Have you looked at an evergreen frangipanni?

Robyn

Robyn

I assume you mean the normal frangipani "plumeria" but they are too slow growing. i want quick screening. i saw an advanced frangipani at the advanced nursery the other day which was the perfect height - about 2.5 metres already - for a mere price of $3500. no thanks - my budget doesn't extend that far.

keeps the suggestions coming. I think hte evergreen ash is going to be my best bet and i;ve seen them growing successfully in my neighbourhood but i want to explore all other options first.

Karen

What about one of the lilli pillies. I can't grow them in my frosty climate but I regularly admire them in my son's non-frosty environment. They have attractive, dense foliage (some have interesting coloured new growth) and very pretty small edible fruits.

Nurseries seem to be doing interesting things with them - such as selling potted standards. With a bit of attention in the early stages it should be possible to grow a standard-shaped tree.

Perhaps some other gardeners can advise on the possibilities of the lilly pilly.

Robyn

sorry, you meant the native frangipani Hymenosporum flavum which is evergreen - the plumeria is deciduous. Yes, i am considering that, my Dad has one and they are supposed to be quite fast growing. He didn't prune his and its a bit leggy but i believe with pruning when young they grow more densely. thanks for that suggestion.

karen

Karen

The native frangipani can be quite tall and slim - if that's what you're after. They can be quite sparse in habit, but you're right, with pruning while young they can be more dense. You might want to consider clumping a few of them - depending on how wide your courtyard is, maybe 5 of them fairly close togther would look very nice.

I know you've said not a native ... but have you thought about one of the small flowering gums - torquata or torwood. They are very nice.

Good luck.

Aggie

Aggie

thanks for the advice about the frangipani's. Haven't considered the gum trees (eucalyptus do you mean ?) because i think they drop too many leaves - had some before and was always sweeping.

cheers

Karen

Oh Karen, I love droping trees. I understand that courtyard and sweeping.... But for me the more leaves the better. Think of all the mulch!!! Yummm.

Another possibility is to choose any fast growing bush to 4-5 metres and shape it to a tree.

Some fast growing shrubs I'd recommend are
Strelitza nicolae
Pittosporum'Silver Screen'
Lillypillys

There is an evergreen (non native) frangipani (plumeria obtusa).
Just for the record, my 'native' frangipani loses quite a few leaves up here in Brisbane - glad it's not in the centre of a courtyard - not the best for screening.

Karen, I had to laugh when I read your post - you're not chinese are you? I'm chinese (grew up in Perth since age 2), and my mother just hates it when trees drop their leaves !!! All the sweeping ... she just can't understand why any one would plant deciduous trees ;).

Meggs' is a good idea. Would camelias be tall enough?

Yes, reference to gums were to eucalypts and yes, they do drop leaves/gum nuts and flower stuff.

What about a fruit tree - lemon, lime? Bay trees get big (but I think slow growing) and are beautifully shaped. Evergreen to boot and I don't think they drop leaves (unless left unwatered like mine in the pot in the backyard ...).

Good luck - plse let us know what you end up picking.

Aggie

I've said this on another post - but when I have a sheltered courtyard I'm growing a Japanese maple. Yes they drop their leaves but so what? The gorgeous colours more than make up for it and the leaves and tree are both lovely shapes. My sister has one in her garden in Dalkeith so they are well suited to Perth metro area. They grow to about 4.5 metres.

Fruit trees would give lots of choices too - lemon, lime, apple, or any of the ornamentals - like weeping cherry.

I've got 4 flowering ash down our driveway - they are quite pretty too - but not if you or your neighbours suffer from asthma!

Good luck.
Barb

Why don't you try a Golden Cane Palm? They grow fairly quickly but not very tall in Perth. They self clean and all you have to do is throw the old fronds away (no sweeping at all) they trunks are a nice colour and they stay that way all year.

All trees drop their leaves - the only difference is when, and whether it's all at one time.

I have a huge wisteria which drops an enormous quantity of leaves onto a paved area in autumn. I HATE sweeping. So the leaves are left until they have all fallen and then get cleaned up in one foul sweep and put onto the garden. Wouldn't suit a lot of people (like my friend who regularly washes her front fence) but gardening is such a personal thing.

From the sound of things, you are only going to have one tree. Make it a tree that you are going to be happy to have and happy to live with. Forget the evergreen ash.

How about taking a walk through your botanical gardens and similar places and looking for "your" tree. Council parks and streetscapes, as well as leafy suburbs will also provide examples. If staff or owners don't know what the tree is, ask permission to obtain a piece and take to a nursery for identification.

Karen, what did you end up planting?
Donna.