which shrub?

[sharon54]

Please can anyone offer some advice, as i'm not very experienced with trees and shrubs?
I've bought a really large container, and I'm looking for a good specimen shrub, or small tree, which will live happily in it. It will be in a prominant position, so I need something that looks interesting for longer than just a couple of weeks, ideally evergreen, but I wouldn't rule anything out. I once remember a gardener on TV mentioning a small tree which was interesting all year, with blossom, berries, and different coloured leaves, at different times of year, does anyone know this, or anything similar?
Thanks

[katerich48]

I've got a roof terrace and so everything of mine is in pots (some big) in the bigger pots I have a fig tree, an apple tree, a crab apple tree, a cherry tree, and two Lilac trees. Everything I have planted has been a success and fruits are starting to show already for this year on the fig tree...I also have a wisteria in a big pot..

[Hawkwalk]

how about a Prunus incisa Kojo-no-mai. It is good for containers, early spring flowers, good colour leaves during the summer and interesting twisted winter branches. Not an evergreen but looks good all year.

[sharon54]

Thank you to you both :-) I had wondered about a fruit tree. I haven't heard of a Prunus incisa Kojo-no-mai, but I'm off now to look it up in my book :-)

Thanks again

[hammerman]

If you wanted an evergreen which stays smaller but really looks exotic, i'd go for a Fatsia Japonica (there's a varigated one too). Or there's some stunning Phormium tennax around or a cordyline ( All evergreen).

For something different, what about a hardy Japanese banana (Musa Basjoo) (dies back in winter) or a gorgeous heavenly bamboo (Nandina) (evergreen).

There are some lovely Japanese maples too (Acer palmatum dissectum 'garnet' being top of my list) or a beautiful golden Indian bean tree (Catalpa bignonoides 'aurea') which have leaves the size of dinner plates if you keep the tree cut back (both deciduous)

[sharon54]

Thanks hammerman, you've given me plenty to have a look at. I looked up the info Hawkwalk gave, but it flowers quite early, and as I dont venture out into the garden when it's cold, then I might miss it at it's best.
I also wondered about a Butterfly bush...the tub I've got is enormous.

Thanks
Sharon

[Jenga]

What about a palm tree? I had one in a pot for a few years till it got too big and I eventually planted it but you can just get another smaller one to replace it.

Obviously if you live somewhere which sufffers bad frosts probably don't try it. They are fine for the South of England.

[sharon54]

Hi, I'd love a palm tree, although I'm in the North of England, S Yorks, but I'm sure i could wrap garden fleece around it during the winter....mmm, yes I'll have to look into it, although I visited the garden centre at the weekend, but i was frozen with the cold, so didn't hang around outside very long :-)