Hi Stoat, Alder buckthorn Frangula alnus is a small shrubby tree that grows to approximately 5m in height. It has small flowers that bees like, and it also has small red berries in the autumn and winter which the birds can eat. You can prune Rowan trees, further details on the RHS web site below.
www.rhs.org.uk/.../details
Welcome back Stoat, it has been rather a long time! I have an ornamental Rowan 'Autumn Spire' which I grow in large pot given it's liking for acid soil & I live in chalk Quarry! It's deciduous, has yellow berries, beautiful Autumn colours & a given Max height of 13m after 10 years!
My other favourite, beloved by Blackbirds & Spadger is Pyracantha which can reach quite epic proportions (I have to tie mine in for stability) but can be pruned easily & grows in any soil. I have combination of red, yellow & orange berries all growing together!
You do not say which variety of Cotoneaster you have, I planted a 'Cornuba' tree with red berries (which can attain 20 feet) but, as an experiment, am training mine along an arch in two directions & pruning as required, seems OK so far!
Hope this info helps
2013 photos & vids here
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Thank you both. I like the sound of the alder buckthorn. I look into one of them. I may get one of them and a rowan in fact once I've tidied up a bit more. Its interesting that you mentioned growing a rowan in a pot as I was thinking of doing that anyway. I'm also hoping to grow some climbing plants in another tub that we have which has a built in trellis so I may have a go at Pyracantha in there. I did have some growing up an arch I'd built but the arch blew down in some strong winds due to the amount of honeysuckle growing on it!
My Christmas list has just got a bit longer!
I'm not sure what type of cotoneaster it is. Its been there since we moved into the house about 10 years ago.
Thanks again
Some before & after pics of your garden would be good Stoat!
Fortunately my arch is tied in to the fence but the poor C tree is smothered by a couple of huge Buddleias but these will be severely chopped soon ... just waiting for last Butterflies as they love them!
I'll get my camera out! It'll be a slow process though as I don't get much time
I'm a bit late to the party but one of the smaller varieties of Crab Apple is worth considering. They have lovely blossom in Spring for the bees, they are host to a lot of insect life during the summer and of course the fruit is great for the winter thrushes as well as colour.
You might need to do a bit of research as to which varieties are suitable for a small garden. If I recall you live in Herefordshire so a perfect area for any sort of apple.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
I also have an ornamental 'weeping' crab apple, again in a pot, & that only attains 3m or so! Looks quie elegant with pretty blossom & teeny red apples but in two years have had no takers for them ... see what this Winter brings!
BTW, will wait patiently for those pics!
Crab apple received as an early Christmas present and planted in a huge pot.think a rowan my have also arrived today