The trees in our yard are often a little neglected throughout the year. They only ever seem to capture attention when in full bloom or in need of an overdue trim. And if you asked any homeowner, they’d probably agree.
But for the most part, front yard trees should be as low-maintenance as possible. After all, who has the time to fuss over garden trees every weekend? Your backyard is another story, as you can be more creative and selective. Your back yard is perfect for a full sized fruit tree, like a Meyer’s lemon or an orange tree, but your front yard needs something that catches the eye and looks beautiful throughout the seasons. For that purpose your front yard have to look clean and beautiful, so you can make a call to Brisbane tree looping providers to help you.
If you’re looking to spruce up your front yard and can’t decide on which type of tree will best suit your needs, this blog should help.
A Guide to Choosing the Best Front Yard Trees
As a homeowner, a lot is expected of front yard trees. They should not only be pretty to look at but should also provide shade and privacy year-round. The key is to choose the right trees to cater to your needs, all at once.
But does such a tree exist?
Here are 9 tree variations that are guaranteed to offer a strong focal point at key times throughout the year.
1. Golden Chain Trees
Ok, so this is one of those tree variations that may not offer a full year’s worth of bloom. But when it does, you can be guaranteed every person on your street will stop and stare.
The golden chain tree, botanically known as Laburnum × watereri, flowers for only 2-3 weeks in the year towards the end of spring. With its cascades of yellow blooms that hang down in a curtain of color, this tree is a true showstopper for any front yard.
Bear in mind, however, that this tree is a little fussy and is only suited to USDA plant hardiness zones 5-7. It tends to grow best in cool, moist climates.
A great way to incorporate this tree into your yard is to complement it with tree specimens that are low-maintenance and hold foliage throughout the year.
If your Golden Chain needs a little TLC, it’s best to get a hold of professional tree trimming experts.
2. Weeping Cherry Trees
For a splash of dreamy, pastel-inspired color in your front yard, the weeping cherries are your go-to.
Botanically known as Prunus subhirtella Pendula, weeping trees offer a dramatic focal point with their novel shape and cascades of light pink and white flowers. It tends to flower throughout spring, especially the month of April.
It’s a large tree that can grow up to 20-30-feet tall and spread 15-25 feet. So make sure your yard is big enough for it!
3. Crabapple Trees
The crabapple is a multi-functional tree. Not only does it offer gorgeous baby pink blooms, but it acts as a pollinator for apple trees and other plants. It also helps to attract a plethora of birds to your yard.
There are a number of cultivars of crabapple trees, the most popular of which include Prairie Fire and Spring Snow.
The magnificent, delicate blooms of the Prairie Fire turn from pink flowers into dark red crabapples. This tree can grow up to 15-20 feet tall.
The Spring Snow cultivar is a fruitless tree, but offers mounds of fragrant white flowers and grows up to 20-25 feet tall.
4. Palm Trees
If you live in a warmer, more humid climate, the palm tree is the quintessential front yard tree for your home. Coconut palms, also known as Cocos nucifera, do not cope well in extreme cold but can be fairly resilient in cool weather.
Date palms, on the other hand, are far more suited to colder climates and can withstand temperatures as low as 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Date palm leaves are feather-like and make for a great front yard display, year-round.
5. Holly Trees
Holly is well-known as evergreen foliage, so it makes for a low-maintenance plant in your yard at any time of the year. With its glossy, barbed leaves, American holly and English holly are both trees worth planting in your yard.
Aside from looking great all year round, holly trees also offer beautiful red berries to add to the autumn/winter look of your home. They also act as a security barrier to your yard with their prickly foliage.
6. Birch Trees
While not all the trees on this list offer year-round beauty, the birch tree is your go-to for multi-season foliage.
If you have a smaller yard and do not have the space to plant more than one or two trees, the birch tree is your perfect choice. It offers multi-season interest while being low-maintenance.
The paper birch, botanically known as Betula papyrifera, is a great option with its yellow, fall-inspired coloring and peeling bark — even in the wintertime. Bear in mind that it’s a large tree that grows up to 70 feet tall.
7. Sugar Maples Trees
Who doesn’t love a tall, grand maple tree? And most especially because they offer up that quintessential fall feeling and iconic fall foliage!
Acer saccharum is well-known not only for its beautiful fall foliage but also its size, growing up to 80 feet tall. It functions well as a shade tree in any size yard and also acts as a decent sound barrier to road noise.
Just make sure to keep sugar maple trees away from septic tank systems due to the large, intricate root systems.
8. Japanese Maple Trees
The Japanese maple tree is like the smaller, more petite cousin of the sugar maple tree, and is a slow-growing, medium-sized tree for your yard.
It only grows up to 20 feet tall and offers just enough shade for a small yard or in and amongst patio landscaping.
The Japanese maple is popular because it looks pretty throughout most of the year and offers beautiful, dainty leaves for three full seasons. In winter, its beautiful, delicate branch network picks up the slack!
9. Minnesota Strain Redbud
The Minnesota strain redbud is a hardy tree that offers a number of functions every homeowner will love.
With its long, sturdy branches, this tree offers a strong architectural presence in your yard. It also offers a flourish of pink flowers in early spring and brown-colored seedpods in the fall.
This tree grows up to 30 feet tall and is a showstopper in both the spring and fall months.
Gardening Tips for Green Thumbs
Selecting trees for your driveway from any of the nine great options mentioned above will definitely be able to give your home personality. However, if you really want to create an entirely elevated experience, you can beautify the trees with some great looking tree grates.
Tree grates allow you to place some lights on the floor, thereby encircling the trees. This means that when the sun goes down, and you switch on the lights of the tree grates, you will see the entire tree illuminate. This is truly a spectacular experience and sight in its own right.
