Enjoy fresh-picked avocado for your guacamole or toast by growing an avocado tree. "Avocado trees are valued for their nutritious fruits," Popat says. "They require full sun and regular watering to thrive."
Also known as an "acerola" cherry, this tree is an easy-to-grow variety that does well in the ground or a container. "Barbados cherry trees are notable for their high Vitamin C content," Popat says, adding that they prefer partial sun and are quite adaptable to different soil types.
Carambola trees (also known as star fruit) are known for their distinctively shaped fruits and refreshing flavor, according to Popat. While they enjoy full sun to partial shade, Popat says that they require regular pruning to maintain health.
"Dragon fruit plants are actually cacti that produce stunningly beautiful fruits,” Popat says, noting that they need a trellis for support when being grown in the ground or a container.
"Goji berry plants are superfoods, offering health benefits along with sweet, red berries," says Popat. Plant your goji berry tree in full sun for the best fruit production.
Passion fruit vines produce aromatic fruits that are a favorite for juices and desserts, according to Popat, who says that they need ample support for climbing.
These self-pollinating trees have an interesting backstory since most of them require help from a wasp to produce fruit. "Figs have a unique, sweet taste, often described as a blend of honey and berry, with a soft, chewy texture interspersed with crunchy seeds," says Popat.
Whether you have a small yard or even just a petite patio space, it's possible to still grow trees to add depth, color, and interest. Love the look of stately birch and magnolia trees but don't have the space to plant full-size versions? Try a dwarf version instead. You'll get the same aesthetic look you're after but in a smaller, more manageable size. And in some cases, dwarf trees can even be grown in containers, making them a unique choice for your patio or deck. Ahead, we spoke to gardening experts for their recommendations for dwarf trees for small spaces.
There are hundreds of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) options with many dwarf varieties. "Some have an upright habit, such as 'Red Dragon,' and others have a more weeping habit, such as 'Waterfall,' says Charlie Nardozzi, author of The Complete Guide to No-Dig Gardening. "The dwarf forms are slow growing, and all stay around 10 feet tall and wide or smaller."
Looking for a dwarf tree to complement your rain garden? The dwarf river birch (Betula nigra) is an excellent option for most soil types and is ideal for shade and rain gardens. "They have great bark, great form, and are small," says Don Eaton, founder and CEO of Bower & Branch.
If you're thinking of growing a fruit tree, consider a dwarf fig tree (Ficus carica). Sten recommends the 'Chicago Hardy' variety, which thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. You can also plant this variety in a tall container if you're short on space. These trees can handle colder weather but make sure to mulch in fall to protect the roots.
Magnolia trees (Magnolia) can be much smaller than you might think. "While most gardeners think of native magnolias as large majestic trees, there are several dwarf selections that fit well in a small space garden," says Nardozzi. He has a variety called 'Jane' on his property. "It has stayed below 12 feet tall after 10 years of growth with showy purple flowers that repeat bloom," he says. Another option he recommends is the variety 'Little Gem,' which is a good Southern dwarf magnolia with white flowers and evergreen leaves, he says.
Another fruit-bearing dwarf tree to consider in your garden is the everbearing mulberry (Morus nigra). "Dwarf mulberries are fast-growing trees that produce a long, dark fruit that tastes like a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry," says Tucker Taylor, culinary gardener at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Sonoma, California. "They are one of the oldest cultivated fruits grown in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans." Dwarf everbearing mulberry varieties can be grown in containers as well.
If you love citrus but don't have space for a large citrus tree, try finger limes (Citrus australasica), also known as citrus caviar. They produce finger-shaped round, tart fruit. "Finger limes are one of my favorite citrus varieties to grow in temperate climates," says Taylor. Grow in a south-facing sunny area with minimal exposure to wind or frost.
With beautiful flowers in the summer and peeling bark in the winter, the seven-son tree (Heptacodium miconioides) is striking year-round. "It produces clusters of fragrant, white flowers in late summer and fall on a birch-like shaped tree," says Eaton. "It's a favorite of butterflies."
The cultivar Thuja Fluffy is a North American native tree and is resistant to windburn, making it an excellent choice for borders, says Kelly Funk, president of Jackson & Perkins, a full-service nursery. Grow in moist, well-drained soil and choose an area that has full sun to partial shade.
Weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis) produces tiny pink-hued blooms in the spring, and 'Pink Heartbreaker' is a dwarf cultivar of this favorite tree. "Bower & Branch introduced 'Pink Heartbreaker' about 15 years ago, and the original discovered plant is still only 7 feet tall and about 15 feet wide," says Eaton. "These trees are more hardy than regular redbuds [and] are a great focal point, patio tree, or window tree!"
A slow-growing deciduous shrub, dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenia) has a compact, mounded habit. Terminal bottlebrush-like spikes produce white flowers and yellow anthers that fill gardens with interest in April and May. "This plant has suckers. They need to be removed if you do not want colonies of these shrubs," says Langelo.
Dwarf chenille (Acalypha reptans) is a heat-loving, trailing evergreen shrub with crimson flower spikes above ovate dark green leaves. Langelo recommends deadheading the flower buds immediately after the blooms die to stimulate re-bloom.
Garden, Plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, vegetables, or trees are cultivated. The earliest surviving detailed garden plan is Egyptian and dates from about 1400 BC; it shows tree-lined avenues and rectangular ponds. Mesopotamian gardens were places where shade and cool water could be enjoyed; Hellenistic gardens were conspicuously luxurious in their display of precious materials, a tradition carried over by Byzantine gardens. Islamic gardens made use of water, often in pools and fed by narrow canals resembling irrigation channels. In Renaissance Europe, gardens reflected confidence in human ability to impose order on the external world; Italian gardens emphasized the unity of house and garden. French 17th-century gardens were rigidly symmetrical, and French cultural dominance in Europe popularized this style into the next century. In 18th-century England, increasing awareness of the natural world led to the development of “natural” gardens that made use of irregular, nonsymmetrical layouts. Chinese gardens have generally harmonized with the natural landscape, and have employed rocks gathered from great distances as a universal decorative feature. Early Japanese gardens imitated Chinese principles; later developments were the abstract garden, which might feature only sand and rocks, and miniature gardens made in trays (see bonsai).
Ever looked at a garden that just seems to ‘pop’? That’s the magic of landscape layering at work. It’s like a symphony in greenery, where each plant plays its part to create a harmonious whole.
This technique isn’t just about plopping plants in the soil; it’s about planning and positioning them to create depth, interest, and movement. In Ottawa, where our gardens endure everything from sweltering summers to snowy winters, layering isn’t just beautiful; it’s smart gardening.
It allows for a vibrant display that transitions gracefully with the seasons, and it’s practical, offering protection for your plants from our notorious climate swings.
Garden Lovers Club - Gardening Ideas - Plant Information - DIY Garden Projects
20 Inspirational Garden Flower Photos - Garden Lovers Club
While we write about many different types of gardens and DIY projects for backyards of all types, we like to sometimes take a step back and appreciate what's