Ornamental Vs Shade Trees For The Front Yard.
 (Read 50+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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The funny thing about trees is they are all ornamental by nature. Perhaps that’s only in my humble opinion. I’ve yet to see a tree at which I don’t like to look . They are all relatively beautiful wonders, Nature’s Glory, the ultimate hardy perennial. What’s not to love about a tree? Having said that, some just also happen to be shade trees as well. At least others consider them shade trees. In practical terms all trees, no matter how spindly, how narrow or how wispy-leaved it may be, provides some sort of shade. Hence it’s a “shade” tree too.
But we’re talking about the front yard, the place where most folks want to make a statement, beautify their surroundings or maybe just to one-up the Jones family next door with a prettier yard. To place a tree in the front of your house needs special consideration. Do you want to block your home from view or your own view out? Do you want your house to be cool and dark? Do you like leaves and branches falling into your gutters? All this is a possibility if you have a huge shade tree in your front yard planted close to your house.
If these are your objectives then indeed a large “shade” tree would suit your needs. Silver, Norway and Sugar Maples, White, Red and English Oaks, Catalpas and Weeping Willows all cast great shade from their wide, thickly-branched and thickly-leaved canopies. The evergreen provides even more and also through the winter since they don’t usually drop their needles, the Larch being one of the only exceptions. These lovely trees planted as specimens in the front yard will indeed make a statement, one not easy looked over nor ignored. I just hope your house is big enough to not get swallowed up by it. Large trees by a small house tends to make the house look that much smaller. Not good when you want to resell it but if you want a shady yard then go for it.
For the most part a relatively small tree, one that grows to thirty feet at maturity, would benefit a house’s appearance while not overwhelming it. A semi-dwarf Apple, Dogwood, Japanese Red Maple, Saucer Magnolia, Crabapple or ornamental Peach all growing under thirty feet high or easily maintained to that height makes a much more subtle statement in the front yard yet possibly more of an impact. In the spring some of these provide quite a show with their lovely blooms. That is something to consider if, in fact, you want to show up those next-door neighbors or simply if you like the look yourself. Some of those mentioned also grow berries that birds like to nibble and cast a nice bit of shade too, though possibly not as much as some may like.
It’s all a matter of preference. Trees are gorgeous whether showy spring bloomers, majestic shade or plain pine trees. So, should you have a “shade” or an “ornamental” tree in your front yard? My answer to that is yes, you most assuredly should have one. Either kind, I don’t mind which. I find them all “Ornamental” after all.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 For more garden talk, funny short stories and romantic novel excerpts visit http://www.helium.com/users/32782
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