GARDENER'S READING ROOM
The Art of Gardening
Trees and Shrubs

Trees for Urban Gardens

Selecting trees for urban gardens can be challenging. The choices must fit into and not outgrow very limited spaces, often with only partial exposure to sun, and little or no actual available soil. They must provide beauty, fragrance, and screening from noise and neighbors...and if possible, perform year-round with little maintenance. It may seem unrealistic to expect so many outstanding qualities contained in such small packages, but the following little trees can create a big impact!

'Twombly's Red Sentinel' Japanese Maple is a dense, vase-shaped tree with intense red spring growth, maturing to burgundy come summer. 'Twombly's' can reach 15' high by 8' wide at maturity and will hold its red color best if positioned in full sun. It is also a perfect choice for a large container.

	'Katsura' Japanese Maple

'Katsura' Japanese Maple is another fantastic selection for containers, reaching 6-10' high by 4-6' wide. However, it prefers partial to full shade. Its foliage emerges a vibrant orange edged in red, slowly changing to bright apple green. In the autumn 'Katsura' shifts again, to yellow overlaid with scarlet.

'Summer Sprite' Linden is a well-behaved tree with fragrant spring blooms (which also make a soothing tea) and heart-shaped leaves perfect for confined spaces. 'Summer Sprite' grows best in full sun attaining a height of 15' while only spreading 8-10'. Its fall color is a buttery yellow.

'Crimson Pointe' Flowering Plum features showy white spring blossoms followed by a flush of maroon foliage on a statuesque vertical form. Superb as a deciduous screen or focal point, it takes up little space being only 8-10' wide but reaching up to 25'.

'Jack' Flowering Pear is a disease resistant, columnar tree with clusters of peachy, pink spring buds opening to white flowers. 'Jack' stays under 20' high by 10'wide and is covered in glossy green leaves which change to vivid yellow infused with crimson at the onset of cold wintry weather.

Baby Grand' Magnolia

'Baby Grand' Southern Magnolia is a new Monrovia introduction out of Australia. 'Baby Grand' is a dwarf evergreen magnolia with dark green, leathery leaves and large, lemon scented blooms in summer. This magnolia is unusual in having a rounded form to 10' high and wide. It can also handle wetter soil conditions than many of the other trees listed here.

	'Miss Grace' Dawn Redwood

'Miss Grace' Dawn Redwood should find a prime spot in any size garden, or perhaps in a container on your deck or patio! This soft-textured, deciduous conifer is almost sculptural in form with weeping branches and a very narrow habit. If staked it can grow up to 10' high while only spreading to 3'. It grows well in full sun to partial shade.

'Golden Sentinel' and 'Scarlet Sentinel' columnar apples are two great fruiting choices for containers or restricted spaces. Both offer showy pinkish blooms followed by juicy, sweet, crisp apples if planted near each other or another apple variety for pollination.

Don't let a limited planting space limit your tree selection! One of these lovely varieties is sure to suit your needs.

By Brian Mumm
Skylights Spring 2010, Vol 25, No. 2

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