Gardening: Choose the right mature trees for your garden

The semi-mature trees that we have planted in our own fields here at Caragh Nurseries are allowed to grow in the open ground and so have established healthy, strong root structures.

As more mature trees, they have been allowed to grow over a good number of years, with the right amount of care, pruning and special care to their root structure.

If the roots are allowed to grow too extensively it will not only make the tree too hard to move, it will also mean the root structure is not as strong. This and some careful pruning does mean that the head of the tree will not be as big as if it were left to its own devices - however, this is to the benefit of the tree long term and makes it an awful lot easier to move the trees to their new homes too. We are the premier supplier in Ireland of rootballed and mature trees to the general public and so our range is extensive and we have a large supply.

We grow on over fifty acres in production in Caragh, Co Kildare, and that has been increasing over recent years. We grow all our hedging plants, a large selection of trees and some larger shrubs and we also have a good base of shapes and specimens growing. Stephen, our field production manager, has his work cut out keeping everything in shape but he does it with such care and skill and we have a good crop that we are still lifting out this year.

It is, like all, things a balancing act and preempting what will be popular in three years time, which is the average time between sowing and lifting, is a real task.

The following is a list of our favourite field options that we believe will be favourites for you too:

Betula Pendula

The silver birch is a graceful and attractive tree with its light airy foliage and distinctive white peeling bark. It has been an inspiration to writers, poets and artists in every season throughout the centuries. It is native to Ireland and its striking bark colour is one of the main reasons that the silver birch has become such a widely planted garden tree. We have a number of more mature options available, ranging from 14-16cm girth, right up to 25-30cm girth and multi-stems up to 4-5 metres tall too.

Prunus Amanagowna

The amanogawa cherry is a small, fastigiate with a lightly fragranced display of pale pink double flowers in late spring. The green leaves turn orange to red in the autumn. Perfect for a small area or garden. We have a few different size options here too, including a very popular 10-12cm girth that’s between 3.5-4m tall already!

Malus Evereste

This beautiful crab apple is covered with white flowers in spring. The flowers open from red buds. In autumn, it gives another show with red-flushed, orange- yellow fruits. Evereste is an excellent tree for smaller gardens.

Laburnum Vossii

Familiar in late spring, this stunning golden yellow display brightens up many a garden with its lavish and long lasting show of yellow flower clusters. It is not a big tree but does gain plenty of width as it matures. It prefers a sheltered, sunny position. Again, we have a few different sizes available, including a popular 10-12cm girth rootballed option that's between 3-4 metres tall.

Betula Jacquimontii

Betula Jaquimontii is a distinctive upright tree noted for its dazzling white stems that look good all year round, even when the foliage has gone. Fresh green summer foliage turns rich gold colour in autumn. Although beautiful as a specimen tree, these trees are excellent to create an avenue effect or in groups of three or five. The wispy, light foliage makes it ideal for underplanting as it lets a good amount of light through.

Prunus laur Etna

A beautiful dark green, evergreen hedge with glossy leaves that start a stunning orange to red when new, making a lovely contrast. It is slower growing than the common laurel, making it easier to maintain and although it is dense, it will not grow as wide. Easy to maintain, this hedge will only need cutting once a year. These clipped columns are ideal when instant hedging is required and the significant size of these specimens, means fewer plants will be needed.

Prunus Lusitanica

Similar to the rotundifolia but slightly more elegant, though not quite the same growth rate or as dense initially. It is conical in shape with dark green, lustrous elegant leaves. There are white flowers in slender upright clusters in early summer, and dark purple-black fruits in autumn, but it is primarily grown for its strong shape. This can be grown as a specimen shrub or used to create a formal hedge.

Thuja Emerald

These easy to grow, deep green hedging trees are an extremely popular option for a medium sized privacy screen. Emerald Green Thujas are exceptional performers, adaptable to a variety of soil conditions and weather extremes. They doesn’t have any ugly browning in even the coldest of winters, meaning no unattractive dead spots or holes like some conifers.

Chamaecyparis Columnaris

Chamaecyparis are evergreen trees, usually of narrowly ovoid or columnar outline, with much-branched sprays of small scale-like leaves, and small, globose cones. ’Columnaris’ is a striking, narrowly columnar tree to 10m, with flattened sprays of light blue-grey foliage. While we also have some smaller sizes, these giants stand between 3-3.5 metres tall.

Malus domestica

The flavour of home-grown apples, Malus domestica, beats that of shop-bought varieties any day. What’s more, a much greater variety of cultivars is available if you grow your own. Apple trees are easy to grow and are available grafted on to a range of rootstocks, making them perfect for growing in any size of garden – some can even be grown in containers. Malus domestica benefits from growing in a sheltered, sunny spot, where the blossom will attract the greatest variety of pollinators and where the sun will ripen the fruit. Mulch annually and water in dry spells. Malus domestica is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, birds, butterflies / moths and other pollinators. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers, provides shelter and habitat, makes a good wildlife hedge, has seeds for birds and is also a caterpillar food plant. What's not to love?!

Don’t forget that these trees and plants are only available until March and then they are gone for another year!