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Trees are an asset to almost every garden: they provide a focal point, provide shade, food, habitat and shelter for birds and other small animals. But in view of the almost infinite number of different species and varieties, choosing the right tree for your own garden is difficult. The following article is therefore intended to provide an overview and an initial decision-making aid.
The whitebeam attracts birds with its red fruits
conifers
In terms of development, conifers are the oldest trees - the first forms appeared towards the end of the Stone Age and are therefore at least 100 million older than the earliest deciduous trees. There are around 650 different species on earth, which of course are not all suitable for a Central European garden. Important properties of suitable conifers are above all:
- hardiness
- Location, care and soil needs
- growth and growth height
The latter point in particular is of great importance for a garden tree: some species such as the coast redwood or the primeval redwood can assume gigantic proportions and blow up any garden. Basically, conifers are considered to be very easy to care for, as they do not shed any leaves or fruit. Many species must not be cut, so you should always choose pruning-compatible conifers (e.g. thuja, juniper) for hedges.
deciduous trees
In terms of species diversity, the group of deciduous trees is much larger than that of conifers: no one knows exactly how many species there are in the world. Typically, deciduous trees are divided into deciduous and evergreen varieties, i. H. into species that shed their leaves in the fall and those that keep their foliage all year round.
Deciduous trees
Popular deciduous trees for gardens and parks are, for example
- Maple (Acer)
- Alder (Alnus)
- Birch (Betula)
- Beech (Fagus)
- Hornbeam (Carpinus)
- Ash (Fraxinus)
- Willow (Salix)
- Linden (Tilia)
- Poplar (Populus)
- Oak (Quercus)
- Whitebeam (Sorbus)
- Hawthorns (Crataegus)
The species mentioned offer a wide variety of varieties, many of which have been bred and thus created perfectly for the garden. For example, there are numerous dwarf forms for small gardens and front gardens.
Evergreen deciduous trees
Most deciduous trees are bare in winter. However, if you do not want to do without an opaque hedge all year round, you should use conifers or evergreen deciduous trees. These include, for example
- Holly (Ilex)
- Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica)
- Common boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
- Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
- Evergreen Oak (Quercus turneri 'Pseudoturneri')
tips
Fruit trees also belong to the deciduous trees, but they require comparatively much care and a location in full sun. You can harvest delicious fruit straight from the tree.