Flowering tree for a small lawn

I’d like to give my son and daughter-in-law a flowering tree for the lawn at their new house. Their garden is small, but sheltered and south-facing.

A tree set in a lawn must make a strong statement, but may look better if it forms the central part of a small planting scheme. If your son makes a small bed, he can underplant it with carpeting perennials – pulmonarias, perhaps, or cranesbills – pepped up with bulbs. Grass competition is also eliminated, helping the tree to thrive.
If he wants to try something unusual, eucryphia ‘Nymansay’ is a shapely evergreen with big white blossoms that appear in August. Cornus kousa ‘Chinensis’ also has superb blossoms followed by big pink fruits and fiery autumn foliage.
Rowan trees are great, especially if you go for the excellent hybrid ‘Winter Cheer’ which has orange berries and superb foliage colour. Almost all cherries
are lovely, but with crab apples such as malus ‘John Downie’ or ‘Golden Hornet’ you get spring flowers and autumn fruits.