Trees and Other Plants
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Buy plants online A-Z list

Landscapers palette: perennials | shrubs | trees | climbers | ground cover

    Catalpa bignoides - Indian Bean Tree. T

A fine tree with especially large leaves.  Reckoned in some books to only grow in the south of the country, but I know of several in Cambridgeshire that are doing well. The leaves come out quite late in the season and in the species are shortly followed by large white flowers followed by slender seed pods that give the tree it's common name. A particularly handsome cultivar is "Aurea" that has bright yellow foliage, bronze when first out, though with less of a display of flowers. Spreading habit to 50ft tall and wide, 30ft in each direction for "Aurea".
Buy Catalpa bignoides | Catalpa bignoides aurea | Catalpa purpurea

    Roses see June.

    Hydrangea. S

A large group of familiar shrubs  with large panicles of blue, white or pink flowers. The blue and pink forms can be affected by soil pH. Acid soils of less than 5.5 give blue flowers, and pH above this give pink flowers, if the pH is borderline it may be possible to change the colour by using a commercial blueing compound. Methods such as driving a large rusty nail into the soil are also supposed to work, though it also depends on what the soil is like as whether or not such methods tip the balance. White varieties are not affected by soil pH. Available in many cultivars, size varies correspondingly, generally from 3-5ft high and across for H. macrophylla (the most often seen varieties) to 8ft high and across for species types such as H. quercifolia.

The commonly seen varieties are not always to everyone's taste because of the large showy flower heads. Try the more delicate "lace cap" varieties instead which are utterly charming, or the Oak Leaved Hydrangea, H. quercifolia that has oak shaped leaves up to 8" long - a bit more fussy about soil though.
Buy Hydrangea | Hydrangea Hovaria Love You Kiss | Hydrangea Hovaria® Mirai | Hydrangea paniculata Limelight | Hydrangea Red Ace

    Hibiscus. S 

A large group of shrubs and perennials with large showy blooms, the most exotic of which unfortunately require minimum temperatures of 5-15C. There are however several varieties that will grow well in this country and will flower well if given a place in full sun. Flowers in a variety of colours, white, pink, red, blue often with contrasting centres. To about 6ft high and wide.
Double flowered white | Double flowered pink | Blue bird | White and red | Variegated | Pheasant eye | or try here

   Magnolia grandiflora - Bull bay, Evergreen magnolia. T

A dense evergreen tree with large glossy leaves with paler green or rusty coloured hairs to the undersides. Huge creamy white flowers up to 10" across are produced from July through to the first frosts. Available in several varieties that grow to medium to largish tress. "Little Gem" to 20ft high and wide, others up to 60ft high and 50ft wide (eventually, but probably not in your life-time!).
Buy Magonolia grandiflora

    Tamarix ramosissima - Tamarisk. T/S

A graceful deciduous shrub to small tree with attractive feathery foliage and pink flowers borne in dense racemes on the current years shoots. Often recommended for coastal areas where they cope very well in sandy soil and are resilient to salt spray. They also cope well with marshy soil being surprisingly resistant to waterlogged conditions. Height and spread to 15ft.
Buy Tamarisk

   Malus - Crab apples. 

see April. T Attractive colourful fruits, and frequently good leaf colours too.

    Romneya coulteri - Tree poppy. S

A subshrubby perennial rather than a true shrub. Grown  for attractive glaucous foliage and large fragrant showy white flowers that are up to 5" across of ruffled white petals with a large group of prominent yellow stamens in the middle. Needs some protection, shelter from strong cold winds and grow against a sunny wall if at all possible. Sometimes difficult to establish, but once way should be fine. Height to 3-8ft depending on how happy it is, spread depends on how far you'll let it sucker as it goes. Sounds difficult, but actually is magnificent.
Buy Romneya / tree poppy

   Acers - Maples. T

Almost all varieties have autumn colourations, try; Acer griseum - paper bark maple, see entry on this page. Acer japonicum, full moon maple to 30ft high and wide. The Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum, also produce some good autumn colours, especially. A. palmatum "Osakazuki" which turns a fiery scarlet, slow growing eventually to 12ft tall and 6ft wide.
Buy Acer / Maple

    Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweet Gum. T

One of the best trees for autumn colour, place in full sun as a feature for best effect, against an evergreen background if at all possible. The species grows very large to 80ft tall and 40ft wide, and is well worth having if you have the space! There are several slower growing smaller cultivars such as "Golden Treasure"  or "Moonbeam" both to 30ft high and 20ft wide.
Buy Liquidambar / sweet gum

    Malus - crabapples. See April. T Attractive colourful fruits, and frequently good leaf colours too.

    Vitis coignetiae - Crimson glory vine. C

One of my favourite climbers this one, large bright green heavily textured leaves up to 12" across whose autumn colours earn it its common name.  A vigorous and large plant that will grow to 50ft if given space in a mature tree, alternatively grow it up and over a pergola to give summer shade and autumn fireworks.
Buy Vitis coignetiae |  Buy Vitis coignetiae 2

    Viburnum bodnantense "Dawn". S

One of the small but very useful group of plants that produce scented flowers in the depths (or nearly the depths) of winter. Bunches of fragrant pink blooms on leafless stems. Grow near to a path that you are likely to use frequently as otherwise you won't appreciate the scent at a time of year when you're less inclined to go down a damp cold garden to smell it. Height to 10ft by 6ft wide, but can be pruned to keep the scented flowers down at nose level.
Buy Viburnum Dawn | Buy Viburnum Dawn 2

    Ilex J.C. van tol - Holly. T/ S

There are a great many varieties of holly available, but unfortunately none of them do exactly what we require from a holly on their own. i.e. have the traditional deep green spiky leaves and be reliably covered in bright red berries at Christmas.

Most hollies are monoeiceous, a plant is either male or female but not both (unlike most plants) and therefore you need at least two to get the berries. Of these two, one will be male and so have no berries. J.C. van tol however is reliably  self-fertile and the closest to a perfect holly that we have, the draw-back - or not depending on how you see it - is that the leaves are deep green, but smooth without the traditional spikes. To 20ft tall by 12ft wide, like all hollies, fairly slow growing.
Buy I. aquifolium " J.C. van tol"

    Acer capillipes - snake bark maple. T

Deciduous tree grown for the winter colour of the bark which is green with white or pale marking that snake up the trunk and the branches. Red winter shoots which add to the decorative effect. Suitable for most situations. Spreading habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually.
Buy Acer / snake bark maple

    Acer griseum - paper bark maple. T

Slow growing spreading tree with red-brown to orange bark that flakes off in paper thin sheets giving an attractive shaggy effect especially during the winter months. Bright autumn foliage colour too. Suitable for most situations. Spreading habit to 30ft by 20ft eventually.
Buy Acer / paper bark maple

    Birches - Betula spp. T

The birches are admirable trees for small gardens, some types can grow tall (eventually to 50ft or more), but they tend not to spread very far and have an open canopy that gives a dappled shade, a lovely effect. They need an open sunny situation.

The native silver birch Betula pendula is a popular choice, but the bark is rather rough and splits with dark patches forming with age, go for  named cultivars such as "Dalicarlica" / "Laciniata" or "tristis" if you can find them. I prefer the Himalayan birch, Betula utilis "jacquemontii" (usually sold as Betula jacquemontii) or the paper birch, Betula papyrifera. Both have a smoother, brighter bark than the native species and are fairly easy to find.

If you have more space, birches can be planted as a triangular group of 3 about 3 feet apart. You tend to get a similar sized canopy as if a single tree was on its own, but 3 times the trunks and bark which is the main feature.
Buy Betula / Birch

    Corylus avellana "contorta" - corkscrew hazel. T

A variety of the native hazel tree with strongly twisted shoots that are particularly effective in winter and frequently seen in flower arrangements. To 20ft by 20ft.
Buy Corylus / corkscrew hazel
or try here

    Ilex aquifolium "Ferox argentea" - hedgehog holly. T/S

An unusual variegated holly - green leaves edged with cream - that has spines on the surface of the leaves as well as around the edges. Slow growing, colours best in a sunny position. Eventually gets to 25ft high by 12ft wide, but easily trimmed to less.
Buy hedgehog holly

    Prunus serrula. T (sometimes also called P. tibetica).

Deciduous tree with peeling mahogany coloured bark that extends along all branches and shines like it's just been polished. Flowers in the spring as a bonus and the leaves turn yellow in autumn before falling off. One of the best trees for winter bark colour. Grows to 30ft high and wide.
Buy Prunus serrula / tibetica