Landscaping With Trees

Trees should be prioritized in your landscaping plans due to their significant size, cost, and the extended growth period they require to reach desired dimensions. It may take several years for a tree to grow large enough to serve its intended purpose. Primarily, trees offer shade to the house or garden terrace. They can also be strategically planted to obscure an undesirable view or enhance garden privacy. It’s important to allocate sufficient space for a tree’s full growth at maturity, as sizes vary greatly, ranging from twenty-five to a hundred feet tall. This is a consideration that’s often overlooked during planting. Properly positioned trees can provide both aesthetic and functional value.

Tree Selection

When it comes to permanence, select sturdy trees over those with weak wood. While the latter may grow quickly and appear impressive in a short time, they are susceptible to damage from wind, snow, and ice. Such trees should only be included in small properties with a clear understanding of their vulnerabilities. If planted for immediate impact, consider plans to remove or replace them in the future to maintain the integrity and longevity of your landscape.

Choosing the Right Tree: Size and Placement Considerations for Smaller Properties

When deciding where to place a tree in relation to service wires, a crucial consideration is the tree’s branching pattern. For instance, the open branching of an elm or oak offers ample space for wire pathways, while the dense branching of a Norway Maple would necessitate branch removal to accommodate wires. Trees thrive best when given generous amounts of quality soil for growth, but it’s crucial to avoid planting them too close to flower or vegetable gardens to prevent them from absorbing vital nutrients intended for smaller plants.

Small trees like dogwoods, crabapples, and magnolias are generally valued for their beauty but can also provide useful screening. Large trees like maples, oaks, and lindens primarily offer shade, but they can also be sources of vibrant autumn color. When planting a tree, dig a hole considerably larger than the young tree’s root system. As a rule, it’s always better to put a less expensive tree in a high-quality hole than vice versa.

As houses and their surrounding properties become smaller, the types of plants grown on these properties are evolving accordingly. As many modern homes are only one story high, there’s less demand for large 50 to 75-foot shade trees on smaller properties. There’s a growing interest in trees that reach a maximum of about 35 feet or less. Lesser-known maples and crabapples, among others, are gaining popularity for this purpose. Due to the threat of Dutch elm disease, elms are becoming less common, and even oaks are being planted less frequently on smaller properties. The trend is now towards smaller trees for smaller properties.

There’s a wide range of ornamental trees that rarely exceed 25 to 30 feet in height. This fact is worth remembering since there is often a place for a small ornamental tree, like a crabapple, magnolia, or Oriental cherry. In these cases, a towering oak or majestic elm could overshadow the rest of the planting.

Evergreen Gardening

Evergreens serve a vital role in year-round landscaping, offering nature’s green foliage throughout the four seasons. Due to their dense growth pattern, they excel as screening plants, windbreaks, or foundation plants adjacent to buildings. Evergreens come in a wide variety of sizes and types, requiring minimal care once planted in suitable soil and climate conditions.

It is crucial to consider the growth pattern and ultimate height of shrubs and evergreens when selecting them, especially for hedges.

Evergreens span a broad spectrum, including large trees like hemlocks, pines, and spruces, as well as smaller trees, bushes, and even low, creeping ground covers. Generally, they are more challenging to grow than their deciduous counterparts, necessitating careful selection. Before buying an evergreen, it’s important to understand the specific soil and climatic needs of the chosen variety. For example, in the hot, dry, wind-swept Midwest, only a handful of evergreens can thrive due to their high summer moisture requirements.

In contrast, the eastern region offers a wider selection. Numerous species and varieties of narrow-leaved, cone-bearing evergreens flourish, as do many vibrant flowering shrubs like rhododendrons and evergreen azaleas. These are worthwhile investments, even though they require specially prepared acidic soil for optimal growth. However, it’s crucial to remember their varying hardiness. In areas prone to harsh winter winds and extremely low temperatures, it’s best to opt for the most rugged types, as more delicate varieties can sustain weather-related damage, which often manifests as foliage browning. Evergreens are particularly susceptible to high and dry winds in early spring. Evergreens serve a vital role in year-round landscaping, offering nature’s green foliage throughout the four seasons. Due to their dense growth pattern, they excel as screening plants, windbreaks, or foundation plants adjacent to buildings. Evergreens come in a wide variety of sizes and types, requiring minimal care once planted in suitable soil and climate conditions.