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4 Creative Ways To Incorporate Trees Into Your Landscape Design

11 February 2015

Carlos Bowman

Nature decides where trees are placed in wooded areas, but it's up to you to decide where and how to use trees in your yard. By taking a good look at your surroundings, you can determine where to place different sizes, shapes, colors and groups of trees to best complement your home. 

Create A Sheltered Look

Placing trees on either side along a long, winding driveway creates a timeless, elegant look. The trees also serve another purpose: shelter. They protect the driveway from wind and weather. For this purpose, choose column-shaped tree varieties.

• Linden
• Pin oak
• Gum trees

Create A Canopy

A grove of deciduous trees in your yard creates a nice, shady canopy for you to relax or your kids to play on warm summer days. Groves of trees also add a feeling of intimacy to your landscape design. 

Because large, leaf-losing trees can take years to mature, you might consider contacting a tree service, like The Arborist, to place larger trees in your yard. Discuss moving and planting larger trees--like oaks, elms, and maples--on your landscape with landscape contractor who can provide assistance with proper placement. 

Create A Living Sculpture

Planted in just the right spot, a specimen tree can be as beautiful as artist sculpture. Look for symmetry, but you also might consider placing one tree slightly off center or using it to balance open space.

To add interest, choose specimen trees with gnarled branches, like a Japanese maple, or a tree of great stature, like a white hickory. 

Small ornamental trees are also ideal as living art. They can also be planted closer to the home than larger trees because their root system won't spread as far. You can plant these smaller trees near patios, decks, and courtyards where you can relax and enjoy the beauty. 

There is a variety of dwarf and ornamental trees from which you can choose that provide lovely accent colors.

• Crabapple
• Dogwood
• Japanese red maple

Create A Focal Point

You can create a focal point in your yard using one tree or a grove of trees. Add further accent to the area by planting flowers or using rock or pavers to create an island around the tree or trees. 

You can use one large tree and place several smaller tree varieties around it to create a centerpiece for a circular driveway. You can also use one attractive tree to draw attention to a certain area of your landscape. 

If you are interested in using trees to spice up your landscape design, contact a landscape contractor. The professionals can help you choose just the right tree or trees to create the look you want for your yard. 

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