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Planting in the garden Plants will provide changing colours, shapes and character to your garden throughout the year. Planting trees and shrubs Trees and shrubs provide height, so give an extra dimension to your garden. With careful selection they can also provide colour for seasonal interest throughout the year whether with flowers, fruit, autumn leaves or winter silhouettes. Select the right size and number of trees to fit with the size of your garden, bearing in mind the mature height and spread. Look to have one or two trees in a small to medium garden. Too many trees or potentially large trees may outgrow their space. Which trees and shrubs are best for my garden? Take a look at the RHS' comprehensive guide to looking after garden trees and shrubs and see their list of suitable plants for different locations. These links will take to the RHS website. In Seaside/coastal areas Strawberry tree (Arbutus) Hawthorn (Crataegus) Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) Cordyline Cotoneaster Euonymus Fuchsia Hebe Helianthemum Holly (Ilex aquifolium) Lavender Olearia Phlomis Santolina Tamarisk For Industrial/built-up areas Barberry (Berberis) Sun rose (Cistus) Smoke tree (Cotinus) Mock orange (Philadelphus) Potentilla Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) Weigela Maple (Acer) Tree of heaven (Ailanthus) Laburnum Ornamental apple (Malus) Ornamental cherry (Prunus) Ornamental pear (Pyrus) Willow (Salix) Able to tolerate poorly drained soil Flowering quince (Chaenomeles) Spiraea Weigela Hornbeam (Carpinus) Willow (Salix) Amelanchier Silver birch (Betula pendula)