Expert Advice >
The Ornamental Trees section contains all of our trees that are delivered in larger sizes (called "standards") for instant effect. Many of these large trees are also available as smaller, cheaper saplings in the Hedging Plants section.
How Standard trees are measured: All of our large trees are sold in "standard" sizes, which means that they are measured by their girth in centimetres, taken 1 metre above the ground (i.e. their waist measurement). So, a 6/8 standard tree has a trunk that is between 6 and 8 centimetres in circumference.
On average, all of our standard trees are between 2-3 metres tall when we deliver them, depending on the variety, but please note that this can vary.
When to plant large trees: Standard trees are only delivered bareroot, during the winter season, for planting between November and March-April. You can place an order at anytime of year to reserve your plants & delivery date.
Preparation: It is ideal to prepare the soil well in advance of planting by killing the weeds, digging the soil over to remove stones etc and adding in some well rotted manure / compost. If you do nothing else, be sure to destroy all weeds & remove the grass in a metre wide square / circle around the base of the tree. If you are planting in the middle of a lawn, you can clear a smaller area.
When your trees arrive, be ready to take care of them and plant them as soon as possible. Check them to make sure that you have received what you ordered and that you are satisfied with its quality. Contact us if there is anything wrong and we will sort it out.
We recommend that you plant your trees as soon as possible, but if there is going to be a delay, please read our advice on storing your plants.
After Care: All establishing trees must be watered during dry weather for at least one year after you plant them. During winter, the rain will normally take care of this for you.
Planting your Trees: Our planting videos on big trees will explain everything. You will need a stake and a special tree tie with a rubber spacer to support your tree for its first year or two. A hemp-fibre mulch mat is also very useful. It will keep weeds down and help to conserve soil moisture while your tree is establishing.