The front yard is considered the visiting card of the house. And there are also species and varieties of small trees for small gardens that enrich the garden bed without becoming too bulky. Of course, a tree that actually grows tall can also be kept small, but that means a lot of work. However, there are some beautiful specimens that remain small and are therefore also suitable for the hobby gardener with little time.
Table of Contents
Suitable trees for the front yard
Any tree that does not grow too massive is suitable for the front yard. Because large trees in a small garden usually put everything in the shade, hardly any other flowers or shrubs grow here. Also, in many communities it is not even allowed to put tall trees in the front yard because they could protrude onto the sidewalk and the street. But there are many suitable small, spherical or narrow trees that can find their way into the front yard and make them decorative:
- slow growing spherical trees
- columnar, narrow trees
- overhanging crown trees
- Shrubs as tall stems
Slow growing ball trees
For small gardens and front gardens, slow-growing spherical trees are repeatedly mentioned as the ideal solution. Although these trees grow slowly, they can develop large crowns in old age. But in the first twenty to thirty years after planting, this danger usually does not exist and therefore the ball trees are very decorative house trees for a corner of the front yard. In addition, these types of trees naturally form a spherical crown and only need a light shape cut here. The following types are worth mentioning:
Blutpflaume (Prunus cerasifera ‚Nigra‘)
- Wild form originally from Asia
- Flower color pink
- flowering in April
- Fruit ripening in July
- reminiscent of sweet cherries
- leaves dark red
- sunny to partially shaded location
- hardy
- tolerates lime
- nutrient-rich, fresh, moist soil
Felsenbirne (Amelanchier arborea)
- small variety “Robin Hill”
- Flowers and leaves sprout at the same time
- Flowering time between March and April
- small white flowers
- Fruits ready for harvest from June
- little known, fruits are edible
- berry-like
- can also be enjoyed as a jelly, liqueur or juice
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- sandy, slightly acidic, well-drained soil
Kugelahorn (Acer platanoides ‚Globosum‘)
- coming from Belgium
- Zuchtform of the Spitzhorns
- yellow flowers in umbels
- Flowering time between March and April
- hardy
- fresh, slightly acidic soil
- requires few nutrients
- kalvertraglich
- Location sunny to semi-shady
Kugelrobinie (Robinia pseudoacacia ‚Umbraculifera‘)
- originally from North America
- been here for hundreds of years
- also called false acacia
- Flowers white in racemes
- Flowering time in May and June
- sunny location
- sandy, loamy and nutrient-rich soil
- dry to fresh and slightly acidic
- kalvertraglich
- hardy
Globular steppe cherry (Prunus fruticosa ‘Globosa’)
- Origin Siberia and Europe
- Family of Rosaceae
- small white flowers in clusters
- Flowering time from April to May
- small, black bird cherries
- inedible for humans
- sunny to partially shaded location
- any garden soil is tolerated
- hardy
Ball Swamp Oak (Quercus palustris ‘Green Dwarf’)
- originally from North America
- known as nail or Spree oak
- Beech family
- yellow umbel-like flowers
- later kittens form
- Flowering time in May
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil slightly dry to moist
- rich in nutrients and humus
- sensitive to lime
Rotdorn Crataegus laevigata ‚Paul’s Scarlet‘
- natural occurrence in the northern hemisphere
- Hawthorn cultivar
- red bloom
- lush corymbs
- Flowering period from May to June
- sunny location
- Soil loamy and moist
- nutritious and humic
- kalkliebend
- hardy
Columnar, narrow trees
Narrow trees that grow like pillars along the path or the garden wall also fit very well in a small front yard. Because they cast little shade, but create structure and height in the small garden. Whoever hears the columnar and narrow tree probably immediately thinks of the cypress. But there are also other small trees that fit perfectly into the front yard with their narrow outline. These include the following:
Columnar mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia ‘Fastigiata’)
- also known as rowan tree
- Occurrence throughout Europe
- thick white umbrella panicles
- Flowering period from May to June
- red, pea-sized fruits in summer and autumn
- not edible
- sunny location
- Soil humus, slightly acidic and moist
- hardy
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Monumentalis’)
- belongs to the birch family
- uniform, pyramidal growth
- inconspicuous flowering in June
- yellow autumn colour
- sunny to partially shaded location
- well-drained, fresh soil
- nutritious and humic
- very well tolerated by cuts
- hardy
Column hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna ‘Stricta’)
- Family of Rosaceae
- flower color white
- Flowering period from May to June
- striking fall color
- dark red fruits after flowering
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- Soil permeable and undemanding
- Cut usually not necessary
- hardy
Pillar Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Amonogawa’)
- Cultivated form of the Japanese flowering cherry
- originally native to Japan, China and Korea
- Family of Rosaceae
- pink or white flowers in thick tufts
- Flowering time from April to May
- fruits immediately after flowering
- sunny location
- gritty, loamy, moist, fresh soil
- rich in nutrients and humus
- kalkliebend
Overhanging crown trees
Especially when a front garden has been designed romantically, the hanging forms of the house trees fit very well here. The classic representatives with their overhanging crowns are also available in short stature. The picturesque trees are particularly well suited for a solitary position, because this is the only way they really come into their own. An underplanting is often not suitable because of the strong shadow formation. But a small seat always fits here. Thus, suitable overhanging crown trees include the following:
Hanging catkin willow (Salix caprea)
- also called willow
- native to northern Asia and Europe
- yellow catkins
- Flowering time from March to April
- Propagated by capsule fruits in the wind
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- moist, sandy, loamy soil
- wants lots of nutrients
- lime tolerant
- hardy
Red Weeping Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’)
- also known as red weeping beech
- originally from the Netherlands
- small, inconspicuous catkins
- Flowering time in May
- Leaf decoration reddish brown to violet
- orange in autumn
- beechnuts in autumn
- sunny location
- Soil rich in lime, moist and rich in nutrients
Willow-leaved Pear (Pyrus salicifolia)
- related to the native cultivated pears
- originally located in the Caucasus
- white corymbs
- Flowering time from April to May
- Fruit edible but not very tasty
- sunny location
- soil as dry as possible
- moderately nutritious
- kalkliebend
- hardy
Shrubs as tall stems
Ornamental shrubs that can be cultivated as a standard also require little space. However, regular trimming is required here so that the tall stems retain their shape and do not sprout from the base so far that they become shrubs again. But this variant is a good alternative if there is very little space in the front yard and even small trees could become too large here. Some of the popular standard plants include the following:
- Laurel (Laurus)
- Berg-Kiefer (Pinus mugo)
- Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)
- Lilac (Syringa)
- Japanese ornamental willow/harlequin willow (Salix hakuro ‘Nishiki’)
- Currants (Ribes)
- Stachelbeeren (Ribes uva-crispa, Ribes Syn. Grossularia)
- Tree of Life (Thuja)
- False cypress (Chamaecyparis)
- Wachholder (Juniperus)
- Cypress family (Cupressaceae)
