recommendations for small trees for front yard mow strip

8 years ago

My husband and I live in OC/LB want to beautify our current front yard mow strip with some small, pretty trees. We currently have three separate containers in the mow strip area and think we want to place one small tree in each. We are currently looking at the possibility of two Purpleleaf Plums and something contrasting in the middle (such as an evergreen or tree with another color flower). any comments/suggestions on types of trees to research? Also, the scientific name gets a bit overwhelming when reading previous posts. If you could state the common name along with the scientific, that would help a ton. thanks!

Comments (4)

Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
8 years ago
Are your referring to the parkway between the sidewalk and the street? If so, your municipality probably has a list of permitted trees.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
8 years ago
Purple leaf plums unfortunately are short lived nowadays and no longer recommended for a number of reasons.

A good substitute is a series of black-leafed Lagerstroemias (Crape Myrtles) available, quite stunning small trees with gorgeous flowers. Developed by the USDA, they are marketed under a couple of different names, including 'Black Diamond'. Different summer flower colors include red, white, pink. Lagerstoemias are good parkway trees, most all are not overwhelmingly large and they have beautiful bark as well as beautiful summer flowers. Not at their best close to the ocean, but at least a few miles inland with some summer heat they do well. Autumn foliage color can be excellent if we get a bit of cold weather.

Non-fruiting Loquat (Eriobotrya deflexa ) makes a good small parkway tree; perhaps a dwarf Magnolia like 'Little Gem' or 'Teddy Bear' (do not be misled by the "dwarf"--they will still get 30' tall in time, but a regular Magnolia can get 80'. Or decidious Magnolia like 'Black Tulip'. Metrosideros 'Spring Fire' makes a nice 15-20' tree with coral colored flowers off and on that feed the hummingbirds.

You could also consider medium-to large-ish shrubs that can be limbed up as small trees.
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What I have learned about planting a tree: There is ALWAYS a reason not to plant a tree. Most of them are poor ones. Most of them come from people with an agenda. Yet by all means, never trust anyone from a nursery. They are money grubbing ignorami who are never hired for actually knowing anything. Yet there is only one reason to plant a tree that means anything: Do you want to? For any reason? (fall color, flowers, screening, wind, shade, innate beauty, etc.). Walk down practically any street in practically any city in practically any country, and I'll place odds you can find something wrong with just about every tree you see. Just peruse the explanations cited above: It's planted too close, utility lines of one kind or another, too large, wrong kind of tree for whatever reason, most of them personal and highly subjective. Yet lost in all the clutter are some of the best reasons, and they are reasons to plant a tree. A sociologist at the U of Illinois has conducted some research that says a view of a tree, even a pitiful tree, leads one to a happier outlook on life and a greater likelihood of civility to neighbors. So, to draw the insane conclusions that people seems to love, plant a tree, save a life. Surely that's not too high to save a life? Also, it's estimated that a healthy urban forest can reduce the temperatures of cities by up to 20 degrees. Given the number of headlines regarding global warming (including how elk contribute to it), that would darn near be enough to scare me into planting far more trees than needed. OK, enough of the hyperbole. There is one practical rule to follow when planting near a house: Don't plant a tree that will grow taller than the eave under the eave. Everything else can be influenced...or pruned.
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If I understand you correctly, you want some ideas for trees to plant symmetrically on either side of a walkway and with root systems that extend no further than 20'? You are looking at a pretty small tree if that's the limit the roots can spread. Typically, root spread is calculated at 2-3 times (minimum) of the canopy spread, so you need a tree with a mature canopy of about 7-8'. I'd consider something like a tree-form or standard hydrangea or some sort of narrow dwarf conifer. But since these tend not to grow very tall, maybe it makes more sense to expand from just a pairing of trees to an enlarged planting area that would include other shrubs and plants? IOW, provide more mass? FWIW, just because the walkway bisects the front garden does not require you to have symmetrical plantings. Unless the residence has a very symmetrical and formal faÃÂ§ade, symmetrical/formalized plantings often look out of place. If this was my garden, I'd seriously consider moving the walkway. Unless the residence IS very formal in character, those straight-as-an-arrow, property-bisecting walkways look ridiculous. Always too narrow and therefore unwelcoming and too often cracked and hazardous. Since you need to replace the walkway anyway, consider moving it off to one side and with a gentle curve...........MUCH better aesthetics and more relaxed and natural looking.
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The quince we had was a major spreader so I wouldn't recommend that unless there are different degrees of spread. I only have experience with the one. It is shrubby too. Also Every year I somehow managed to gash myself on it's thorns as well. It is very pretty though, even the foliage. A fig comes to mind or how about a 4 in 1 tree. I think it's 2 apples, a plum and peach. I'm sure there are varied ones though. That probably isn't a streamlined look though and it's not anything exotic. You could also do something like pine. You're in a warm enough zone to have a variety that you could harvest pine nuts. Elderberries are super healthy and delicious and they can be shaped into a small tree or left shrubby. Mulberries are pretty darn good too. I'm a big fan of those. We had a Stanley Plum at our last place and that was self fertile. It was a great tree for the front yard.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
Keep in mind that if you are planting in containers rather than in the ground (as I think I interpreted from your post), size of the mature tree is much less of a qualifying factor. Long term container growth is a natural dwarfing process. And you will also need to be far more conscious of watering and fertilizing methods and frequencies than you would with any inground plantings. Also, container trees will need routine root pruning and repotting with fresh media.
hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
8 years ago
trees are way happier in the ground, too. didn't see the container bit.

Cordylines would do well for quite a while.

recommendations for small trees for front yard mow strip

Comments (4)

Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

hoovb zone 9 sunset 23

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