Trees for Shade

Hoping to fill a shady area with a tree? Relax, most trees evolved to grow in the shade of a forest - they will grow fast and thin to rise above the shade. Any areas exposed to more direct sunlight will grow abundant leaves to feed the rest of the plant. Most trees will grow cheerfully - but more slowly - in indirect sunlight from the north.

Ornamental trees (234) Cherry blossom trees (38)Crabapple trees (28)Birch trees (10)Willow trees (11)Acer trees (32)
  • 'Red Sentinel' Crabapple Tree Ornamental Trees
    From £40
    From £40

    'Red Sentinel' Crabapple Tree

    Ruby red, jewel-like fruits

    • A charming, upright-to-spreading tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 4m
    • Clouds of pinkish white blossom in spring
    • Award of Garden Merit winner

    4 options available

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  • Walnut Tree | Juglans regia Fruit Trees
    From £38
    From £38

    Walnut Tree | Juglans regia

    An iconic countryside staple

    • Creamy, sweet and slightly bitter
    • Award of Garden Merit winner
    • Make a classic coffee and walnut cake
    • Harvest from September

    1 option available

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  • 'Queen Cox' Apple Tree Fruit Trees
    From £32
    £50 From £32

    'Queen Cox' Apple Tree

    All hail this royal icon!

    • Crisp, aromatic and delicious (dual)
    • Self fertile (no pollinating partner needed)
    • Use in a range of dishes or eat fresh
    • Harvest from August (stores well)

    2 options available

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  • Sweetgum Tree | Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' Ornamental Trees
    From £65
    From £65

    Sweetgum Tree | Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon'

    Spectacular autumn hues

    • Broadly pyramidal tree
    • Large tree - grows up to 12m
    • Lobed deciduous leaves turn fiery in autumn
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    1 option available

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  • 'Sultane' Almond Tree | Prunus dulcis Fruit Trees
    From £40
    £50 From £40

    'Sultane' Almond Tree | Prunus dulcis

    A soft-shelled sensation

    • Sweet and perfect for making milk
    • Glorious scented, springtime blossom
    • Grind your almonds to make a flour for baking
    • Harvest from mid-September

    1 option available

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  • Discover

    Shade-loving acers

  • Sweetgum Tree | Liquidambar styraciflua Ornamental Trees
    From £60
    From £60

    Sweetgum Tree | Liquidambar styraciflua

    Truly special autumn displays

    • Wonderfully rounded, pyramidal tree
    • Large tree - grows up to 12m
    • Lobed green foliage becomes fiery in autumn
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner

    2 options available

    Trustpilot
  • Patio Loropetalum Tree | Loropetalum 'Fire Dance' Ornamental Trees
    From £40
    From £40

    Patio Loropetalum Tree | Loropetalum 'Fire Dance'

    A riot of red-purple flames

    • Bushy patio tree
    • Small tree - grows up to 1.2m
    • Burgundy, evergreen leaves and pink flowers
    • Suitable for pots

    1 option available

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  • 'Profusion Improved' Crabapple Tree | Malus moerlandsii Ornamental Trees
    From £35
    £40 From £35

    'Profusion Improved' Crabapple Tree | Malus moerlandsii

    Like 'Profusion'... but better!

    • A vigorous, spreading tree
    • Medium tree – grows up to 5m
    • Covered in magenta purple blossom each spring
    • Displays great resistance to apple scab

    2 options available

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  • Royalty' Crabapple Tree Fruit Trees
    From £34
    From £34

    'Royalty' Crabapple Tree

    All hail this regal sensation!

    • A tasteful, spreading tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 4m
    • Single, burgundy red blooms in spring
    • Purple foliage becomes more red in autumn

    2 options available

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  • Video thumbnail

    Video Tips

    Lydia's best ever plants for shade

  • Red Williams' Pear Tree Fruit Trees
    From £45
    From £45

    'Red Williams' Pear Tree

    Red pear at night, your delight

    • Delicate, buttery and juicy flesh
    • Good resistance to pests and diseases
    • Bite into fresh or slice and serve in salads
    • Harvest from September

    1 option available

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  • 'Kentish Cob' Cobnut Tree Fruit Trees
    From £38
    £45 From £38

    'Kentish Cob' Hazelnut Tree

    Bursting with fab, nutty flavour

    • Fantastic texture and flavour
    • Award of Garden Merit winner
    • Make a plum and cobnut crumble
    • Harvest from September

    2 options available

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  • 'Goutte d'Or' Fig Tree Soft Fruit
    From £65
    From £65

    'Goutte d'Or' Fig Tree

    The drop of gold fig

    • Decadent, juicy and sweet
    • Perfect for pots!
    • Roast with honey or bake in a pie
    • Biferous (harvests in June and August)

    1 option available

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  • 'Crimson Cloud' Hawthorn Tree | Crataegus laevigata Ornamental Trees
    From £40
    £54 From £40

    Midland Hawthorn Tree | Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’

    A true wildlife magnet

    • Elegantly spreading tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 8m
    • Masses of striking two-toned, single flowers
    • RHS Plants for Pollinators

    1 option available

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  • Growers' Talk

    Woodland garden design guide

  • Patio Bay Tree | Laurus nobilis 'Bay Junior' Ornamental Trees
    From £30
    £35 From £30

    Patio Bay Tree | Laurus nobilis 'Bay Junior'

    The young star of the family

    • Patio tree with an upright, bushy habit
    • Small tree - grows up to 1.5m (when pruned)
    • Delicate green leaves (wonderfully aromatic)
    • RHS Plants for Pollinators

    2 options available

    Trustpilot
  • 'Europa' Walnut Tree Fruit Trees
    From £75
    £90 From £75

    'Europa' Walnut Tree

    Grow walnuts in small spaces

    • Sumptuously sweet and rich
    • Far more compact than most walnut trees
    • Combine with apples to make a tangy chutney
    • Harvest from October

    1 option available

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  • 'Broadview' Walnut Tree Fruit Trees
    From £92
    £95 From £92

    'Broadview' Walnut Tree

    Ideally suited to UK-growing

    • Flavourful and sweet
    • Crops well even when young
    • Pickle or use in a Wardorf salad
    • Harvest from September or October

    1 option available

    Trustpilot
  • Canadian Red Maple Tree | Acer rubrum Ornamental Trees
    £60
    £60

    Canadian Red Maple Tree | Acer rubrum

    Bold, bright and beautiful

    • Beautifully rounded tree
    • Large tree - grows to 12m+
    • Red-tinted foliage turns dark green with age
    • The perfect feature tree for large gardens

    1 option available

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  • Viper Acer Tree | Acer davidii | Snake Bark Maple Ornamental Trees
    From £35
    £65 From £35

    Snake Bark Maple | Acer davidii 'Viper'

    Eyecatching striped bark

    • Upright, arching tree
    • Medium tree - grows to 7m
    • Dark green leaves turn orange in autumn
    • Exceedingly easy to grow

    3 options available

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  • Variegated Norway Maple Tree | Acer platanoides 'Drummondii' Ornamental Trees
    From £80
    £160 From £80

    Acer platanoides 'Drummondii' | Variegated Maple Tree

    Glorious cream-margined leaves

    • Bushy, oval (sometimes rounded) tree
    • Large tree - up to 12m (can be kept shorter)
    • Stunning cream and green variegated leaves
    • Exceptional autumn hues of orange and bronze

    1 option available

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  • Rote Zellernuss' Filbert Tree | Red Filbert Tree Fruit Trees
    From £30
    From £30

    Red Hazelnut Tree | Corylus avellana 'Rote Zellernuss'

    Bold foliage, fab filbert taste

    • Mild, delicate and balanced flavour
    • Striking, colour-changing leaves
    • Toast with a dash of sea salt or eat fresh
    • Harvest from September

    2 options available

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  • Cosford' Cobnut Tree | Corylus avellana Fruit Trees
    From £32
    £38 From £32

    'Cosford' Hazelnut Tree | Corylus avellana

    Compact in size, big on impact

    • Sweet, scrummy and oh-so snackable
    • Great for attracting wildlife to the garden
    • Bake with apples in a loaf cake
    • Harvest in late September and October

    1 option available

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  • Japanese Maple Tree | Acer palmatum dissectum 'Tamukeyama' Ornamental Trees
    From £25
    £40 From £25

    Japanese Maple Tree | Acer palmatum dissectum 'Tamukeyama'

    Unbeatable burgundy foliage

    • Elegant top-worked tree
    • Small tree - grows to approximately 1.5m
    • Lacy, deciduous leaves
    • A spectrum of purples and reds

    3 options available

    Trustpilot
  • 'Pink Glow' Crabapple Tree Ornamental Trees
    From £42
    From £42

    'Pink Glow' Crabapple Tree

    Makes outstanding jelly

    • A delightful, spreading tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 4m
    • Scented white flowers with a pink blush
    • Great disease resistance

    2 options available

    Trustpilot
  • 'Golden Hornet' Crabapple Tree Ornamental Trees
    £35
    £55 £35

    'Golden Hornet' Crabapple Tree

    Glorious bright yellow fruits

    • A broad, spreading tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 4m
    • White springtime blossom with a hint of pink
    • Loved by thrushes and blackbirds

    1 option available

    Trustpilot
  • Purple Weeping Crabapple Tree | Malus 'Royal Beauty' Ornamental Trees
    From £38
    £54 From £38

    Purple Weeping Crabapple Tree | Malus 'Royal Beauty'

    Pendulous perfection

    • A beautifully weeping tree
    • Small tree - grows up to 3m
    • Single, magenta blossoms in spring
    • Perfect for pots and compact gardens

    2 options available

    Trustpilot
  • Scarlet Japanese Rowan Tree | Sorbus commixta 'Embley' Ornamental Trees
    From £40
    £70 From £40

    Scarlet Japanese Rowan Tree | Sorbus commixta 'Embley'

    Incredible autumn colour!

    • Upright, bushy tree
    • Medium tree - grows up to 8m
    • Autumnal hues of purple, red and orange
    • Attracts all manner of birds to your garden

    3 options available

    Trustpilot
  • 'Czar' Plum Tree Fruit Trees
    From £32
    From £32

    'Czar' Plum Tree

    Award-winning heavyweight

    • A naturally sharper-tasting plum
    • RHS Award of Garden Merit winner
    • Make a plum sauce to serve with dumplings
    • Harvest from early August to September

    2 options available

    Trustpilot

South Downs National Park

Meet Danielle

110 years' expertise free with every tree

Danielle's nursery has been growing trees in the South Downs National Park for over a century, and it shows. Dug up and sent straight to your garden at between 18-36 months old, their quality rootstocks, expert pruning and natural pest control mean that these traditionally field-grown trees are the hardiest you can get.

Happy plants make happy customers

Trustpilot
Ornamental Colour Collection Pond Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Plants arrived in great condition and very promptly. Well established - much better than the ones I got at my local garden centre.

Monica Spence

| 24 May
Star Jasmine | Trachelospermum jasminoides Climbing Plants
five star rating on Trustpilot

Yet again this company delivered good healthy plants, exactly as shown in photos, well packaged and within delivery time quoted. Recommend!

Jacqueline Burgess

| 2 Jun
five star rating on Trustpilot

I continue to be so impressed with Roots. Their customer care, knowledge of their subject: from planting hedges to pruning roses and more, has been a great support.

Judy Lane

| 23 Oct
E 'Black Hamburgh' Indoor Grape Vine Soft Fruit
five star rating on Trustpilot

The plant arrived looking vigorously healthy, which brings a smile to your face, extremely well protected in its packaging.

Martyn Hill

| 5 Jul
E 'Braeburn Hillwell' Apple Tree Fruit Trees
five star rating on Trustpilot

As a non-gardener, I found my whole experience brilliant. Great information & advice available on the website, great range of products & prices are brilliant.

John-Paul

| 22 May
five star rating on Trustpilot

Wonderful plants and great customer service... really surprised to find that the plants are better than those you would get at your local garden centre.

Gavin Wilcock

| 8 Nov

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