Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
patty16_gw

Suggestion for trees in front lawn

Patty16
9 years ago

I would love to hear some suggestions for a few trees to plant in the front of my house and where you suggest I put them. I would like something to the right corner of the house (looking at the house) and maybe 2 to 3 trees out front? Near the driveway which is on the left looking at the house. And one in the bed to the right near the street. Any thoughts or suggestions would be so much appreciated!! We are in zone 5b and this area receives full sun all day. I would love to mix some maroon color in with green trees. Maybe a japanse maple somewhere....?

Thank you!!

{{!gwi}}

Comments (13)

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    House

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    9 years ago

    what part of the country are you in. Location is critical in selecting the right tree, because climate matters.

    you have a lovely home by the way.

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you :). We are in Massachusetts

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    Where I would put the various types .... (Street trees would be relatively equally spaced along the frontage ... depending on the overall length of run.)

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    I'm sure that if you drive around your town and look, you will be able to find many older trees which have no lower limbs and below which you can see clearly everything around ... including the faces of houses. That many people seem to either not know, are too lazy to rectify, or crave privacy to the level that their lower tree limbs obliterate the ground level view, is indicative of how pervasive the problem is. However, with proper maintenance, there is no reason that tree limbs need to obliterate a view. Instead, they should act like a nice shady canopy -- a ceiling -- that PROTECTS the viewer from harsh sun while they are viewing. In most cases, the lower limbs of trees should be high enough only to FRAME the view. So the higher and wider the tree canopy is, the higher its lower limbs can be removed.

    It is not the type (species) of tree that determines if the view is maintained or hidden. That function is determined entirely by the one doing the maintaining.

    That said, the HABITS and NATURE of a tree can determine what uses they are suitable for. The two that you mention would be near my LAST choices for street trees. When Magnolia leaves fall, they make a mess. It wouldn't be a mess I would want to look at right at the street. Bradford Pears have a fatal flaw ... that they split in half just as they are coming of age. They should only be used where you wouldn't mind the absence of the tree when it turns 15 years old. There are bucketloads of nice trees that look good when limbed up and don't have fatal bad habits. (MAPLES, such as your neighbor might have, can be limbed up nicely.

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I googled and found 10 best street trees in mass. I'll have to take some time and look at the list. I see that you also suggested a shade tree on the right side. Where abouts where you suggest that go? Should I put something small next to the right side of the house?

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    I placed the shade tree diagonally off the corner of house. But take into account the realities of the site and adjust the placing as needed. Since you can see the real site, try to adjust so it reflects the picture as best as you can. From the front view, you could use some large shrubs or small trees off the R side of house, but I can't see there to tell you what.

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I bought a sarah mountain laurel for the end of the house to replace the red dragon japanse maple since they grow taller (right now it's sitting in a pot behind the red dragan). I know I need to kick out the bed if I add a tree outside the mountain laurel. I added two pics. The side of the house is a mess right now. The holly next to the front steps need to be moved back inline with the hydrangeas... Some day. Thanks for your help!

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Pic

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Pic

  • Patty16
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Pic

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    9 years ago

    As usual, it is the "frontal" square-on picture that starts it off by, mostly, "explaining" the architecture. These pictures do not "explain" the side of the house to me. (They do, however, explain that the bed is stunted.)