I was talking to a young woman and her two very young daughters, ages 6 and 9, about the new house they were preparing to move into. This house is set on a nearly two-acre lot. She said the developer was responsible for putting in some minimal landscaping around the front of the house, but she would have the fun of choosing everything else.
She and her girls were looking forward to the trees they might plant. She likes flowering trees, the 6-year-old wanted a weeping willow so she could hide under it, and the 9-year-old was still thinking. I was happy that she was thinking about trees — trees that would make a statement as her garden took form, and trees that would grow up with her daughters. I’m not sure what plans the papa might have.
Our conversation ended, but I got to thinking about all the opportunities people face when they move into a house on a nearly naked lot.
This house is located at the end of a long driveway. I immediately imagined a line of Kousa dogwood trees running the length of that drive. Kousa dogwoods are covered with large (3 to 5 inches) white four-petaled flowers in late spring — May into June.
In the fall, the foliage turns a deep red or scarlet and produces tiny fruits that birds enjoy. They are hardy and happy in full sun with no serious pest or disease problems — about as trouble-free as you can find.
At a possible mature height of 30 feet, Kousas are still considered small trees. Anyone planting in a line needs to consider the spread of the tree at maturity. One of the hardest tasks any gardener faces is allowing for future growth.
Kousas should be planted about 30 feet apart in full sun. Massing plants, trees or flowers have a powerful effect. Even while they are young and small, the number of trees will give a real presence.
A number of years ago, an acquaintance asked me for a suggestion for his driveway. In that case, I suggested crabapples, which bloom in shades of pink to almost purple.
Whether you are interested in making crabapple jelly, the spring pollinators and autumn birds will thank you for planting crabapples.
Robinson is a fast growing crab with deep pink flowers that mature to white. The tiny fruits are a dark red. It will reach a height and spread of about 20 feet. It has excellent disease resistance.
Prairiefire will be about 20 feet tall and wide at maturity. It has reddish foliage and bright pink flowers. The tree has very good disease resistance and the fruits are deep red. All crabapples prefer full sun.
Redbud, Cercis canadensis, is more common in our area than it was even 10 years ago. The bright pink-lavender flowers that bloom before it leafs out are eye catching and just lovely.
Redbuds will mature at about 20 to 30 feet tall with an equal spread. Most of the redbuds I have seen are closer to 20 feet. They will thrive in full sun or part shade. They need moist, moderately fertile soil that is well drained, but it is a carefree tree.
All the trees I have mentioned tolerate acid soil, which is what most of us have, but it is good to have your soil tested to see just how acidic it is and whether liming it might be a good idea. Never assume.
If you are going to plant a line of trees, I think planting them in a bed that can be underplanted with a groundcovers should be considered. Trees should be planted so that the debilitating mulch volcano is forbidden. Groundcovers will keep lawnmowers and trimmers away from the tree, eliminating bark damage.
One groundcover that has been overused is pachysandra. This is understandable, because it is attractive and a good spreader. However, the pachysandra I usually see is Japanese pachysandra and can be invasive.
There is a native Allegheny pachysandra whose foliage is not as shiny or evergreen, but it is attractive and produces white flowers in the fall. It prefers some shade.
I have used several ground covers in my garden over the years. Lady’s mantle with its round ruffled foliage is a good spreader, and it is noted for its lacy green flowers and the way it collects raindrops.
Tiarella, or foamflower, is rhizomatous and crawls along the ground, but in the spring it sends up foamy racemes of flowers in white or pink, no more than 10 inches high. If you like tiarella, but wish it were a bit more substantial, you can try heucherella, a hybrid of tiarella and heuchera.
The plant and the flowers will be larger, and there will be a much larger choice of colors in both the foliage and the flowers.
Tiarella and heucherella like some shade, but I have had good luck in full sun, as well, if there is sufficient moisture or watering.
I love epimediums, which is a solution to dry shade, but they did well in my Heath garden with lots of sun and a moist soil.
Here in Greenfield, my epimediums get more shade, but the soil is more dry, especially this year.
No matter how trees are arranged in your garden, surrounding them with appropriate groundcovers is a beautiful way of protecting the tree trunks and adding texture and flowers.
Pat Leuchtman had written and gardened in Heath at End of the Road Farm since 1980. She now lives in Greenfield and is doing the same. Readers can leave comments at her website: www.commonweeder.com