Trees lining avenues or driveways is a wonderful way to define the entrance or approach to your property.
Avenues of trees are some of the most strikingly important structural plantings to be found in designed landscapes. In most cases the trees planted in an avenue or driveway will be all of the same species or cultivar so as to give a formal and uniform appearance.
When choosing trees for your avenue or driveway key points to consider is the width of the available space bearing in mind the eventual spread of the tree canopy and the spacing of the individual trees themselves. Do you want the trees to grow together or be spaced so they retain their individual shape?
Feel free to browse through our stock, we are always happy to talk about our trees. Visits to the nursery are welcome by appointment and are a great way to experience our trees for yourself.
-
Ulmus Lutece ('Nanguen' Elm) is a new hybrid of Elm which is resistant to Dutch Elm disease. The characteristics of this hybrid are a smooth stem, with its leaf and general appearance similar to native field elm. It's very hardy, wind resistant and tolerant of summer drought and winter waterlogging. Tends to begin leafing later in spring and also to drop in late autumn, around the end of November. Fast growing in well drained soil of any type. Suitable as a specimen tree, coastal, or urban planting. Will grow to a height of up to 10 to 15 metres.
-
"Tilia Americana 'American Sentry', a variant of the American Lime, is a hardy, pollution-tolerant, deciduous, big leaf tree that's perfect for planting in a street, a park or in a large garden. It creates excellent shade for urban settings and parks where it is happy to grow even in polluted locations. The American Lime has bright green ovate leaves which are large and lighter in colour than the species and turn a lovely yellow in the autumn time. This lime has pretty daffodil-yellow flowers that appear in early to mid-summer and make for a great pollinator for insects. The tree itself is formed in an upright habit and conical shape and can reach a height of up to 15 metres with a spread of 9 metres. Like many Lime, the American Lime will tolerate most soil conditions providing they are well drained and tends to be a useful choice for clay soils. It is extremely hardy - however, it doesn't work well in coastal locations and prefers ideally non-exposed settings."
-
"Taxus baccata Dovastonii Aurea is an upright, slow-growing conifer with attractive, pale orange or 'golden', evergreen foliage with yellow flower and a broad weeping, light, open crown. Like other Yew, it has a fairly narrow width and columnar shape, making it ideal to use as sentries outside front doors and along pathways or to punctuate a border. This striking conifer has a yellow flower that's prominent in early Spring, set off against the smooth, reddish-brown bark. It is easy to maintain and stray stems can be trimmed back to maintain the symmetrical appearance. The foliage is highly toxic so take care around animals. It can reach a height and spread of 4 to 5 meters in 20 years, and will grow well in any situation, preferring non-acidic soil, and should flourish in dry or moist, well drained ground."
-
"Sorbus intermedia (Swedish whitebeam) is a stunning, medium size deciduous whitebeam tree that has distinctive lobed leaves, dark green in colour with white, felt-like hair on the underside.
The tree can grow up to 12 metres in height with a broad, dense canopy. Leaves are broadly oval, deeply-lobed and dark green, turning a yellow-orange hue in the autumn. Clusters of white flowers in spring are followed by red berries in autumn. The tree’s flowers provide nectar for insects and its fruits are consumed and dispersed by various birds. Due to the tree’s tolerance to air-pollution and its ornamental value, it is often planted along streets in urban areas. Alternatively, the tree is wind resistant and can withstand dry conditions and thus is suitable in exposed and coastal location.
Swedish whitebeam grows in a wide range of soil types, as long as they are rich and well-drained. Prefers full sun or partial shade."
-
"Quercus suber (Cork Oak) is s a medium to large sized, evergreen oak tree. Very long lived, it is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring and as the cores of cricket balls. The soft bark is greyish-brown and develops deep grooves after the fourth year. Once the bark has been harvested, the trunk is a fiery red colour. The tree itself has an irregular, more or less rounded, half-open crown. Its evergreen serrated leaves are oval to ovoid and glossy dark green. On the underside they are felt-like and greyish-white. The elongated ovoid acorns grow singly or in pairs and are 1.5 - 3 cm in size. Quercus suber can flower practically the entire year, which means that the acorns are visible most of the year. The tree will grow to a maximum height of 6 to 15 metres depending on conditions. It will grow in any type of soil and can tolerate dry soil conditions."
-
"Quercus palustris 'Green Dwarf' is, as its name suggests, a smaller and slower growing version of the pin oak species. Green Dwarf is ideal for small gardens, producing a globose/rounded crown of shiny, serrated green leaves in Spring. In Autumn the leaves turn a beautiful hue of red before shedding. It thrives best in full sun or light shade in moist, well-drained, neutral to acidic soil. Slow growing, it will grow to a maximum height of 4 metres with a spread of around 2 to 3 metres taking at least 20 years to reach its full height.
-
"Prunus serrulata 'Shirotae' - translating as Japanese cherry 'Mount Fuji' - is a small to medium, flowering cherry tree and is primarily grown for it's wide spreading, slightly arching branches covered in white, fragrant flowers in mid-Spring. It is a deciduous tree with a weeping habit when young maturing into a flat-topped, spreading form as it ages. The fragrant, semi-double white flowers bloom in early Spring. The slightly serrated leaf is light-green in spring before turning mid-green in summer whilst in autumn, the leaves turn a lovely yellow and orange. Similar to other ornamental cherries, the tree thrives best in nutrient-rich, moist, free draining ground of any soil type. It will tolerate any position but prefers a sheltered spot – strong winds may strip the tree of its blossom. Grown in full sun for the best flower and growth. A hardy example of the Japanese cherry, it will grow to a maximum height and width of 5 to 6 metres - with moderate growing it can take up to 20 years to reach its full height."
-
"Prunus serrulata 'Fugenzo', also known as 'Shirofugen', is a classic, ornamental Japanese cherry tree. The flower is supposed to resemble the shape of an elephant - because the pistil looks like an elephant’s trunk and the loose and open flower petals look like the hanging ears and skin of an elephant! It is a large deciduous tree with a vase-shaped crown. The slightly fragrant, white flower grows in clusters/racemes in late spring. The leaf is bronze-red in spring before turning a dark green in summer. In autumn, the leaves turn a delicate orange and red. With its abundant flower, it makes for a great pollinator. Similar to other ornamental cherries, the tree thrives best in nutrient-rich, non-acidic, free draining ground. The soil types to grow in should ideally be damp and of a loam, coarse sand, loess, or lighter clay composition. It preferes a sheltered spot – strong winds may strip the tree of its blossom. Grow in full sun for the best flower and growth. It will grow to a maximum height of 7 to 10 metres with a spread of 5 to 6 metres - slow growing taking several years to reach full height."
-
"Prunus serrulata 'Amanogawa' is an elegant ornamental Japanese cherry tree. It has an erect/columnar habit giving its common name - 'Flagpole Cherry'. It is a small, narrowly fastigiate deciduous tree with slightly fragrant, semi-double, pale pink flowers in late spring. The leaf is green-bronze in spring before turning a vibrant green in summer. In autumn, the leaves turn a delicate orange and red. With its abundant flower, it makes for a great pollinator. The tree thrives in all soil types as long as the soil is moist and free draining. Ideally it requires a sheltered spot – strong winds may strip the tree of its blossom. Grow in full sun for the best flower and growth. It will grow to a maximum height of 5 to 6 with a spread of 2 to 3 metres - slow growing taking up to 20 years to reach full height. Maintenance of the tree for removal of dead branches etc is best done in mid-summer."
-
"Malus tschonoskii is a vigorous, medium-sized tree that produces a crop of small greenish-yellow tinged red crab apple fruit in the autumn. It is a vigorous, narrowly conical and erect, medium-sized deciduous tree with ovate leaves turning a striking bright orange, red and purple hue in autumn. Flowers white, from pink buds. Fruits are 2.5cm in width and are not particularly dense in form. This reliable variant will grow to a height of approximately 8 to 10 metres with a narrow, conical spread - maximum growth can take anywhere between 10 to 20 years. Makes for an ideal specimen tree or for planting in urban or street settings. Grows best on moderately fertile soil - any type - will tolerate partial shade, and can be grown on either exposed or sheltered sites - away from coastal locations."
-
"Magnolia Wada's Memory is a popular, hardy and elegant form of Magnolia that has beautiful, fragrant white star-shaped flower in the Spring proceeded by spectacular dark green/black foliage with hints of reddish-purple. Its branches curve upwards and form an elongated cone which it maintains throughout its life. This is a great magnolia suitable for small to mid-size gardens or for avenues and streets, as it remains a shapely shrub for many years, and even when it is mature, is a manageable small tree requiring a minimal, if any, amount of pruning. Prefers a fairly sheltered spot with sun or part-shade position. Can be planted in any soil type, aside from alkaline/chalky soil, and likes plenty of ericaceous compost when planted to act as an initial booster followed ideally in early spring with manure and leaf mould, especially on dry soils. It's a hardy tree, resistant to frost and moderate winds, that will eventually reach a maximum height of around 7 to 8 metres.
-
"Fagus sylvatica Laciniata, otherwise knows as Cut Leaf Beech, is an uncommon cultivar of the European beech. With similar characteristics to the Asplenifolia variant, it is a beautiful tree with serrated and glossy, dark-green, long leaves. The leaf though is not as serrated as the Asplenifolia. It is pyramidical in its early years, but is eventually capable of becoming as wide as it is tall. A great choice for parkland where its cut leaf gives magnificent contrast. Also of note is the lovely yellow to red-brown autumn colour on the leaf. It can grow up to 20 metres in height and is usually planted as a specimen tree or planted in urban/street locations. It prefers a well-drained soil that is not too wet and is rich in humus content. Moderately wind resistant."
-
"Castanea sativa Marsol is a hybrid variant of the European chestnut (Castanea sativa) and Japanese chestnut (Castanea crenata). 'Marsol' is a vigorous, disease resistant tree. It's a versatile and fast growing, large tree which is particularly attractive in early summer when laden with its male and female catkins. It's long, glossy leaves turn gold and bronze before falling in autumn. As with the regular Castanea sativa, 'Marsol' is a splendid tree for grouping and especially outstanding planted as an avenue. It does best on reasonably dry, light soils, and is moderately lime tolerant."
-
"Acer rubrum 'Karpick' is a cultivar of the Maple family noted for its narrow form. It grows up to 15 metres tall but only to 5 metres wide making it an ideal tree for narrow streets and avenues. Can grow in most, free-draining soil types. Relatively fast growing and can reach its full height over a 10 to 20 year span. Dark green, palmate leaves, grey-green beneath, turning brilliant orange-red and yellow in autumn. Prefers most planting aspects but not exposed or coastal sites."
-
Ulmus hollandica Dodoens (Elm) as a clone has moderate resistance to Dutch elm disease. A tough large tree, Ulmus hollandica Dodoens is good for verges and for avenues, and forms a broadly pyramidal crown. It is fast growing and a good choice for windy, exposed locations including coastal sites.
-
Tilia tomentosa Brabant (Silver Lime) is rightly considered to be an excellent urban tree, coping with the rigours of city environments very well. With a more regularly pyramidal form than the species, Tilia tomentosa Brabant is just as large. It is very versatile, being suitable for urban settings, avenues, verges and parks. The striking silver undersides of its foliage makes it a wonderful tree for providing contrast within a landscape and the leaves turn a glorious yellow before falling in the autumn.
-
"Tilia platyphyllos is a fast growing tree which reaches significant heights and widths at maturity. It has luscious foliage which gives the tree a healthy appearance all year round. This tree has a roughly fissured bark which, unlike other Limes, tends not to sucker too much. The leaves are circular in shape and dark green. Like many Limes this tree has a lime yellow autumn colour and tends to lose its leaves early in the autumn period."
-
"The Weeping Silver Lime is perhaps the most graceful of all large, weeping trees. As its common name suggests, this Lime tree has large leaves which are Silver on the underside, producing a flowing display of shimmery foliage that is extremely effective on breezy days. The flowers are richly scented but narcotic to bees, giving this tree its aphid resistant benefit. The autumn colour is classic for a Lime tree; a vivid display of yellows that appears fairly early in autumn. This tree is fast growing and reaches a considerable height as a mature tree, circa 20m. This cultivation has a domed shape crown and although weeping, generally looks more open and rounded in habit than other species that are classified as weeping in shape. Tilia tomentosa Petiolaris is a significant specimen at maturity so it is important to plant this tree with space to fulfill its true capabilities, it is therefore best suited to parkland and very large gardens."
-
"Tilia x europea Pallida (A Clone of Common Lime) or Kaiser Linden is the Lime of the famous Unter den Linden in Berlin and has been highly rated for many years. A large tree of pyramidal form, Tilia x europea Pallida has pale green leaves with attractive green-yellow undersides. It thrives pretty much anywhere and is tolerant of most soils. Quick to grow and establish, care should be taken to avoid hard areas that could be affected by aphid drip."
-
"Tilia cordata Greenspire (Lime Tree) is a very popular choice for urban planting where its uniformity is preferred over the native Tilia cordata. Maintaining a strong leader, it has a well branched crown through to maturity which distinguishes it over other selections as the premier clone of Tilia cordata. It thrives well on most soils and copes readily with harsh urban environments given enough soil to exploit."
-
"Tilia Americana Redmond, also commonly known as the American Lime, is a species of Lime native to Eastern North America. The cultivar Redmond originated in the 1920’s from Plumfield Nurseries, based in Nebraska, USA. The American Lime Redmond has bright green leaves which are large and lighter in colour than the species and turn a pale yellow in the autumn time. This lime has pretty creamy yellow flowers that appear in early to mid-summer and are pollinated by bees. Tilia Americana Redmond forms a pyramidal shape at maturity and does not suffer from aphid infestation and the associated “aphid drip” of many other Lime trees, making it a super selection for avenue and parkland planting here in the UK. At present it is not currently well known and as such tends to be overlooked for more familiar species."
-
"Tilia Americana Nova, also commonly known as the American Lime, is a species of Lime native to Eastern North America. The American Lime has bright green leaves which are large and lighter in colour than the species and turn a pale yellow in the autumn time. This lime has pretty creamy yellow flowers that appear in early to mid-summer and are pollinated by bees. Tilia Americana Nova forms a pyramidal shape at maturity and does not suffer from aphid infestation and the associated aphid drip of many other Lime trees, making it a super selection for avenue and parkland planting. At present it is not currently well known and as such tends to be overlooked for more familiar species. Like many Lime, the American Lime will tolerate most soil conditions, providing they are well drained and tends to be a useful choice for clay soils."
-
Taxus baccata Fastigiata is a fastigiate or upright, slow-growing conifer with attractive, yellow tinted, evergreen foliage. Taxus baccata fastigiata has a fairly narrow width and columnar shape, making it ideal to use as sentries outside front doors and along pathways or to punctuate a border. This striking conifer is easy to maintain and stray stems can be trimmed back to maintain the symmetrical appearance. The foliage is highly toxic so take care around animals. Irish Yew is expected to reach a height and spread of 5 x 4 meters in 20 years, and will grow well in any situation, tolerating all soils, other than damp, badly drained conditions.
-
"Medium-size tree, initially with narrow oval crown, eventually with an ovoid crown to 10 m tall and 6 to 8 m wide. Twigs are brown, old bark is grey and smooth. The imparipinnate leaves consist of 15-17 leaf segments. They are glossy dark green and in autumn turn intensely orange-red to red. In May and June the white flowers appear in wide corymbs. They are followed by more or less pear-shaped, orange-red fruits that remain on the tree until into winter, provided they are not eaten by birds. Healthy tree that was named in a Swedish research programme. The seed from which ‘Dodong’ was produced was collected in 1976 by a Swedish-Danish expedition to the Korean island of Ullung Do. Dodong is the name of the island’s port."
-
"Sorbus x thuringiaca Fastigiata (Mountain Ash) is a cross between Sorbus aria (Whitebeam) and Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan) and brings together some of the most ornamental features of each parent. The cultivar 'Fastigiata' has distinctive, neat, dense upright branches, pale-back leaves and dark-red berries. Clusters of white flowers in spring are followed by these bunches of red berries by September. The green/grey foliage can turn a magnificent orange in the autumn. A small tree, Sorbus x thuringiaca Fastigiata is columnar when young, but becomes broadly oval as it matures. It is tough and is well suited to urban planting, withstanding air pollution very well. It does fine as a street tree and in restricted areas."
-
"Sorbus aucuparia Sheerwater Seedling is a well-known Mountain Ash that has long been planted in urban environments and as a street tree. The foliage of this Mountain Ash is similar to the species, being a mid-green, compound and containing 4-9 pairs of leaflets. The flowers are creamy white and hang in clusters when they appear in the spring and are followed by bright red, bird friendly, berries in the autumn, as which point the green leaves of this reliable tree turn yellows and gold. At maturity Sorbus aucuparia Sheerwater Seedling forms an oval tree; however as a young tree the branches are fairly stiffly ascending, giving it an upright look for a number of years. Over time this tight shape is interrupted by the heavy fruits, which gradually open the crown up. This tree will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions and does not mind being planted in semi-shade. This tree is useful where space is limited and will provide year round interest coupled with fodder for the local wildlife."
-
"Sorbus aria 'Majestica' (Whitebeam) is, as the name suggests, a larger and more majestic cultivar of the species. In every other aspect it shares its appearance with Sorbus aria. The initially upright crown gradually spreads with age. Rich green leaves with a downy, white underside. Sorbus aria Majestica has creamy-white flower in late Spring proceeded by red berry fruits in autumn. An easy to grow tree, suitable for most, well-drained soil types. Hardy."
-
"This stunning whitebeam tree has foliage which emerges from purple shoots in the spring, soft and silvery-white. As the seasons progress the leaves harden to become a more distinct grey on the underside and green on the surface. Clusters of creamy white flowers appear in April and May, followed by bright orange-red fruit in the autumn time, when the leaves turn a golden brown before falling. At maturity this small tree retains a rounded and compact shape, requires little maintenance and will thrive on all soils, including chalky ones. A wonderful choice of tree for planting as feature specimens in gardens."
-
"Quercus robur Fastigiata Koster (Cypress Oak) is a uniformly narrow clone of common oak which makes it ideal for restricted areas. It thrives best in more rural environments where soil volumes are greater to support its growth."
-
"Quercus robur (Common Oak, English Oak) is perhaps the most majestic of the oaks. Very long lived, its hard timber has been used to produce the finest furniture, from ships through to coffins. A large, imposing, broadly oval tree, heavy-limbed and long-lived. Its deeply grained bark gives year-round appeal and it has an expansive root system which does best on deep, heavy soils. A wonderful choice for parkland and large estates, it is also good in avenues and wide verges. Quercus robur is a great host for supporting wildlife and its acorns are hidden and distributed by forgetful Jays. Given the right conditions one can expect between three and four summer flushes of growth."
-
"It is the fastigiate version of Quercus palustris with deeply lobed green shiny leaves turning to scarlet in the autumn which makes for a wonderful display. It ascending branches give it a very columnar shape so it can be accommodated within a garden rather than a parkland environment. Quercus palustris Green Pillar thrives best where the soil is on the acid side of neutral and it prefers free draining land. For years there was only one brand of upright Oak, namely the Quercus robur Fastigiata and its close clone called Koster, but this magnificent tree gives so much more in terms of autumn colour."
-
"Quercus petraea is long lived and a great choice for coastal locations. It is a large oval shaped tree and will also tolerate acid soils. Similar in many respects to Quercus robur, Quercus petraea tends to have a greater degree of apical dominance so developing a more pyramidal crown. A great tree for wildlife it supports a host of animals."
-
"Quercus frainetto, known as Hungarian Oak, was introduced in the 1830s and has lustrous foliage that always catches attention. Deeply lobed, dark green leaves can reach up to 20cm in length and they also have a tough rigidity to them making this tree a good urban or rural selection. Great planted as an avenue or individual specimen, the variety ‘Trump’ is tricky to tell apart from its parent at maturity. Thriving on most well drained soils, its great summer foliage display turns to yellow in the autumn."
-
"Quercus cerris (Turkey Oak) is a large rounded tree and is probably the fastest growing oak in Ireland. It does well even in chalky soils and in coastal areas. The dark green, lobed leaves are resistant to mildew, which affects some others of the genus. A tough tree Quercus cerris is ideal for wide verges and parks."
-
"Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer is an extremely popular deciduous tree which is often planted for screening purposes. This pretty tree is the first to come into leaf in the spring, when its leaves emerge in conjunction with a pretty white flower which covers the tree. The foliage further emerges a bright and glossy green and remains on the tree until well into the autumn time, when it turns a bright orangey red before falling. Not only is Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer the first tree into leaf in the spring, it is the last tree to lose its leaves in the autumn time, a useful quality for screening. This callery pear has been known to produce very small fruits on occasion, however this should not cause concern as it is not a regular, or indeed impactful occurrence."
-
"Prunus x yedoensis is a cross between Prunus speciosa and Prunus x subhirtella. This superbly pretty tree is hard to beat when in full flow. A broad, flat crowned tree, Prunus x yedoensis has arching branches which create an almost weeping effect. It is of medium height and puts on a wonderful display of almond-scented, blush-white blossom in late March and early April. The fruits are dark red, almost black. Lovely as a park tree and also very good on broad verges."
