Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Apr 21, 2009 3:12 pm We are doing tree research at the moment and I thought I'd call on any green thumbs here for advice I did do a search but the spot where I want to put it is a bit unique so not sure exactly what sort of tree would be best for it! It's for the front yard, primarily to shade our master bedroom window which gets full afternoon sun (front garden faces west). It is in between the centre of the yard and the side fence, the front yard is about 4.5m from window to front fence. There is a power line going from our house to the pole exactly where we want to put the tree at about 4m height. We can plant the tree a little bit out of the way of the line so that we can lop off branches when necessary, but we would prefer something that doesn't grow to 11 metres for this reason! We will have pittosporums growing along the side fence, about 2 metres away. We would dearly love a purply leaved tree and a Japanese Maple would be gorgeous, but this does not tolerate the full sun I have been told. Our next choice would be one with a nice flower. After doing some research I have narrowed it down to Crepe Myrtle, Magnolia Little Gem (though the nursery guy I spoke to today thought it too upright and not spready-outy enough? True?) or a tree-like bush like Burgundy Agonis. Any and all advice on my choices above, OR any other alternatives you think would be good, is very much appreciated! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 2Apr 21, 2009 3:47 pm OH, and I am in Melbourne with a clay soil base "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 3Apr 21, 2009 4:56 pm A Japanese Maple would be perfect and yes they can take fun sun, especially in melbourne. on the odd 40 degree day they will get some leaf burn...but so will most plants. good luck Re: Feature tree for weird spot 4Apr 21, 2009 8:24 pm I vote for a Japanese maple too, Donuts. We had two in our old back yard, both copping full northern and western sun for years till bigger trees grew tall enough to shade them on the north side. They didn't mind at all, apart from some crisp leaves in the odd heat wave. They can stand some pruning too. Our dog gave one of ours a really good pruning. Right down to about a 20cm stump. It survived. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 5Apr 21, 2009 10:53 pm Really, wow! That is good news I think!! At the nursery I spoke to two different guys on different days and they both said they don't do well in the full sun. At the nursery they have them growing in dappled shade too, even under shadecloth sometimes! hmmmm bit confused now!! maybe I need to check at some more nurseries, and probably confuse myself some more "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 6Apr 21, 2009 11:18 pm Do I have the trees for you Ok the first is Radermachera Summerscent. It isn't "china doll" (Radermachia). Grows to about 3m and can be clipped to have a trunk and form a small canopy. In the sun it will flower with mild smelling bell like flowers. In the shade it won't flower much. It is evergreen so will still shade in winter. The next one is a ripper! The Forrest Pansy or Cercis canadensis Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ An absolute stunner! Grows to about 3m has a wonderful burgundy leaf colour, has one hell of a flower show! One of the few trees to out do a Japanese Maple Will do the job you want brilliantly! Re: Feature tree for weird spot 7Apr 21, 2009 11:31 pm OMG I love that pink one Fu!!!! It's beautiful! And looks like it doesn;t grow so tall which would be perfect. OK I'll be back to stalk the nursery soon to find this one!! Just in case I can't find it though, what's your opinion on Japanese Maples in full sun in Melbourne Fu? Do they work in your experience? "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 8Apr 21, 2009 11:36 pm Yeah we had one when I grew up there. They take bloody ages to grow though so the shade won't be happening for a while It too will look good Re: Feature tree for weird spot 9Apr 21, 2009 11:37 pm Excellent, thanks so much Fu! "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 12Apr 22, 2009 3:35 pm The summerscent is lovely too. But I still love that flashy pink one best The cercis with leaves ... is that a different type of it, or just a photo taken in a different season? "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 13Apr 22, 2009 10:09 pm No it is like that all the time it is in leaf It flowers before the leaves emerge. The common tree most people know as a cercis is the Judas Tree. He grows much bigger and has green leaves. The pic in flower and the pic with burgundy leaves are the same plant (in different landscapes of course ) This one is Cercis canadensis or the Forest Pansy. It has a beautiful bark as well and the branches zig zag between the leaf nodes Even without leaves(when it is in the nude ) it is stunning Re: Feature tree for weird spot 14Apr 22, 2009 11:49 pm Hi Fu Will it grow in W.A.'s sandy soil and is it available here please? (The Forrest Pansy or Cercis canadensis) I am in the Bunbury area. Thanks for all the great info that you have been giving I have been copying it into a file ready for when I establish my garden and no guessing what turf I am going to get. Re: Feature tree for weird spot 15Apr 22, 2009 11:56 pm Bunbury you say? The job's on I know that coastal Perth (and I mean right on the coast) it is hard to grow, but it does well in the swan valley, the hills, and around Gosnells. Being further South and I hope you're not right on the beach it should do fine It does fine in suburbs back around Wanneroo rd too. It does better the further South you go. Even Mandurah is cool enough to grow it but not if you can chuck a rock at the beach Do plenty of soil prep first of course. Lots of Baileys soil improver or better still get a hold of a certified organic soil. Just build the structure of the soil up and then go have a beer Re: Feature tree for weird spot 16Apr 23, 2009 12:22 am I am approx 2 1/2kms from the inlet so hopefully that will be okay. I will build the soil up as you suggest, I used to live in the hills with gravel so sand will be a challenge for me. Thanks for the help. I had an old shower unit that broke on me and when I took it off, there were only 2 water pipes, instead of the normal 2 water pipes and a shower head pipe. S o I… 0 36934 Hi , I'm currently going through this now within the Whitehorse council which has a similar set of restrictions. We're having to make compromises with our floor plan due… 3 30668 6 4324 |