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Fastest growing ornamental trees


Best fast-growing flowering trees: 10 beautiful ideas

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Fast-growing flowering trees are a beautiful addition to the garden, rewarding you with beautiful blooms and an impressive stature within just a few years. 

While slower growing trees are great for adding an aged character to your garden, they are not ideal if you are starting your garden from scratch and don't want to have to wait decades to benefit. Fast-growing trees, however, and particularly fast-growing flowering trees will be quicker to create a dramatic transformation – and most of these make for great trees for privacy and screening, too.

'Fast growing flowering trees provide quicker results but are often shorter lived than slower growing species,' recommends arborist Melinda Myers , 'Consider planting both if space allows. The fast growing flowering tree will provide faster results and the slow grower will remain years after the other fades' .

Fast-growing flowering trees

There are many benefits to adding fast-growing flowering trees to your garden, include providing garden privacy ideas. Fast growing flowering trees are also some of the best trees for shade, providing a cool space in which to relax during the hot summers.

'Most trees take several years to reach their optimal growth rate.  The first year they adjust to the space, the second year they spend developing roots, and the third they begin to put on noticeable size.  Therefore, when you read that a tree grows at a specific rate per year don’t expect to see this in the first season,' Blythe Yost, CEO of the online landscape design company Tilly .

Choosing the right fast-growing flowering trees will depend on where you live and the amount of space you have available. It will also depend on which of the pretty blooms you fall in love with.

However, there are some key considerations. 'Make sure they are not invasive. Those plants labeled as easy care and fast growing often become problems. Non native invasive plants are those that leave the landscape by seed, or plant pieces, and enter nearby natural spaces,' advises Melinda Myers, 'these fast growing adaptable plants crowd out our native plants that pollinators, birds and other wildlife depend upon. Something we all need to consider when adding plants to the landscape. Burning bush, buckthorn, honeysuckle all popular landscape plants that have invaded natural spaces.'

Once you've chose which fast-growing flowering trees you want to add to your garden, it's important that you know how to plant a tree, to give it is best chance of thriving in its new home.

1. Best fast-growing flowering tree for front yards

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If you want fast-growing flowering trees that make a statement, then the Crape Myrtle is an excellent choice. 'The Crape Myrtle (or as it’s sometimes known, the Crapemyrtle) is a Southern staple that does just as well on the West Coast as it does down South and is also an ideal tree for anywhere else in between the two,' says Shannon Bernadin CEO of The African Garden .

Crape Myrtle grow approximately two feet per year and can survive in hardiness zones 6 to 9. 'Trim and prune to maintain desired canopy shape and fertilize monthly from early spring to mid-fall for lush growth and abundant flowers,' says Luke Kalawsky expert at Moon Valley Nursery .

These pretty trees are available in a range of colors meaning they can work well in a wide range of garden ideas. 'The Tuskegee variety is a beautiful dark pink shade while Muskogee is a pretty lavender color. If you're looking for white blooms then Natchez is perfect. Alternatively make a bold statement with Dynamite Red's deep red blooms or  Catawba's stunning purple flowers,' continues Luke.

Crape Myrtle trees are also one of the best trees for front yards.

2. Best fast-growing tree for the front of your house

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One of the best climbing plants, with its beautiful waterfall blooms filling the air with their perfume, wisteria is a favorite for growing up the exterior of the house. 

A brilliant addition to small garden ideas, wisteria is most commonly grown up a fence, house or pergola, though it can also be grown as a standard tree. Consider learning how to grow wisteria up the front of your home to embrace cottage front door ideas.

If you're looking for fast-growing flowering trees, then Kentucky wisteria is your best option. Native to parts of North America, the fragrant Kentucky wisteria is best grown for a grafted plant and will flower within two to three years of being planted.

3. Best fast-growing flowering tree for containers

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Magnolia's are seeing a real resurgence in popularity at the moment and for good reason. While some varieties, like the popular magnolia stellata, are slow growing – which makes them one of the best trees to grow in pots – the Southern Magnolia is the fastest growing variety so is great if you want to enjoy its height and floral display with minimal waiting time. 

Southern Magnolia, also known as magnolia grandiflora, flowers at the start of May, with its pretty blooms continuing through June, they herald the coming summer and all its beauty.  While your tree may start small, it grows around two feet per year and it will reach 'an average height and width of 30-45 feet' explains Lindsey Hyland, founder of Urban Organic Yield .

These fast-growing flowering trees also have the added benefit of being some of the best evergreen trees for gardens.

4. Best fast-growing flowering tree for shade

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Named after it's pretty tulip-like flowers that bloom in spring, the tulip tree, also known as Liriodendron tulipifera, makes for a characterful addition to the garden, especially as part of cottage backyard ideas. Despite its name its not related to tulips in any way and is in fact a type of magnolia. 'The tuliptree is super fast growing and is loved for the fact it grows very straight, making a beautiful statement in the garden,' says Tammy Sons.

It's fast-growing nature is the reason that John Rogan, professor of geography at Clark University recommends it as one of the best trees for shade, ‘It can grow 2ft per year, reaching up to 90ft when established, with a canopy width as broad as 30-40ft. 

5. Best fast-growing for flowering tree for spring

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The Kwanzan cherry, officially known as Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’, erupts in a profusion of frothy pink blooms in spring. 'The last of the cherries to bloom,' says Blythe, 'the Kwanzan Cherry is also the most notable' and would make a stunning addition to the garden. 

Growing between one and two feet per year, the Kwanzan cherry tree will reach the grand height of 40 foot with a similar spread, however, a little pruning can help to keep it as a smaller tree if you would prefer.  While this may sound daunting, it's very easy once you know how to prune a cherry tree.

6. Best fast-growing flowering tree for early spring

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One of the best trees for shade, the Eastern Redbud are incredibly fast-growing flowering trees which erupt in a profusion of lavender, white or magenta blooms in early spring. 

Flowering when the rest of the garden is typically bare, Eastern Redbuds bring with them the joys of the forthcoming season. The Eastern Redbud is unusual for the fact that 'the blossoms bloom before the leaves making the twigs come alive with vibrant colors,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, expert small space gardener and consultant at HouseGrail 'it can also reach between 25-30 feet. '

Eastern Redbud trees are also very versatile and can be grown anywhere from zones 4 through to 9.

7. Best fast-growing flowering tree for bees

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The Linden tree also known as Tilia, is one of our favorite fast-growing flowering trees. 

'Native to North America, the Linden tree makes an excellent shade tree. You’ll frequently find them in rural towns being used to line the streets. They do not work well in cities because they don’t do well in pollution,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes. 'The blooms open in the early summer, and bees flock to them because the flowers taste like honey. These trees can grow up to 50-80 feet tall.' 

A beautiful tree in its own right, the leaves of the linden tree are also popular for those who know how to make tea as it contains 'anxiolytic, an essential oil used to treat anxiety' says Tammy Sons, founder of TN Nursery .

8. Best fast-growing flowering trees for wildlife

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When looking for fast-growing flowering trees, it is also important to think about the tree beyond its flowering period. 'Consider trees that also produce fruit for added seasonal interest and bird appeal. Flowers often fade in a week or two, while fruit may persist throughout the fall and winter,' says Melinda Myers. Flowering trees can make a great addition to other wildlife garden ideas.

One such tree is the beautiful Malus crabapple tree. Erupting in pretty pink blossom in spring, its slightly more rustic look makes it perfect for incorporating into cottage garden ideas, while 'the fruits it produces in mid-summer are excellent for wildlife feeders' says Tammy Sons.

9. Best fast-growing flowering tree for color

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Growing up to 30 feet tall in 30-years, Crimson bottle brush, also known as Callistemon, would make a statement. 

With its brightly colored, frothy blooms, Callistemon is a great accompaniment for other tropical garden ideas and will help to transform your plot into a Mediterranean-inspired garden retreat. 'The spring bottlebrush flowers will also attract bees and butterflies to your garden,' says Tammy Sons, making them a beneficial addition to your favorite wildlife garden ideas.

10. Best fast-growing flowering tree for fruit

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As with most fast-growing flowering trees, the lifespan of the Sargent cherry is relatively short, only 20-years at most. However, since it grows so quickly, it is easy to replace and re-grow. Reaching up to 60ft tall over its lifetime, this popular tree is loved for its edible fruit as well as its pretty flowers. 

'The flowers on this tree are pink and bloom in the spring. The leaves have purple tones and change to green during the summer. These can grow up to 20-25 feet,' says Emilly.

What is the easiest flowering tree to grow?

Tulip trees are one of the easiest flowering trees to grow. Once you know a few things about how to grow a tree, it is relatively straightforward. Tulip trees thrive in acidic soil, prefer to be grown in full sun and are fairly resistant to pests and disease.

What is a fast growing blooming tree?

Wisteria is a fast growing blooming tree that will look stunning in your garden or climbing up the front of your house. With its cascading purple blooms, it is no surprise that these fast-growing flowering trees are some of our favorites.

Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature. 

10 Best Fast Growing Flowering Trees For Beauty, Shade, And Privacy

Fast growing flowering trees add beauty to your landscape, rewarding you with lovely blooms and towering stature in just a few years. Slower-growing flowering trees can add character to your garden, but if you are starting your garden from scratch and you don’t want to wait years for beautiful blooms, the faster growing flowering trees can give you a dramatic transformation.

Here are 10 of our favorites for landscape design in the United States.

Table of Contents

10 Beautiful Fast Growing Flowering Trees For Your Yard

1. Callistemon, also known as crimson bottle brush

A native of Australia, Callistemon complements seaside and Mediterranean garden designs. The red “brushes” that cover the plant are actually the stamens of its flowers. The petals are so inconspicuous that you have to look hard to find them. Most flower heads of the crimson bottlebrush are, as you might expect, crimson, but there are also occasional flower heads in orange, green, or yellow.

Check out these other red flowering trees.

Callistemon grows 30 feet (10 meters) tall as a specimen tree, but it can also be trained to become a container plant. Callistemons are favorite butterfly plants.

2. Crabapple

Crabapple is a variety of apple that bears copious blooms in early spring and small fruit that attract wildlife all summer. The real beauty of this tree is its fruit since the blooms fade in about a week, but the fruits remain on the tree all summer and through most of the fall. A constant supply of fruit makes the crabapple a favorite attraction of birds and squirrels.

Crabapples fit well in most cottage landscape designs. Growing 2 or 3 feet (up to a meter) a year if they are given rich soil and summer moisture, they quickly reach their mature height to take their permanent place in the landscape.

3. Crape myrtle

If you want a fast-growing tree that provides bold color all summer long, the crape myrtle is an excellent choice. Well adapted to summer heat, it does just as well under irrigation in the arid Southwestern United States as it does in the steamy Southeast,

Crape myrtles grow approximately 2 feet (60 cm) a year. They come in a variety of colors. The beautiful dark pink Tuskegee variety (see more pink flowering trees) can be framed by the delightfully purple Muskogee crape myrtle of the bold white blooms of the Natchez cultivar.

Crape myrtles need fertilizer every month during the growing season to ensure lush foliage and abundant flowers. Prune during their dormant season to maintain their canopy shape. Crape myrtles are winter-hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 through 9.

Crape myrtles are a great selection for front yards.

4. Eastern redbud

Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) bloom in early spring when other flowering trees are bare. The most familiar cultivars of this tree are covered with pea-like blossoms in shades of lavender for a couple of weeks around the date of the last freeze, but there are also varieties of Eastern redbud that bloom in white or magenta.

Redbuds grow up to 2 feet (60 cm) per year. Happy growing under other deciduous trees, redbuds are adapted to sandy soils, clay soils, rocky soils, low pH, high pH, moist conditions (as long as they don’t stand in water), and drought. Redbuds are winter-hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.

5. Kentucky wisteria

One of the best choices for a fast-growing tree for the front of your house is the Kentucky wisteria. Creating waterfalls of beautiful blooms that fill the air with their perfume, the Kentucky wisteria is a favorite for growing over a pergola or up the side of your house. It is the perfect tree for a cottage front door.

Kentucky wisteria will grow two or three feet a year, sometimes more. It flowers two or three years after it is planted. Be sure to get Kentucky wisteria, not the more invasive and poisonous Chinese wisteria.

6. Kwanzan cherry

The Kwanzan cherry, which is officially known as Prunus serrulate Kwanzan, erupts in streams of frothy pink blooms in late spring. Because it blooms after other cherries, the Kwanzan cherry is a great choice for making sure you have your own “cherry blossom time” every spring, even when other cherries are set back by frost.

Kwanzan cherries grow 1 or 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) per year, and can eventually reach a height and breadth of 40 feet (13 meters). Consistent pruning, however, can keep the Kwanzan cherry a smaller tree.

7. Linden tree, also known as Tilia

The delicate, bell-like yellow flowers of the linden tree are a magnet for bees. The flowers taste like honey. Linden trees bloom in early summer, when other sources of nectar and pollen have gone to seed. After its flowering season, the linden tree provides dense shade all summer.

Linden trees also have sweet leaves. They attract aphids, which may be “farmed” by ants that encourage them to bite into the leaves to release the sweet sap on which both kinds of insects feed.

Linden trees grow about 2 feet (60 cm) every year, up to 50 to 80 feet (16 to 26 meters) tall. Linden trees don’t do well in areas with heavy air pollution.

8. Sargent cherry

Looking for a fast-growing flowering cherry tree that bears edible fruit? Look no further than the Sargent cherry. This Siberian import is covered with single pink flowers in the spring, followed by small black cherries in the summer. The cherries are delicious, but hard to find. Birds may compete with you for the bounty.

Sargent cherries are extremely hardy. They are easily transplanted, and they stand up to summer drought, and, coming from Sakhalin Island in eastern Russia, winter cold. They make a great street tree, but they do not do well in areas with heavy air pollution.

9. Southern magnolia

Different magnolias grow at very different rates. The lovely star magnolia (Magnolia stellate), for instance, grows just a few inches its first year, so slowly it is best treated as a container plant. The stately Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) grows two feet per year, eventually reaching a height of 30 to 45 feet (10 to 15 meters).

Southern magnolias are covered with white flowers from mid-spring to early summer, in most locations, through the month of May into early June. No magnolia will grow faster, so this variety makes a great focus plant.

10. Tulip tree

The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) doesn’t have anything to do with tulips. It is actually more closely related to tulips. Its flowers of yellow and orange look like tulips, however, and are easy to appreciate from a distance, since they grow up to 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter.

Tulip trees grow up to 3 feet (a meter) every year. In a forest, where they have to compete with other trees for sunlight, they sometimes grow as much as 180 feet (60 meters) high. Their unusually straight habit makes them a great specimen tree – although it can take up to 15 years to see their first blooms.

Keep in mind that the trees that grow the fastest tend to have the shortest lives. Planting a mix of fast-growing and slow-growing flowering trees is the best way to ensure a lifetime of landscape beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fast-Growing Flowering Trees

Are there any fast-growing flowering shade trees?

Ginkgos grow fast, and they produce a beautiful display of yellow blooms in the spring. These trees are especially well-suited to high-traffic areas and stand up to air pollution.

What are some good fast-growing evergreen flowering trees?

Mountain laurels are often found growing in dry, rocky, hot-summer locations, so we don’t think of them as fast-growing, but they grow 2 or even 3 feet a year in good soil with regular moisture. These evergreen plants put on gray seed pods after their blue and purple flowers fade in the spring.

Are Japanese maples the only flowering maples?

Silver maple puts on red blooms in the spring and yellow leaves in autumn. Red maple puts on red flowers in the spring and bright red leaves in the fall. Both maples grow about 30 feet (10 meters) high in 15 years or so.

Which dogwood grows fastest?

Red dogwood grows faster than other varieties.They will add at least 2 feet (60 cm) of height every year.

Which fast-growing flowering tree makes the best privacy screen?

Even as young trees, red dogwood trees make a great privacy screen. They only bloom for about a month in early spring, but they make a great backdrop for your landscape all year round.

Red flowering gum (Corymbia ficifolia) puts on a show of red flowers up to six months a year and hangs low enough to block casual viewing from the road or street. It is a subtropical tree in nature, but there are new varieties that do well even in cooler climates.

Royal poinciana (Delonix regia), also known by its common name fire tree, won’t keep a determined viewer from seeing your yard, but its beautiful red flowers that last all summer long will distract passersby from looking into your yard and home.

Are there any fast-growing flowering trees suitable for a small garden or patio?

Any fast-growing flowering tree that can be grown in a container is suitable for a small garden. Consider tree rose, tree peony, double-blooming gardenia tree, or a double-blooming gardenia.

Is there a best time for planting fast-growing flowering trees?

People who live in tropical climates can plant fast-growing flowering trees any time of year if they are able to provide the young transplant with appropriate levels of moisture. In climates where winters are short and not particularly frosty, planting fast-growing flowering trees in the fall gives them all winter to put down roots to capture summer moisture. In cold-winter climates, planting is usually delayed until early spring.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for the fastest growing trees for your yard, try one of the above. Here are a few more of my favorite fast growing trees :

These trees, while beautiful, don’t enjoy rapid growth:

You don’t have to wait years or decades, to see a tree you’ve planted bloom. The fast-growing trees we talked about here will grow quickly, giving you a gorgeous landscape without having to wait too long. I hope you found the perfect tree for your backyard 🙂

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names and descriptions of the best species

Landscaping a suburban area "from scratch" takes several years. Thin seedlings do not immediately turn into mature trees, under the dense crown of which you can hide from the hot summer sun. First they need to go through the process of getting used to a new place, take root well, and then grow branches. The process of improving the land allotment will go faster if you plant fast-growing trees and shrubs, which will change the appearance of the cottage in just 3-4 years. nine0003

Contents

The fastest growing trees

The fastest growing eucalyptus tree : in the first 3 years it can grow up to 10 m, and by the tenth year of life it can grow up to 25 meters. Unfortunately, in most regions of Russia eucalyptus is not grown, as it is a tree of tropical and subtropical climate. Other tree species are suitable for Russian latitudes, which, although inferior in growth to eucalyptus, , are also fast-growing. nine0003

Annual growth birch at the peak of its development can reach 2 m, and it is considered the fastest growing tree in the temperate latitudes of Russia. Birch quickly forms a crown, increases the diameter of the trunk, and in 4 years grows into a fairly large tree. The most common types of birches in the Russian open spaces drooping and curly .

White willow occupies the second place in terms of growth intensity. You can root a small twig, and with sufficient soil moisture, it will turn into a sprawling tree in 5 years. nine0003

Very fast growing poplar , especially its pyramidal forms, forming narrow, upward-looking crowns. But there is little benefit from one plant on the site, and in order to protect the site from the wind or create a dense shade, you need to plant at least 3-4 poplars nearby.

White locust - a tall tree with a spreading crown, blooming with fragrant white inflorescences from May to June. The plant belongs to the genus Robinia , and is not related to the genus acacia , inhabitants of the southern regions, which do not differ in rapid growth rates.

Among the deciduous species can also be distinguished maple, elm and ash , as well as bird cherry and aspen . In general, all tall deciduous trees grow quickly enough to reach the "adult" habitus.

Interesting. All trees do not grow in the same way throughout their lives. At first, they intensively add in volume and height, and from about the age of 10, the pace gradually decreases. For each plant, a decline in development occurs at a different stage of growth, but it occurs in deciduous and coniferous species in almost the same way. nine0003

Fast-growing trees for summer cottages

In landscaping a suburban area, you can use maples , birches and other tree species, but most often they are planted outside the fence. Usually other crops are used inside the land plot: ornamental, fruit, coniferous, medium and low-growing plants.

Ornamental deciduous

Trees with an unusual crown shape and non-standard leaf color look beautiful on an open lawn. They are planted in small groups, singly, or as a background for flower beds. nine0003

Beautiful garden trees:

Ornamental deciduous trees are planted in the most visible places: near the gazebo, near the terrace, in the center of the flower arrangement, near the artificial reservoir. The place should be open or with a light, openwork shadow at noon. In dense shade, beautifully colored leaves lose their color, and with it their elegance. nine0003

Fast-growing conifers

Compared to deciduous trees, conifers grow much more slowly, but there are also leaders among them. Large growth gives a large increase, and the first place is occupied by larches, Siberian and European .

Under favorable conditions, they grow by 1 m per year. This is the only coniferous plant that drops its needles for the winter: in autumn they turn yellow, and fall off with the onset of frost. In winter, the bare branches of larch are not a very attractive sight, so it is not as often used in landscape design as other representatives of conifers. nine0003

Norway spruce adds about 60 cm in one season, and that's a lot. Of course, after reaching a certain height, the growth rate slows down, but by this time the plant reaches about 2/3 of its final height.

From other types of spruce, Serbian spruce can be used to quickly improve the site.

Very fast growing tree - metasequoia . This is a coniferous tree of the cypress family, in adulthood reaching 35 m in height. A powerful trunk in diameter often reaches 2 m. Frost resistance (the plant can withstand up to - 35 C) allows you to grow metasequoia in regions located at the same latitude as the Moscow region and St. Petersburg.

Gaining green mass very quickly Giant thuja folded . The main thing is to provide it with conditions suitable for growth: drained soils, well-lit areas.

Fir trees do not belong to fast-growing plants, but among them there are varieties that grow relatively quickly: Veycha, Unicolor, Caucasian .

Important. Conifers should not be expected to start gaining mass immediately after planting. They take about 2 years to acclimate to their new location , after which they rapidly accelerate growth.

Fast-growing fruit trees

Fruit trees grow somewhat more slowly than ornamental and forest trees. This is explained by the fact that during the period of fruit ripening, the growth of the vegetative mass slows down significantly. This does not apply to plants bearing fruit in early summer: their growth is not limited by fruit development and continues even after harvest. nine0003

Fast growing sweet cherry . Freed from berries in June, it continues its vegetative growth until August. The same can be said about the cherry: it quickly takes root and grows, the main thing is that the crown is well lit by the sun.

Good growing black and white mulberries . Moreover, it responds well to spring pruning: even if you completely cut off the branches and leave short branches, you can count on rapid growth this year.

Apple and pear trees grow more slowly, but with proper care at first they can add up to 60 cm over the summer.

Fast-growing shrubs for dachas

Along with trees, deciduous, coniferous and berry bushes are grown in summer cottages. In small areas, they can be found even more often than trees, since the compactness of the crown saves space. In addition, shrubs are more versatile: they are used for zoning the site, creating hedges, being introduced into flower arrangements and flower beds. nine0003

Fast-growing coniferous shrubs

Quite fast growing Cossack juniper (Juniperus Sabina) . It grows intensively in width, forming dense arrays. It has the ability to take root by shoots: branches that are inclined and in contact with moist soil take root and give new shoots.

Horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) does not lag behind its Cossack relative in growth rate - its annual growth is 15 cm. Rising above the ground by only 30 cm, in a horizontal plane it can cover an area of ​​5 m.

To quickly fill the garden, it is recommended to buy coniferous plants at the age of 4-5, always in containers. Planting is carried out with minimal damage to the root system, due to which adaptation is quick and painless, and the plant gives good growth already in the year of planting.

Deciduous shrubs

Deciduous ornamental shrubs can change the landscape in just 2-3 years, as many of them grow very quickly. nine0155 The following plants are in the top 6 in terms of the rate of growth of green mass: