Ornamental trees bring a graceful presence to the landscape in a myriad of colors, fragrances, shapes and textures. Many varieties are smaller growing, reaching under 25 feet high, though there are larger choices as well. Their many garden benefits include adding interest and structure, offering edibles to people, pollinators, and wildlife, and providing elegant property screens. In addition, many of these flowering and fruiting trees are low maintenance and resistant to disease and drought.

Your Plans for Ornamental Trees

To help you make the best tree choices for your garden, here are some tips:

*Measure your garden area, to obtain available height and width. This space should be free of obstructions and needs to accommodate your tree’s size at maturity. Mature height and width information is readily available online and from suppliers.

*Consider your goals. Do you want to add color/interest, screen a view, support pollinators and birds, provide a little shade, commemorate someone, or something else?

*Visit the growing zone map to confirm your climate zone. Then start selecting trees compatible for your area.

*Arrange to have your decorative trees planted in fall or early winter before the ground freezes – ideal times for helping them get established.

Some Spectacular Options  

You have many amazing choices of tree varieties! Following are some of the most popular ones.

• Blue Chinese Wisteria: Cascading bluish purple flowers flow downward imbuing a lovely scent on their descent.

• Crabapple: In addition to yielding crabapples, lime, pink, purple and red flowers provide four-season interest.
• Crepe Myrtle: Crepe paper style flowers and color-changing bark are hallmarks of this variety.  
• Eastern Redbud: One of the first small trees to bloom after winter, it welcomes spring with sprays of vibrant fuchsia blooms.
• Flowering Plum: Offers a visual feast that includes purple leaves, pink blossoms and red plums in fall. 
• Miss Kim Lilac Tree: Perfect for containers and in-ground. Brings spring-through-fall color with fragrant flowers for bouquets.
• Pink Knock-Out Rose Tree: Bursts in extra-large blooms from spring until frost. Low maintenance, and pest and disease resistant.
• Kay Parris Magnolia: Evergreen with fragrant summer flowers. A compact variety, it is ideal for smaller gardens. Drought tolerant.
• White Dogwood: Delicate white spring flowers are joined by scarlet leaves in fall.
• Yoshino Cherry: Also known as the Japanese flowering cherry, it ushers in spring with white-pink blossoms and a soft almond fragrance.

You will find many lovely varieties suitable to your climate and preferences at this Arbor Day Tree Finder link. And this blog on Designing with Trees is a great springboard to some wonderful design ideas!

Beauty Preservation Begins With Bobbex

No garden plan is complete without a deer protection strategy. Left undeterred, deer will browse leaving irreparable damage in their wake. Then how do you preserve your valuable trees? Planting them in areas hidden from deer or blocked by obstacles is one option. In addition, trees added to terraced gardens are unlikely to be visited, as deer don’t like to climb. And small varieties grown in containers can be placed up on decks where deer generally don’t stroll.

Key to shielding trees from deer is to coat them with year-round, #1 proven Bobbex Deer Repellent. Bobbex sprays on clear, won’t wash off, and deters deer with an unpleasant taste and smell. All Bobbex products are safe for people, pets, wildlife and aquatic life.

Trees for Tranquility

The simplest way to experience a beautiful, peaceful setting is through nature. And one of the most exquisite gifts from Mother Nature is ornamental trees. Plant some flowering and fruiting varieties this fall, to transform your garden and bring tranquility to all who visit.