By Eileendiver
South Glamorgan,
United Kingdom 
Could anyone recommend a tree for the centre of my back lawn? I would like one that would attract birds,but it shouldn't grow too tall and be pleasant to look at with nice follage,perhaps some kind of a flower in summer.
Hope someone can help
Thank you
E Diver
28 Jul, 2011
Answers
Laburnam flowers round about may and doesn,t get too big, but be careful if you have any children as the seed pods are poisonous, but can be removed with long handled pruners. derekm
28 Jul, 2011
Magnolia? you can get them in different colours, they're very pretty.
28 Jul, 2011
Look at amelanchier ballerina--pretty flowers, berries for the birds and graceful to boot!
28 Jul, 2011
You can't beat a good variety of crab apple, John Downie for example but there or lots of others, with various colours of little apples.
28 Jul, 2011
Which ever tree you decide upon make sure the grass dos not grow right around the tree trunk - have a gap of a foot of bare soil all around so that when the grass is being mowing the tree trunk is not damaged.
As to the actual tree several of the Sorbus would fit perfectly...
28 Jul, 2011
I really like Hawthorn. A red-flowered one like Paul's Scarlet will give flowers in May and berries for the birds in autumn.
28 Jul, 2011