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6 Best Trees to Plant Near Your Home — and Which to Avoid

Your Home and Which to Avoid



Planting a tree near your home provides many benefits, including a beautiful landscaping accent and shade and privacy. It can even improve your property value There are many benefits of planting trees near your home to make the area around your home look natural and soften the look. Having a beautiful ornamental tree in your front yard increases your home's curb appeal by making a nice first impression, and can also increase your property value. A strategically placed tree in the yard or backyard patio area also has practical benefits as it provides shade and a pleasant place to relax on hot sunny days. Likewise in winter, trees come into their own as they provide wind protection when you step out of the house to get fresh air in the cold season.


Trees are great for privacy and screening, isolation from neighbors, the road, and other places you want to hide or disguise. Trees can provide privacy around a patio or porch and break up sight lines for your windows. All of these benefits can be outweighed by the headache of structural problems if you choose the wrong type of trees that are invasive or too large. So, let our expert picks guide you in the right direction.


Choosing the best trees for planting near the house


'Choosing a tree is one of my favorite parts of my practice,' says New York-based landscape designer Jonathan Farjian. 'When looking for the best trees to plant near a house, it is important to choose one based on certain characteristics. From a sizing perspective, you have to keep in mind the mature height and spread, as well as the trajectory of each tree.' Choose trees that are too large to block light and view, and in some cases become a structural threat. But if you are careful to choose the right tree for the right location, it will thrive without causing any damage to your property, borders or neighboring properties.


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Deciding on the best trees to plant near the house is a big decision, so check out our expert recommendations for inspiration first. If you want to play it safe or space is tight, don't forget that you can always find better trees to grow in pots.


1. CREPE MYRTLE



Attractive panicles of flowers with drooping petals, mainly pink or white, as well as lavender and red, make these trees a popular choice from summer to fall, especially since they are so easy to grow. Also known as crape myrtle and summer lilac, they are among the best trees for small gardens, as well as growing in pots if you want to add them as a feature near the house.


'Creep myrtle is a multi-stemmed flowering tree with a beautiful multi-coloured band,' 'Inflorescence may be white, magenta or orange. They also have beautiful fall color.' Crepe myrtles can be trained to grow into a single-stemmed tree form or left to develop a natural multi-stemmed style. Find out how to prune crepe myrtle to allow your tree to grow to fit the space near your home.


2. ORNAMENTAL CHERRY TREE


Every yard should have a spot for one of these small flowering cherry trees. With clusters of pretty pink or white petals, beautiful leaves that turn fiery reds, oranges and golds in autumn and attractive bark in winter, they make a great focal point that will enhance the aesthetics of your outdoor space at any time of the year. 'Available in a variety of cultivars and colors, cherry trees boast not only spectacular blooms, but also shallow roots that ensure they won't invade or disrupt your property,' says Melvin Cubion, a certified horticulturist and botanist from Blandin. 'Plus, as an added bonus, if you choose a cultivated variety, you can enjoy a handful of fruit in the summer.'


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In other good news, these are a low-maintenance wood choice. Pruning a cherry tree is not always necessary, as trees tend to develop their own natural shape without assistance. Be sure to plant it at an appropriate distance from the house so you don't restrict its growing style.


3. LEOPARD TREE



This slender deciduous tree provides light summer shade and is an excellent choice for tropical garden ideas. If you are looking for one or more trees in your garden or large pots in your yard. It bears small, yellow pea-scented flowers in summer, followed by dark seed pods. 'Noted for its hard wood, Brazilian ironwood [also known as] has a lacy, umbrella-shaped crown,' says horticulturist Richard A. Criley of the University of Hawaii's Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences. In Manga. Because its leaves are feathery and soft, it does not cast much shade.


The trunk is smooth with white, gray and dark patches that peel off as the bark ages, giving rise to another common name, leopard tree. If you live in Florida or Hawaii, you need a tropical to warm temperate climate to grow and thrive. It is a good choice for front yards as it tolerates city street conditions such as shading from buildings. In temperate climates that experience mild frosts or dry summers, the leopard tree will not grow into a giant because these conditions naturally limit its growth.


4. ALLEGHENY SERVICEBERRY


Native to the northeastern United States, found mainly in the Appalachian Mountains, this is a great choice if you're looking for a medium to fast-growing, low-maintenance specimen tree. Attractive white flowers are followed by beautiful purple berries in June.


'Medium-sized trees at maturity usually have a multi-stemmed structure, making them an interesting choice in winter and even autumn,' says Jonathan Fargean. 'Amelanchier laevis is a multi-stemmed flowering tree with white blooms in early spring and beautiful fall color.' Serviceberry naturally develops a well-branched form. It is one of the best trees for front yards, and its easy-going nature is the reason why it is so popular in landscaping.


5. MEXICAN FAN PALM



With its elegant slender trunk and lush fan-shaped foliage, the Mexican fan palm is a great choice if you're interested in learning how to grow a palm tree to add drama and architectural form to your yard. It has clusters of beautiful cream-colored flowers to add to the mix in summer. Most palm trees originate from tropical climates, so this is a great choice if you live in a desert area. Used in hot summers and mild winters, the Mexican fan palm grows in zones with temperatures ranging from 95°F to 78°F.


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'This tall, elegant palm is a smart choice for those looking for water-efficient landscaping combined with aesthetic appeal,' says Melvin Cubion. 'It won't damage your home's foundation and is perfect for accentuating a focal point on your driveway.' Despite their height at maturity, young Mexican fan palms grow well in containers. So since this palm is considered invasive in Florida, California and Hawaii, if you're looking for tree ideas for a small yard, this is a great way to grow them.


6. SWEETBAY MAGNOLIA


When it comes to choosing a beautiful flowering tree to grow in your yard, the sweetbay magnolia is right up there. This is one of the best magnolia varieties to add to your landscaping ideas. 'Sweetbay magnolia is a multi-stemmed tree with semi-evergreen leaves that have silvery undersides,' says Jonathan Fargean. 'Its blooms are creamy white in color and exude a sweet lemon juice scent.'


The leaves form a beautiful shimmering canopy. It is a deciduous variety, but if your winters are mild, it will retain its leaves. That is why it is often referred to as a semi-evergreen. Unlike other magnolias, this species prefers moist, loamy soil, and for this reason is also known as 'swamp magnolia'. This type of magnolia is very cold tolerant and can retain some of its semi-evergreen foliage quite successfully in northern climates. If you're looking for ideas on the best fast-growing trees to create a focal point in your yard, this is a good option.


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