An attractive landscape, is a planned landscape, and this is also true for small space landscapes. Small space landscaping is about finding the right sized plants for the area. Trees and shrubs make up the foundation of a landscape, and these will be there for many years, so you want to make sure that you choose the right species and varieties. Not all trees are suitable for small spaces. All trees and shrubs will grow, but some will grow larger and wider then others so that small tree that you purchase now, can grow into a large tree in a few years time and be much too big for the area.
Before you plant, plan first. When landscaping a small area, you want to make the most out of every centimetre. Choose trees and shrubs that will give year round interest. Small spaces have room to grow up, so plant standards (stem with plant on top), and upright forms of trees and shrubs. Also look for shrubs that can be pruned heavily to keep them small and compact. Shrubs such as spireas, and potentillas are good examples of flowering shrubs that remain attractive and can be pruned down to keep them small. Plant breeders realize that homeowners are looking for smaller sized trees/shrubs and have bred smaller, compact, dwarf sized plants. A good looking landscape contains healthy plants. Choose plant matter, that is zoned for our cold zone 3 winters. Trees and shrubs that are zoned 1,2 or 3 are all hardy the Prince George area. Sometimes homeowners can get away with planting zone 4, trees and shrubs. These tend to be in the bowl area or in a sheltered spot.
The following list of ornamental trees and shrubs, would be good choices for a small space. Hawthorn trees are a hardy, long living, smaller sized tree. Some of the characteristics include lobed leaves, fragrant spring flowers, which produce clusters of shiny red, fall berries. 'Muckle Plum', is an attractive tree, year round that is tolerant of urban pollution. In the spring the tree produces clusters of fragrant pink flowers which are followed by dark green foliage that turns yellow/orange in the fall. Over the winter the dark bark stands out in the snow. 'Princess Kay Flowering Plum' is a small upright tree, that produces double white, spring blossoms, has attractive dark bark, and yellow/orange, fall foliage. The 'Ornamental pear' is a very hardy, easy to grow tree, that tolerates different growing conditions. It has an upright pyramidal form, attractive foliage, with nice fall colour, and pretty white, spring flowers.
'Parkland Pillar Birch', is a fast growing tree, that has a tall narrow growth habit, good for narrow spaces and tall privacy hedges. It has white bark, and dark green foliage, which turns yellow in the fall.
'Flowering Almond Shrub' is a small sized, easy to grow, flowering shrub that is covered in double pink flowers in the spring.
'Blue Muffin Cranberry' adds a different colour to the landscape as it produces blue berries instead of red that attract birds. The small, compact plant has dark green leaves that turn to orange/burgundy in the fall.
There are several varieties of Lilacs that are good for small spaces. They include 'Tinkerbell, and Boomerang, which is known for its ability to bloom twice in one season.
'Montgomery Blue Spruce' is a slow growing, dense, evergreen that reaches a height of 4 m and 1.5 m wide. Its blue needles give it year round colour.
'Blue Nest Spruce' is a slow growing, compact, mounded evergreen shrub, with blue green needles.
Also available are small sized cherry trees which provide fruit. Choose from several varieties in the 'romance' series that include Romeo, Juilete, and Cupid.
