Ireland used to be more or less covered in large trees but with the increase in farming and housing we are now down to around 3% coverage.

Planting trees is important today not just because they clean the air but because of the amount of development around the country.

Don’t be put off if you only have a small plot, there are lots of small trees that will fit nicely into small gardens without being too invasive or damaging your underground pipes.

Here are a few choice specimens that you will find grow well and are available to buy locally.

TREES FOR SMALL GARDENS

Flowering cherries: (Prunus). Cherry blossom is a beautiful sight in the spring. Different varieties include, Prunus Kanzan with pink flowers in spring and Prunus Shirotae with white flowers.

Flowering crab:(Malus). These grow as large as the cherries (about 15 feet). Varieties include Malus Golden Hornet, which has yellow flowers in spring and the Malus Gorgeous with red flowers. In the autumn the fruit from these trees is suitable for making wines or jellies.

Hawthorne:(Crataegus)-Pauls Scarlet. This is not the common variety you see in the hedgerow but one more suitable for the small garden. It has lovely double red flowers in spring followed by red berries.

 If you would like to have a tree with a weeping habit, check out the following varieties:

Cotoneaster Hybrida Pendula: This Cotoneaster is evergreen, with white flowers in spring followed by red berries that last until winter.

Kilmarnock Willow: Very undemanding. It has yellow catkins in spring.

Cherry (Prunus) Cheals - weeping. Pink flowers in spring.

Weeping Copper Beech (Fagus Purpurea Pendula). Spectacular purple leaves.

Weeping Silver Birch (Betula Pendula Youngii). Yellow catkins in spring. The weeping branches can touch the ground.

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