I’ve taken a little hiatus from my column, grieving over the trees lost at my personal Wild Rose Ranch, and for all those that surrounded it in Bastrop State Park.  Today I am back “at work”, sharing with you some ideas about locating trees in the landscape.  If you look back to earlier columns (you can find everything I’ve written over the years by visiting my website www.thefragrantgarden.com/publications ), you’ll remember that I was writing about tree selection and planting before the fire changed our lives.  In an effort to return some sense of normalcy, I start once again with some ideas to consider before beginning.

Plant trees that you can be (fairly) sure will survive with little supplemental water and care.  (Look for more on types and varieties to follow in weeks ahead).   If you live in town, plant trees that will eventually grow to shade your roof, windows, and walls.  Choose trees that are taller than they are wide for this purpose, so the shade will result without having them actually hang over the roof.  Think about planting to screen undesirable views, like trash cans next door, or that poorly maintained house across the street.  You might want to choose evergreen trees for this purpose, so they provide the cover throughout the year.

As a flower lover, I love seeing flowering trees that provide more than simply shade or screening.  When choosing these, look for native or well adapted varieties, and consider choosing several different cultivars that will extend bloom over the full season of spring, summer, and fall.  You may also want to plant fruit trees, both those edible to humans and others for wildlife.  Be sure to keep these away from patios and walkways, where their resultant fruit could create slip hazards or stain hardscape.

Think about planting new street trees, and check with City Hall about which trees are preferred for this purpose.  Often they will be large so they overhang the street and provide shade for parked cars and those passing by on both foot and in vehicles.  Consider whether the trunk or low foliage will obstruct views of oncoming vehicles or street signs; you may have to remove the trees if planted in the wrong place. 

We are very fortunate here in Smithville proper to have alleys where most of the power lines and other overhead wires are located.  If your situation is different, consider planting smaller trees that grow to no more than 15 to 20 feet ultimate height.  We’ve all seen those larger trees under lines, shaved off at the top and looking very unattractive.  Think about the tree’s ultimate width, as well, so those planted along the sides and back of your yard don’t encroach on either power lines or your neighbor’s yard.  If a neighbor doesn’t want the shade, they may start trimming your tree and may not do it properly.  Pruning trees in the wrong season to by cutting off branches and leaving stubs can greatly affect the health of a tree in the long run.

When locating multiple trees, be certain that they have the room to grow to their full size in their allotted space.  A grove of trees can adapt to somewhat closer spacing, but if planted too closely, they may compete for water and nutrients, and also grown misshapen and less stable in the wind.  A final consideration should be if you want the shade of the tree(s) in your garden, and whether other plants can adapt to the loss of sun.