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If you have a small garden, you may think that having a tree is not an option, but everyone should plant a tree – they’re good for the environment, and good for your garden. Small trees can be a great focal point, or block your view of something you don’t want to see – an ugly wall, for example – and they also provide some shade and privacy, as well as attracting wild life such as birds. If you want to plant a tree in your small garden, there are a few options for you, from fruit trees to flowering beauties, and some can even be planted in a pot.

An apple a day

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This is the best of small trees if you’d like to eat what you grow. This tree produces beautiful apples that look like they come straight from a storybook, with dark red glossy skin, and a sweet taste. The Spartan eating apple is quite resistant to scab and mildew and can fertilise itself, so you don’t need to plant a partner tree. This tree produces fruit between October and January, so you can stock up on some vitamin C fresh from your garden every winter.

Beautiful year-round

The crab apple is one of the small trees that also bears fruit, and is a very good option if you only have room for one tree, as it works hard all year round. It flowers in April, when red buds open into stunning white. In autumn, orange-yellow fruits hang from the branches, dangling amidst colourful leaves. Unfortunately you can’t eat crab apples, but local wildlife will love them.

Ornamental cherry

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The Japanese flowering cherry is beautiful. It looks great in spring, but also in autumn. The leaves start out bronze, and then change colour to a fiery red in autumn. In May this tree is at its best, full of frilly double flowers in pink and white. Be warned, though: aphids and caterpillars love this tree.

In a pot

Some small trees will grow well in a pot. If you are really short on space, this might be the best option for you. Most container trees grow between four and ten inches tall – perfect for a compact garden. Some options are the Ann magnolia, crape myrtle, the hedge maple and the Eastern redbud.

If your garden space is limited, that doesn’t mean you can’t plant a tree. With a little research, you’ll find the perfect tree for you.