Very compact

Berberis x ottawensis Superba

Barberry

Common Name: BarberryLatin Name: Berberis x ottawensis f. purpurea 'Superba'Soil: Well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: Spring/ Yellow-orange flowers.Hardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 2m/2mSpecial features: Beetroot red leaves and pretty orange-yellow flowers in spring.The 'Superba' is an all-round great shrub which features stunning beetroot red leaves that start out bronze and turn to a brighter red colour in autumn. Small and glossy berries also appear in autumn and these are popular with wildlife. This deciduous barberry grows to be vigorous and the spiny branches arch over with age. This shrub is perfect for planting as a contrast plant against green-leaved forms of barberry like the ‘Starburst’ and works really well as a low-maintenance hedge. Trustpilot

Betula albosinensis Fascination

Chinese Red

Common Name: Chinese red-barked birchLatin Name: Betula albosinensis FascinationSoil: Any free-draining garden soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: March/Yellow-brown male catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height and spread: 13m/8mSpecial features: Orange-red peeling bark The 'Fascination' is a stunning ornamental tree which offers year-round interest. Its most notable feature is its orange-red peeling bark which has a shimmering copper tone to it: the iridescent-looking bark really stands out in a winter garden. Once the tree reaches maturity the bark mellows to a pink-white colour, but it still retains its glossy appearance. Spring brings fresh foliage and the cordate leaves are dark-green in colour and serrated at their edges. In March exceptionally lengthy yellow-brown catkins emerge and these dangle from the branches, which adds further interest. The winter leaves turn buttery-yellow before falling in autumn. This tree has densely ascending branches and it will grow to have a pyramidal habit, making this a great choice for a screening tree. Plant it alongside something just as sturdy and colourful, like the Koelreuteria paniculata, or something with contrasting bark, like the Betula Snow Queen.

Betula Fastigiata

Upright Silver Birch Tree

Common Name: Upright Silver BirchLatin Name: Betula pendula 'Fastigiata'Soil: Will grow in most soilsPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: March/Yellowy-brown male catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years : 7m x 2mSpecial features: A useful upright form of the of the native Silver Birch (Deciduous).Betula pendula 'Fastigiata' is an attractive columnar form of the native Silver Birch. This is an interesting tree with a silvery-white trunk and twisted, stiffly ascending branches. The leaves are dark green turning yellow in late autumn. This upright birch is ideal as a specimen tree or in areas where space is limited. 

Buddleja Miss Ruby

Butterfly Bush

Common Name: Butterfly Bush  Latin Name: Buddleja davidii 'Miss Ruby' Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil Position: Full sun Flowering period/colour: July - October Hardiness: Fully hardy Eventual height/spread: 2m/ 2m Special features: Bold and vivid deep purple-pink flowers. If you want to add a long-lasting burst of colour and fragrance to your garden then this is the perfect plant for you: the 'Miss Ruby' features brightly-coloured purple-pink flowers that are held on densely packed panicles and carry a delightfully sweet scent. This variety of buddleja in particular is highly-regarded as it remains fairly near and compact. The slender leaves are mid-green and make the perfect foil for the foliage. This variety came out as the winner of the RHS trials in Wisley and beat over 100 varieties to the top spot, so it is clearly an outstanding buddleja.

Buxus sempervirens

Common Box Plant

Common Name: Common Box PlantLatin Name: Buxus sempervirensSoil: AnyPosition: Prefer partial shade but will tolerate full sunHardiness: Fully hardyFlowering Period: Insignificant, grown for foliageEventual Height/Spread: 5m x 5m (But can be kept pruned to any height)Special features: Small, dark green, glossy leaves throughout the year. Easily shaped and pruned.Buxus sempivirens is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with tiny, dark green and glossy leaves. It is most commonly used as hedging due to hardiness and growing habit. If left un-pruned it will eventually form a small tree. It is very often trimmed into shapes such as pyramids and spirals. Common box is a perfect hedge due to its ruggedness and the ability to keep it at any size easily but it can also make a nice standalone bushy tree.

Carpinus betulus Fastigiata

Upright Hornbeam Tree

Common Name: Upright Hornbeam Tree Latin Name: Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'Soil: Any good garden soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: April/Pendulous catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years: 7m/4mSpecial features: Neater and denser than the simple species, it grows quite fast while young, producing a neat formal shape, almost triangular in silhouette.Carpinus 'Fastigiata' is a distinctive, erect form of the native hornbeam that forms a flame-shaped tree. The dark green foliage turns yellow and orange in the autumn. This tree is excellent planted as a specimen tree or where space is limited.

Carpinus Frans Fontaine

Frans Fontaine Hornbeam Tree

Common Name: Frans Fontaine HornbeamLatin Name: Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fontaine'Soil: Well drained, fertile soil. Tolerant of chalk and clay soil.Position: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: HardyFlowering period: SpringFlowering colour: GreenEventual height/spread after 20 years: 14m/2mThe 'Frans Fontaine' variety of Hornbeam is a narrow pyramidal shaped tree when young, which gradually broadens with age. The foliage is a vivid green colour in spring/summer before turning dark yellow in autumn. This tree is an ideal specimen for a smaller garden due to its narrow, upright habit. The 'Frans Fontaine is a native of Holland and this deciduous tree is low-maintenance as it does not benefit from regular pruning. This tree is also frequently used as an avenue tree.

Fagus Dawyck Gold

Golden Upright Beech Tree

Common Name: Golden Upright BeechLatin Name: Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold'Soil: Moist but well drainedPosition: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: HardyFlowering period: SpringFlowering colour: Insignificant green flowersEventual height/spread after 20 years: 12m/3m This golden beech has a narrow upright habit and has an eye-catching, flame-shaped structure. This tree really stands out when planted alongside the sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' as the two contrasting colours complement one another well. The 'Dawyck Gold' features bright yellow leaves in spring that turn green in summer, then yellow-brown in autumn. This variety of beech prefers to be left alone to thrive and does not benefit from regular pruning.

Fagus Dawyck Purple

Purple Upright Beech Tree

Common Name: Purple Fastigate Beech TreeLatin Name: Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple'Soil: Moist but well drainedPosition: Full sun Hardiness: HardyFlowering period: SpringFlowering colour: Insignificant green flowers20yr height x spread: 10m/ 2.5m The 'Dawyck Purple' beech tree has a stunning columnar shape and is suitable for a smaller garden due to its upright habit. This tree also looks good in larger gardens, particularly when planted with the golden leaved form 'Dawyck Gold'. This slow-growing variety of beech prefers to be left alone and does not require regular pruning. The leaves are red in spring and they then develop into a deep purple colour, before finally turning brown in the autumn; the leaves hold on the tree through winter. In order to get the best colour from the foliage of this tree, plant it in a full sun position.

Liriodendron Fastigiata

Upright Tulip Tree

Common Name: Upright Tulip Tree Latin Name: Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Fastigiata’ Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil Position: Full sun Flowering period/colour: June /Yellow-green tulip like flowers. (On mature trees) Hardiness: Fully hardy Height and spread in 20 years: 10m/4m Special features: A neat columnar form and beautiful summer flowers when mature   This tree is an upright form of the highly popular Liriodendron Tulipifera and it maintains a near and slender habit as it matures. The large green leaves have a glossy shine to them and they produce a fantastic yellow colour in autumn before falling. The leaves are highly distinguishable from any other leaf shape, as the apex is absent on the tip of the leaves, so instead of pointing outwards at the tip of the leaf is actually points inwards. The flowers are also very special; they appear when the tree is mature, which can take about 20 years, but when they do arrive they are very special indeed. The flowers are tulip-shaped and yellow-green in colour, with bands of orange and red on the external petals. This is a highly ornamental garden tree which looks great when planted as a lawn specimen, so that its unique foliage and flowers can be appreciated.

Malus Guardsman

Crab Apple Tree

Common Name: Crab Apple TreeLatin Name: Malus trilobata 'Guardsman'Soil: Fertile, well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: June/ White scented flowersHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 10 years: 4m x 2mSpecial features: A rare and distinctive tree ideal for tree for confined spaces.Malus trilobata 'Guardsman' is a rare and very distinctive variety. Stiffly erect in habit with deeply lobed maple like leaves which turn scarlet crimson in autumn. The white flowers are large and appear late in June. A wonderful tree for confined space or landscape planting. Disease free.

Photinia Red Robin

Red Robin Tree

Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin' offers year round interest with its vivid red leaves. In spring it has further interest with clusters of white flowers. A fantastic screening tree, hedge or ornamental specimen. If you want unusual foliage, the 'Red Robin' is the perfect choice. The elliptic leaves are finely serrated at their margins and fresh foliage shoots through as a brilliant red colour. The leaves mature to a dark green, but as new foliage continues to emerge red you get a real contrast of colours over the spring period. Mid-spring also sees the arrival of clusters of pretty white flowers, which add further interest. Come autumn, the leaves mature to a bronzed green, which adds great interest over the winter months.   This is a deservedly popular variety and it is largely planted for its versatility. You can plant the 'Red Robin' at the back of a border or you can use it as a screening tree. It can cope with hard pruning, so, when several are planted in a row, you get an informal hedge. You can also clip the 'Red Robin' into a particular shape. In order to get the best leaf colour and the most flowers, ensure you plant this tree in a full sun position with some shelter. Common Name: Red Robin TreeLatin Name: Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin'Soil: Fertile well-drained soilPosition: Full sun, Sheltered positionHardiness: Hardy, frost hardy down to -8°CFlowering Period: Mid springFlowering Colour: White flowersEventual Height/Spread: 4m x 4mSpecial features: Evergreen tree with glossy bright red young growth and white flowers in spring.

Phyllostachy spectabilis

Golden Groove Bamboo

This bamboo features thick golden canes which have patterned green stripes in groves on alternate sides between the nodes. The canes take on a deeper yellow colour as the plant matures and hold dark green, lance-shaped evergreen leaves. A great choice for screening which looks particularly effective alongside the Phyllostachys nigra (black bamboo).

Phyllostachys Aureocaulis

Golden Groove Bamboo

A colourful variety of bamboo which features slender, golden yellow canes which mature to a rich yellow with age. The glowing yellow canes reach upwards and hold green leaves which persist all year round. This variety makes a fantastic screening tree and looks particularly effective when planted alongside the 'Phyllostachys nigra' (black bamboo).

Phyllostachys bissetii

Green Stem Bamboo

The 'green bamboo' has tall, slightly arching canes which have a 'spring green' colour with a slight purple flush when young. The canes mature to a yellow green colour and hold deep green leaves. This bamboo is the perfect choice for screening as it is fast-growing and rather dense.

Phyllostachys nigra

Black Bamboo

Common Name: Black BambooLatin Name: Phyllostachys nigraSoil: Fertile, well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 4m/3mSpecial features: A clump forming bamboo with jet black canes when mature.Phyllostachys nigra is a bamboo of gracefully arching habit. This bamboo has small leaves and canes that are green the first year becoming mottled dark brown/black and finally in the right conditions jet black.

Picea pungens Iseli Fastigiate

Colorado Spruce Iseli Fastigiate

Common Name: Colorado Spruce Iseli FastigiateLatin Name: Picea Pungens 'Iseli Fastigiate'Soil: Prefers rich moist soil. Acid or neutral.Position: Full sun. Flowering period/colour: Non-floweringHardiness: Fully hardy (to below -20°C). Height and spread in 10-20 years: 5m-10m/0.7mSpecial features: Handsome oval spruce. Blue needles maturing to darker blue-green. Rounded, upright blue spruce with branches that grow vertically upward, rather than horizontally outward as in so many other varieties. The whole tree is shaped like a vertically elongated oval, which gives a pleasingly comfortable outline in a border. Young needles are more silver than the greener mature needles so that there is a pattern of developing colour all over the tree. The colour change is very uniform, and again gives a pleasing aspect to the tree when viewed in the distance. This is a mid-sized to tall conifer which will provide a fine backdrop to a border, or take its place as a specimen tree in a larger landscape.

Prunus Snow Goose

Flowering Cherry Tree

Prunus 'Snow Goose’ is a great feature in any garden due to its small, narrow size and upright growth habit.

 During the flowering season, this Flowering Cherry Tree floods your garden with its profuse white blossoms. The large, soft single white flowers appear in early April, giving your space that alluring spring-time tint. The bright green summer leaves slowly transition to autumnal hues as the seasons progress. Think fiery reds and bold bronze colours. 

 This Flowering Cherry Tree has a height of around 4 metres and a spread of about 2.5 metres over a 10 year period. Its compact size makes it suitable for various garden sizes, while its deciduous nature allows for seasonal changes and interest. 

 With Prunus Snow Goose, you get lots of the vibrant benefits of other Prunus trees, without the need for a large area. Small space, big impact! 

Versatile and adaptable, it will tolerate most soil types. However, it will perform best when positioned in full sun. Enjoy the Prunus Snow Goose season after season. Common Name: Flowering Cherry TreeLatin Name: Prunus 'Snow Goose'Soil: Tolerates most soil typesPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: Early April/Large single white flowersHardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 10 years: 4m x 2.5mSpecial features: A narrow, upright tree with large white flowers.

Quercus Green Spire

Chestnut Leaved Oak Tree

Common Name: Chestnut Leaved Oak Tree Latin Name: Quercus castanifolia 'Green Spire' Soil: Any deep, well-drained, fertile soil Position: Full sun or partial shade Flowering period/colour: May/ golden catkins Hardiness: Fully hardy Eventual height/spread: 18m/ 6m Special features: A broad, columnar habit and prickly acorns on mature trees. This is a vigorous oak tree that grows to have a broad, yet columnar, habit. The glossy green leaves are like that of a chestnut leaf, hence the common name, and the leaves have silvery undersides and are covered in tiny hairs. Come autumn, the leaves turn to a bronzed yellow. This is the perfect tree for a large garden or an open space and its columnar habit will add structure to the landscape.

Quercus palustris Green Pillar

Pin Oak Tree

Common Name: Pin OakLatin Name: Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar'Soil: Well drained, moist or dry. Acidic or neutral.Position: Full sunFlowering period/colour: April, green, insignificant.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years: 15m/4mSpecial features: Columnal form, deep green leaves, vibrant red autumn colour.Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar' has a tall columnar or fastigiate shape brought about by vertical growth of its branches. This is a great architectural asset in certain garden design situations, particularly as a screen or visual barrier, or as a single specimen plant.This variety thrives in full sun and dry soil, and so makes an ideal shade tree. It can be particularly useful as a street tree providing a visually attractive avenue, as well as shade for pedestrians. The tree is tall and very slim in its youth and spreads a little more in later years, with a slightly different visual effect.The leaves of this species are dark green in summer, and bright, vibrant red in autumn. This ensures lasting appeal though the seasons. The tree is deciduous, and so drops its leaves in winter. The liberated winter structure allows bright light through the canopy, which is a huge advantage for pedestrians or garden users. This tree has a tendency to retain just a few leaves in winter, creating a specific visual effect, which is particularly valued by some. This should be considered when making a choice of variety.Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar' is moderately fast growing, reaching about 15m tall and 4 metres wide, and prefers acid or neutral soils. Chlorosis occurs in the leaves in alkaline soil due to iron deficiency. This species is fully hardy in the UK.

Quercus Regal Prince

Regal Prince Oak

Common Name: Regal Prince Oak TreeLatin Name: Quercus robur x bicolour ‘Regal Prince’ Soil: Any deep, well-drained, lime-free soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: Spring/Green-yellow catkins Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 9m/3.5mSpecial features: A tall and slender Oak with beautiful green foliage that turns orange in autumn  A splendid hybrid of the upright English Oak (Quercus robur fastigiata) and the ‘American Swamp White Oak’ (Quercus bicolour), the Regal Prince is a more compact variety which has a highly attractive columnar habit.  The leaves are deep green in colour and have the classic lobed oak shape; they turn orange in autumn before falling. This tree is really effective when planted in rows for screening, and you should plant the trees about 2.5m apart so that they can still get proper air-circulation between the branches.

Quercus rubra Aurea

Golden Red Oak

Common Name: Golden Red Oak Latin Name: Quercus rubra 'Aurea' Soil: Medium moisture, well-drained, fertile soil. Slightly better autumn colour on acidic soil.  Position: Light, dappled shade to prevent sun scorch  Flowering period/colour: Spring, inconspicuous.  Hardiness: Hardy to -22°C, but requires shelter from strong winds. Height and spread in 20-50 years: 15m/10m Special features: Golden yellow leaves in spring and early summer; orange red autumn colour. Deciduous. The Golden red oak is a rare variation on the Eastern North American red oak. A fine specimen of this tree can be seen in the Belfast Botanic Gardens. In the spring the leaves are a dazzling golden yellow colour, maturing to a yellow green in late summer. The leaves develop orange and red tints in autumn. This is a fast growing tree and in ideal conditions can grow to five or six metres in ten years. It is also very long lived, lasting up to 500 years, with a trunk which may be 2 metres in diameter. Stout branches grow at right angles to the stem, forming a narrow round-topped head. The tree produces acorns, which take about eighteen months to two years to develop. This variety is frequently grown as a specimen tree in parks and open spaces. It rapidly develops a taproot, so should bought as a young specimen and planted in its final location as soon as possible. Quercus rubra 'Aurea' produces very good quality wood for building applications. Other oak species are also cut for this purpose but produce lower quality wood than the red oaks. Red oak wood is suitable for flooring, veneer, and furniture.

Sorbus aucuparia Fingerprint

Mountain Ash Tree

Common Name: Mountain Ash TreeLatin Name: Sorbus aucuparia 'Fingerprint'Soil: Well-drained/light, Clay/heavy, SandyPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: Spring/WhiteHardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 10m/4mSpecial features: Pretty white flowers in spring followed by glossy red berries. (Deciduous)The 'Fingerprint' is an upright tree which grows to have a compact and ovate crown. The pinnate leaflets are finely toothed at the edges and these turn to delightful shades of orange and yellow in autumn. In spring, pretty white flowers emerge and these later become glossy coral red fruits which are popular with the birds. This is a great tree for planting in groups due to its attractive shape and it is therefore a great architectural tree.

Sorbus Sheerwater Seedling

Mountain Ash Tree

The 'Sheerwater Seedling' is the perfect tree for a restricted space as this Mountain Ash has an upright habit and maintains a narrow spread. The ascending branches are clothed in mid-green leaves which are accompanied by sprays of white flowers in spring. This tree offers a delightful autumn display as the leaves fade to orange and clusters of orange-red fruits appear in abundance. The fruits are popular with wildlife and they hold on the tree well into winter. This tree will provide you with year round interest and works well as a specimen or at the back of a border. Common Name: Mountain AshLatin Name: Sorbus aucuparia 'Sheerwater Seedling'Soil: Well-drained/light, Clay/heavy, SandyPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: April to May/ WhiteHardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 6m x 2.5mSpecial features: Upright narrow habit and large clusters of orange/red berries in the autumn. (Deciduous)