An ornamental tree is one that is described as either non-native to the British Isles or a named cultivar of a native species. They range from the small, at about 5 metres in height when mature, to the medium, at up to 10 metres. Anything bigger than this would not be suitable for a small garden.

There is a wealth of ornamental trees to choose from, and the hard part is finding the right tree for the job you want it to do. You will have to begin by consdering several points about the plant and the plot where you hope to plant it:

• Purpose
• Evergreen or deciduous
• Autumn colours, blossom, fruits, bark
• Specimen or infill
• Final height required
• In a Pot or planted in the ground.
• Impact
• Proximity to buildings / neighbours
• Shade thrown, and rain shadow
• Leaf / fruit fall
• Will it blend or clash, is the scale of tree to garden correct
• Later pruning
• Is the soil suitable?
• Is it in a wind tunnel?
• Shade or sun required
• Water requirements

We would be happy to talk through these considerations with you. Even when you have decided on a particular tree the decision making process is not quite over.You will still need to consider the questions of budget and height – the two are intimately linked!

Typically an ornamental of specimen tree will be in a 10-12 litre pot (see Pot Sizes) at between 1.5 and 2.0 metres in height. We do sell bigger Standards at 3.0 - 5.0 metres, and these can be very rewarding in terms of immediate impact, but they also represent a far more demanding undertaking with regards to planting and staking. However, we do offer a planting service (see Planting).

If we don't stock exactly what you seek, we may still be able to source it for you quickly and at a competitive price. The more unusual and rare trees may be rootballed or bare rooted. These are perfectly viable but slower to establish, as they need to form a generous root structure before they can repay you with top growth.

However the tree reaches you the fundamentals for success remain the same, provided the situation is good: plant it, water it and maintain it. See our specialised advice pages linked from the Information main menu.

For a full listing of the ornamental trees and shrubs that Nicholsons is able to supply, please visit the dedicated Nicholsons Plants website.