Silver birch

The plain silver or common birch, sometimes called 'the lady of the woods' because of its outstanding elegance, is a great landscape feature, especially in autumn and while still young - older trees can become enormous, but without dominating or shading the garden too much. When planted 60cm (2ft) apart, the trees make a fine hedge, or may be grown 2.4m (8ft) apart as a screen or windbreak, which can be trimmed each winter. Growth is upright, later slightly weeping, especially the young outer stems - trim shoots off the trunk to reveal the attractive bark. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).