Wide/Spreading

Cornus controversa Variegata

Wedding Cake Tree

Common Name: Wedding Cake Tree Latin Name: Cornus controversa 'Variegata'Soil: Any moderately fertile soil. Position: Full sun to part shadeFlowering period/colour: Summer/CreamHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 8m/8mSpecial features: Highly unusual tiers of branches that resemble a wedding cake.This variety of cornus is known as the 'Wedding Cake Tree' due to its horizontally tiered branches and creamy colouring, which makes it resemble a layered wedding cake. The leaves are narrowly ovate and deep green in colour with wide creamy margins. In June, creamy flowers appear in flat clusters and these later become black autumn berries. Further interest is added in autumn when the leaves turn golden yellow before falling. This is a great tree for planting as a focal point in a medium sized garden.

Juniperus communis Depressa Aurea

Golden juniper

Common Name: Golden juniperLatin Name: Juniperus communis 'Depressa Aurea'Soil: Moist but well-drained (will tolerate most soil types)Position: Full sun or shadeHardiness: Fully hardyHeight in 10 years: 0.6mSpecial features: Ground cover, bright yellow in summer, bronze in winter. (Evergreen)Juniperus communis 'Depressa Aurea' is a beautiful prostrate juniper with subtle colouring that delights the eye. Its young foliage is coloured a warm butter yellow; it greens and bronzes as the season progresses and has coppery winter tints. The reddish brown wood is clearly visible on the downwards-spreading, slightly pendulous branchlets. It deserves a site where its elegant habit and colour can be closely observed.

Juniperus horizontalis Lime Glow

Lime Glow Juniper

Common Name: Lime Glow JuniperLatin Name: Juniperus horizontalis 'Lime Glow'Soil: Moist, well drained soil in sun (will tolerate most soil types)Position: Full sun or partial shade (Avoid very exposed positions)Hardiness: HardyHeight in 10 years: 0.6-0.8mSpecial features: A low growing conifer, which produces little dark blue fruits.Juniperus chinensis 'Lime Glow' is a beautiful looking conifer with a low spreading habit. It has light green foliage with arching branches which in the winter turn a pinkish colour. This Juniper is a groundcover plant for borders and shrubberies.

Lonicera Baggesen's Gold

Golden Shining Honeysuckle

Common Name: Golden Shining HoneysuckleLatin Name: Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold'Soil: Moist but well drained soil not too limy or acidic.Position: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Fully HardyEventual height/spread: 1.5m x 1.5mSpecial features: A fast growing compact shrub is ideal as a colourful low growing evergreen hedge. (Evergreen)Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold' is a pretty evergreen honeysuckle with fine, pale gold leaves, particularly bright in winter. It is a good cheery plant for dark corners, and is one of those plants which can be underrated. It can look very effective when well sited, especially when planted as a colourful low growing evergreen hedge.

Lonicera Lemon Beauty

Variegated Shining Honeysuckle

Common Name: Variegated Shining HoneysuckleLatin Name: Lonicera nitida 'Lemon Beauty'Soil: Moist but well drained soil not too limy or acidic.Position: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Fully HardyEventual height/spread: 1.2m x 2mSpecial features: Lemon green foliage with gold variegation. (Evergreen)Lonicera nitida 'Lemon Beauty' is a good, spreading groundcover plant, light in effect, with long stretching branches clad in paired leaves. These are small, oblong and have a rich green centre and a broad strong gold rim, a striking foliage effect. Ideal for small hedge as this honeysuckle can be pruned into shape.

Malus Butterball

Crab Apple Tree

Common Name: Crab Apple TreeLatin Name: Malus 'Butterball'Soil: Fertile, well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: April to May/ White, pink flushed.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 10 years: 4m x 3mSpecial features: Masses of flowers followed by bright yellow fruit. Malus 'Butterball' is a small crab apple tree with a wonderful spreading habit and almost becomes rounded when the tree is mature. The branches are a little pendulous, especially when weighted with fruits. In late spring, an abundance of pink-blushed white flowers open from pink buds- these are then replaced by the glowing autumn fruits. The 'Butterball' name can be explained when seeing the masses of rich golden-yellow fruits which appear in autumn. The fruits may have a pretty red flushing on the sunny side and they are great for attracting wildlife to your garden.

Parrotia persica

Persian Ironwood Tree

Common Name: Persian IronwoodLatin Name: Parrotia persicaSoil: Any fertile, moist but well drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Fully hardyFlowering period: Spring & WinterFlowering colour: RedEventual height/spread after 20 years: 8m/10mOne of the best features of the Parrotia persica is the unique grey flaking bark, which sheds more with age. It often has multiple stems which hold long, ovate green leaves. The leaves of this deciduous tree transform in stages throughout the autumn months; first vivid yellow, then burning orange, and finally to an intense red. In late winter, insignificant red flowers bring life to the stark branches, the flowers are followed in spring by the newly emerging leaves. The Persian ironwood tree has a wide spreading habit and is therefore suitable for a larger garden, particularly as a border tree. For the best autumn leaf colour, grow this tree in acid soil.

Prunus Autumnalis

Autumn Cherry Tree

Prunus Autumnalis, or the 'Autumn Cherry Tree', offers year-round interest with its winter flowers, fresh green foliage and strong autumn colour. A fantastic tree for the smaller garden. This flowering cherry tree is valued for its bell-shaped, semi-double white flowers which appear in bursts from late autumn through to early spring: the flowers appear on bare stems and look truly stunning in a winter garden. The flowers open from pink buds and some of the petals have a pink tint to them. The simple flowers are delicate and truly charming: they add a much-needed dose of floral beauty over the colder months. In spring, the leaves appear and are at first a bronzed green, later maturing to a rich, deeper green. By summer, the winter flowers have become small fruits, which are often enjoyed by the birds. This tree also boasts a good autumn leaf colour, with the ovate and sharply-toothed leaves turning to blistering shades of orange and russet red before falling. This is a hardy tree that is suitable for planting in a range of situations: it has an attractive, spreading habit and it works really well as an ornamental specimen. With a fairly small eventual height and spread, the 'Autumnalis' can be planted in a smaller garden. One obvious choice for a planting partner is the simply stunning 'Prunus Autumnalis Rosea', but if you want something a little different then we would recommend the 'Prunus Royal Burgundy' as the wine-red foliage of the Royal Burgundy makes the perfect foil for the deep green leaves. Common Name: Autumn Cherry TreeLatin Name: Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis'Soil: Tolerates most soil typesPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: From late autumn, through winter until spring /Bell-shaped, semi-double pale pink flowers.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 4m x 4mSpecial features: White flowers from late autumn, through winter until spring. (Deciduous)

Prunus Autumnalis Rosea

Autumn Cherry Tree

Prunus 'Autumnalis Rosea' is a small deciduous tree that features pale-pink, semi-double flowers that appear in autumn and last over winter. This ornamental specimen also boasts ovate, dark-green leaves and glossy fruits in spring. This tree is a true delight and is worthy of planting in any garden: a tree that gives you year-round interest and that remains relatively small, making is perfect for a range of gardens. Each autumn, usually in November, a profusion of bell-shaped, pink, semi-double flowers appear all over the tree. The pale pink flowers open from dark pink buds and they add a real burst of colour as the dark nights draw in. From November to March, the blooms appear intermittently and they look stunning in a snow-covered garden. The flowers later become small and glossy fruits, which make a great natural bird feeder, but the fruits are soon overshadowed by the spring foliage. The leaves, which are ovate in shape and dark-green in colour, cover the spreading branches and make a great foil for lighter-leaved varieties. One of our favourite trees for planting alongside the ‘Autumnalis Rosea’ is the stunning Prunus Okame Harlequin, as the vivid pink flowers and variegated leaves of the Harlequin contrast beautifully with the strong green foliage of the ‘Autumnalis Rosea’. Come autumn, just before the flowers appear, the leaves produce a final show of colour: they turn to shades of rich red, orange and yellow before falling. Plant this tree in a sunny position for it to fully thrive: it makes a great lawn specimen for smaller gardens that need an injection of winter colour.  Common Name: Autumn Cherry TreeLatin Name: Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis Rosea'Soil: Tolerates most soil typesPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: From late autumn, through winter until spring /Bell-shaped, semi-double pale pink flowers.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 4m x 4mSpecial features: Flowers from late autumn, through winter until spring. (Deciduous)

Salix alba vitellina

Golden Willow

Common Name: Golden Willow Latin Name: Salix alba var. vitelliana Soil: Moist but well-drained soilPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: Spring/ Yellow catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 18m/12mSpecial features: Glowing golden stems which give great winter interest.This is an outstanding variety of willow which features highly distinctive golden stems that really stand out in a sleeping winter garden. Slender yellow catkins appear in spring with the new foliage; the leaves are narrowly lanceolate in shape and mid-green over summer, later turning to yellow before falling. When mature, the 'Golden Willow' will have a spreading and bushy habit and can become a real garden focal point. This tree can grow to be fairly large in the right conditions so do ensure that you plant it in a position where it can thrive.

Salix Curly Locks

Pussy Willow Tree

Common Name: Pussy Willow Tree Latin Name: Salix caprea 'Curly Locks'Soil: Any deep, moist soilPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: April to May/ Slender white, then yellow catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 2.5m/ 1.5mSpecial features: A beautiful structural tree with its twisting branches and weeping habit. The 'Curly Locks' is a visual delight for any garden, but it’s particularly useful for a smaller garden due to its compact height and spread. This unique tree has so much to offer and its most interesting feature is its contorted branches: the branches are red-orange in colour and they twist outwards and downwards in all directions. The branches hold mid-green curly leaves that are serrated at their edges. Just before the leaves arrive, the small catkins, which first emerge white and mature to yellow, hang from the branches: the fluffy catkins give this tree its common name of 'pussy willow'. Come autumn the leaves turn to shades or orange and brown before falling. 'Curly Locks' is a unique tree which is perfect for the smaller garden: it is great for structural planting and its compact size makes it an ideal choice for a sunny border where space is restricted. Plant this alongside another compact, weeping tree, like the Prunus x subhirtella 'Pendula Rubra', as the two weeping trees will sit together beautifully, yet give you a good contrast too.

Salix Erythroflexuosa

Golden Twisted Willow Tree

Common Name: Golden Twisted Willow TreeLatin Name: Salix 'Erythroflexuosa'Soil: Any deep, moist but well-drained soilPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: April to May/Slender yellow catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyHeight/spread in 20 years: 5m/3mSpecial features: Tortuous reddish stems which stand out while leafless in Winter.A rather unusual plant which has smooth, orange-yellow pendulous branches which are twisted. The branches twirl about amazingly, sometimes seeming to loop the loop. The corkscrew-like branches hold lance-shaped green leaves which fall in the autumn to reveal the contorted skeleton. A great architectural tree which will bring a unique burst of life to your winter garden.