Silver birch
(Betula pendula)
A graceful tree with light, triangular-shaped leaves and distinctive, silvery-white peeling bark.
Growth and size
Mature height: 25m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Seeds are eaten by long-tailed tits, siskin, greenfinch and redpolls.
Food plant for more than 300 species of insect.
Soil and conditions
Prefers sandy or acidic soils.
Will grow in most conditions.
Common beech
(Fagus sylvatica)
A fast-growing tree with wavy-edged leaves that turn coppery-bronze in autumn.
Growth and size
Mature height: 40m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Food plant for moth caterpillars, including barred hook-tip, clay triple-lines and olive crescent.
Seeds are eaten by mice, voles, squirrels and birds.
Soil and conditions
Grows well in partial shade on well-drained soil.
Not suitable for waterlogged sites.
English oak
(Quercus robur)
Also known as common or pedunculate oak. this tree is known for its size, age and acorns.
Growth and size
Mature height: 20-40m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Supports more than 2,300 species of insects, birds, fungi and mammals.
Acorns are eaten by squirrels, deer, badgers and birds.
Food plant for caterpillars including purple hairstreak butterfly and many moths.
Soil and conditions
Prefers well-drained, fertile soils.
Thrives in full sun, tolerates light shade.
Needs plenty of space for roots and canopy.
Hornbeam
(Carpinus betulus)
A tree with doubly serated leaves. In autumn, its spring catkins become papery green-winged fruits that hang in tiered clusters.
Growth and size
Mature height: 30m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Leaves provide shelter, roosting, nesting and foraging places for birds and small mammals.
Food plant for many insects.
Seeds are eaten by finches, tits and small mammals.
Soil and conditions
Can withstand severe weather.
Grows in almost any light and well-drained soil.
Wild cherry
(Prunus avium)
Produces beautiful blossom in spring and bright fruits in summer.
Growth and size
Mature height: 25m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Early source of nectar and pollen for insects including bees.
Cherries are eaten by birds.
Soil and conditions
Grows best in full sun and fertile soil.
Won't tolerate waterlogged soil.
Best planted in a sheltered spot.
Rowan
(Sorbus aucuparia)
Creamy-white springtime flowers transform into vibrant orange-red berries in autumn.
Growth and size
Mature height: 15m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Source of pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators.
Host plant for moth caterpillars such as the larger Welsh wave and autumn green carpet.
Berries are eaten by thrushes.
Soil and conditions
Grows in most soils.
Prefers light, well-drained and humus-rich conditions.
Sessile oak
(Quercus petraea)
A hardy oak that differs from English oak with its upright trunk, straighter branches, longer stalked leaves and stalkless acorns.
Growth and size
Mature height: 40m.
Supplied as 20-50cm cell-grown saplings.
Can be planted all year round with proper care.
Value to wildlife
Provides a habitat for more than 280 species of insect, which feed birds and other predators.
Bark is a habitat for moss, lichen and liverwort.
Deadwood provides nesting cavities for birds and bats.
Acorns are eaten by birds and mammals, including jays, badgers and squirrels.
Soil and conditions
Does well in most well-drained soils.
