At Connick Tree Care we have many years of experience in dealing with correcting tree problems by pruning. Much of the time, tree works are required because the tree is not the right species for its location. Trees can become too large and dominant within a garden, cast dense shade and cause problems to nearby structures such as buildings and drains. What was once attractive becomes a nuisance.

The correct choice of species is an important first step in tree planting and Connick Tree Care will guide you through the selection process to make the right choice.

The following list includes the main points that should be considered before choosing the right tree for your garden.

Size – Will the tree grow too big for the available space?

Shape – Range from tall and narrow to short and rounded

Features – Some trees have attractive flowers, fruit, autumn leaf colour & winter bark

Allergy – Consider if pollen, dust or other allergies may be a problem

Flower – Spring, summer and even winter flowering trees are available

Autumn colour – Stunning displays of autumn colour are produced by many trees

Screen – If privacy is important or if wind shelter is required

Avenue – Trees can frame a view or make an attractive addition to a long driveway

Feature – Unusually shaped trees and distinctive forms and colours provide focus

Maintenance – Some trees require more than others, consider this when choosing

Growth rate – You will need patience for some species whilst others grow rapidly

Evergreen – Trees that retain leaves in winter are valuable for screening and shelter

Bark – Attractive winter bark can brighten up a dull winter garden

Fruit – Ornamental or edible, or both. A wide choice is available

Thorns – Can provide effective barriers around boundaries

Wildlife – Native and fruiting trees bring wildlife into the garden

Native – These species are fully adapted to local growing conditions

Other factors such as soil type, available light, aspect & exposure are among other factors that need to be considered and Connick Tree Care can provide advice to ensure you plant the right tree in the right place.

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Planting Plans

Connick Tree Care can provide planting plans to help ensure that the plants survive and that the design works as it should.

·         Planting plans show which plants go where and how far apart to plant them

·         Planting plans show the number of plants needed to get the optimal effect

·         Planting plans ensure that your budget for planting stays on target – especially important for large projects where the plant budget may be high

·         Planting plans provide a quickly and accurate record for you or your gardeners to work from season by season

Connick Tree care can design and plant any type of hedge, helping you choose the right type of hedge for your requirements. Fast growing and “instant” hedges are available for rapid screening.

The main types of hedges are as follows, other species can be used, please ask us for advice on species choice.

- Formal hedges, these withstand close clipping:

Beech, Common Box, Holly, Berberis, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Lawson & Leyland Cypress, Yew

- Security hedge or protecting a vulnerable position (lots of vicious thorns):

Holly, Berberis, Hawthorn, Blackthorn

- Informal, flowering hedges:

Evergreen: Cotoneaster lacteus, Pyracantha, Escallonia.

Deciduous: Hawthorn, Potentilla, Roses.

Size

Along with maintenance, the ultimate size of a hedge causes the greatest concerns. In a perfect world, the hedge would grow rapidly and thickly to a pre-set height and then stop dead in its tracks. The reality is that if you want a "fast hedge", one that will grow to the desired height and thicken up just as quickly, it will tend to keep on going upwards and outwards just as vigorously past the optimum size as it did to get there in the first place.

This is the cause of the great Leylandii curse, a much used hedging plant, particularly on housing estates in the last thirty years. They rapidly form an excellent hedge, but require regular cutting back and the subsequent disposal of large quantities of material, if they are not to get out of hand or even become the subject of a dispute between neighbours. Fast growing plants means the hedge is effective sooner, but then requires more maintenance to keep it under control. Slower growing hedges will take several years to form an effective barrier, but will require less clipping and will generally live longer.

Does size matter?

Hedges establish better and form dense bushy growth from the ground upwards more readily if planted as young, small plants. Many people look at the small bare rooted seedlings or transplants and imagine it will be years before they will achieve anything which looks like a hedge. If larger plants are chosen the result can often be that the hedge is rather gappy at the base. In a few years a hedge planted as small bare-rooted plants will soon catch up and even over-take a hedge planted as much bigger and more expensive pot grown plants. Larger plants are more likely to fail than smaller ones.

Many hedging plants will form very tall trees or shrubs if left unpruned. In general they will respond to trimming of their vertical growth by producing side shoots. Sometimes it is necessary to trim verticals in order to promote bushy sideways growth even though vertical height is also required. It is all part of the process of establishing a well formed and effective hedge.