Front yard decorative trees


Best trees for front yards: 10 varieties to suit all gardens

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By choosing the best trees for front yards, you can completely transform your front garden design. The right tree adds height to the garden landscape and creating a point of architectural interest around which the rest of the garden design can be orientated. 

However, with limited space available, selecting the right tree is key. It is important to look for a tree that can comfortably grow in a small garden – and one that will add year-round interest to your front yard landscaping ideas. 

'While really any tree can be grown in the front yard, the best varieties are those that offer some kind of ornamental value such as flower, leaf color, or general texture,' advises Blythe Yost, CEO of the online landscape design company Tilly , 'A few well placed shade trees will lend significance and grandeur to your property for years to come – they are a great investment and will do wonders for your curb appeal. '

Best trees for front yards

When choosing the best trees for front yards, it is important to first work out what you want from the tree. Do you want the tree to offer privacy or do you want it to be a stand out feature in your front yard? Are you looking for something to bring color to your outdoor space, or would you rather something low-maintenance that doesn't drop a lot of leaves come fall? Think size, too, since it's likely that you'll be looking for trees for small gardens, rather than ones suited to larger spaces.

It's also vital to factor in the conditions of your front yard – what sort of soil do you have, is it a north-facing garden or south-facing garden plot, do you have extreme summers and/or winters? All of these things will impact the long-term health and subsequent appearance of the tree – an unhealthy, drooping tree is never going to be one of the best trees for front yards.

‘Make sure the tree you select will thrive in the growing conditions. This includes the type of soil, wind, rainfall, winter cold and summer heat. Check the tag for this information as well as the mature height and spread,’ advises certified arborist and garden expert Melinda Myers . ‘Contact your University Extension service, local garden center, nature center, landscape professionals, certified arborists, or other more localized tree resources to find trees suited to their climate.’

1. Magnolia

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A herald of spring, magnolia is loved for its beautiful goblet flowers and sweet fragrance. There are lots of different varieties, from smaller varieties like Magnolia Black Tulip which reaches about 10 feet at maturity, through to evergreen cultivars such as Magnolia grandiflora that are fairly mess free and offer year-round privacy. 

Magnolia stellata is a popular choice for front yards as it has a small stature but still produces a stunning array of flowers. In fact, it can even be grown in a container so is ideal if you don't have the space to plant a tree in the ground.  

Magnolia trees are suited to USDA zones 7 to 9. One thing to note is that most magnolia trees prefer slightly acidic soil and full sun, though there are some varieties that can tolerate more neutral soil so be sure to do your research when looking for the best trees for front yards. 

2. Pink Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida rubra)

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'When I have a design request from a client that centers around planting trees, I always recommend going for species that attract pollinators and animals,' advises Jane Clarke, landscape expert from Fantastic Gardeners .

Native to Eastern US, Pink Flowering Dogwood is one of the best trees for front yards if you want to attract wildlife into your garden. In spring, its stunning pink blooms will last for up to 4 weeks. Your tree will be rich with bees and butterflies enjoying the nectar. Once its flowered, the bright green leaves of its summer foliage will turn a deep, eye-catching purple shade throughout fall. Tolerant between USDA zones 5 to 9, the berries that the Pink Flowering Dogwood produces in the cooler months will become a mainstay for feeding birds in winter.

3. Paper Bark Birch (Betula papyrifera)

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Named for its beautiful white bark, which curls and peels into layers when the tree is mature, the paper bark birch would make for a beautiful centerpiece in a front yard. Famed for being the state tree of New Hampshire, it is a popular nesting site for woodpeckers, blue jay, nuthatches, chickadees and swallows. Able to thrive in gardens in USDA zones 2 through to 7, the paper bark birch is one of the best trees for front yards in colder parts of the country. 

4. Wisteria

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A staple of the cottage garden, wisteria is a romantic addition to any front yard. Whether you decide to grow wisteria up the wall of your house, on an archway over your front path, or over a garden fence, it adds color and character to your home.

Most varieties are tolerant from zones 5 to 9, though Kentucky wisteria – which is native to North America rather than Asia – can be grown even in zone 3. If growing wisteria, it is important to know how to prune wisteria as this will keep it in good condition and ensure an abundance of flowers.

5. Green giant arborvitae (Thuja x. ‘Green Giant’)

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If you're looking for an architectural, easy to care for, evergreen tree, then green giant arborvitae are one of the best trees for front yards. 'A moderately fast-growing evergreen conifer (3 feet per year), green giant arborvitae are easy to grow and low maintenance making them a great choice for front yards, especially in zones 5 to 9,' suggests Tammy Sons, CEO of TN Nurserys .

Their conical shape and their height – growing up to 60 feet tall – makes them a great focal point for year-round interest. Consider planting either side of a front porch to frame the house, then underplant with flowers and small shrubs for further interest.  

6. Redbud tree (Cercis canadensis)

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This beautiful tree is one of the prettiest trees to grow in the front yard and is suitable for planting from zones 4 through 8. Its bright pink blooms erupt at the start of spring, before the pretty heart-shaped leaves develop later in the season creating a colorful welcome to your home. Growing to 20 feet tall, and around 20 feet wide, this deciduous tree is also relatively small which makes it perfect for front yards.

7. Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

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If you are looking for a tree that produces plenty of flowers, then crape myrtle is one of the best trees for front yards. Exploding in a profusion of pink blooms in summer and retaining them well into the fall, they are popularly known as the lilac of the south. 

Tolerant in USDA zones 7 through to 10, the crape myrtle is a fairly small tree – only growing up to 15–25 feet tall – making it a great addition for small front yards. 'The Crape Myrtle trees bring a lot to the table in terms of augmenting your front yard with color that is year-round,' says Luke Kalawsky, manager of Central Phoenix Moon Valley Nurseries  . 'The Crape Myrtle is easy to care for and is moderately drought-resistant once established.

Crape myrtle needs full sun and thrive best in hot and dry conditions, so if you live in an area with high humidity, then they are best avoided as they are susceptible to mildew. 

8. Tibetan cherry tree (Prunus serrula)

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Tibetan cherry trees are one of the best trees for front yards due to its eye-catching color and interesting shape. Growing in zones 6 to 8, its beautiful, polished mahogany bark creates a stunning feature that adds color and interest all year around, especially come winter when the red bark pops against white snow. Then come spring, it erupts in a host of delicate white flowers, which contrast the deep red bark for a stunning display.  

9. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

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If you're just going to have one tree in your front yard then you need to pick a hardworking variety that will make a statement. The Callery pear, also known as the flowering pear or Bradford pear starts the year with a profusion of late winter and early spring flowers, while its bright green leaves darken throughout the year, shifting to a deep orange-red hue in the fall – the quintessential fall tree. 

'The Flowering Pear is moderate to fast-growing and needs low to moderate watering once established. Flowering Pears love sun exposure and are highly resistant to fire-flight, making the tree a great choice for firescaping,' advises says Luke Kalawsky, manager of Central Phoenix Moon Valley Nursery . 

A large tree, growing up to 50 feet tall and tolerant through USDA zones 4 to 8, it is a great choice if you are also looking for a tree that will add shade and privacy to your front yard. 'Prune to maintain desired canopy shape and size, and fertilize monthly from early spring to fall to receive fullest flower potential,' continues Luke.

10. Bay tree in planter

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Even if you only have a small front yard, you can still grow trees in pots. When it comes to containers, the best trees for front yards differ slightly from the others on this list. Size becomes of vital importance, as the tree must be able to thrive with a constricted root area. Slow-growing trees are best for growing in pots as you won't have to constantly repot them.

There are lots of options for the best trees to grow in pots . Bay is a great choice for a classic, sophisticated look and fairs well in most areas. Olive trees are also popular for those looking to create a Mediterranean garden retreat, and as mentioned before, there are species of magnolia that can also thrive in pots.

What are the best trees to plant in your front yard?

Magnolia, crape myrtle and pink flowering dogwood are some of the best trees to plant in your front yard. ‘Look for trees that do not create a mess or create planting beds around them so the mess is masked by the surrounding plants,’ suggests certified arborist and garden expert Melinda Myers .

The best tree for your front yard will depend on the size of your yard, amount of growing space you have available as well as the climate and the severity of your summers and winters.

What is a good shade tree that is not messy?

Green giant arborvitae, silver dollar tree and southern magnolia are all good options that create garden shade – and are not messy. Since they are evergreen they do not loose their leaves in fall, meaning you don't have to clear up a host of fallen leaves, or worry about them creating an unattractive and slippery welcome to your home. 

Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title. Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature. 

Ornamental Trees to Accentuate Your Yard

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We have a hard time keeping these small ornamental trees in stock! One look, and you'll know why they are so popular.

It's easy to decorate your landscape with these incredibly showy trees! Typically, these are smaller growing trees—under 25 feet tall—that deliver much more than just shade.

Use them near your outdoor seating area as a beautiful feature. Or pump up your curb appeal with an ornamental tree in your front yard.

Deciduous flowering ornamental trees add pizzazz in the spring and gorgeous foliage in the summer and fall. Ornamental evergreen trees add a decorative touch that provides year-round color and a double helping of personality.

Trees give your home beauty and permanence. Ornamental trees deliver interesting shapes, patterns, colors, scents, and seasonal changes.

Include Small Decorative Trees for Landscaping

It's no surprise that Ornamental Trees are some of the best-selling types of trees we offer. A modern tree like Black Pearl Redbud delights from early spring onwards with incredible blooms and deep, dark heart-shaped foliage.

Purple, red, and yellow leaf color has been introduced into many new Redbud tree selections. Award-winning Don Egolf Chinese Redbud features upright growth habit and very limited seedpod production.

Think of them as the "chandelier" of your outdoor garden rooms. Live large on your property with many rooms that flow together...and use Ornamental trees for star power.

NatureHills.com stays on trend with the latest cultivars and classic ornamental favorites. Plant breeders have been busy enhancing the features you love.

What Makes A Tree Ornamental?

While each ornamental tree is unique, there are some common themes:

What features do you crave? Shop NatureHills. com for a gorgeous selection of high-quality trees.

It's no wonder why we delight professional landscape companies with large plant orders each week. Our expert growers are the best in the business!

Trees with More Color from Flowers and Foliage

There are many trees that we have included within our "Ornamentals" group. Typically, these include smaller plants with lots of interest.

The most desired ornamental feature of these smaller growing trees is flowers. Homeowners expect more from their landscape assets...here are trees that dazzle and delight you year after year.

Ornamental Trees for the South and West

Get cute pink flowers and whimsical fruit from Marina Strawberry trees in warm winter Growing Zones. You'll also adore the rich, cinnabar bark all year-long!

Versatile, vivacious Crape Myrtle trees feature incredible frilly flowers for months each summer. These pert trees can be pruned into hedges, or kept groomed into a single trunk tree or multi-stemmed clump.

In recent years, plant breeders have introduced a magnificently dark purple leaf color that is nearly black! The Black Diamond Series is such an incredible contrast against the massive flower displays.

For a very mellow vibe, you can't go wrong with cool-toned Chaste trees. Grace your space with gray-green foliage and heather-blue blooms of Vitex.

Nothing is as elegant as a native Flowering Dogwood tree. Cultivars offer exceptionally dainty form, incredibly rich saturated blooms, colorful textured foliage and fall color.

Widely Adaptable Ornamental Trees

Not all broad-leaved evergreen Magnolias are giants! Gain a lovely ornamental view with Little Gem Magnolia sited for maximum visual impact.

Or try the sweet Little Girl Series of Jane, Betty and Ann. Try Butterflies if you love lively yellow flowers in early summer!

Learn How to Care for Your Magnolia Trees >>

The incredibly evocative flowers of Cherry Blossom trees create a neighborhood landmark. We offer a myriad of options...sort by Mature Height and Spread to see which choice is right for your space.

Learn How to Care for Your Flowering Cherry Trees >>

Japanese Maple trees stand apart for their exceptional foliage. We're proud of our online collection of these special small trees...you'll be proud of yours, too!

Cold-Hardy Ornamental Trees

Bold Crabapples are some of the best spring-flowering trees available on the market. Choose your favorite flower color...and fruit color, too!

Crabapples bloom in a cloud of color that can last several weeks. Showy fruits can persist all through the fall and winter seasons.

On some cultivars, shiny fruit may still be hanging on the trees in spring. Migrating birds like Cedar Waxwings and Robins are happy to eat them as they return!

Spectacular blooms, foliage and fall color make Flowering Ornamental Plum make beautiful landscape assets. The fruit of Chickasaw Plum makes it a marvelous wildlife tree, too.

With blooms that rival any other, the burgundy foliage of Krauter Vesuvius Purple Leaf Plum remains a consistent dark accent. Keep it as a focal point in a Secret Garden with Privet Hedge walls...or share it with the world in a lawn planting for the front yard.

Beautiful Tree-Form Shrubs Enliven Your Yard

At various times during the year, we sell popular shrubs that are trained as single stem trees. There is nothing so pretty as a Rose tree or Hydrangea tree with thrilling blooms raised to eye level.

Try a pair of our expertly grown Tree-Form plants on either side of your front door. Rose of Sharon trees are summertime bloom machines.

Even if you rent an apartment, you can grow them as "Thrillers" in hardy outdoor containers. Balcony life has never been prettier!

Enjoy Multiple Seasons of Interest, Including Winter

Many ornamental trees offer scintillating spring color and gorgeous summer foliage that burnishes to robust fall color display. But don't forget about wintertime!

Plants that lose their foliage in the winter months can also have eye-catching attributes that add to your landscape. Deciduous ornamental trees feature branches and bark that can get overlooked during the growing season.

During the spare and dreary winter season, rely on other desirable traits for interest. Harry Lauder's Walking Stick is a perfect example, with its remarkable twisting and turning branches.

After a plant flowers, there will be some kind of fruit or seed that can be very ornamental. Magnolias have orange seeds that are very decorative, and Flowering Cherries and Plums also produce beautiful fruits that are excellent for wildlife, as well.

Weeping forms are outstanding in all seasons. Sculptural Lavender Twist Weeping Redbud has a fantastic fountain-like look, no matter what season it is.

Weeping ornamental trees are favorites of many homeowners. The long graceful weeping branches attract attention and seem to give a sense of peace and calm to a yard.

Let's not forget the bark either. The peeling and exfoliating bark that you find on some plants, like Birch trees, is highly ornamental and worth highlighting with outdoor lighting.

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry is a four-season ornamental tree. Sweet white flowers, edible blue-red fruit, and noteworthy fall color is matched by a lovely form and smooth, gray bark.

Charming Ornamental Evergreen Trees

Ornamental trees can be deciduous or evergreen. Evergreens tend to derive their ornamental appeal from unique shapes or sizes.

Holly plants produce those beautiful red berries. Grow your own winter and holiday decorations, and gain a privacy screen at the same time.

Weeping Cascade Falls Bald Cypress brings the soft, feathery foliage to the romantic look people love. This rare plant is a deciduous evergreen, for the best of both worlds...and electric orange fall color.

Degroot's Spire Arborvitae isn't the same old, same old. Tiered growth habit with layered spires make each one a work of art.

Tips for Planting and Growing Ornamental Trees

The best thing you can do is study your lot. Map out the low-lying areas that stay damp after rain...and chart the amount of sun hours you receive in each area.

Find out what your Growing Zone is by typing it into the Zone Finder on each product page. Plants are sensitive to both heat and cold...find the plants rated for your zone.

Next, look for plants that match your environmental conditions. Each product page has a Plant Highlights section that gives you information on Sun Exposure, from full sun or partial shade to full shade.

Check the Mature Height and Spread to find an Ornamental tree that will fit into your location. You can custom-prune many trees...but a good cultivar selection might remove that hassle all together.

Move quickly when you find the tree you want. Place your order at any time of year, we'll hold it for you until the time is right for planting in your area.

Track your sturdy box right to your doorstep. Open it up and give it a long drink to hydrate it.

Dig your planting hole twice as wide as the root, but no deeper. Keep trees at the same level they grew at the nursery.

Symbiotic Nature Hills Root Booster forms a helpful relationship with the feeder roots of your new tree. It never wears out, but supports your landscape investment it's whole life.

Tap your plant out of it's nursery pot. If you bought a bareroot plant, soak the roots for several hours to rejuvenate your new tree.

Press the backfill soil around your tree. Soak the soil to remove air pockets at the root zone.

Here's the Right Way to Water Your New Plants >>

Apply a three-inch layer of mulch over the roots, then pull it back away from touching the trunk. Plan to reapply mulch every few years as needed.

Fertilize your tree with either flowering plant or evergreen plant formulas. Please follow directions on the label to support healthy growth.

You'll love the designer look gained with special Ornamental trees from NatureHills.com. Place your order today!

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Ornamental trees in the design of the site

Even in a small area, you want to grow trees not only for harvest, but also for the soul, relaxation, joy. It is this, at first glance, impractical role that decorative plantings play.

Contents

Purpose of ornamental trees

The main mission of such plants is to decorate urban areas intended for recreation: parks, squares, gardens. They are used for landscaping settlements.

Decorative plantings will help out even a novice landscape designer:

If the site has a slope or the soil is prone to erosion and shedding, then trees with a powerful branched root system are simply indispensable.

When choosing any plants, it is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions in the region, the size of the plot, the personal wishes of the owners, their financial ability.

Placement methods

There are several options for placing ornamental trees:

Variety of trees

Main tree species: evergreen, ornamental deciduous, flowering. Experts recommend mixing different types and shapes of trees to create unique, attractive arrangements.

Various types of crowns are artificially created for ornamental trees: spherical, oval, pyramidal, tiered, weeping, columnar. Any curly composition can be created from a plant by pinching, grafting and pruning. The ideal material for artistic haircuts are conifers.

Landscape designers have a new form of tree - bole . These are plants with a smooth straight trunk without extra shoots, the branches of which grow downward or form a spherical weeping crown.

Willow Goat Pendula

The height of standard trees is usually about two meters, less often they grow up to 5 meters. This form looks good in mountain ash, elm, goat willow, some varieties of apple trees.

Scotch Elm Pendula

Four types of boles are formed in tall representatives:

  1. Reflex - branches are directed vertically down.
  2. Inverse - shoots form an arc.
  3. Pendula — branches hanging at an acute angle.
  4. Umbrella - shoots are directed first horizontally and then upwards.

Such structures are used to decorate buildings or create decorative alleys to create an asymmetrical tree planting. They look especially harmonious with pyramidal shrubs.

Conifers

Ornamental trees are dominated by conifers due to their diversity, strict showiness and splendor even in winter. In the spring, they are distinguished by unusual flowering, later they develop soft green young shoots . Many conifers produce pleasant, healthy aromas that relieve fatigue and improve mood.

The popularity of conifers in landscape design is also associated with their endurance and unpretentiousness to growing conditions.

They do a good job of decorating:

Different subspecies of Norway spruce are considered especially hardy. Special attention deserves prickly spruce - it is a semi-dwarf with a round crown.

Prickly spruce Glauka Globoza

It grows slowly, by the age of 30 it reaches only 3 meters. The needles are special: thick, prickly, silver-blue in color, resistant to smoke and soot.

For the formation of decorative compositions, conifers are selected according to the characteristics:

Deciduous

Maple, mountain ash, oak, elder, Manchurian walnut are the most popular representatives of deciduous ornamental trees. These plants with leaves on petioles will decorate any composition and look original separately, especially against the backdrop of dense hedges.

Ornamental fruit trees

Fruit trees usually do two things: decoration and harvest. In this type of plant, an active flowering process begins in spring, and fruits, berries or nuts will form at the end of summer. If the area is small, it is better to pay attention to dwarf varieties.

These are hybrid varieties of ordinary garden trees, most often of small height covered with small fruits, but with especially colorful multi-colored foliage.

Exotic specimens

These are imported species, usually unadapted to mid-latitude climates, so they require additional protection from the cold.

Most often, exotics play the role of tapeworm - this is an original specimen that attracts attention, therefore, plants with exclusive features are chosen for this role:

  1. Crown of non-standard shape.
  2. Unusually colored foliage.
  3. The fruits are bright.

Solitaire is a solitary tree with a special decorative effect to decorate an open area. Therefore, the plant should be beautiful, unusual and memorable.

Distribution by growth

Among the fastest growing trees of the middle belt, the annual growth of which can reach a maximum of more than one meter, are:

These green giants are suitable for decorating large suburban areas, and for more modest areas, less high grades are suitable.

We select trees taking into account the climate

When choosing any plant for a site, it is necessary to take into account its preferences for temperature changes, humidity, and soil requirements. The most important thing is to choose just such a biological species that will be comfortable growing in the climatic conditions of the corresponding region.

Tree species tolerate temperature drops in different ways:

  1. Very frost-resistant - trees that can withstand frosts down to -30-50 ° C, these include: birch. Norway spruce Tompa
  2. Frost-resistant (winter-hardy) - trees that survive at temperatures of -20-30°C. These are: willow, linden and mountain ash; as well as fruit: Siberian cherry selection, some varieties of plums, apple trees and pears.

    Willow 'Hakuro Nishiki'

  3. Moderately frost-resistant - trees that can safely withstand temperatures down to -25 ° C, these are: acacia, beech, hornbeam, chestnut, maple, sophora and others.

    Beech Silvatica Purpurea Pendula

For most plants, drought is worse than frost. Drought-resistant specimens will be able to withstand high temperatures at low humidity: aralia, acacia, birch, larch .

Weeping larchAralia

An ornamental garden should be beautiful all year round. For this, it is necessary to carefully consider its structure, create a composition, select plants that retain a beautiful texture at any time of the year and properly care for them.

Alfira Sagitova

Landscape designer

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I have been doing landscape design since 2010. I'm waiting for your questions in the comments or private messages in VK or Facebook group.

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15 Beautiful Garden Trees: Fast Growing Ornamental Trees

The backyard is not always the vegetable garden. Many homeowners prefer a shady garden to vegetable beds. Trees add much-needed shade, privacy, and beauty to your yard. Here is a list of the most beautiful yard trees that can be grown quickly and without hassle.

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