Small Trees That Can Make a Big Statement

Rick J. Lewandowski

For me, this spring has been one of the most gloriously beautiful in recent memory.  These moments help us to remember that the greater joy of gardening isn’t just the planting, grooming, mulching, weeding, cultivating, and pruning.  It’s the incredible satisfaction we feel observing our gardening efforts flourish to become what we had toiled to create. 

Revel in Your Success–Not Too Long Though

So, here’s a suggestion.  Go out to the garden shed, dig out that old lawn chair, and just plop it right in the middle of the yard.  Now, sit down (with iced tea or some other equally delightful beverage in hand), and survey your “garden kingdom”; small or big, it doesn’t matter.  I’m sure that you will survey your handiwork and be well-pleased with your efforts. 

But then, just as you take a sip of that beverage--now you see where I’m going with this--you will suddenly realize that maybe, just maybe, one part of your garden could use just the smallest refinement.  And, POP! That personal bubble of contentment has burst!   Much to your chagrin, it’s back to the garden.  So, finish that beverage and let’s explore another opportunity to improve your garden.

Defining Your Middle Layer

If you are like me, you enjoy both the changing herbaceous ground layer of perennial beds and the dappled light created by the ever increasing shade of trees placed around your garden.  In some cases, though, we gardeners miss the middle layer of the garden canopy.  This layer from about 10 to 30 feet high can be targeted to incorporate flowering trees that diversify and enhance the quality of our outdoor spaces.

The Pick of the Litter

Below is a selection of trees that can contribute to the middle layer of the garden canopy, creating vignettes for relaxation and/or seasonal interest.  As always, let these suggestions be a guide to get you started; however, you should assess whether these trees best fit in with your own gardening preferences.

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a stunning single-stemmed or multi-stemmed flowering tree for full sun to part shade reaching 15 to 25 feet tall at maturity.  It produces 6 to 10 inch tall flower clusters with brilliant red tubular flowers from early to mid May.  Red buckeye’s large palm-shaped foliage adds an exotic flair to the garden after flowering and remains dark green throughout the summer.  It performs best in well-drained to dry soils, needing little or no care.  There are only a few red flowering plants that bloom this early in spring and red buckeye is among the best.

Redbud (Cercis Canadensis)

Each year redbud (Cercis canadensis) heralds the arrival of spring as one of the earliest native trees to flower in our region.  From mid- to late April redbud produces dense clusters of lavender-pink flowers on leafless branches. Redbud is most often grown as a multi-stemmed tree reaching 15 to 20 feet tall at maturity.  It is quite adaptable to well-drained and slightly alkaline soils.  Though redbud prefers part-shade, it tolerates full sun. 

Some outstanding cultivars of redbud include: ‘Forest Pansy’ with its bright burgundy-red new foliage; ‘Appalachian Red’ with the brightest pink flowers of any redbud; ‘Alba’ which produces pure white flowers; and ‘Covey’ a fascinating selection with a strongly weeping habit.  Properly selected and sited, these cultivars excellent complements for the garden.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

Perhaps, the single most stunning and well known tree for spring flowering and late season interest in our region is flowering dogwood (Cornus florida).  Flowering dogwood produces masses of large white-bracted flowers that virtually cover the tree from late April through mid-May.

Flowering dogwood, though tolerant of sun, is best used in part-shade where soils are well-drained and slightly acidic which results in fewer pest problems.  Though flowering dogwood can have some foliar problems, trees sited properly with air drainage, adequate moisture, and light shade with less environmental stress will perform and flower well for several years, reaching 15 to 25 feet tall.  There are few trees that year after year provide better flowering displays, autumn fruit, and beautiful fall color than flowering dogwood. 

Many cultivars of flowering dogwood have been selected for flower color and disease resistance.  For instance, pink flowering dogwood (Cornus florida var. rubra) is a delightful pink-bracted form of flowering dogwood, ‘Cherokee Princess’ produces masses of white bracts with good resistance to foliar diseases, and ‘Appalachian Spring’ is an excellent white-bracted form that has proven quite resistant to most dogwood foliar diseases.

Large-flowered two-wing silverbell (Halesia diptera var. magniflora)

Though the name of this tree, large-flowered two-wing silverbell (Halesia diptera var. magniflora), is a mouthful, it is a splendid addition for the open, sunny, and frequently dry garden site.  This tree is found naturally in dry, stressed conditions, making it an excellent specimen for almost any sunny yard as long as soils are not wet.  Large-flowered two-wing silverbell produces enormous masses of 3/4-inch long, bell-shaped flowers on spreading branches during early to mid-May.  It reaches a mature size of 25 to 30 feet tall and, as an added bonus, produces clear golden yellow fall color.  This plant deserves much wider use in our gardens.

Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

As summer begins, sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) makes its presence known in the garden.  This upright to rounded semi-evergreen tree makes an excellent small specimen in the garden.  Sweetbay magnolia naturally grows in acidic moist to wet soils, yet, it is quite tolerant of  drier garden conditions.  It produces attractive leathery green leaves, silvery beneath, that in mild years will remain on the tree throughout the winter.  Its best feature, though, is that in mid- to late June sweetbay magnolia produces 2-inch diameter bowl-shaped, ivory-colored, heavily scented flowers.  Sweetbay magnolia makes a wonderful summer interest specimen for the smaller garden and an excellent choice in gardens with excessive moisture.

Common with-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

As autumn approaches, common witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) puts an exclamation on the end of the gardening season.  This multi-stemmed tree develops a spreading habit and reaches 15 to 20 feet tall at maturity.  Throughout the growing season, its uniformly green foliage belies a secret in store as the gardening season nears its end.  Finally in mid-September to early October common witch-hazel bursts into flower with dense clusters of clear yellow strap-shaped petals as its leaves are turning bright yellow and dropping.  Common witch-hazel is an adaptable plant, tolerant to dry soils, part shade, and neutral to slightly acid soils.  Its fall flowering is truly a delightful end to the season. This plant reaffirms, time and time again, the Yogi-ism that, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over”!

Finding Room for One More Treasure

Utilizing the middle layer of the vertical canopy structure adds richness and character to almost every garden.  Furthermore, building this layer provides wind and shade protection in the garden.  Perhaps most importantly for the gardening addict, though, it’s a “found opportunity” to add another plant treasure to the garden without having to remove something.

Finally, the development of layers in the tree canopy enhances opportunities for wildlife by providing shelter, feeding, protection, perching, nesting, and general habitat that we humans sometimes under value.  So, continue to explore the layers of your garden and the value they can bring to your garden as well as the wildlife you may not see.

Enjoy the remainder of this glorious spring.  Happy gardening!