ideal trees to form an arch

[RATTER15]

I have a large wild garden and I'm looking at creating a walkway up one side, the right hand side is a bank with large overhanging trees mostly alder but the left hand side of the walkway is open to the rest of the garden. I would to grow trees up this side to form (eventually) an archway, I don't want conifers, I would rather have indigenous trees but want something that is relatively fast growing, hazel is good but I think I will be forever battling to keep the base under control, I thought of willow but a bit lost with all the different varieties, I haven't ruled out these species yet but just looking on your thoughts and comments.

[woofgang]

beech! fast growing, decorative and has mast for wildlife

[RATTER15]

A great idea, I don't actually have any beech in the garden yet, and a few holly thrown in as well and we have lots of ferns growing wild as well. :-)

"Riding at noon . . .
Across the forest call'd of Dean,
. . . saw
Near him a mound of even-sloping side,
Whereon a hundred stately beeches grew,
And here and there great hollies under them.
But for a mile all round was open space,
And fern and heath: and . . .
It seem'd to Pelleas that the fern without
Burnt as a living fire of emeralds,
So that his eyes were dazzled looking at it.
Then o'er it crost the dimness of a cloud
Floating . . ."

[woofgang]

There is one place in the New Forest that's mostly beech. In the spring its like walking through the heart of an emerald and in late autumn once the leaves have started to fall but there are still plenty on the trees, on sunny days the whole world is bronze.

[RATTER15]

That is quite poetic woofgang :-) Mrs RATTER (Carakeel) and myself ventured to the garden centre today in search of inspiration with the beech in mind interlaced with a few holly trees. To our amazement!! we found two 5 foot holly trees for sale at £5.00 each in a clear-out sale, we naturally bought both of them, the only beech they had was established trees at £125 each, I would need about 20 so I gave them a miss. now to source some cheap beach whips.

[boxtops]

We had twisted willow (until it died inexplicably) - that was lovely, and the stems were fascinating.

[RATTER15]

I do love beech, they hang on to leaves when everything else has been stripped bare by the wind.

[rowanwitch]

quickthorn, wild roses, the larger cotoneasters between rowans not that I am biased or if you want something less bendy how about hornbeam, purple hazel (less vigorous)or the bird cherry prunus padus I think it is called

[RATTER15]

We have a large twisted hazel in our front garden and at my last house I had a large twisted willow, I must say, the twisted hazel is more interesting to look at, especially when there are no leaves on the tree, the structure of the tree is quite amazing.

[rowanwitch]

how about something misty like tamarisk especially if wind is a problem gets pretty big quite fast

[RATTER15]

We are looking to get a Rowan actually, or mountain ash as it is also know, i love them for the berries and the birds they attract.

I also love field maples, a far smaller and leaf tree than the normal maple.

thanks for your input, we already have a cherry prunus, this was a rescue from a tree that was pot bound in our back garden, now released into the wild garden :-)

[RATTER15]

I don't think tamarisk is indigenous or suitable for the desired purpose really, lovely looking tree though. We are trying to stick to indigenous trees when possible, maybe touched by a few foreigners if the circumstances are right "cheap being right" lol

[woofgang]

have you got Amelanchier lamarkii? Lovely bronze leaves in spring, white flowers then black juicy berries that the birds lobe and stunning autumn colour..not sure if its indigenous but it certainly grows wild in the forest here.

[woofgang]

the bare root hedging here looks pretty cheap...
http://www.hedgenurse...p?catid=&rangeid=4614

[RATTER15]

I dont really want hedging as such I just want trees to form a bit of a canopy really.