Not everyone lives in the country with acres of land to fill. Sometimes your little back yard is screaming for a tree but the mighty oak is just a tad too big. Many small, ornamental trees are perfect fillers. Crabapples (Malus sp.) are probably the most popular flowering tree in Vermont. They are so diverse in their height (5 ft to 25 ft), flower color (pure white to bright pink and everything in between), and their growth habit (upright columnar, rounded crown or horizontal branching). It is easy to find one that will fill your empty space.

At one time all the wooded areas on the nursery property were cultivated fields. Many old specimen trees and shrubs remain including a grove of Japanese Tree Lilacs (Syringa reticulata) that lines one of our drives. These highly adaptable, disease resistant trees bear very fragrant, creamy white flowers in June. They have shallow root systems and are extremely cold hardy. Their bark resembles a cherry tree, smooth reddish brown with raised lenticels throughout. Their rounded crown tops out at about 20 feet.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is possibly the most versatile small native tree. It’s leafless branches are covered with bright pink flowers in early spring.

White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus ) is not really a tree since it has a multistemmed base. However, it matures to 12 to 20 feet and if the lower branches are pruned it does appear tree-like. Clusters of fragrant, white flowers appear in June.

Everyone wants a Magnolia because they think they can’t have one this far north. While the evergreen Magnolia will only grow in the warmer southern climates there are a few varieties that do well in Vermont. We grow ‘Dr. Merrill’ Magnolia (Magnolia x loebneri) and the Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata). Both sport creamy white flowers in early spring at about the same time as the forsythia blooms. The Dr. Merrill is multistemmed and matures to a height of 25 feet. The Star Magnolia is also multistemmed, but with a more dense branching habit. It matures to a height of 15 feet. We have a beautiful specimen planted at the entrance to our garden center.

For people looking to fill a shady spot, the native Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is the solution. It is a graceful tree with horizontal branches that create a layered look. Creamy white flowers appear in spring. It can be quite breathtaking under-planted with spring blooming perennials.

Introduced to the Northeast from China in 1980, the handsome Seven –Son Flower (Heptacodium miconioides) has become all the rage amongst horticulturalists. We have one planted in the shrub row at the Nursery. It is multi-stemmed with an upright spreading canopy. The best part about this tree is that it puts on its show in late summer through October. Pale, creamy white flowers appear in August. When these drop off, the sepals turn a pinkish red for a very lovely effect. For folks who are looking to extend the color in their gardens, this is the perfect solution.

Many of these small trees are growing at the Nursery. One of our gardeners will be happy to show them to you before you choose the perfect specimen for your yard.