What Kind of Tree Should Be Planted in the Front Yard?
- Choose a tree that complements your home and will not become too large for your front yard. If you have a one-story house, look for trees whose mature height is between 15 and 20 feet. For two- and three-story houses select a tree that is at least 20 feet tall. You don't want the tree to overwhelm your house, but at the same time, you don't want your house to overwhelm your trees. If you plan on growing grass under your tree, choose a tree with a deep taproot and small leaves. If you plan on gardening under the tree, choose one with an open canopy that lets in light. If you are planting for energy conservation or windbreak potential, choose a tree with large leaves and a tight or dense canopy or an evergreen.
- If you have an obnoxious neighbor or live close to anything you consider an eyesore the right trees will make your yard and home more comfortable. Use pyramidal (either deciduous or evergreen) trees like cypresses or junipers planted in a row to disguise eyesores or to mark boundary lines. Or use weeping and multiple trunk trees planted as a specimen or in multiples of three to block eyesores.
Evergreens with arching branches are also an excellent choice to block an unsightly spot.
Direct attention away from less attractive features by using trees to "frame" views: use two upright, single trunk trees planted on either side of the view you wish to frame. Or plant a tree with spectacular foliage, flowers or trunk texture on the opposite side of your yard from the eyesore to draw the eye away from it. - Small trees (those under 20 feet) work best as specimen trees planted in front of small, single-story houses. As a general rule the mature height of the tree should be at least as high as the roof line but no more than 10 feet higher.
If you live in a multi-story home and like the look of small trees like Japanese maples or dogwoods, you can still plant them in your front yard, just place them so they are part of a large flower bed. Contrasting them against smaller perennials or shrubs will keep your small tree in proportion with your yard.
Excellent small trees for front yards are Japanese maples, dogwoods, some species of magnolias, redbuds, weeping cherries, witch hazels and birches. - Large trees attain a height of 25 feet or more and should be used carefully. Planted in the front yard of a small house a tall tree can easily overwhelm the home and make it seem as if the house is huddling under the tree.
Large trees should be planted in large front yards of large houses. Placing a large tree in a small front yard will overwhelm the landscaping and make it hard for you to grow other flowers or shrubs. In this case, a tall pyramidal evergreen or deciduous tree would be appropriate.
Large trees like oaks, maples and walnuts are more known for their structure than their flowers but you can find a few like the golden chain tree and the Franklin tree that flower in early to mid summer. Most pines and spruces are considered large trees and typically reach heights between 20 and 30 feet.
