The Best Trees for Summer Landscaping: Beauty, Shade, and Value

Trees serve as the foundational features that give form and stability to your landscape. Trees offer shade, privacy, and can even increase your property’s value. However, choosing the right trees for your landscape involves more than just picking what looks good. A couple things need to be considered such as climate, soil type, growth rate, size at maturity, and maintenance needs before planting. Here are some of the best trees to consider for various landscaping goals.

Maple Trees

Maples are famous for their brilliant fall colors, making them a top choice for homeowners who want seasonal visual interest. The Red Maple is particularly popular for its fast growth, vibrant red foliage in the fall, and adaptability to various soil types. Another great choice is the Sugar Maple, which has orange and yellow leaves and grows into a symmetrical shape.

Dogwood Trees

If you’re looking for a smaller ornamental tree, dogwoods are ideal. The Flowering Dogwood is a perfect tree during the spring, showing white or pink blossoms and offers colorful red foliage and berries in the fall. Dogwoods prefer partial shade and rich, well-drained soil, making them perfect for planting in a yard.

Crepe Myrtle

For southern gardens, Crepe Myrtles are a good choice. These trees bloom beautifully in the summer with white, pink, red, or purple flowers and have attractive bark that provides benefits during the winter. They thrive in full sun and can be pruned to maintain a bushier or other shapes depending on your design goals.

Eastern Redbud

The Eastern Redbud is an early bloomer and produces clusters of pink flowers on bare branches during early spring. It has a specific branching pattern and heart-shaped leaves that turn yellow in the fall. It’s ideal for smaller yards or as an accent tree in a larger landscape.

Japanese Maple

If you’re looking for a bigger tree, the Japanese Maple offers dramatic foliage in shades of red, orange, and green, depending on the variety. These trees are best for partial shade and do well as focal points in more formal garden designs.

Oak Trees

For long-term investment and impressive shade, Oaks are a classic choice. Species like the White Oak or Live Oak are hardy, majestic, and beneficial to local wildlife. Though these trees are slower to grow, they provide excellent structure and will serve as a lasting legacy in any landscape.

Conclusion

The best landscaping trees combine aesthetics with practicality. When selecting a tree, think about how it will look throughout the seasons, its maintenance needs, and how it complements other plants in your yard. By choosing trees that are well-suited to your climate and soil, you’ll create a landscape that is not only beautiful but sustainable for years to come.

At Green Pine Tree Services, we understand the importance of caring for your trees and maintaining a healthy landscape. That’s why, in addition to expert tree care, we offer professional tree services. With the right equipment and a skilled team, tree care can be completed quickly and effectively, leaving you with a cleaner, safer, and more usable outdoor space. Contact us today to take the next step in improving your yard!