I am struggling to think of a small tree that flowers in July in the UK. There are plenty that flower in May or June but a quick look through my gardening books hasn't as yet found one that flowers in July.

Thanks for looking.

Cytisus battandieri might fit the bill. It is actually a shrub but I've seen them grown with a single trunk into a tree about 7 feet high and 4-5 feet wide. It says flowers early summer which I guess means July.

http://www.findmeplants.co.uk/plant-cytisus-battandieri-1427.aspx

There was one in a garden I tended in North Cambridgeshire and that survived winters well but they're not entirely hardy in a very exposed cold spot

Very pretty though. I must get one!

July is quite tricky, but some flowering dogwoods, e.g. Cornus kousa, can flower June to July and don't grow very tall. Or have a look at Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle). Examples can be seen on this site . . . look at the alphabet at the bottom of the page and you can see both of these. It's a nice idea, hope you find something. (Maybe the month isn't that important: a friend bought us a Viburnum for the memory of my husband's mother, and we just think of it as "her" shrub, not minding when it flowers.)

Or how about Aesculus parviflora, although it's more of a shrub. Or Koelreuteria paniculata. This has bladder-like fruits afterwards.

Many of my favourite small trees flower at the beginning of July - a few good options spring to mind.

1. Ptelea trifoliata - the most fragrant of all flowering garden trees, and it's just the right size and flowering season for you. The form 'Aurea' (which is the one I grow) has lovely golden foliage too.

2. Chonanthus virginicus (or C. retusus) - both small trees, both fabulous in flower, again just at the season that you are looking for.

3. Styrax japonicus (or S. obassia or S. hemsleyanus) - gorgeous, elegant, small trees, smothered in pretty bell-shaped flowers at the end of June/start of July. Styrax japonicus 'Pink Chimes' is really beautiful in flower.

4. Stewartia's - probably the finest of all small garden trees. Spectacular flaking bark, great autumn colour and large, pure-white flowers - just like a single flowered Camellia - in July and on into August. All the species are gorgeous; S. pseudocamellia is the most widely available, S. rostrata is the best for flowers (in my experience at least) - I have a pic of this on here at: http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/160497-stewartia-rostrata/member/ilex

Good stuff Ilex. I've been a nurseryman for 22 years attended plant auctions for at least 10 and I'd never heard of 3 of those!

Thanks Anchorman :) - that should read "Chionanthus" in my last post, incidentally.....

Snowday - I somehow forgot Eucryphia & Hoheria (don't know how since we have many of both in the garden here!) both mainstays of the mid summer garden.

If you have a moderately sheltered garden then these are two further mid-summer flowering small trees, both extremely beautiful and pretty widely available.

There are several species and hybrids of both...E. glutinosa & E. lucida will reliably flower for you in July...the second of these has proven to be incredibly hardy here too.

Any of the non-evergreen Hoherias would do nicely too - H. glabrata, H. lyallii or H. 'Glory of Amlwch', the last being quite widely available now.

So lots of options, all of them very fine. Hope that one or more appeals to you.

Ilex - Whilst researching styrax japonicus I found this extraordinary bonsai version on the web

http://tinyurl.com/5uq8tpl

Anchorman - wow, that's quite an amazing account isn't it! and the finished Bonsai looks remarkable too - thank you for sharing.

Thanks for all your replies. there are so many great ideas here, I am sure we will pick just the right tree. You have all been so helpful!