Choosing Trees for Your Front Yard
Photo by Pixabay
How to Choose the Best Trees for Your Front Yard
Your front yard and walkway are the first parts of your home that anyone visiting will see. It is important that they look good and inviting. So, how do you choose the best trees to enhance this space?
In this guide, we will share some of our favorite trees for the front yard. No matter what you’re looking for, we will have an option for you here.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Front Yard Tree
A House with a Large, Sprawling Front Yard Tree
Selecting the right tree for your front yard involves several important considerations:
Size and Space
Ensure the tree you choose will fit well in the space available. Consider the tree's mature height and spread and how it will interact with your home, driveway, and walkways.
Climate and Soil
Choose trees that are well suited to your local climate and soil conditions. Some trees are more tolerant of drought, cold, or poor soil than others.
Maintenance
Think about the level of maintenance required. Some trees need regular pruning, watering, or pest management, while others are relatively low-maintenance.
Aesthetic Appeal
Consider the tree's aesthetic attributes, such as foliage color, flowers, bark texture, and overall shape. The right tree can enhance your home's curb appeal throughout the year.
Growth Rate
Determine how quickly you want the tree to grow. Fast-growing trees can provide shade and visual interest more quickly, but they may also require more frequent maintenance.
Our Favorite Front Yard Trees
Here's a look at some of the best front yard tree options out there.
'Sun Valley' Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Sun Valley’)
A Sun Valley Maple in a Lush Green Setting
The 'Sun Valley' maple is a fast-growing tree that brings dazzling color to your front yard in the fall. This red maple is common and popular, especially in eastern and central North America. It is a very reliable tree that provides a lot of shade and has good leafhopper resistance. This tree doesn’t get too large, topping out at 20 to 25 feet tall.
The red maple adapts to a wide range of site conditions, more so than just about any other tree in eastern North America. It can thrive in extremely dry areas, swamps, and any other conditions you can think of. Additionally, this tree is a male variety, meaning you won’t have to deal with any seeds being spread.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)
The crape myrtle is another one of our favorite choices for front yard trees. This tree is perfect if you have a particularly small front yard, as it tops out at 12 to 15 feet and only grows up to 5 to 6 feet wide.
Crape myrtles are known for their vibrant and long-lasting summer blooms, which can range in color from white to pink, red, or purple. They also have attractive exfoliating bark that provides winter interest.
'Autumn Brilliance' Serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora)
Next up, we have the beautiful 'Autumn Brilliance' serviceberry tree. This tree blooms in the spring with white flowers that fade to dark berries over time. When fall arrives, the tree bursts with intense colors.
This is a taller tree, reaching up to 20 to 25 feet tall. It will require a bit of maintenance in the early years, as you will need to prune it to control any crossing branches. The 'Autumn Brilliance' serviceberry is great for a front yard because it looks magnificent in all seasons.
Red Leaf Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum)
Close-up of Red Leaf Japanese Maple Foliage - Photo by Yelena Odintsova
Next we have the dark and beautiful red leaf Japanese maple tree. There are many different varieties of these maples in all sorts of shapes and sizes. This tree can fit whatever need you have, whether you want a tall and upright tree or one that bends over and weeps.
Red leaf Japanese maples offer very strong leaf color throughout the year and are especially striking in the fall. They also have a unique fine leaf texture that adds character to your landscaping.
'Snow Fountains' Weeping Cherry (Prunus x 'Snow Fountains')
The 'Snow Fountains' weeping cherry is an excellent choice for adding elegance to your front yard. This tree features cascading branches that are covered with beautiful white flowers in the spring. It grows to about 12 to 15 feet tall and wide, making it perfect for smaller spaces.
The 'Snow Fountains' weeping cherry is known for its stunning spring display and its graceful weeping habit, which add a unique architectural element to your landscape. In the fall, its leaves turn a vibrant yellow, providing seasonal interest.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
A Blooming Eastern Redbud Tree
The eastern redbud is a small-to-medium-sized tree that brings vibrant color to your front yard in the early spring. Its rosy-pink flowers bloom on bare branches before the leaves emerge, creating a striking display. The heart-shaped leaves turn a beautiful yellow in the fall.
This tree typically grows 20 to 30 feet tall and wide, making it suitable for most front yards. It is also adaptable to a variety of soil conditions and is relatively low-maintenance.
'Little Volunteer' Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera 'Little Volunteer')
The Flower of a "Little Volunteer" Tulip Tree - Photo by wal_172619 on Pixabay
The 'Little Volunteer' tulip tree is perfect for smaller front yards. This compact version of the classic tulip poplar grows to only about 12 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. It produces stunning yellow flowers in the spring that resemble tulips.
Tulip trees were popular on Southern plantations, where people would plant them near their homes to enjoy the yellow blooms from their second-story windows. The 'Little Volunteer' tulip tree offers the same beauty in a more manageable size.
'Flamethrower' Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Flamethrower')
The 'Flamethrower' redbud is an outstanding choice for a front yard tree, especially if you want to add a burst of color in early spring. This variety of redbud is known for its vibrant pink flowers that bloom on bare branches before the leaves appear. The flowers are followed by heart-shaped leaves that emerge purplish and mature to a rich red.
The 'Flamethrower' redbud grows to about 15 to 20 feet tall and wide, making it a suitable option for many front yards. It is also drought-tolerant once established and can adapt to a range of soil conditions. This tree provides visual interest throughout the year, with beautiful blooms in the spring, lush foliage in the summer, and a striking branch structure in the winter.
Final Thoughts
No matter which tree you choose from our list, we are sure it will be a beautiful addition to your front yard. If you are unsure which one would be best for your specific situation, contact us for a consultation!
Originally posted on July 20, 2018.
