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Fast-Growing Trees for Your Garden
Choosing Fast-Growing Trees
If you’re looking to add some greenery to your garden quickly, consider planting fast-growing trees. They can help you create privacy, add height, and attract wildlife. However, keep in mind that they can also grow quite large, so make sure you have enough space.
Popular Fast-Growing Trees
Here are some popular fast-growing trees to consider:
- Rowan (mountain ash): Native to Britain, the rowan has pretty feathery leaves and clusters of white flowers that turn into berries. It’s a great choice for wildlife gardens.
- Silver birch: A favorite with garden designers, silver birch has white stems that look especially striking in winter. It’s often planted in groups or as multi-stemmed trees.
- Hornbeam: Hornbeam trees have crinkled leaves and good autumn color. They can be grown as a hedge or trained into an upright shape.
- Eucalyptus gunnii (cider gum): An evergreen tree from Tasmania, the cider gum has gray-green leaves and attractive peeling bark. It can be kept within bounds by coppicing or pollarding.
- Alder: A native tree that thrives in wet conditions, alder can reach 20 meters in height in under 40 years. It’s good for wildlife, providing food and shelter for birds, bees, and moths.
- Weeping willow: A vigorous grower with arching branches, the weeping willow is a popular ornamental tree for large gardens. It has attractive yellow catkins in late spring.
- White poplar: Only suitable for very large gardens, the white poplar has fast-growing roots and can make a useful windbreak. It has attractive leaves that are white on the underside.
- Foxglove tree: Native to China, the foxglove tree has scented lilac flowers in early summer. Young trees grow very quickly and can be coppiced to keep them under control.
- Hazel: Hazel trees have pretty catkins in the spring and attractive leaves. They can also produce a crop of nuts and make a fast-growing hedge.
- Common beech: A large tree that is only suitable for very big gardens, the common beech has columnar or weeping types that are more compact. It also makes a useful and attractive hedge.
Tips for Planting and Care
To ensure your fast-growing trees thrive, plant them correctly and provide them with proper care. Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball. Water the tree regularly, especially during the first year after planting.
