Replanting a copse

[CotoChris]

<font color='#0000FF'>Not sure if there are many of you who work in the garden but I give this a try anyway. I had a fungal disease that was affecting the pine trees so now that the moon is wanning the trees are being chopped as I type. I'm going to replant and any ideas &amp; thoughts will be most welcome.
The garden in question I show below. I'm considering into planting silber birch with some maple trees behind. The white of the silver birch will contrast with the red colours of the maple. I'm also planting a couple of Ginkos. The overall aspect is for this to have a wild aspect, so there is no formality in the design.
All trees will have to be decidious due to the fire threat.
Appreciate any thoughts on Trees &amp; bushes.

[Adrian Kelland]

Chris

Do you know what the fungal disease was? Just thinking that you could end up planting trees that it could still affect. The spores are probably all over the garden.

Copper beech could be good, the leaves darkening through summer, blend with the maples - Japanese for shape/colour or Canadian for colour. Slow grower, whereas the silver birch is faster to mature.

Adrian

[Mr T.]

Err...replanting a corpse!! This is all a bit Burke and Hare, isn't it!?

Ohh - 'copse'......as you were. &nbsp;

[tom]

That combination of trees is going to give you some interesting seasonal changes, lots of reds and yellows in the leaves in autumn. For springtime interest, how about some flowering trees - ornamental cherries or crab apples?

Looks like a pretty big garden you have there!

[daz]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Bren Tierney @ Dec. 16 2003,17:34)]Err...replanting a corpse!! This is all a bit Burke and Hare, isn't it!?

Ohh - 'copse'......as you were. &nbsp;

Know what you mean Bren,

I read the subject line and thought &quot;What did he dig them up for in the first place&quot;

and the punchline ends... Flogging a dead horse &nbsp;

Daz

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (tom @ Dec. 16 2003,17:41)]That combination of trees is going to give you some interesting seasonal changes, lots of reds and yellows in the leaves in autumn. For springtime interest, how about some flowering trees - ornamental cherries or crab apples?

Looks like a pretty big garden you have there!

Tom

I wondered about cherries too, especially if Chris could find one with attractive bark. I did not mention it in the end, as it did not feel 'wild' to me. But this is 'eye of the beholder' stuff here.

In the UK I would go for a couple of hawthorns, blossom in spring, berries in autumn. Not sure how they would survive fire though. Probably too thin trunked.

Adrian

[Dominic]

Pfft. Call yourself a diver?

Chop down the rest of the trees and put in a small lake to go diving in

[CotoChris]

<font color='#0000FF'>Thanks for your thoughts. I don't know the name of the fungal disease but it is specific to the Maritime Pine (Pinus Maritimus) so it shouldn't affect the other trees. As for fires the strip of land is to be a barrier between the house and the hillside hence the need for decidous trees, conifers go alight in no time.
What I'm really wanting to do is to increase the wildlife/biodiversity. The birch and maples will play the colour, the hawthorn is a great idea as it gives shelter. I'll place a couple of water sources for birds so they have their own bar in the summer. Further out I'm I need to fence off the garden and will put a pyracantha hedge alongside, only a fool will want to try to cross it witht hose nice long spikes.
I have flowering cherries nearby, they great because not only for the flowers but give great shade and even some berries -large pip and little pulp. I'm not too specific on the 'wild' feel, I just don't want it to be formal- that would a hell of a job.
I do need something for spring time - any other ideas? What about Laburnum? I know it is poisonous but the yellow would be outstanding.