Need help with placement of trees in my backyard

7 years ago

Hi all,

Hoping you can give me some advice on where to plant trees in my backyard! I don't know where to start at all.

I'm attaching a diagram of my house and lot so you can get an idea of
what I am working with. I labeled each direction and the blue dots are
where I have trees planted already. Along the south, I have a spruce in
the middle and two amur maples on the east and west side.

I have two main concerns:

1. We have a nice view from our deck so I don't want to plant a tree
in front of it and block our view. Maybe I need to level my expectations
though, this might be unavoidable.

2. I'd like to plant some trees to maximize energy efficiency, but I
don't want it to be nice and shady in the summer and too cold in the
winter, etc. But again, maybe unavoidable.

Does anything stand out to you as far as where you'd place these
trees? Not sure on what sides, and how far from the house, these should
be planted, and how tall the mature height should be. It'd be a bummer
if one fell down and damaged the house, but like I keep saying, I
probably can't have everything I want. I also don't want one too close
to the deck so that it gets obstructed with branches.

Thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
It would help a great deal to know where you are located and what, exactly, you are looking for in a tree. Shade? Evergreen or deciduous? Flowers? If deciduous, is fall color important? What sort of size (canopy spread, height)? Direction of prevailing winds in summer and winter? Do you need them to provide privacy screening?

Too many unknown variables to give you much useful feedback :-(
PRO
Yardvaark
7 years ago
Home owner, please clarify ... I don't understand what you are trying to say in your point #2.

Re-emphasizing Gardengal's question, what exactly is it that you are expecting the trees to do for your yard? I think you should add pictures that pan the entire back yard from the deck. Also, add one taken from the back lot line that shows the back of the house.
Related Discussions
Need Help with Fruit Tree Plan in Back Yard
Q
Comments (4)
Planting fruit trees west of the Cascades requires some research. Our climate is mild enough (both summer and winter) that many types are not very successful here. Any of the better independent nurseries/retail garden centers here will carry the varieties that are most suited to the Puget Sound area. I am not aware of any self-pollinating pears other than those that have two or more varieties grafted on the same tree. Like apples, they need a pollination partner ;-)) And I would also urge you to reconsider nectarines (also apricots, pluots, apriums and other similar hybrids) as we just do not generate sufficient summer heat for these to fruit well. And if you decide on a peach, I'd stick with the 'Frost' variety - it was developed in this area, is a good fruit producer (and very tasty!!) and is very resistant to leaf curl. Fruit trees tend to be most often offered bare root in late winter (February/March). If you can find any now - usually sold out at this time of year - they are just the remaining bare root stock that has been potted up, so not well established or very mature. Finally, I will leave you with a couple of online resources: the first is the WSU Fruit Trials, a compilation of fruit growing data specific to the Puget Sound area produced by the WSU Research Center in Mt Vernon over several decades. It will also link you to the best publication regarding growing fruit in western WA (upper right hand corner). The second is a link to Raintree Nursery, one of the largest mail order fruit sources and one of the best, also located here in western WA. They grow and sell most varieties best suited to this area but be sure they are clearly labeled as such, as they sell across the country as well. Avoid purchasing out of the area unless you have done all your research on specific Puget Sound suited varieties first!! And stay away from the box stores - while they sell a lot of fruit trees in early spring (and inexpensively as well), they seldom sell those varieties that are recommended for this area.
...See More
Need suggestions for a pretty shade tree for my backyard in Kansas.
Q
Comments (0)
I have a wide open backyard with no shade trees that I would love to plant a tree in. I have no knowledge of trees. I'd like something pretty and fast growing. Size is not an issue. I do have dogs so nothing poisonous please. Thanks for the help!
...See More
Need help with backyard and lots of trees
Q
Comments (7)
What general area do you live in and what's your planting zone? It appears you live in the woods. Making the woods be something other than woods (such as a suburban lawn) will be difficult without removing the trees, which would be a shame to do (and expensive). Have you had an arborist take a look at what's growing there? Also, what do you want to do with the yard? You mentioned outdoor dining. Any pets, children, interest in gardening, growing veggies, etc., to add to the equation? Photos of the back of your house would be helpful as well. If you have an interest in gardening, my suggestion would be to connect groups of trees together via mulch (not a super thick layer, so the tree roots don't get smothered) and carefully plant the mulched areas out with native understory shrubs & perennials. For example, in the first photo, you could group the three trees in the foreground into a garden bed, and then make a garden bed along the fence that connects those trees, and have a path running between the two groupings. (That area is perfect for string lights, too!) No need to fight the trees on the grass issue that way, and the naturally random placement of the trees will look more intentional and tended. The right is more open and would be a good choice for working in an outdoor dining area. On that side you also have an opportunity to make another garden bed along the fence with more shrubs and flowers, which would help to soften how stark the white fence looks. If I were going to remove any trees, I'd probably remove the one in the center photo, that's straight ahead of the patio in the middle of the yard. You'd still have a shady woodsy yard with one tree removed, but you'd have a larger cleared area without going to the huge expense of tearing everything out. (Obligatory reminder that arborists' expertise is going to be very helpful in your situation)
...See More
Need help picking shrubs/plants for my backyard - 7a NJ
Q
Comments (4)
I think your 'pine' is really a spruce :-) And it is very awkwardly placed. I'd seriously consider removing it to open up the view to this planting bed and allow more light to the area. There are lots of shrubs that will tolerate varying degrees of shade and if you purchase with an eye to their mature size, they typically involve minimal maintenance once established. Flowering evergreen shrubs could include rhododendrons and azaleas, camellia, pieris, kalmia and skimmia. Possibly abelia if enough sun. Deciduous shrubs could include kerria, hydrangeas, witch hazels, wintersweet, clethra, fothergilla and almost too many more to name.
...See More
User
Original Author
7 years ago
Wow, I got a bit ahead of myself, sorry about that! I'm in zone 4, just looking for shade trees at this point. Deciduous trees are ideal, fall color not important. Not very picky on height or spread, I was going to figure out a location first then decide what will work there. I'll get some photos of the lot as soon as I can. I mainly just don't know where to put them to shade the yard in the summer. I also don't want to completely keep the light out in the winter, either. Using them for privacy isnt a concern. Shade and wind break is our biggest priority. We get a lot of South wind here. Thank you both!
laceyvail 6A, WV
7 years ago
The best place to site a tree to help cool a house is southwest/west. The second best place (in addition to the first) is east. That way, you get shade for a great part of the day, especially during the hottest sun of the day. A tree to the south, unless it is enormous and overhangs the house, does little to cool a house since the sun is so high that shadows are short. You don't want a non deciduous tree to the south because in winter it will shade the house when the sun is low and you DO want the sun pouring in.

I have shade until about 11:30 in the morning, and the house falls back into shade around 4:30/5:00. If I close windows early in the morning--by 7:30, the house stays so cool that people think I have air conditioning. Around 4:00/4:30, I open windows throughout the house for the night.

Need help with placement of trees in my backyard

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Yardvaark

Related Discussions

User
Original Author

laceyvail 6A, WV

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Need help with placement of trees in my backyard

Comments (4)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Yardvaark

Related Discussions

UserOriginal Author

laceyvail 6A, WV

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

User
Original Author