Growing for Success | Finding the right shade tree — it’s easier than you think

It’s surprising how often the bigger trees are the last addition to a garden, when they really should be one of the first.

They form the framework of the garden; they influence the microclimate around them, determining the type of plants that should be underplanted in the area.

Most of all, though, they are much slower to grow than other plants, so the sooner they’re planted, the better.

A lot of care and consideration needs to go into the selection and placement of these larger plants in the garden.

Matching their height, spread and proportions to the space available is most important, as is considering the area that the root system will occupy, the location of underground services in the vicinity, the invasiveness of the root system and the characteristics of the variety of tree being considered.

Are they strong-structured trees, or are they prone to dropping branches?

Do they set fruit or berries that are going to drop on paths and structures below, or do they have loads of pollen that will float on the surface of your pool all summer?

Some trees are much messier than others.

For instance, some Eucalyptus trees shed their bark, drop heaps of stamens when they flower, and then drop gum nuts when the flowers finish, all the while shedding leaves year-round.

The same can be said for a deciduous Melia azedarach (white cedar), although it will only drop its leaves once a year, making it just as messy.

Deciduous trees, which are often considered cleaner than evergreen trees because they lose all their leaves at once, will let the winter sun in, but you’ll lose most of the screening effect they might provide over winter.

All these pros and cons need to be considered when choosing a shade tree for a particular spot in the garden.

You’ll also need to be aware of where to place the tree so that it casts shade over the right areas.

For smaller trees, you might consider Crepe myrtles, Japanese maples or standardised dwarf Indian bean trees.

Crepe myrtles are a well-known small deciduous feature or shade tree with colourful flowers starting in December and continuing through to autumn, before their leaves change colour to stunning oranges and reds.

As they mature, their bark sheds over winter, revealing a smooth, shiny trunk.

Japanese maples like Acer palmatum Seiryu grow to around four metres high and wide, making a lovely small shade tree.

Its finely dissected foliage turns an amazing deep fiery red quite late, in May to mid-June, when most of the other autumn colours have finished.

Catalpa bignonioides Nana, the dwarf Indian bean tree, is a fast-growing grafted standard tree with a rounded, uniform and dense crown that is umbrella-shaped.

It has large, heart-shaped lime green leaves that provide very heavy shade beneath its canopy.

Medium-sized trees like Corymbia Wildfire or Corymbia citriodora 'Scentuous’ will grow between five to eight metres high and are suitable for most town gardens.

Corymbia Wildfire is a beautiful grafted red flowering gum that flowers around this time of the year and can reach six metres high by five metres wide.

The flowers are so numerous that they can sometimes almost make the mat of green leaves disappear beneath them.

Corymbia citriodora Scentuous can grow to eight metres high or slightly larger and is a grafted dwarf variety of the beautiful lemon-scented gum trees with long, slender smooth trunks.

‘Acer Sensation’ can also be classified as a medium-sized tree.

This deciduous box-leaf maple has vibrant red and orange autumn foliage.

It is quite fast-growing and very robust, with sterile flowers, so it won’t become a problem by growing saplings throughout the surrounding gardens and bushland.

Quercus robur is a huge shade tree ideally suited to large rural gardens. It is slow-growing and a long-term project.

Commonly known as English oaks, these are stately shade trees with a broad spreading habit and short, thick trunks.

But at 11 metres plus wide, you need plenty of space to grow one.

Zelkova serrata ‘Green Vase’ is another useful large shade tree, growing to around 14 metres high by 10 metres wide in a vase shape.

They make a very appealing avenue tree or feature tree and are relatively quick-growing.

A form of Japanese elm, they are resistant to elm leaf beetle, make them a great substitute for golden elms in areas where this is a problem.

So, next time it’s 40°C, and you’re thinking, “I should really plant a shade tree,” remember what they say: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.”

So don’t wait any longer. We’ll see you out here in the tree section of the garden centre very soon.