We are reconfiguring our back garden, and want to put out a few nice evergreen trees in pots, but as you can probably tell from the way I have even described them, know nothing about them.

What suggestions would you make for a tree that stays healthy in a pot, doesn’t get a massive amount of direct sunlight, stays green all year, might grow anywhere from three to six feet high, and looks nice?

I would have said a pine or juniper would be the obvious shout but both generally like lots of direct sunlight, perhaps a yew or a spruce.

Are there dwarf versions of these, or is it just pruning that keeps them containable?

Olive is a pot friendly tree and reasonably hardy. Slow growing bugger though.

Completely ignoring the evergreen requirement but … Japanese maples! They’re slow growing, don’t need loads of sun, are low maintenance, happy living in pots and look so gorgeous at this time of year

Buxus.. not really a tree but most trees will outgrow a pot fairly quickly unless it’s huge and not a great deal of evergreen trees I can think of that would work.

What huckleberry said

You might want to bear in mind that if you ever need to move, a biggish tree in a big pot is going to be a bugger to move!

Though a damn sight easier to move than a biggish tree not in a pot 😉

Watching the suggestions as we’re after something similar.

The size of the pot will make a difference.

I’ve got a three foot ash in quite a small pot. It must be about 10 years old now and seems quite healthy, but the pot restricts it growth.

I’ve got olive and cherry in larger tubs (half barrels) and they seem OK.

I reckon Yew might be your best bet for an evergreen, although it is very slow growing. I had one in a tub and it did very well, until it got killed by ants.

Keep any eye out for these, they seem to like making nests in pots and move all the soil away from the roots!

Japanese Maples (aka Acers) all day long. Look good without leaves in the winter and rest of the year look great as leaves change colour. Don’t like windy locations or direct sunlight. Water well and mulch.

Again, ignoring evergreen, fig tree in a pot

Not a tree but I think we have a Hibiscus at the flat that we rescued from the narrow raised flower bed as it was not doing well. Now doing very well in a large pot as it has more room and better soil and is very manageable and doesnt grow too big. Red flowers are nice too.

Dwarf conifers, No. If you want winter interest get a Hamamelis.

…..for winter flowers on bare stems and scent

Japanese Maples if your after something that looks really good and is easily managable. I have developed a bit of a collection over the last few years. All in pots. They aren’t evergreen but still look good in winter due to their shape.

However I reckon you can keep almost any tree in a pot. Below is a picture of a conker tree. This year is I believe its 30th birthday as I planted it when I was a kid. The picture doesn’t do it justice as its the wrong time of year but you get the jist. If this was planted in the ground it would be as big as a house now.