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Gardening in the UK

which native trees for a small woodland

16 years ago

Hello and Happy New Year to the gardeners!

I would be grateful for any advice on which (preferably fast growing) decidious native trees I should plant in order to create a small woodland in an area of about 10m by 30m. I was thinking of just planting a silver birch wood, but there must be other ideas out there! Maximum value to wildlife is a priority.

Thank you for your time.

K

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Comments (6)

pineresin
16 years ago
A mix of as many species as you can find evidence are native in the immediate area. In fenland, I'd guess Salix caprea (Goat Willow), possibly Salix alba (White Willow), Populus nigra var. betulifolia (Black Poplar), Alnus glutinosa (Common Alder), Betula pubescens (Downy Birch), Quercus robur (Pedunculate Oak), Ilex aquifolium (Holly), Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime), Fraxinus excelsior (Ash).

Resin
crazylady
16 years ago
Some smaller species you could consider: Hawthorn, Hazel, Sloe, and Honeysuckle, wild rose and bramble to drape over them.
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kate_fenland
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you both for your advice, it has given me food for thought. Since we have open fireplaces, I'm also wondering what would be a good idea to plant for fuel. But this would have to be elsewhere as I'd like the new woodland to live on, rather than be recycled.
Thanks again.
K
User
16 years ago
certainly hazel and willow are both a source of biofuel but you could consider a sorbus, especially one of the smaller hybrids such as Joseph Rock and also how about some fruits/nuts such as cherry plum, damson, almond, filberts, walnut, crab apples (malus). Don't forget you can gave a productive understorey too with rubus, blackcurrants, sloe and juniper. Lucky you having such a lovely project.
flora_uk
16 years ago
You say 'fast growing' but one idea is to gather seed from the locality naxt Autumn and grow some of your own trees. I did this to fill in an area where I had had Japanese Knotweed eradicated. The willows and poplar will grow from lengths stuck in the gound. Understorey wild flowers are also quite easy from seed. Primroses and cowslips for example are very easy. Personally I wouldn't introduce bramble to a small woodland. It will probably arrive by itself anyway. Can I recommend you join the Small Woods Association? And the Forestry Commission has a lot of useful information - maybe even some grants available. Good luck with your project.

Here is a link that might be useful: Small Woods Association.
kate_fenland
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you very much for the postings and ideas. I have decided to go for lots of field maples making the up the bulk of the wood, with the fruit and nut trees (Hawthorn, Hazel, Blackthorn) on the periphery.
Thanks again. Time to order and get planting!

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