Having a garden provides you with the chance to spend extra time outside, help the environment and appreciate nature more. This is the case even if you have a relatively small garden. You can still pack a lot in, trust me, our last garden was teeny tiny. If you want to a tree or two then a small garden shouldn’t stop you, something I realised when looking at The Tree Center website. They, like many other online garden retailers, sell a good range of trees that are suitable for small spaces. These are some of the most suitable; they’re also a great fit for patio dressing if you’ve got a larger garden – the more, the merrier! 

Suitable Trees For A Small Garden

Dwarf varieties

One of the best approaches is planting dwarf or miniature trees. They really do take up a fraction of the space. Every year, the range of scaled-down trees increases so it’s now much easier to find one that you like. You can even buy miniature fruit trees! These have been bred to produce full-sized fruit in surprisingly large quantities. Perfect for teaching children about where their food comes from.

Trees that can be grown in pots

If all you have is a patio, buying trees that can be grown in pots is often the best approach. They brighten up any outdoor space. The fact that you can move them around enables you to play around with the layout. Additionally, they’re a great idea if you’re renting and want to liven up your garden space. Just be warned, moving them is heavy work!

Japanese maples and ornamental crab apples both thrive in pots. They are colourful and striking, so are particularly nice options. If you plant something, like an ornamental pear or cherry tree, you will be able to enjoy the blossom, in the springtime. If you want to help pollinating insects, plant trees that actually produce edible fruit. Fruit trees can actually be grown in pots provided you buy the smaller varieties and look after them.

Trees that can be trained to grow against something

The third approach is to grow trees up against a wall or fence. You will be surprised by how many varieties can be grown in this way. But, if you choose this option, you need to learn how to prune them. You only need to forget to do it one year, for the tree to become unruly and lose its shape. We’re hoping to do this in our garden down the side fence. We have a small pathway and I’d love for it to be a tree walkway! Watch this space…

An alternative to planting small trees

If you still do not think you have space for a tree, there are plenty of other ways to green up your outdoor spaces. For example, you could construct a pergola and plant something nice to grow over it. Doing this enables you to effectively create an outdoor room. In the summer months, the area above your head will be a web of greenery. So, you can enjoy sitting outside without worrying about being overlooked by your neighbours. Plus you get a beautiful shaded area for your kids to enjoy.

You can easily find out how to build one from YouTube, or somewhere similar. If you have a very small space, you can potentially cover it almost entirely with this type of pergola. But, bear in mind you will be limited to using plants that can cope with having to grow in the shade.