Replacement TPO Tree advice

[Adam1990]

Hi Guys 

 

I'm after some advice as to what would be my best options out of the 3 types of trees (listed below) to replace a large Tulip Tree with a TPO. The Current tree has out grown our garden and my local council has agreed that it isn't suitable in the current location . So permission to fell has been granted on the grounds it will be replaced with one of the species listed below. 

 

My real question is which would be best for a garden aprox 7 x 20 Meters? Which ever location that the new tree would be plated in it would be within 6 metres of our house which is a 1970's detached with suspected 1m raft foundation on a mixed clay soil.

 

Silver birch Betula pendula 

Downy birch Betula pubescens

Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua

[daltontrees]

Where in the country are you? What direction is the tree to be from the house?

 

[spudulike]

Silver Birch drop copious amounts of tiny brown seeds this time of year. These get in the house, in every orifice of the car and are a pain in the arse. Unfortunately we have hundreds in our village along with willow and poplar all not good trees in my book!

 

[Adam1990]

11 minutes ago, daltontrees said:

Where in the country are you? What direction is the tree to be from the house?

 

 

11 minutes ago, daltontrees said:

Where in the country are you? What direction is the tree to be from the house?

 

Hi,

 

The garden is NW facing but the tree would ideally need to be in the top right corner (East side)  for 2 reasons. 1. It would mean the new tree would be at the furthest away from 3 properties as possible and 2. This location would stop it blocking light into our living room.

 

I'm located on in West Sussex on the south coast.

Edited November 9, 2020 by Adam1990
extra info

[daltontrees]

Parts of W Sussex have shrinkable clays, parts have none. I'd look into that first to see if subsidence risk is significant. If it is and a Tulip Tree is coming out (low water demand) I'd  want to get a low water demand tree in (such as birch). I don't know the water demand of Liquidambar.  The zone of influence of Tulip is half as much again as birch.

Personally I like birch, the shade is not intense. If it's north of the house the prevailing weather should take care of leaves and seeds for you. I'd be thinking about neighbours who might be north of the tree, so they'd prefer birch in the long run for light.  In the short term Liquidambar doesn't seem to amount to much height-wise but they get very big eventually. The TDAG guide says Liquidambar is not suitable for coastal locations or small gardens and is only moderatley tolerant of drought. It says the same about birch but has it as sensitive to drought. All that said, based almost purely on crown density, I'd still go with birch and hope it a naturally stunted life. I'd not be much bothered about subsidence unless neighbouring buildings are closer. If anything, heave is worth considering.

[Adam1990]

55 minutes ago, daltontrees said:

Parts of W Sussex have shrinkable clays, parts have none. I'd look into that first to see if subsidence risk is significant. If it is and a Tulip Tree is coming out (low water demand) I'd  want to get a low water demand tree in (such as birch). I don't know the water demand of Liquidambar.  The zone of influence of Tulip is half as much again as birch.

Personally I like birch, the shade is not intense. If it's north of the house the prevailing weather should take care of leaves and seeds for you. I'd be thinking about neighbours who might be north of the tree, so they'd prefer birch in the long run for light.  In the short term Liquidambar doesn't seem to amount to much height-wise but they get very big eventually. The TDAG guide says Liquidambar is not suitable for coastal locations or small gardens and is only moderatley tolerant of drought. It says the same about birch but has it as sensitive to drought. All that said, based almost purely on crown density, I'd still go with birch and hope it a naturally stunted life. I'd not be much bothered about subsidence unless neighbouring buildings are closer. If anything, heave is worth considering.

Going by the amount of large oaks around the area that are within 10 meters of other houses, I'm leaning on the side of we don't have shrinkable clay in the area as none of the other house seam to show any subsidence ..... But it is something that I will have to speak to the tree surgeon about when getting quotes in.

 

I think you're right about the Birch not sucking up as much light as it will have to back on to part of a garden were all 4 surrounding gardens meet. It's going to be a catch 22 either way... I will either block someones light or end up plating a tree too close to a house against current building regulations.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, daltontrees said:

.  In the short term Liquidambar doesn't seem to amount to much height-wise but they get very big eventually. The TDAG guide says Liquidambar is not suitable for coastal locations or small gardens and is only moderatley tolerant of drought. It says the same about birch but has it as sensitive to drought. All that said, based almost purely on crown density, I'd still go with birch and hope it a naturally stunted life. I'd not be much bothered about subsidence unless neighbouring buildings are closer. If anything, heave is worth considering.

Yes liquidambar are spectacular this time of year but do grow large, the two prominent ones in front gardens in my village had both been removed before they were semi mature. As the replant would presumably be subject to TPO I'd go with birch.

[Khriss]

I wouldnt go with S. Birch in an open spot as they are often getting  toasted with the  long summers of late. Shaded by other trees then yes, but Liquid Ambar my favourite. K

[BonzerBob]

There's always Liquidambar Slender Silhouette, it wouldn't take up too much room, but like all Liquidambar, they are a bit prone to wind damage.

 

The birch would have more of an open canopy but is quite surface rooting, gets aphid, so honeydew, and as a bigger tree drops a lot of twigs. 

 

All things being equal if the tree is in the top right, eastern corner, a lot of the canopy, and root development will tend to head towards the south and west.

[Adam1990]

Does anyone have any photos of any Liquidamber with a rough age of the tree? 

 

I'm 100% going to replace the tulip tree with the TPO with a Birch, as all the old Birch trees local to me aren't monsters. So it would be best option if I'm not allowed to touch it with out planning permission.

 

I do feel the garden could do with another tree and Liquidamber do look nice, but i've never seen one in person and not sure how big they would be after say 10 or 20 years. 

[Stubby]

2 minutes ago, Adam1990 said:

Does anyone have any photos of any Liquidamber with a rough age of the tree? 

 

I'm 100% going to replace the tulip tree with the TPO with a Birch, as all the old Birch trees local to me aren't monsters. So it would be best option if I'm not allowed to touch it with out planning permission.

 

I do feel the garden could do with another tree and Liquidamber do look nice, but i've never seen one in person and not sure how big they would be after say 10 or 20 years. 

I felled a L/A in my dads garden as it was into the phone line . The stump coppiced really well and within 2 years if was up to half the height as before .