Are you looking to improve the curb appeal of your home? In addition to updating the exterior of your home and landscaping, a fresh start is your next option. Everything from manicured hedges to freshly cut lawns will improve your home’s curb appeal, but it’s not the only thing. A well-chosen front yard tree could add the same charm and value to your home.
According to Joanna Mayfield Marks, a licensed associate real estate broker with Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales, LLC, trees can benefit the aesthetics of your home and the surroundings. “Trees add color, life, shade, and literally clean the air,” she explains. “I had a client once who shied away from an entire neighborhood because of a lack of trees. Buyers are drawn in by curb appeal and trees are a big part of that.”
Select the perfect tree, it’ll soon be the focal point of your landscaping and will add “special warmth, personality, and dimension to the home, not to mention a charm to the neighborhood,” Says Mayfield Marks. “They are like sentries protecting our homes from wind, rain, and heat, and [they] beautifully [mark] each passing season.” Find out which trees in your front yard can improve the curb appeal of your property.
Shadbush as well as Juneberry ( Amalanchier spp.)
If you are looking for a low-maintenance and versatile choice for your front yard, look into an alternative like the Shadbush tree, according to Jennifer Bolstad, RLA, certified arborist landscape architect, community organizer for environmental and social justice, and the creator of Driftless Landscape Architecture. “This is a small tree, tolerant of full sun to partial shade, that is well-adapted to all but the heaviest (clay) soils,” Bolstad says. “It requires little maintenance and offers interest throughout the seasons: Soft white blossoms in the spring produce a berry-like fruit in June, as per the name.” These berries draw birds, but they also “make a refreshingly tart jam or pie if you can beat the birds to the feast!” Bolstad says.
In autumn, the tree’s leaves are sprayed with orange, red, apricot, or yellow colors. During winter, the bark is scattered in subtle stripes, as is the calligraphic branching pattern Bolstad explains. Bolstad.
Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)
A good rule of thumb for choosing a front garden tree is to choose one that complements the look of your house, According to Kristina ODonnell, a real estate agent of Realty ONE Group. According to her, the tree should fit in with the dimensions of your front garden, rather than obscuring or obscuring your home’s features. If you’re on a smaller or medium-sized plot and want to make the most of your space, choosing the Golden Rain tree, formally called Koelreuteria paniculata, is the best option.
“It prefers full sun and is tolerant of a range of soil conditions and the stressors of urban sites,” Bolstad says. Bolstad. “Its open branching structure and persistent, lantern-like seed pods provide winter interest.” In spring, the fluffy compound leaves begin to grow.
Wondering where the name of this tree came from? Bolstad says that golden blooms “rain” from its branches from early to mid-summer. Bolstad. When the tree reaches maturity, it can attain up to 40 feet tall. While you can plant the tree within the garden zones 5-9, Plant it with care in zones 7-9 since it may cause the removal of indigenous plants, She says.
European Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
An excellent choice for larger yards, The European Horsechestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum) can grow to over 70 feet high and 60 feet wide when it reaches maturity. “It prefers full sun or partial shade, and will tolerate heavier soils and some road salt,” Bolstad says. Bolstad. “Its graceful, upright, oval branching structure lends gravitas to your property in the winter.” As spring approaches each year, beautiful palm-shaped leaves and white flowers grow in clusters along the branch.
The tree has advantages and disadvantages. “While it provides habitat for a variety of birds and small mammals, it can be messy when it drops fruit in the fall,” Bolstad says. Bolstad. “This is a plant that requires some light maintenance, but it will reward your efforts with its classic, timeless elegance.”
American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus)
The American Smoketree is ideal for front gardens that are small to large in area. “The Smoketree is far less common than dogwoods, crabapples, and cherries, but no less spectacular in its show-stopping late spring display of flowers that look like fireworks (hence the name),” Bolstad explains. Bolstad. “It offers vivid and varied fall colors that might range from yellow, to orange, to red, to deep purple–sometimes all on the same plant.”
Another appealing characteristic can be found in its smooth bark, which adds the appearance of the winter scenery. Although this tree requires a sunny environment to thrive, it is adaptable to other domains and is tolerant of different soil types and urban settings. Ensure not to over-water or fertilize since this could lead to problems with growth.
Japanese Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica)
Consider an evergreen tree like the Japanese Cryptomeria to create a more spacious front yard since it needs minimal maintenance (no pruning required!). When mature, this tree will grow nearly 50 feet high and provide beautiful foliage. “Its distinctive foliage has a fluffy texture and is soft to the touch, with the lustrous blue-green needles cladding foxtail-like branches,” Bolstad says. Bolstad. “In the coldest extent of its range, the needles can turn bronze or purple.”
The variety is an excellent choice for full sun to a bit of shade, but it requires humid, well-drained, and slightly acidic soils to flourish (so be sure to test the pH of your soil). It also doesn’t stand up to the harsh winter winds, so make sure to place the tree in a place that provides some shelter against weather conditions, according to Bolstad.
