Trees in Your Garden
Trees in Your Garden: A Planted Statement
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How often have you looked at a tree and said to yourself how beautiful it was. Even trees that have little or no leaves, such in climates where they loose their leaves, often have nice shapes. This was brought home just last week when I visited Tanzania, Africa and spied many trees that had no leaves, but the shapes almost made them a work of art.
Trees are perhaps the least troublesome of all plants you’ll grow on your carefree property. Yes you can have a tree or several trees in your garden. Usually you’ll want a smaller tree, but not always, depending on the situation.
Once you plant a tree you have a living, growing thing. So will your grandchildren or great grandchildren since trees can last well past our lifetimes. Unlike many things a living tree is not something you will forget. For easier gardening, choose trees that are not only attractive but also self sustaining and generally well behaved. However, according to your specific climate you might be limited to fewer varieties compared to other locations.
You want your trees to:
1) Grow leaves at an early stage
2) Keep its foliage late in the season
3) Whenever possible, allow plants or grass to grow beneath them
4) Be free from insect pests
5) Be drought resistant
6) Be winter hardy in climates where there is a cold winter
7) Be adapted to your soil and climate
Be resistant to any current tree disease that attacks that species
9) Be a variety that will remain small or a maximum size you desire
10) Be deep rooted (prevents concrete and sidewalks from cracking)
One tree will likely not possess all these advantages, however, choose one that does have a reasonable number of the above advantages. Avoid trees that are difficult to transplant, like tulip and sour gum; avoid elms (even the so-called “resistant” forms) until the Dutch elm disease problem is solved.
As much as anything you plant, trees set a tone, create an atmosphere. If yours is a carefree life on a large property you don’t necessarily want Lombardy poplars. If your place is small, neat and formal, don’t plant hemlocks unless you plan to curb their trailing windblown habit by clipping them into a trim hedge.
Although formal landscaping may call for one or two specimens of a certain kind, a lot of charm is often gained by growing trees in a tangle or group. How graceful is the intermingling of different varieties thriving casually along a country lane, in a selected area of your garden or property, or an old stone wall. Nature does this so beautifully. Why shouldn’t we try it?