Cherry Blossom/Weeping Willow/colourful tree?

I've never planted a tree in my life but now want to plant a colourful tree in the front garden. Any suggestions? I love the vibrant orange of the feileastram/montbretia which grows wild in the Kerry Gaeltacht. Would there be a tree that would grow as colourfully as that in Ireland?

The Cherry Blossom has always looked gorgeous to me. However, how long would it be in flower in Ireland? Would I have to plant it now, or wait until April? And how tall does it grow, and how long does it take to grow to that height? Should I look for a particular height when I buy it in the garden centre? Which cherry blossom flowers for longest?

Also, how long would a weeping willow keep flowering for? Is there any particular one which grows well in the Irish climate?

Thanks for any advice.

looksee

Cherry trees are lovely when they are in flower, they are mostly a bit boring for the rest of the year though. There is a huge range of different types.

Weeping willow is far too big for a garden and is not recommended as it can do damage to foundations. They don't particularly flower - any flower would be insignificant. Any Willows would grow with great enthusiasm provided the soil is not completely free draining, but they are really not recommended.

I realise you were offering it as an example of colour, but don't plant montbretia unless you want the entire garden filled with nothing else. It spreads.

A few tree options might be (depending on the site, the climate etc) crab apple, flowers in spring and lots of small colourful fruit in the autumn, mostly medium sized trees. Rowan / Mountain Ash - another usually medium sized tree with (if you get the right variety) bright red/orange berries in the autumn, though the flowers are whitish. Japanese acer - mostly quite small but there are some bigger ones, pretty leaves and good autumn colour, though no flowers.

Give us a bit more information about your site, how much space, what kind of environment.

macraignil

Fuaranach wrote: »

I've never planted a tree in my life but now want to plant a colourful tree in the front garden. Any suggestions? I love the vibrant orange of the feileastram/montbretia which grows wild in the Kerry Gaeltacht. Would there be a tree that would grow as colourfully as that in Ireland?

The Cherry Blossom has always looked gorgeous to me. However, how long would it be in flower in Ireland? Would I have to plant it now, or wait until April? And how tall does it grow, and how long does it take to grow to that height? Should I look for a particular height when I buy it in the garden centre? Which cherry blossom flowers for longest?

Also, how long would a weeping willow keep flowering for? Is there any particular one which grows well in the Irish climate?

Thanks for any advice.

As mentioned the eventual size of any tree planted needs to be considered. There are some varieties of the trees you mention that are smaller than others. I have planted a winter flowering cherry that is said not to grow very big but the one I got seems to suffer from some sort of blossom wilt. The tree/shrub that has flowers that most remind me of the montbretia is the Chilean fire bush but getting these can be difficult. I eventually found some at Hillside Nurseries in Glaunthaun, Co. Cork.