Yard Planning--Trees

I'll be starting a bit of a series on yard planning with this article. The idea is to have a plan of attack when it comes to your yard. You should have a goal in mind, maybe even several of them. There are many goals you can accomplish simultaneously with your yard.

Trees can help you with several of these. For example, trees can make your yard become more inviting and help to cool your home. Strategically planted shade trees can reduce temperature inside the house by 10 to 20 degrees. Shade your air-conditioning unit and you can increase its efficiency. For shading purposes I would recommend deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in autumn, so the leaves don't block the sun's warming rays in winter. Trees have different life spans, so choose your shade trees not only for their rate of growth, but also for their longevity. Choose trees that are native to your region and you'll have a better chance of them being healthy and hardy.

Though you might be tempted to buy large trees for instant gratification, these are more difficult to transplant. Larger trees suffer greater transplant shock than smaller trees and will need more time to settle in.

I would then recommend evergreens for wind blocks and for more decorative properties. You can also use evergreens that will grow tall and wide for areas in which you may want to block any prying eyes.

Consider the location of your trees first and then plan the rest of your yard around them. They will impact where you plant smaller plants and what kind.

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