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Choosing the Right Tree

© Diana Morgan

Last fall I hired a fellow to remove a couple of huge white pines from the roadside edge of my property. Aging and uncomfortably close to the house, one of our good old nor'easters might topple them through my bedroom roof. A rude awakening indeed. The loss of these trees opened up more sunlight to my garden, but also opened my yard up to the street. I need to replace those venerable pines with something that will act as a screen for the yard without producing too much shade or threaten my roof. This means something with a lacy open growth habit, less than 40 feet tall.

Of course, the perfect replacement tree is a Japanese Maple, and if I lived solidly in Zone 5, I wouldn't hesitate to plant one. However, it just wouldn't survive in north central New Hampshire. Another consideration besides cold hardiness is the location and soil. After nearly 100 years of white pine needles, a yearly dosing of winter road sand and salt, and the filtered shade from the woods across the road, this spot offers a poor site for many shrubs and trees.

Too dry and sandy for any of the rhododendrons, too shady for a rose hedge, too acidic for almost everything. Soil amending is almost impossible thanks to the massive root structure left over from the pines. I have to work with what I've got. Is any of this sounding familiar?

Most gardeners have faced replacing a large plant or focal point in their landscape at least once. When that plant happens to be a tree, choosing the wrong replacement can be expensive. Before you run out to the garden center and spend hundreds of dollars, take some time to consider the site and your needs.

First of all, what do you want this plant for? Provide shade? A screen from the road? Or do you want something that provides a big wallop to the eye? Spring or summer flowers? Fall color? Maybe all of the above.

Once you have decided what you want the tree for, you should consider size, and not just height, but circumference. Trees and shrubs are long-lived organisms that will probably still be around long after you aren't, continuing to grow. You need to choose a plant that at maturity will comfortably fit the available space. One that won't overwhelm the landscape or surrounding plants. Or, conversely, one that disappears because it's too small.

The copyright of the article Choosing the Right Tree in New England Gardens is owned by Diana Morgan. Permission to republish Choosing the Right Tree in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.