Look awfully close together and near that building, but its your call.

"On the National Register of Big Trees is a Bur Oak in Berrien, Michigan with a circumference of 313 inches, 73 feet in height and a spread of 117 feet. Not bad."

Not everybody has the same aversion to tree limbs arching over a building.
I might add however that it appears that you've planted the three trees too close to each other. One tree, in the center of that triangle would accomplish everything you're trying to do with three. That will free up the other two to plant elsewhere.

and they would be moved.. if you have such inclination..

in fall.. when they lose their leaves ... NOT NOW ...

ken

Hey Ken....looks like they're still in their pots.

Looks great to me. How much land do you have? I'm seriously jealous.

Dear all

thanks for your interesting comments.
This is an interesting topic. I am european and it is my impression that we europeans certainly don't have an aversion for branches above the roof.
I read some days ago a landscaping guy where I found something that was so alien to my culture that I thought was ludicrous. They said that if you have a small house you should plant small trees so that it is "proportionate", and that it make your house look bigger. This is absolutely the opposite of what most people would think back in the old country where a small house underneath a large massive tree is considered wonderful. Nobody would care if the house is big or not. On the opposite, a small tree next to a small house would only make the house look new, and in Europe we are not so fond of new houses. So, an interesting cultural difference in the gardening perspectives :-).

Also, we have no aversion of trees close to the houses, as long as they are not going to damage the foundations. If we would even remotely as sensitive as people are here, we probably wouldn't have any space for trees.
My perspective is that by the time these three trees will be seriously large I will be probably 6 foot under and probably not living in that house anymore.

Regarding groups vs single specimens. From a landscaping value point of view, what a group achieves is VERY different from what a single specimen achieves. Each has its own place but they are far from being the same. Regarding the overall distance, trees naturally grow in woods where they are far closer than that. More importantly, I don't see how the fact that a bur oak can grow to be 100ft wide is considered evidence that it is what it needs. Living things adapt.

Also, what you have seen here is just three trees from a plan I have for my garden that, at this point, will involve the cutting of about 20-25 trees and the planting of 70-90 plus the addition of a 2-row windbreak on the north and west side. That is the reason why they might appear to be very close despite the abundance of available space. One thing I learnt the hard way is that when you design a garden, the more you plan ahead the better it is, and that, in the case of acreages, you often overestimate the rate of growth of plants.

@sanctified: I have just short of 3 acres.

I'll soon update with the pictures of the planted trees. I did my best!

P.S. one of the trees (the one that was most vigorously growing) had the top half of the root ball completely empty of roots. From this, and from looking at the root flare, I evinced that the plant must have been planted too deep into the container and that the top half of the root ball was acting as a mulch.... we'll see if I am right

What happens when heaven forbid lightning strikes that mighty oak one day before you are two meters under. You're toast when a five hundred kilogram limb comes down on your American wood and shingle house. My relatives in Europe live in concrete houses, in two different countries. Europe has weird taste anymore, but the houses are quiet inside and very steady temperature and made to withstand the Luftwaffe...I notice that the Europeans are always aghast at first by our gypsum board and toothpick construction...so unlike home...Too funny, European wife says how long till we have to replace the cardboard in this house...

Mackel, that is definitely a very good point and I agree I still am, after 8 years, amazed at how solid these houses seem to be despite the fact they are made of wood...
Lightning... mmm... this is why I will plant sequoias in another part of the garden :-) And, in any case, that is an external workshop and not the main house. :-)

An update on the planting. The plants are in place
Two of the three were very root-bound (especially one of them), as you will see in the pictures. I trusted my guts and made sure that no root would be girdling, even if that meant severing some 1/4 inch thick roots...
Let me know what you think!

Here is a link that might be useful: Images of the planting

An Oak that close to the house is just pure insanity. There was a boy last year who was killed (I believe it was in Virginia) when a storm came in and the tree came right through the ceiling and landed on him in bed, killing him instantly.

If you have children, I would ask you to consider their safety in your choice of planting areas. It's more than just about what YOU want. It's about the safety and well being of others.

P.S Having said the above, I think you have a lovely yard and I hope you enjoy your new trees.

Don't expect them to grow much this year by cutting their roots after they begin to leaf out. They will thank you for it in the coming years, though. I hope you didn't cut all of those roots and tried to spread some of them out in the planting hole ;) I have seen a much worse trees pot bound than those where it was impossible to spread the roots out due to how thick and tight they were. Just keep on top of the watering this year and some next and you should be golden.

John

FTR, in the rural area where I grew up, trees overhanging the house was the norm. We needed the shade as it was freaking HOT in summer. Occasionally a tree would come down on a house (usually the tree had problems already), but I don't remember anyone ever being seriously hurt. Can it happen? Sure! But I bet your chance are far far higher being killed by any number of other things. While tree do sometimes come down during storms, even that can be managed. We have two Freemanii maples planted ~25-30' off the house. In 75 years if they crash onto the house, they will hit the dinning area where your not going to be in a storm anyway.

JMHO
Arktrees

I'm at least glad that you planted according to the root flare depth and, as j0on03 said, chopping out the girdling roots will pay dividends. Subjectively, I prefer a more natural arrangement. It appears that you planted yours in pretty much an equilateral triangle. If you are going to be planting that many trees you might "shake it up a bit." Obviously the windbreak would be more functional if evenly planted, but the property can look more park-like if alignments, spacings, and even initial sizes within a group of the same species are varied. It makes the scene look like the seeds were blown in and grew where they fell.
And a last thought - that may be an external workshop, but it is on a concrete block foundation. As strong as bur oak wood is I wouldn't be too worried about a branch crunching the structure for a LONG time. But as the red oak pic below shows, over time oaks have powerful roots. Planted 8-9' away from the patio about 17 years ago...
hortster
{{gwi:336128}}

1cadem, allow me to assure you, not everyone here is so tree-over-the-house averse. As you stated, were this taken to its logical conclusion, there would be almost no "safe" place to plant a tree.

Also, sometimes I hear griping about the shade of an overhanging tree messing with the roof. And every time I hear this, I am reminded of some information I read long ago that stated unequivocably that it is sun light falling on the roof which most degrades it.

+oM

PS...no, I don't know how to spell "unequivacably"

Dear Ilovemytrees

1) I don't have kids
2) that building is a workshop and garage, not a house.
3) thanks for your deliberate judgment of my sanity and my ethics.

Cheers!

When it comes to planting that close, I wouldn't say, "Abandon hope, all ye who plant here." I don't think Alighieri was an arborist...
I also think he said, "The secret of getting trees done is to plant."
Or something like that.
hortster

Bad call man..planting those trees so close to a building. I can 100% guarantee that whoever owns your property next will cut them down. You must think into the future. I would dig them up and put them in the middle of your yard far from any building if you want them to ever reach old age.

greenthumbzdude, instead they might move the building or patch the cracks...but won't be for a few years...

hortster

greenthumbzdude, they are going to hit the ground eventually one way or another. May as well have them the way you want them instead of trying to guess what someone you MIGHT want in the future.

Arktrees

I live near Dallas & am looking for large acorns to make Christmas ornaments with my children.... does anyone in the area tell me where I can find some in this area?

I don't mean to be ignorant but..... if you haven't already, try the Texas gardening forum. Some of the Texas folks were kind enough to send me some Plateu live oak acorns last fall. I grew trees from them but, someone who has a ton of them may help you.

bur oaks are great