This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Small Trees for Connecticut Gardens

Ornamental Trees For Shady Gardens

Choosing ornamental trees for your garden can be an overwhelming decision. Since most homeowners have room for only one or two small trees, choosing trees is something most of us don’t do very often. Even small trees can set the tone for your garden and should be viewed as permanent fixtures that add year round structure and interest to your garden. So making the right choice is crucial.

Chances are pretty good you’ll want your small tree to play several different roles in your garden. Perhaps it will provide screening, wildlife habitat or shade for a patio all the while looking good throughout the year. I hate to say it, but that means you need to steer clear of many of the spring flowering ‘one-hit wonders’ (yes, I’m talking about you weeping cherry). What you want is a tree that will thrive in our Connecticut climate while also adding year round interest and long-term value to your home.

Shady Characters

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here are three trees to consider for your Connecticut garden if you are choosing a tree for a shady spot (we’ll look at small ornamental trees for sunny sites soon). Each one thrives in the shade and is guaranteed to add a wow-factor to your garden.

Maple trees are a common sight in Connecticut but a paperbark maple (Acer griseum) will add a little something extra to your garden that other maple trees can’t. This slow-growing tree is known for its richly colored exfoliating bark and deep green foliage. Paperbark maple prefers a site with partial shade and rich, well-drained soil but can also be grown in full sun and clay soils. The fire red color of its leaves in the fall only adds to its multi-season appeal. 

Find out what's happening in Clintonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

If you’d prefer a flowering tree, you can’t go wrong with white fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus). Fragrant, white thread-like flowers cover this small native tree in late spring and early summer. Flowers are dioecious (either male or female) and female trees will bear blue-black fruit in the late summer that is attractive to birds if there is a male nearby. White fringe tree is often seen as a multi-stemmed tree as it prefers a partially shady spot with moist soil and is tolerant of air pollution so it can be an ideal choice for an urban location. As the tree ages, the bark becomes rough and ridged, adding to its winter appeal. 

If you need an evergreen tree for a shady spot, look no further than American holly (Ilex opaca). This native broadleaf evergreen has dense, glossy foliage, which makes it a good choice for screening in a small garden. It’s upright conical shape and bright red berries (females need a nearby male for berry production) make it a classic addition to any garden, especially one that is bird-friendly. American holly tolerates much more shade than its Asian cousins while still proving the traditional pyramidal holly shape we all know and love.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?