Why choose Birch & Alder?

General
A great advantage of Birch and Alder over other deciduous trees is their quick growth. A 4-6 foot seedling will quickly develop into a fine tree of 20 feet or so. This makes them invaluable in garden design, as they can provide a feature while the rest of the garden slowly establishes around them. In addition, they are ideal for shelter belts, reclamation of wasteland and biomass fuel.

Birch
These are beautiful, delicate-looking trees that look great in large groups or as a little cluster of three trees. They have some of the most amazing bark. From the stark ghostly white of the jacquemontii; to the shades of cream and orange of the ermanii; through to the pinks, reds and oranges of albosinensis and the dark browns and cherry reds of certain utilis varieties. As if the colour weren't enough, the bark peels off the trunk throughout the year. This  provides an amazing flame-like effect when backlit by the sun, as the peeling bark looks almost transparent. The delicate toothed leaves of Birch provide a soft, dappled shade. Lastly, although they look delicate, most birch are extremely tough and will grow virtually anywhere.

Alder
Whilst not having the showy bark of their cousins, the Alders do have very attractive catkins. The spring displays of alders like th e maximowiczii and hirsuta are lovely (far more impressive than the humble hazel or willow). The big green catkins of the maximowizcii can reach 5-6 inches in length. The leaves too are larger and more attractive (if less delicate). Barks tend to be grey and smooth, apart from the barbata or the mighty subcordata which have rough, fissured bark. The Alders tolerance of water-logged soil is one of it's most useful features. This allows planting of trees in areas most other trees would keel over and die in.