I’m a gardening whizz – little-known tree which stays beautiful all year & provides great privacy from nosey neighbours
A GARDENING WHIZZ has revealed she swears by a little-known tree which stays beautiful all year and provides great privacy from nosey neighbours.
Expert Arit Anderson said that the medlar tree (maspilus germanica) is her top choice of plant for any UK garden.
The medlar tree sprouts gorgeous flowers in the spring and fruit in the autumn – and can either be a “statement” turning heads or a “screen” against curtain-twitching neighbours.
Appearing on the BBC at the Chelsea Flower Show, Arit said: “There are some plants in the garden that can make a huge statement.
“They are often more expensive but they are really worth the investment – so you will certainly reap the rewards.
“If I was going to spend my money on anything in the garden, it would be the medlar tree.
She added: “I love it because it gives these wonderful white flowers in the spring time but then roll forward to autumn and you get a lovely burnt orange, amber-coloured fruit.
“This tree does keep giving across the seasons. It is closely related to the apple tree but the good thing with this tree is it is reasonably pest-free and requires little pruning.
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“It is a focal point but can also be used as a screen.”
Arit recommended another little-known tree, the Dicksonia antarctica, for any UK garden.
She said: “This is a tree fern which really does create a wonderful statement in any garden.
“It is slow-growing so this is where you will need to invest your money and buy the size you really want.
“That said, it is a wonderful plant to have in the garden. They do require moist soil but well-drained.
“In some parts of the country you may have to give them over-winter protection because it can sometimes lose its leaves.”
The third top-tier shrub on Arit’s list is the eye-catching Davies azalea.
She said: “An azalea is a wonderful statement shrub. It has a lovely creamy yellow flower but it does enjoy ericaceous soil.
“What I really like about this plant is it acts as a fabulous understory shrub that sits between the canopy layer and the perennial layer.
“It gets to about 1.5 metres in height so you need to have space for it – but the good thing about it is it is really hardy.
“It will enjoy the sun or partial shade but you do need to have ericaceous soil – so if you don’t have that in your border, you could put it in a container.
“The fact it is scented adds value to the garden. I think this is a plant you most definitely want to invest in.”
It comes after a pest expert revealed five easy ways to stop slugs from “wreaking havoc” in your garden.