Summer Shade Trees
Creating Summer Shade with a Feature Tree

Summer is here and it is great to be outdoors and enjoying the beautiful sunshine and warmer days. Seeking shade is a natural feeling and trees can provide a practical and natural solution. Advanced deciduous trees provide that cooling shade in summer and can be a standout feature of any garden.

There are other great benefits to planting a great shade tree. They can be used as a feature in your garden, a practical way to create shade for picnics, outdoor dining, childrens playgrounds andย  cooling the house in the heat of the summer, with the added bonus of providing homes for birds and wildlife.

Here are our favourite shade trees…

Acer negundo โ€˜Sensationโ€™

Maple Sensation

This cultivar, Acer negundo โ€˜Sensationโ€™, will provide brilliant early autumn colour and tolerate poorer soil conditions. Prefers sheltered positions which escape high winds. With a moderate growth rate, 9m x 6m

 

Quercus palustris

Pin Oak

Pin Oaks are most often found in streets, parks and larger garden, and planted as shade trees. A magnificent display of orange, red and scarlet foliage in autumn. They are reasonably fast growing to a height of approximately 20m.

 

Gleditsia triacanthos

Honey Locust ‘Shademaster’

The Gleditsia triacanthos โ€˜Shademasterโ€™ is an attractive tree with an open, spreading canopy. Gleditsia enjoy full sun, good moist soil, though will tolerate poor drainage. Fast growing, they will reach heights of 8-10m.

 

Quercus robur

English Oakย 

English Oaks are most often found in streets, parks and were widely used in avenues of honour in the early 1900s. They can grow as wide as their height, making great shade trees. They are reasonably fast growing to a height of approximately 15m – 20m.

 

Fraxinus angustifolia raywood

Claret Ash

Ideal as a shade tree, the Claret Ash will grow well in most soil conditions though not suited to wet or alkaline soils. This cultivar is known for its wine coloured autumn showing, thus its name, the Claret Ash. An attractive tree that can be found in parks, streets and medium to large gardens. Grows to 12m x 9m wide.

 

Ulmus parvifolia โ€˜Toddโ€™

Chinese Elm (Todd)

This elm has become very popular. Being a versatile and attractive ornamental tree, it is suitable for windbreaks or shade. This cultivar has smooth bark and a vigorous upright habit, weeping with age. It prefers full sun and deep, well drained soil. Grows to around 10m.

 

More information

We have an extensive range of shade trees to suit all applications for councils, schools and the home gardener and are always happy to help pick the right tree for your next project.

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