19 Comments

  1. Oh you hit a nerve with me. A good nerve. I LOVE trees. My husband and I have always said that when a new house is built, the first thing these people need to do is PLANT AT LEAST ONE TREE. They do soo much for a landscape. You can google and find out the best places around your home to plant. Trees help keep your house warm in winter and cool in summer if placed right. We personally live in an area with lots of farmland so not near enough trees for me. But we are trying to do our part. We bought some gorgeous large (12-15ft) trees for our drive and paid $100.00 each. We thought that was a pretty good deal. They replaced very very old ones that have been severely damaged by storms. Now, if our water will hold out we’ll be good.

  2. katie tlo says:

    I completely agree that’s why I love our old New Jersey town because it has tons of tree lined streets they add so much character to a home and they might cost a little upfront but they are worth the money.

  3. i agree with you 100 percent! i cannot stand when new neighborhoods are made and first ALL trees are cut down, houses put up, and there are no trees, no privacy, etc…. it’s earth day, so the perfect day to write about this. trees are good. the end.

  4. Absolutely! Your examples are so convincing, trees add such charm and character to neighborhoods. One of my favorite things about our big trees is my son climbing it with his friends and sitting up there hanging out, they’d send down a bucket for me to fill with snacks! 🙂

  5. I’m with you girl! We live in a “planned community” ….there are trees, planted by the developer, not many but some. With time they will grow and look lovely!

  6. I totally agree with you, my 106 year old house is surrounded by trees…thanks goodness, they had the wear with all to plant them years ago. Trees take a long time to get established and most people don’t stay in their homes that long. I think the average use to be 6 years. So we procrastinate…we want trees but we may not have the proper soil or the equipment to plant them.

    I keep trying to add more, I have planted 7 different trees that didn’t make it…but I just keep trying. I may have a professional come in and put in a bigger one for me, as the littler ones just can’t make it in my soil.

    Thanks for such a good Earth Day post!

  7. To me there is nothing like a tree lined street. I was lucky in that my HOA planted one or two trees in front of every house when the neighborhood was first built. We just bought three fruit tree’s for our backyard, although, I def feel like my front yard could use one more. One downside? One the the trees roots look like they are headed straight for cracking my concrete :/

  8. Wait… there are people that don’t like trees?? We have six baby trees in our front yard and are planning on doing some big fruitless olive trees in the backyard. We practically planned our backyard around the trees! Trees have such a big visual impact in landscaping- the height is just SO important to balance everything out!

  9. You’re right. I didn’t realize how plain and boring my house looked until the oak tree in the front yard died and we have to have it removed. One day I’d like to plant another tree there and bring back some beauty.

  10. Oh how I wish I were skilled in the ways of landscaping! One of those could have been my house:) I completely agree with you though! A great landscape is like a well decorated home. It should be unique, show your personality and be colorful:)!! Have a great time with your dad!!

    Laura

  11. You’ve got to have trees!!! That is one of the reasons I don’t like new neighborhoods – besides the old houses that I love, I LOVE established trees!

  12. Huge difference in the two sets! I’m not sure how you could get this across to people, but educating people on how to plant and maintain trees might be good. I know I could have used that a few years ago.

    btw- I’m laughed at that first house (source 417 mag). You picked it from my area code. Hopefully, more than just Missourians have “worst yard” contests. lol

  13. I couldn’t agree with you more! We bought our house…a 1950s house in a neighborhood full of canopy trees and it had ONE — that’s it, in the backyard! We’ve since added twelve trees! Why the original owners didn’t add these I’ll never understand!!! I have a passion for trees, too! Have a blast with your dad!!! XO, Aimee

  14. Why no trees? Leaves. Roots. Air conditioning.
    In parts of NC, if you have big trees you could end up with one draped over your house and/or car. There are some fierce ice and wind storms down the mountain. Around here in my mountain hideaway, folks cut trees that grow too close to the house so reduce the upkeep and danger of having wind blow a tree down on the house. Know what’s worse (to me) than no trees? It’s pollarded trees. The tops cut off so the suckers–that replace the limbs– grow straight up, instead of out and over the yard to shade the porch. Sometimes the natural limbs get into the power lines. Then they are cut by amateurs (hired by the power company) and look like aitch ee double hockey sticks–pollarded.
    Just heard on radio that Alan Alda died today. So sad.
    Now i’ll go and figure out where to plant the english laurel i have potted up. Not a tree, but surely a good screen to keep the glare from the neighbors security light out of my bedroom window.

  15. I agree with you Julia, we share a tree with our neighbours in the front of the house and we have one in our backyard! and I love the pictures you showed with trees in front of the houses; it looks beautiful! 🙂 glad your dad arrived safely and you have plans to take him out! 🙂

  16. I completely agree with you. I’m in an apartment so it is what it is right now, but my favorite street near my house is one in Costa Mesa that has trees all the way down it. Its just lovely!

  17. You are so right! I’m late to catch up with posts this week but wanted to tell you I totally agree and your gorgeous photos prove your point!
    xo
    Ohhhh, and your backyard is just scrumptious! I love it.
    xoxoxo

  18. I am a sucker for big trees. You’re totally right about new developments too– the houses are lovely but the landscaping is missing. I had never heard of a chokecherry tree but I am going to see if it’s something that would work in my part of the world.

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