Fast growing trees and shrubs for a small garden.

[janemariesayed]

I am very lucky that my garden patch is a blank canvas, apart from the fact that I'm still working on getting rid of six foot weeds. Once the weeds have all gone, I will be planting a nice lawn and putting trees and shrubs. I am wondering if there are any trees or shrubs that don't take too long to grow. I live in the north of the UK and the weather is not as cold as you would expect it to be. I'm after a country garden style and wonder if anyone can suggest any cottagy type shrubs or trees that would be suitable for a cooler climate and fast growing?

 

[Logan L. Johnson]

Forsythia and Loropetalum for shrubs. Kousa dogwood for a tree.

 

[Rayaustin]

Hey Jane!

I would suggest cottagy shrubs that are fast growing would be suitable for a cooler climate are :-

Honey Suckle: The honeysuckle in spring bloom has pink/white/yellow flowers that have a strong fragrance along with red berries in winter.

Butterfly Bush : These fast growing shrubs provide colorful flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds alike. They are not ideal in terms of privacy, but they have an extremely fast growth rate.

Nellie Stevens Holly: The Nellie Stevens Holly with its bright red berries provides you with an attractive fast growing shrub option that the birds love. They can reach a height of 30 feet.

Forsythia: The forsythia is a springtime delight with their tallow flowers. They grow incredibly fast and give color at a time when everything else is still brown. They are planted with ease and can grow about 2 feet a year both in length and in width.

Leyland Cypress: Amongst the fast growing shrubs the Leyland Cypress hold its own. These evergreen natives of North America can reach heights 60 feet with a growth of 4 feet per year. They tend to grow more vertically than spread horizontally. They should be planted at a distance of 6 feet from each other to form a privacy shrub. You must prune them carefully to grow them into shrubs instead of trees.