I have a very small spot in my garden that I would like to add a little shade with a small tree. If the tree also bloomed at some point in the year that would be a huge bonus. Any recommendations for flowering trees for small spaces?
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It does depend a little but on exactly how small your space is, but for something with flowers you might try a redbud, a flowering dogwood or a kousa dogwood, a fringe tree, a serviceberry, a star magnolia, a witch hazel, or a red buckeye. If you don't mind something with less showy flowers, you could try a Japanese maple or a paperbark maple. Another thought could be a fig tree. There are a lot of options! I recommend going to a local nursery and seeing what you like.
Some articles on the subject:
https://www.finegardening.com/project-guides/gardening-basics/trees-for-tight-spaces
https://www.finegardening.com/article/three-amazing-understory-trees-and-shrubs
https://www.finegardening.com/article/6-amazing-small-trees
https://www.finegardening.com/article/9-fantastic-flowering-trees
There are several great options for small flowering trees that can add shade and beauty to your garden! Here are a few recommendations: your garden.
1. **Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)**: This tree has beautiful pink to purple blooms in early spring and typically grows 20-30 feet tall, making it a perfect choice for smaller spaces.
2. **Dogwood (Cornus florida)**: Known for its stunning white or pink flowers in spring, the flowering dogwood usually reaches about 15-30 feet in height. It also has attractive fall foliage.
3. **Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)**: This tree features lovely white flowers in early spring, followed by small, edible berries in summer. It typically grows 15-25 feet tall and has beautiful fall color.
4. **Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)**: With a variety of sizes available, many crape myrtles stay under 20 feet tall. They bloom in summer with vibrant clusters of flowers in various colors.
5. **Japanese Snowbell (Styrax japonicus)**: This small tree produces lovely white, bell-shaped flowers in late spring. It generally reaches about 15-20 feet tall.
These options should provide lovely blooms while fitting nicely into your small garden space!
We love our Virginia Fringe Tree...it's late to sprout leaves but...not to worry.
https://mgnv.org/plants/native-plants/trees/chionanthus-virginicus/
The wrens use the fringe droppings for nesting. It is not a messy tree and grows very well in zone 5 Montana in the Flathead Valley.