores – telegraph poles are necessary but unattractive, car parks ditto. And in a town garden, it can also screen you against the idle prying of the neighbours – it is rare to find a garden that is not overlooked in some way.