Introduction

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS some people say when they move into a new house is: “Let's clear the garden!” And all the careful long-term planning of the previous occupants is laid low, chopped up and stuffed into the 'garden waste recycling bin'. I once knew a lady who, it seemed, had a phobia about trees: as soon as the top of a tree appeared above next door's fence she would be round to complain and demand something be done about the unbearable intrusion into her treeless life.

So, all right, this book is not addressed to people who fear the invasion of dangerous jungle which must be kept hacked back. They have their ideas about how a garden should look; I have mine. This book is addressed to people like myself who think 'green', who like trees, and who want to do their bit to prevent our beautiful planet being turned into a waste of concrete, parched lawns and eroded dust. The average garden is fairly tiny, and I am not suggesting we plant great forest trees. In fact, I would say please don't plant great forest trees, because you will only have to lop the tops off as they get too tall.

Forest trees are for forests. I used to be a forester, so I know about those, too. Garden trees, such as those described in this book, are for gardens. I am assuming that yours, like mine, is a pocket-size garden, and there are plenty of suitably sized trees to choose from. To plant a woodland garden is the best thing you can do for the environment, for wildlife, and for your own well-being. It's labour-saving too. So if you are faced with a muddy rectangle of bare land attached to your new house, or if you take over a garden which already has trees and shrubs and you want to make best use of what is there, start planning your made-to-measure woodland garden now. It may not be so 'instant' as turf and tubs, but it is not such a long-term project as you might suppose. In a few years' time the restful sylvan beauty will reveal itself and you will be well repaid for your efforts. I hope this book will help.

Hamamelis

The Witch Hazels, valued for their winter flowers, have numerous varieties, some of which will make upper storey trees, others are better treated as shrubs for the under storey and will be found listed in the next chapter. Some of the more upright, tree-like types are listed below, and they can be expected to reach, typically, around 4 metres (12ft) in height.

DOT PLANTS AND CLIMBERS

A. blanda: A spreading perennial with dark green leaves and 7.5cm (3 inch) wide deep blue flowers, opening sometimes as early as February and blooming until April. There are varieties with pale blue, pink, white and double flowers. Around 15cm (6 inches) high, they may be set the same distance apart for a massed effect. It does not tolerate heavy shade so well as the previous species.

A. nemorosa: The Wood Anemone, found growing wild in British woodlands, with dainty pink- or mauve-tinged white flowers in the spring. It is a vigorous spreader, around 15cm (6 inches) high, and may be set 20cm (9 inches) apart. There are several selected varieties, including Allenii, with deep lavender-blue flowers, Blue Bonnet, with deep blue flowers in the summer, Robinsoniana with large pale blue flowers, and Vestal, with double white flowers.

Chapter Seven

Useful Groupings

WHEN YOU PLAN YOUR WOODLAND GARDEN, depending on the area available, your choice of trees and shrubs will be very much influenced by the size, the spread and perhaps most of all, the height expected to be reached by these plants after a reasonable time ̶? say ten years or so. A rough breakdown of expected heights will give you the following list:

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