Deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, unlike evergreen trees, which keep their leaves all year round. Deciduous trees are grown for their attractive ornamental features such as decorative bark, flowers, coloured foliage or autumn fruits, and their shape and form create height and structure within a garden. The leaves of deciduous trees can develop beautiful colours before falling in autumn. Most ornamental trees are single stemmed with one woody trunk, although a few varieties – notably birches – can be bought or grown as ‘multi-stems’ with two or three trunks, while others have a bushy habit. Advertisement Deciduous trees can also serve a practical purpose in the garden. They can help screen overlooking windows, unsightly views or create shelter from wind. Trees can be immensely valuable for wildlife too, providing nesting sites as well as song posts and shelter for birds. Flowering trees attract pollinating insects, while autumn fruits, seeds and nuts provide food for a wide range of birds and mammals. What’s more, the leaves from deciduous can be gathered up in autumn to make a nutritious leaf mould.