Janni,

That is a tall order! There are non fruiting crabs but the space requirements have taken most trees out of the equation for me. There aren't many that won't outgrow that space. Sure, you could pick the crabapples off on a fruiting variety, but that's a lot of work long term. So that leaves shrubs, but you want to limb it up to 4ft. Can you post a pic of the area or help me understand why the 8 - 10 foot max on height?

Ok, I just looked up the Lollipop crabapple, it's adorable, and it wouldn't take much to pick those off. It says 7,000 ft max on elevation, but I wouldn't let 200 feet steer me away from it. 10 feet from a south facing wall may buy you a little extra hardiness.

I haven't heard of Rose tree of China, was it Rose of Sharon or a rose bush on a standard maybe?

Help me see your vision for the space and what you want the tree to do for you. Then i will happily start making recommendations, some of them wildly inappropriate, lol!

Barb

I've never seen a hawthorne that was very big. Messy and pokey though, they also produce fruit that may attract bears as well. Japanese tree lilacs are usually pretty small, look and smell nice, seen them listed as hardy to Z3. Their flowers don't produce any berries like crabapples or hawthorn either so there's no bears or messes to worry about.

I have a hawthorne planted in my front yard; it is the 'Crimson Cloud' cultivar, not the Russian hawthorne. I love the tree; it does indeed have thorns, though it is considered somewhat thornless in comparison to other hawthorns. I have it right next to my front walkway, but have trimmed up the branches so the thorns are not a problem - they are about 2 inches long and can be very painful! My tree is not messy at all, so not sure what Zach has experienced with hawthornes (if you want a messy tree, grow a Catalpa!) but then this is the only hawthorne I have been around. It is definitely taller than 10 feet - maybe 20, but it is a pretty slim tree, the limbs are definitely twisted and contorted, which I love, the spring flowers are beautiful and the leaves are a lovely dark green. The fall foliage color is unremarkable, but the bright red berries put on a nice display - the tree really does have all-seasons interest.

All this info about a tree that won't fit in your space, janni, but maybe you - or someone else - has a place for it. It really is quite nice..... Here is a close up of the flowers on my tree in spring a few years ago:

Holly

That is worth making room for, oakiris. Just beautiful!

Agreed, Barb! And you have plenty of room for several of them..... :-D

Holly

I have not forgotten this thread and appreciate all the responses -- just trying to get husband to 1) find his camera (done), 2) charge the batteries (in process) and 3) take pictures (tomorrow morning, he promises.

Does anyone have a reblooming lilac in standard or tree shape?

Okay, here are a couple photos. I'm standing in the spot where I want to put a tree. I am 5'6" for reference. The trees between the fence and the garden area have been removed and there is about twenty feet between the top of the berm and the fence. Eventually, I'll put a BIG tree up there, but for now, I'd like advice on a little tree to put where I'm standing. I'm about six feet from the stone entry post and three feet from the sidewalk. This is my new perennial garden, by the way! I can't wait until next year to see how the garden looks when the plants are a bit bigger. I am facing west -- the house is north of the front yard.

Anyway, below is a second spot I want a wee tree. You can see, if you look closely, a small basement-window like opening on which I'm standing. Right now, I have struggling sweet peas in this opening but this is where a tree needs to be. In front of me is "the throne," a small platform where my husband reads and writes. I'd like to give him some shade from this tree. I am facing south east in this photo. The throne is against a stone wall to its south and a fence to its east. The little plant to your left of the throne is a Wisteria which hasn't been growing well, but at least is sheltered. I'm not counting on it doing much of anything. Eventually, I'll paint the fence a subtle grey as well as the house/window casings, so flowers and trees will stand out. Last year, all of this was GRASS. I hate grass. Love gardens. Adore flowers.

Janni,

Thank you for the pics! It really helps tremendously. Your gardens are beautiful and will be spectacular in a few years. I'm getting ready for work, so just have a few minutes to comment.

For pic 1, I'm liking Zach's suggestion of a Japanese tree lilac. There is a new reblooming lilac called Bloomerang that you'd look for on a standard, not a multitrunked shrub. I don't know how hardy they are, but will see what I can find out.

Pic 2 is a bit harder. Are you intending to plant in the center of the basement window opening you're standing on? Is there anything house related in there, plumbing, electrical, etc? What are the dimensions of the soil area in that space and how deep is the soil in there? How far is it from the planting area to the throne? It looks to be a very small space to get a tree going, although I've seen people plant full size trees in a smaller area, lol! My gut reaction is that's too small a space for a tree and what you want is to rig a shade sail over the throne. I might change my mind with more info.

I'm including a link below from CSU. It gives you types of trees and shrubs that will grow in your area with max elevations and planting info. Spring planting is recommended in your area, not fall planting, so you have time to research and find the best source once you choose.

Where do you buy most of your plants? Don't be afraid to ask your local nursery to order something for you. They may be starting to prepare their orders for spring and If you are a regular customer. Gotta run, but I'll be back!

Trees and shrubs for mountain areas

Barb