Landscape Trees and Their Uses

Landscape trees will make any garden look special.

Their size creates a sense of scale while special features, such as flowers, make them very striking.

I love landscape trees. They are so majestic, and there are so many different types of trees to choose from.

Each have their own special places in a design. You might select a tree for its colorful flowers.

Maybe you love weeping trees. Perhaps the tree has beautiful leaves. And then, of course, there are those that provide spectacular fall color.

There are 3 main categories of trees. Here you will discover some of their attributes and also specific ways to use them in the landscape.

• Ornamental Trees
• Evergreen Trees
• Shade Trees

Landscape trees at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

Related Pages:Fast Growing Trees - Ornamental Trees - Evergreen Trees - Dogwood Trees - Shade Trees - Plant Books - Property Screening - Evergreen Shrubs - Evergreen Shrubs Ebook - Perennial Flowers

Ornamental Trees

I consider ornamental trees to either be flowering trees or to have some other special feature, such as interesting bark. In addition, these trees are usually smaller than shade trees. There are so many wonderful uses for ornamental trees.

• These landscape trees can be used at house corners or near the front door. It's very welcoming to approach the front door and walk near a beautiful tree.
• Ornamental trees can be used as driveway entry trees or as an allee along the driveway. They form a "frame" to go through.
  Driveway Landscapes
  Driveway Designs
• When creating plantings for privacy, they can be used in front of evergreen trees as a focal point. Multi stemmed ornamental trees can be used for privacy themselves. These trees have numerous stems or trunks emerging from the ground, rather than a single trunk.
• Ornamental trees are lovely near a patio or close to a water feature. Birch trees always seem to belong near water and look great there. Birch trees can also be set right in a patio as shown in the landscape photo (done in Sketchup) below.

Evergreen Trees

Evergreen trees have wonderful features and uses in the landscape. Here are a few:

• They stay green all year, as their name implies. When winter arrives, it's nice to have them in the landscape. And snow on the branches creates a lovely scene.
• They can be used as screening along a property border to block a view or create privacy. When using them for screening, a staggered line is much more interesting than a straight one. You can actually plant evergreen trees much closer than their mature size would allow for; as they grow, they will fit the space. I often space them 10' to 15' apart.
• They form one of the best backgrounds for other plants, causing flowers, textures, berries and leaves of ornamental trees and shrubs to stand out. Picture a mass of Red Twig Dogwood, with their winter time red stems, in front of the dark green trees.
• An evergreen tree can be used at the corner of a house for framing and strength. Cryptomeria is a nice choice.
• Evergreen trees can also be placed in the landscape as a focal point. The location might be in the backyard towards a rear corner. American Holly, with its red berries, is one that I like to use in my designs.

Once you choose a tree and plant it, consider learning about maintaining it for the long run. Learn more about tree pruning and maintenance from a Certified Arborist.

Shade Trees

Here is some excellent information on planting trees. James Burns' detailed information on tree care is only a small part of his site, which is about total pest control. It's a great site.

Is there anything as beautiful as a stately shade tree? Here are a few nice uses:

• As a specimen in the lawn (a group of three can be striking!).
• Shade trees are wonderful near a patio, terrace, deck, pool or anywhere to provide relief from the sun. They also produce an interesting contrast between light and dark in the garden.
• They can be used as an allee of trees along the sides of a driveway. Red Maples or Chanticleer Pears are great landscape trees for this look.

Please visit my page Garden Design Book, where you can find excellent additional information on landscape trees.

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