Terrace of Trees
With urban challenges most of us find luxury of space mostly on a terrace or balcony. With that comes the inbuilt limitation a pot garden as soft garden may ask for a complicated waterproofing set up with low success rate. So how do most of us plan our terraces? We are mostly fascinated with ornamentals, flowering shrubs, seasonal flowers or some may even go for a kitchen garden. Most of us never think beyond. We never believe our terrace can be a converted into an urban forest with dense trees all around. Most trees are hardy, maintenance free and easily bear tough conditions without asking for regular upkeep. One or two feeds in a year, a prune at the beginning of their growth season, shift to one size bigger pot every year and regular deep watering is all they ask for to thrive in pots.
Thankfully the incidental advantages they add to the garden are endless. Tall and dense trees have the highest leaf index that purifies your air creating your own oxygen bar. They create enough transpiration as well as shade that helps others in the garden to bear extreme dry weather in summers and winters. They also serve as excellent barriers of dry hot and cold winds, protecting other delicate plant babies in your garden.In addition they provide excellent habitat for birds, squirrels and other creatures, creating a perfect ecosystem of co-existence. Being perennial in nature, trees make your garden almost evergreen except for their seasonal fall. So here is a list of ten must have trees that will create your personal urban forest on the terrace.
Neem
Yes you heard it right. In contrast to general belief that Neem is a big tree and can only be grown in the ground, you will be surprised to know that it can easily be grown in pot. You may start from seeds, pick up from plantation drives or buy a sapling from any nursery. And you will not only be gifted with evergreen foliage and clean air but also use it for all the health benefits.
Kadi Patta
Affectionately called the ‘Meetha Neem’ in India, Kadi Patta is almost in every home garden. It grows into a short tree in a short span but with age easily grows up-to 10 ft. Good sun, regular
pruning and fertilization at the beginning of spring makes it grow bushier. With its use in culinary and health care, it’s a perfect choice to be one of your trees on the terrace.
Ficus Tree
The most common of small height figs are the benjimina and panda ficus. Both are ideal ornamentals in any terrace landscaping as they are favourites when it comes to orderly pruned shapes. Their small leaves make them ideal to make dense foliage for privacy screens and withstand wind pressure on the terrace.
Citrus Trees
Adding a few fruit trees in your garden is always a great idea to enjoy them fresh and home grown. All Citrus fruits, from mandarins, oranges to lime and lemons are small trees and can be easily grown in pots and normally go up to 6-8 feet. Being a small leaf family, trimmed at young age makes them branch out more to give them a bushy picture perfect look at flowering and fruiting time. So fill up your terrace or balcony with citrus aroma and flavours.
Peach Tree
Unlike the common perception, peaches are another fruit that can easily be grown in pots. It is a small tree variety that thrives in cooler places and foot hills as they need chilling period to break their dormancy to flower. So if your are in places that have a short winter spell in a year, you can enjoy the luxury of plucking your home grown peaches from your own balcony or terrace.
Frangipani
Now Plumeria or Frangipani is one of the most common flowering tree that has become an urban ornamental. Sweet homely aroma, colourful bunches of flowers in unlimited hues make them irresistible. It’s thick succulent branches, milky sap, broad and big leaves make them hardy and tolerant of heat. Trim them in early age to avoid lanky branches and see them grow to even 8-10 feet even in pots.
Pride of India
Truly to its name, Pride of India, indeed the most beautiful tree that grows easily in the country, flaunting its flowers of pink, mauve or white in pinnacles. Also called Lagerstroemia or Crepe Myrtle is commonly seen thriving in public parks and landscapes with minimum care making it explicit that they are a perfect choice even for late back gardeners.
Kachnaar
Perfect for tropical and sub tropical climate, Kachnaar is one of the most beautiful flowering tree that easily grows in India. Loved not only for its pretty flowers but also unique two lobed leaves, Kachnaar is a good choice among flowering trees in pots. Its white, pink or yellow flowers show up in late spring but the droopy foliage adorns your garden throughout the year.
Indian Coral Tree
Another easy and very fast growing tree that gives bright red claw shape flowers towards the
end of winters. Big and broad foliage can be trimmed regularly to give dense and controlled
growth or else its branches liberally in all directions. And the best part is that it adds bright red to your garden in otherwise gloomy winters.
This list is surely not extensive as there are many more varieties both edible and ornamental that you may choose to grow in a pots. You may easily grow Chikkoo, Pomegranate, Fig, Apricot, Papaya, Banana, Karonda, Hibiscus, Chandani and many more. The list is endless. Nowadays, a whole lot of dwarf varieties are also available in plant shops to accommodate in small terraces and balconies. Monsoons being the best time to plant trees is just round the corner, so go ahead and create a terrace of trees this monsoon.