Good trees for pots

generationgav

We've just moved into a small town garden. We've got a small lawn, but we've also got a corner between our house and next door where we want to put a large plant, preferably a fruit tree in a pot as it's on a patio.
The "open" side is broadly south facing.

We've looked at Bay Trees, but they seem to be expensive, and we're going to have a lot of green so would like something "tree" like so what would people advise? Or is growing in a pot limited to bay trees or bushes?

REEN

Don't know about fruit trees, but I have some Japanese maples in pots which are doing well. They don't like early morning sun though.

DaftyDuck

Sure, you can grow many fruit trees in pots. The root stock defines the size of the tree, and smallest would be the range of patio fruit trees. You can get them from various online suppliers, and even Homebase has quite a range. Common ones are apple (Keelie), apricot, cherry (velvet tassle), nectarine (harco), peach (red haven, red leaf), pear (harvest green), plum (glory) ... (brackets are types available in Homebase).

The patio fruit trees grow to about five foot tall, pot included. If that's not tall enough, go for a larger rootstock. Those patio trees are perfectly happy in 20 litre flowerpots, and a 30 or 40 litre pot would happily home a six or seven foot tree.

If you do want a bay tree, and feel patient, buy one of those rooted herb pots from the fruit and veg area of a supermarket. They often have them, and they tend to have several rooted cuttings in each pot. It does grow quickly - a cutting will make a five foot bush in four years, if looked after well. Rosemary would also make a companion pot.

dirty_magic

I'd go for a standard pailibin lilac myself because I love lilacs, I want one for my garden because it's not big enough to have one in the ground. Saying that a lilac will just be green most of the year so if you want colour it's not perfect.



If you have lots of green and want some colour I'd go for a maple. Some acers don't like full sun but this link has some info!

http://www.newgarden.com/notes/2013/4/24/best-japanese-maples-for-sun

lostinrates

I have quite a few figs in pots. Might depend how far north you are perhaps. They don't look much in the ( long) off season, but in summer they are worth it.

Olives can also be grown in pots and are ever green.