I have started a little project of my own where I am trying to collect info on peoples favourite garden trees. For a tree to be suitable for my criteria it has to be fond of the english climate and have high amenity or high wildlife value.
If you've got a tree in mind I would really appreciate you contacting me and then maybe supplying a picture and / or some comments.
It doesn't have to be english native.
Many thanks.

I've got a willow tree (much chopped down since I moved in but still flourishing).

Also got a conifer type thingy

Had 3 Leylandii Now in horticultural hell.

Has to be Holly for me. Slow growing, looks magnificent when in fruit, good to the birds and squirrels, evergreen and protects your Hostas underneath as the slugs hate the leaves.

Top tree.

Willow trees can be truly great, but have varieties which grow to only a few feet to the huge weeping willows of river banks. Which do you have Murf?
Leylandii now 'illegal' within 6 feet of a border. Usually needs a complaint to be made by the person sharing the border.

Spiny's holly. Definitely in my list. Any particular favourite?

Bog standard weeping(ish?) willow.

Had one as a kid too which was great for climbing so a personal favourite.

I don't really think of stuff like holly as trees, just shrubs.....

To be fair, I'll probably get info on a number of willows as they are so great. As for holly; pretty good as shrubs or trees. We are of a like mind here on fiso.

Pine & larch, naturally... *

Sadly, losing another pine to old age/disease so considering Araucaria as replacement.
The evergreen 'monkey puzzle' is slow-growing and exotic-looking; see:

http://www.findmeplants.co.uk/plant-ara ... -0778.aspx

http://www.tree-shop.co.uk/products_det ... ingID=1005


* left and right respectively in avatar

There is a monkey puzzle in a front garden on the old A12 into Colchester. Amazing tree, love it every time I pass it. Far more 'open' than thse on the link pictures.

Did you know that Larch is a deciduous conifer? Of course you did.
But can you name any more?

I like Japanese red mapple.Some of the blue fir is my favourite conifers.I'm not sure how Ginkgo would adopt to British climate but it is weird plant.There is still debate that it's a conifer or not.
Monkey Puzzle Tree is a good call.That is another weird looking tree.

I love Acers and have several and would have many more if I could fit them in. Not sure that they meet up with the original criteria though. Monkey Puzzle's are magnificant trees and there are a fair few on the way to work.

The Rowan is well worth a mention and the birds love feasting in ours.

(I have a narrow garden but a lot of trees.)

If you have any pics of your trees I would really appreciate you sending them to me with a title and any of your own words on them. Please message me if you are happy to do this and I'll give you my email.
I'm trying to compile a kind of personal catalogue on them with words and pictures by me and regular people rather than garden experts and arboriculturalists.
And your maples surely will count for amenity value, Spiny. I also know that you are pretty handy with a camera.

The Rowan is well worth a mention and the birds love feasting in ours.

(I have a narrow garden but a lot of trees.)[/quote]
The rowan. Of course. That will go high on my list.

Seem to have about 4 palm trees in my back yard. Already got rid of a huge Aloe Vera, and a couple of small pines are getting the chop. Sticking in some mandarins, lemons and a lime. And maybe a peach/nectarine type thing.

A few weeks ago, I planted a Standard Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki" which is the Salix grafted onto a standard trunk. I am told these are cracking trees for a small space, and respond well to quite hard pruning which encourages the variegated growth. Also supposed to look great in winter too, with quite bright red stems, and then catkins in the spring, after which it can be pruned to keep it in check and encourage the new growth.

Pic attached (not mine, alas!) but it will look like that soon, I hope!