There is not a lot of soil in this garden for trees, but there were a couple of spots where I really wanted to plant an apple tree - partly because apple trees are so nice to have with the blossom AND the fruit, but also to provide a bit of screening. I have already planted a Cornish variety, and now I have planted a
Bardsey Island apple. I am hoping that this tree, coming from a windy small Welsh island, will be OK with the thin sandy soil and fierce winds here. The mat thing is a coir mat, used instead of digging up the grass, it seems to work quite well to convert a grassy area to a well-mulched area of soil. A bit dull at the moment with just basically a stick in it, so I've added the boots that I wore holes in and planted up with pansies, plus the little metal duck that belonged to Pp's Mum.
And this is a hopeful attempt to establish some trees and bushes on the tarmac, as a support to the Theo Fencing. I have three young rowan trees here, and three Chaenomeles cathayensis - Chinese Quince bushes. Both are tough little trees: I know that rowans can grow in high windy places with very little soil, and I'm gambling the quinces will be able to manage with what is basically a big pot - the rowans may, or may not, be able to get their roots down into the gap between the tarmac and the concrete! We shall see.