Small trees to grow in pots

Dasylirion longissimum, commonly known as the Mexican Grass Tree, is a captivating evergreen succulent that brings a unique architectural flair to gardens and landscapes. Native to arid regions of Mexico, this striking plant features a dense rosette of fine, needle-like leaves that radiate elegantly from a stout, woody trunk. The leaves are dark green and have a smooth, spineless texture, creating a soft, fountain-like effect despite their rigid form.

This drought-tolerant species thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping, modern landscapes, and desert-themed gardens. In mature specimens, Dasylirion longissimum produces a dramatic, towering flower spike with small, cream-colored blooms, attracting pollinators. With its distinctive form, resilience, and low maintenance requirements, this plant offers year-round interest and a sculptural statement to any outdoor space.

Dasylirion longissimum, commonly known as the Mexican Grass Tree, is a captivating evergreen succulent that brings a unique architectural flair to gardens and landscapes. Native to arid regions of Mexico, this striking plant features a dense rosette of fine, needle-like leaves that radiate elegantly from a stout, woody trunk. The leaves are dark green and have a smooth, spineless texture, creating a soft, fountain-like effect despite their rigid form.

This drought-tolerant species thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping, modern landscapes, and desert-themed gardens. In mature specimens, Dasylirion longissimum produces a dramatic, towering flower spike with small, cream-colored blooms, attracting pollinators. With its distinctive form, resilience, and low maintenance requirements, this plant offers year-round interest and a sculptural statement to any outdoor space.

Davidia involucrate is a medium-sized, deciduous tree with broad, pyramidal habit, exfoliating, cinnamon bark, and ovate, red-stalked, heart-shaped, bright green leaves. Small, reddish-purple flower heads have long, oval creamy-white bracts that flutter in the breeze and resemble white doves sitting on a branch or dangling white handkerchiefs. Hence the common name. It flowers in April and May and flowers are followed by greenish-brown fruits.

Davidia involucrate thrives in organically rich, moist, but well-drained soils, in full sun or partial shade. It is virtually, pest-free and disease-free. Very resilient and low maintenance. It doesn’t require routine pruning. Must be protected from hard winds. It may take ten years after planting for tree to flower. Davidia involucrate is a stunning specimen landscape tree and a great shade tree, perfect for cottage, informal, and city gardens. It looks great in shrub borders or on patios planted in containers.

Diospyros kaki ‘Rojo Brillante’, grown with a clear stem, forms an elegant small tree that combines ornamental beauty with the added attraction of edible fruit. Its broad, glossy green leaves create a lush summer canopy, turning rich shades of orange and red in autumn before falling to reveal bright, lantern-like fruits that often hang decoratively on the bare branches. This makes it a superb feature tree, providing interest from spring through to winter.

Well suited to sheltered gardens in the UK, it prefers a warm, sunny position where the fruits can fully ripen and colour. It thrives in fertile, well-drained soil and is tolerant of light chalk if organic matter is added. Once established, it is reasonably drought tolerant and low maintenance.

The clear stem raises the rounded crown, giving the tree a refined, architectural form that works well in lawns, borders, and larger containers on patios. Its moderate size makes it suitable for small to medium gardens, where it can be enjoyed both as a striking ornamental specimen and as a productive, unusual fruit tree.

Doodia media, commonly known as the rasp fern, is a small to medium-sized terrestrial fern native to eastern Australia and parts of New Zealand. It belongs to the Blechnaceae family and is well regarded for its striking appearance and ease of cultivation in temperate gardens.

This evergreen fern typically grows to a height of 30 to 60 cm, forming neat clumps of erect or arching fronds. The young fronds emerge a vivid pink or red, creating a vibrant contrast against the mature, dark green foliage. Each frond is pinnate, with leathery leaflets that have a slightly toothed or rasped texture—hence the common name.

Doodia media prefers shaded or semi-shaded environments with consistently moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil. It thrives in sheltered woodland settings, rock gardens, or as part of an understory planting beneath larger shrubs or trees. Though relatively hardy, it does best in frost-free areas or where winter temperatures remain mild.

This fern is valued for both its ornamental qualities and its low maintenance requirements. It can be grown in the ground or in containers, making it suitable for patios and shaded courtyards. The colourful young growth adds seasonal interest, particularly in spring and early summer.

Propagation is typically by division of clumps in early spring. While generally pest-free, Doodia media may suffer in prolonged dry conditions or if exposed to direct, harsh sunlight.

In summary, Doodia media is a decorative and adaptable fern ideal for adding texture and colour to shaded areas of the garden. Its reddish new growth and tidy habit make it a desirable choice for gardeners seeking year-round foliage interest with minimal care.

The Dryopteris filix‑mas ‘Crispa Cristata’, often called the crested male fern, is an excellent choice for gardeners seeking structure and texture in shaded or partially shaded areas. This hardy, semi‑evergreen fern thrives in moist, humus‑rich soils and is well suited to woodland gardens, shaded borders, or as an underplanting beneath trees and shrubs. Its strikingly frilled, crested fronds create an intricate, sculptural effect that brings a sense of movement and detail to any planting scheme.

Unlike many delicate ferns, ‘Crispa Cristata’ is robust and low maintenance, tolerating cold winters and recovering well each spring. Its dense growth habit forms attractive clumps that help suppress weeds, making it practical as well as ornamental. The plant’s refined, curled fronds look beautiful alongside hostas, heucheras, and other foliage plants, while its deep green color provides a calming backdrop to brighter flowers.

In smaller gardens, it works perfectly in pots or shaded corners where it can be appreciated up close. With minimal care,simply remove old fronds in late winter, it will reward you with year‑round elegance and a unique, timeless appeal.

Dryopteris affinis 'The King', is a handsome and distinctive evergreen fern valued for its strong structure and attractively crested fronds. It belongs to the golden male fern group and is particularly appreciated for the decorative tips that give the plant an elegant yet slightly unusual appearance.

This fern forms a substantial clump of arching fronds that emerge from a central crown. Each frond is a rich, glossy green and can reach around 60–120 cm in length, creating a bold, architectural presence in shaded areas of the garden. The defining feature of this cultivar lies in the crested ends of the fronds and pinnae, where the leaflets divide into small tufted or tasselled tips. These crests give the plant a softly ruffled outline and add a layer of visual interest compared with standard forms of the species.

As an evergreen fern, it provides year-round structure and foliage in suitable conditions. Fresh new fronds unfurl in spring, often appearing slightly lighter green before deepening in colour as they mature. Older fronds can remain attractive through winter, though some gardeners choose to remove any tired foliage in early spring to allow the new growth to be seen clearly.

Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’ thrives in partial to full shade and prefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It is particularly well suited to woodland gardens, shaded borders, or naturalistic planting schemes where its bold texture contrasts beautifully with finer foliage plants. It combines well with hostas, hellebores and other shade-loving perennials, helping to create layered planting with varied forms and textures.

This fern is generally hardy and reliable in the UK climate, requiring little maintenance once established. Its robust habit, evergreen character and distinctive crested fronds make it a valuable structural plant for shaded garden spaces.

Overall, Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’ is admired for its durability, ornamental foliage and ability to bring year-round interest and texture to sheltered, shady areas of the garden

Dryopteris affinis 'The King', is a handsome and distinctive evergreen fern valued for its strong structure and attractively crested fronds. It belongs to the golden male fern group and is particularly appreciated for the decorative tips that give the plant an elegant yet slightly unusual appearance.

This fern forms a substantial clump of arching fronds that emerge from a central crown. Each frond is a rich, glossy green and can reach around 60–120 cm in length, creating a bold, architectural presence in shaded areas of the garden. The defining feature of this cultivar lies in the crested ends of the fronds and pinnae, where the leaflets divide into small tufted or tasselled tips. These crests give the plant a softly ruffled outline and add a layer of visual interest compared with standard forms of the species.

As an evergreen fern, it provides year-round structure and foliage in suitable conditions. Fresh new fronds unfurl in spring, often appearing slightly lighter green before deepening in colour as they mature. Older fronds can remain attractive through winter, though some gardeners choose to remove any tired foliage in early spring to allow the new growth to be seen clearly.

Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’ thrives in partial to full shade and prefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It is particularly well suited to woodland gardens, shaded borders, or naturalistic planting schemes where its bold texture contrasts beautifully with finer foliage plants. It combines well with hostas, hellebores and other shade-loving perennials, helping to create layered planting with varied forms and textures.

This fern is generally hardy and reliable in the UK climate, requiring little maintenance once established. Its robust habit, evergreen character and distinctive crested fronds make it a valuable structural plant for shaded garden spaces.

Overall, Dryopteris affinis ‘Cristata’ is admired for its durability, ornamental foliage and ability to bring year-round interest and texture to sheltered, shady areas of the garden

Dryopteris atrata is a tall, robust, clump-forming, semi-evergreen terrestrial male fern with black stems and slightly arched, lance-shaped, bright green fronds with long midribs. Mostly found in woodland settings by streams and lakes.

Dryopteris atrata can adapt to a wide range of soils, but prefers fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. It thrives in partial to full shade. It tends to be evergreen in climates with mild winters. In colder areas, it needs protection from harsh, drying winds. Its natural habitat are damp woodlands by streams and lakes. No serious pest or disease problems. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning.

Shaggy Shield Fern is a wonderful, elegant, ornamental, exotic-looking plant, perfect for shady locations in informal, cottage, and urban gardens. Excellent as a ground cover. Great for flower beds, mixed and shrub borders, and under-planting of shrubs and trees. Suitable for growing in containers in shady areas.

Dryopteris atrata is a tall, robust, clump-forming, semi-evergreen terrestrial male fern with black stems and slightly arched, lance-shaped, bright green fronds with long midribs. Mostly found in woodland settings by streams and lakes.

Dryopteris atrata can adapt to a wide range of soils, but prefers fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. It thrives in partial to full shade. It tends to be evergreen in climates with mild winters. In colder areas, it needs protection from harsh, drying winds. Its natural habitat are damp woodlands by streams and lakes. No serious pest or disease problems. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning.

Shaggy Shield Fern is a wonderful, elegant, ornamental, exotic-looking plant, perfect for shady locations in informal, cottage, and urban gardens. Excellent as a ground cover. Great for flower beds, mixed and shrub borders, and under-planting of shrubs and trees. Suitable for growing in containers in shady areas.

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis' is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that belongs to the family Cupressaceae. It is also commonly known as Dwarf Hinoki Cypress. This cultivar is a popular choice for gardeners looking for a low-maintenance plant with a compact growth habit that can fit in smaller gardens or containers.

The 'Nana Gracilis' cultivar has a unique, pyramidal shape that reaches a height of 2-3 feet and a width of 1-2 feet at maturity. Its dense foliage is comprised of delicate, flattened sprays of feathery, blue-green needles that emerge in a tiered arrangement, giving it an elegant and refined look. The foliage of this cultivar emits a distinct, pleasant scent when crushed, which adds to its appeal.

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis' thrives in a variety of growing conditions, but prefers moist, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic pH. It is also relatively tolerant of full sun exposure, but will benefit from some protection in hotter climates. This cultivar is known to be relatively disease and pest-resistant, making it a great option for low-maintenance gardens.