Growing trees appears to be the least taxing task in plant growing since this plant type requires minimal attention. Once you plant a tree you have something, Once you take the initiative to plant a tree, you will pass on something to your grandchildren and even your great grandchildren. For easy gardening, you have to consider planting trees which are eye catching, self sustaining and well behaved.
Here are some gardening tips. You want your trees to:
1) Leaf out early
2) Hold foliage late
3) Let plants or grass grow beneath
4) Withstand insect and pests
5) Be drought resistant
6) Be winter-resilient
7) Be adapted to your soil and climate
All the above requirements may not be available to one specific tree but some of these may exist. One thing to note is to avoid trees that are difficultto transplant, like tulip and sour gum. Also avoid elms (even the so-called “resistant” forms) until the Dutch elm disease problem is solved.
No matter what type of plants you nurture, trees can set a tone and create an atmosphere. If yours is a carefree life in a casual meadow, you don’t 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 certain sorts, a lot of charm is gained by growing trees in a tangle. How fascinating is the intermingling of different varieties thriving casually along a country lane or an old stone wall. Nature does this so beautifully. Why shouldn’t we try it?
Getting Trees of Your Choice
Whether your choice is the conventional tree planting or the tangle type, it pays if you look into the following suggested trees which may suit your needs. (The list considers those trees often classified as tall shrubs.)
Maple tree species are generally suitable for shade on lawn or walk. Striking red buds chasing the last snows are followed by tiny furry scarlet flowers, dusty pink pointed young leaves, and finally deep green mature summer foliage. Nice-looking winged fruit pods, like twirling ballerinas, spin to earth-here two, there five, and now a dozen. No trees are giddier in autumn than maples as they toss their flaming golds, reds and scarlets over a chilling landscape.
The orange-re autumn leaves of the swamp maple tree prevail clearly against the gray trunk and the blue sky while the gold maple leaves in the woods show up with glowing brilliance in the area. Sugar and Norway maples are among the most desirable and easiest. Keep lower branches pruned off to let in the light and encourage grass to grow beneath them. The silver maple and similar types look attractive when silver undersides of the leaves are turned up by the wind breeze.
The fast-growing sycamore is a hearty tree, with large, heavy-textured leaves that produce a fine cool summer shade. Its brown spiny seed pods made possible its name button ball. The limbs grow into wonderful elbows and angles, in winter the freckled brown and white trunk and branches stand out strikingly in the sunlight.
Hardy Oaks
The solid and long-lasting oak attracks squirrels with their merry antics while in search for acorns. The multiple- fingered leaves transform into rich coppery and maroon autumn tones and cling during the winter leaving a rosy brown hue in sight. The pin oak, the red oak, and the scarlet oak are among the best. Oaksmay be a bit slow growing but are attractive in the process. Plant at least one, if for no other reason than to be able to go out and contemplate it when you feel the need of something solid. An oak, we learn, weighs as much as fifty pounds per cubic foot!
One of the easiest and most beautiful of all shade trees is the sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua). The many pointed leaves are fragrant when crushed and, in autumn, turn deep yellow and rich red.
The graceful beech has smooth gray bark that folds in a neat tailored manner around its trunk.. This type of tree shades walk trails paving the way for a fine walk during summer and winter.
