The conundrum of a small yard- you want to make it usable and beautiful but you're not quite sure what you have room for. Adding in a small to medium-sized shade tree may be just the answer you're looking for.
Shade trees will help reduce your energy bills by keeping your home cool in the summer by blocking out the sunlight and warm in the winter by blocking the wind. They add the beauty of color, texture, and dimension you're wanting all while offering a nice shady spot to relax under. Plant them around your patio, in the open spaces of your yard, narrow side yard, or wherever shade is needed.
Things to look for when selecting your tree →
— Consider the tree's mature height & spread- You likely won't want a tree that will grow to be larger than 40 Ft Tall or larger than 35 Ft Wide.
— Think about the ideal shape for a tree in your small landscape- narrow, columnar, pyramidal, round, upright/vase-shaped?
Heritage® River Birch will grow to have an upright/pyramidal form adding a beautiful native look to your small landscape.
Amur Flame Maple is somewhat of a hidden gem but has been gaining popularity in recent years. This tree is a slow grower that will be easily manageable even where less space is available.
Ginkgo is sure to be a great conversation starter for your next backyard barbeque. Plant them in any area of the yard or parkway. They are great for smaller, tight places because of their narrow form.
Whitespire Birch has a nice narrow, pyramidal size and a chalky white bark that looks great all season long. The bright green leaves rustle in the wind and turn the brightest yellow in the fall.
Though more horizontally spreading, Hot Wings is considered a small shade tree and is a perfect accent for your small landscape. This tree will shine in your yard with its shiny red samaras for which it's named.
This tree's upright, narrow, and symmetrical form is appealing in the landscape. Its compact size, beautiful spring flowers, and bright fall color tick all of the boxes. This tree is an absolutely perfect adornment to any small landscape.
07 Golden Raindrops® Crabapple
As seen in the picture below, this tree works wonderfully in the landscape bed near this home's beautiful wrap-around porch and porch swing. This tree will add beauty and a bit of shade to this tight spot.
If you have a bit more space consider this outstanding maple. This is an exciting new hybrid that will outshine any shade tree in the fall with its array of yellow, orange, and red leaves. It will grow to be only about 25 ft wide at maturity which makes it the perfect, medium-sized shade tree for your tight spot.
Canada Red Chokecherry is a medium-sized ornamental tree. That is commonly used in the front or back landscape to provide accent or anchoring, or around a deck or patio.
10 Ivory Pillar™ Japanese Tree Lilac
Ivory Pillar™ Japanese Tree Lilac is an ideal selection for small landscapes, especially to accent the front or back yard of your home. Purposeful as a shade and/or privacy tree. This tree is capable of thriving in polluted environments and is suitable for urban areas.
American Hophornbeam is also known as Ironwood or Musclewood, is a handsome, medium-sized tree that will offer substantial shade and subtle yellow fall color.
This tightly columnar tree is suitable for shade, privacy, or as an accent anywhere in the landscape. This tree is a unique oak variety due to its very narrow mature width of only 6 ft wide!
This beautiful tree has a remarkable columnar growth habit. It's upward sweeping branches are tightly covered with medium-deep green summer leaves that transition to a warm golden-orange in autumn. This tree's tight columnar form makes it extremely versatile in the landscape, especially in challenging spaces.
This prized tree is suitable almost anywhere in the landscape. Because of its symmetrical form, Redmond Linden can be used almost anywhere in the landscape. This tree should be planted at least 15ft from buildings and makes an excellent lawn or street specimen, great by a pool or deck.
This rapidly growing tree can be planted in small landscapes due to its mature width, which is about 20 ft wide. From the center of your tree's trunk, you'll need about 10 ft on either side of the tree before it will begin to touch anything nearby. Compared to Aristocrat Pear, the Cleveland Select Pear has a much more narrow, pyramidal form which has a much more formal look. This tree is identical to the Chanticleer Pear, and a better alternative to Bradford Pear.
