How do I choose the right tree for my front or back garden?

Viewers of television programs like The conduct judge know too well what a trammelant can give to a tree. “Overhanging branches, fallen leaves from neighbors, a tree that is much too big for the space in which it is located: the same is true for us”, explains Flemish ecologist Martin Hermy, professor emeritus at KU Leuven.

Hermy recently posted The right tree for every garden, a standard book on native and exotic trees, in which a lot can be found on, for example, the specific properties of a tree species (size, shape, leaf color, etc.). “Trees add an extra dimension to a space,” Hermy says of the origin of his work. In addition, trees also provide all kinds of important ‘services’ (storage of CO₂, hot weather cooling, water absorption, air purification) and they are of great importance to species such as birds and insects. “Each in their own way. For example, a rough bark is more attractive to insects than a smooth bark. The hardness of the blade also plays a role in this. ”

Plugged

The point is, finding the right tree takes some study. You can of course walk into any garden center and walk out with a seemingly beautiful specimen. The range is often not really surprising, as large garden centers are so sensitive to trends and sales. Hermy: “People are sensitive to buying mainly what stands out, what looks fresh. What is in bloom always does well. If you look further, you can also be successful: the Netherlands has excellent nurseries with a wide range. “They also deliver to individuals.”

A little googling pays off. Hermy is in any case in favor of variation in the gardens and along the roads. Not only can this be visually surprising, but it is also better in case a tree species falls prey to a pest or disease, for example due to climate change.

Future proof

The art of choosing trees looks to the future. How tall will my tree be in five, ten or twenty years? This concerns issues such as height and shape (columnar or spherical branches, flat or perhaps generously disintegrated), but also the color of the leaves, for example in autumn. If you hate falling leaves, it is better to choose an evergreen plant, because everyone loves flowers.

The choice is huge and that makes it complicated and personal. Hermy: “There is no ideal relationship between the tree and the garden. But when a tree is wider than about half the length or width of a patch, you start to feel like it doesn’t really match. The same goes for the height of a tree. For example, if it’s four times as high as the plot is deep, that doesn’t do the garden justice. ”

Between pot and pint

Of course, you can tackle these oversized specimens with pruning shears or a saw. “With a very old tree, you run a reasonable risk of not surviving the stripping. Especially with coniferous wood. And once you start to dominate, you have to do it again in several years. It’s not a pot-to-pint job, you usually have to bring someone in.

The buns or candelabras – giving them back their original shape – has another effect. Hermy: “When you do that, you add stress to the pimples. The answer to this is often rapid growth. Yes, when you’re young, Hermy continues, self-height is usually not a problem. “Things will change later.” And make no mistake about it; some varieties really do require regular maintenance. Popular lime trees, for example, can only be tamed with firm pruning every year. “But a holm oak, which is also offered as a screen tree, grows more slowly and also stays green in winter. You can also prune holm oak with pruning shears. The only downside is that holm oak is more expensive.

To work? Sit back and rest!

However, regular pruning also has its advantages. “Beech rarely lasts more than 250 years,” says Hermy. “If you start to pollute it, it will get old. In the United Kingdom, therefore, the oaks are 400 years old, in Italy even 600 years old. These really old trees can be compared to old people, so fragile, Hermy says. “They often have lower vitality, struggle with illnesses, but overall things are going well.”

So anyone who wants to make sure that “his” tree will defy the ages knows what to do. Or do a lot of people choose to do it? Hermy: “You don’t just want to work in the garden, do you? A tree is also mainly there to sit and relax.

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