Glasgow's Tree Planting Specialists Since 2005
Tree Planting Glasgow
✓ Trading since 2005✓ BS3998 standard✓ Fully insured✓ Free quotes
Trading Since 2005
BS3998 Standard
Fully Insured
Free, No-Obligation Quotes
Introduction
A new tree in a Glasgow garden only pays off if the ground, the species and the first two growing seasons are all handled properly, which is why this page sets out what our planting service actually covers, what sits outside it, and how it compares with other options such as removing an unwanted tree or grinding out an old stump first.
If a hedge rather than a specimen tree is what you're after, our hedge planting service covers screening and boundary schemes on a different pricing basis, and once your new tree is established, our wider arborist services cover the pruning and health monitoring it will need over the following decades. For forestry-scale sites, our commercial tree planting service is the better fit instead of this domestic one.
Key Selling Points
- Free, no-obligation site assessment before you commit to a species
- Establishment guarantee covering replacement if a tree fails to take
- NPTC Professional Tree Inspection qualified team
What's Included in a Domestic Planting Job, and What Isn't
- A free on-site assessment of soil, drainage and microclimate before any tree is ordered
- Species selection matched to that specific spot - native choices such as Scots pine, silver birch, rowan and hazel, or exotics such as Japanese maple and magnolia where the site suits them
- Sourcing the tree through our nursery partnerships, with the root system checked before it goes in the ground
- Hole preparation, soil improvement and planting at the correct depth so the root flare sits properly
- Initial watering, mulching and a staking or support system where the tree's size or the site's exposure calls for it
- Aftercare through the first two growing seasons - watering guidance, mulch top-ups, formative pruning and health checks
- An establishment guarantee covering replacement if the tree fails during that critical period
Not Included / Costed Separately
- Taking out an existing tree, hedge or stump before planting - that's arranged as tree removal or stump grinding and quoted separately
- Ongoing garden maintenance once the establishment period ends - that becomes general tree care under our arborist services
- Large specimen trees needing a crane or other specialist lifting equipment, priced according to the access and machinery required
- Hedge and screening schemes, which are quoted per metre through our hedge planting service rather than per tree
- Planning permission, Conservation Area consent or Tree Preservation Order applications - these remain the customer's responsibility, though we'll flag anything that looks relevant during the site visit
Bareroot or Container-Grown: Which Suits Your Garden
| Bareroot (November-March) | Container-grown (March-November) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | 30-50% less than container stock of the same species and size | Higher unit cost, offset by a much longer planting window |
| Species choice | Widest range, especially native broadleaves like birch and oak | Good range, but some less common species are harder to source in pots |
| Root establishment | Roots go straight into native soil, often stronger long-term development | Root ball needs teasing out on planting day to stop roots circling |
| Look on planting day | Bare and dormant until spring growth appears | Full leaf cover and immediate visual impact |
| Best suited to | Larger runs of native trees, winter-scheduled projects | Feature trees, mid-season planting, instant transformation |
Local Growing Knowledge Backed by Real Qualifications
Glasgow Trees has traded in the city since 2005, which matters for tree planting specifically because so much of getting it right comes down to knowing how a species behaves on Glasgow's own soils and in its own weather, rather than textbook conditions from further south. All planting work follows British Standard BS3998, and the team is fully insured for the work carried out. Beyond planting itself, the same arborists hold an NPTC Professional Tree Inspection qualification, which is useful whenever a garden already has a mature tree nearby - a trained eye can judge whether it's safe to plant close to it or whether the older tree needs attention first. Every tree we plant comes from our nursery partnerships and is checked for root health before it goes in the ground, and it's covered by an establishment guarantee - if it fails to take during its first two growing seasons, we replace it. That guarantee only makes sense to offer because the sourcing, planting depth and aftercare behind it are done properly in the first place, on a domestic garden as much as on any larger site. Our registered office is Clyde Offices, 48 West George Street, Glasgow, if you'd like to look us up before booking anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you remove an old tree or stump before planting a replacement?
Yes, but it's treated as two pieces of work rather than one. A stump left in the ground rots down and creates air pockets and fungal activity that make a poor foundation for a new tree's roots, so where a stump needs to come out first we handle that as stump grinding and backfill with fresh topsoil before planting begins. If it's a standing tree that needs taking down rather than a stump, that's arranged through our tree removal service. Both can usually be scheduled close together with the new planting, though a large stump may need a settling period before planting directly on top of the ground works.
How close to my house, driveway or drains can a new tree go?
As a rough guide, keep larger species such as oak or a mature-sized conifer at a distance from the building roughly equivalent to their eventual height, since root spread and canopy width scale with that over time. Smaller natives such as rowan or hazel, which top out well under 10 metres, can sit considerably closer without the same risk to foundations or drainage runs. Positioning relative to drains, driveways and underground services is exactly what the site assessment is for - we walk the garden with you and rule out any problem spots before a tree is ordered.
Can you plant a hedge instead of, or alongside, individual trees?
Yes, though hedging is a different job in practice, priced per metre rather than per tree since it's continuous planting rather than individual specimens each with their own root ball. A common combination for Glasgow gardens is a screening hedge along a boundary with one or two specimen trees as focal points. Our hedge planting service covers the hedge side of a job like that separately from the pricing on this page.
What do you do about Glasgow's heavy clay soil?
Clay is common across a lot of Glasgow gardens and isn't a reason to avoid planting, but it changes how the hole is prepared. Poor drainage in clay can leave roots sitting in waterlogged ground over winter, so where the site assessment finds heavy clay we improve drainage around the planting hole and may recommend species that cope better with wetter conditions - alder and some willows tolerate clay far better than drought-loving species would.
Who looks after the tree once the establishment guarantee period ends?
That moves beyond the planting price into ongoing tree care - formative pruning as the tree matures, periodic health checks, and eventually the structural pruning a larger specimen needs. Our arborist services cover that longer-term relationship if you want it, though there's no obligation to book anything beyond the planting and its aftercare.
Can you plant several trees together as a small garden scheme rather than one at a time?
Yes, and it's usually more cost-effective, since the site visit and preparation are shared across the group - multiple tree projects attract a per-tree saving on top of the individual pricing. This suits anything from a small native copse in a larger garden to a mixed wildlife planting, combining something like rowan and hazel for berries and cover with a longer-lived oak or Scots pine as the eventual centrepiece.
Do you only plant trees you supply, or can you plant one I've already bought?
We mainly work through our own nursery partnerships because it lets us check root health and specimen quality before it ever reaches your garden, which is a large part of how we get the establishment results we do. If you've already got a tree in mind or in hand, mention it when you book - we'll look at it during the site visit and give an honest view on whether it's in good enough condition to plant with confidence.
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