If you’re interested in adding trees to your yard only to add beauty and shade during spring and summer—think again. Having a variety of tree species in your yard increases your chances of adding interest all year, each having its moment to shine.
Here are a few great landscaping trees that take turns letting one another be the star of the show.
Spring Landscaping Trees
Dogwood Tree
Dogwood trees are a tree for all seasons but are showstoppers in spring. Their flowering spring blooms come in stunning white, pink and red. The largest species grow to be about 25 feet (just shy of a 2 story house). They don’t do best in full sun and benefit from the shade of a larger tree.
Aside from their beautiful blooms, dogwood trees boast colorful fall foliage, bird-attracting winter berries, and intricate branch and bark patterns all year.
Apple Tree
Fruit-bearing trees aren’t just for farms. An apple tree’s blooms are just as beautiful as the fruit it produces. Apple trees take patience and pollination. It will take 3 years to see any fruit. Apple trees come in countless variations specifically suited for the size, soil, and sunshine in your space.
If you’re serious about getting more than beautiful blooms from your apple tree, consult a local horticulturist or experienced grower.
Summer Landscaping Trees
Japanese Lilac Tree
Low-maintenance and disease resistant, the Japanese lilac tree thrives in the Midwest. It’s white, fragrant, whimsical flowers bloom in early summer when other lilacs have faded. They are a resilient, full-sun species whose coppery bark continues to stand out during winter months.
Gingko Tree
With its distinctive fan-shaped leaves, the gingko tree is both unique and beautiful. Resilient to heat, air pollution, and salt, the gingko is unphased by urban environments.
The gingko tree’s spreading canopy provides ample shade in summer months and gives an oriental vibe to summer gardens. One can’t fail to mention the stunning yellow color of the tree’s fall foliage, making it a two-season wonder of a tree.
Fall Landscaping Trees
Seven-Son Flower Tree
Fast-growing, drought-tolerant, and color-shifting, the seven-son flower tree is a spring into fall favorite. It’s white summer flowers mature into pinkish red blooms in the fall, marking the changing seasons. It needs very little pruning and is known to attract butterflies when flowering.
Northern Red Oak Tree
For larger lawns that can handle its 40-60 foot spread, the Northern red oak is an autumn stunner. The fastest-growing oak specimen, this tree tolerates pollution and a variety of soil types. The brilliance of it’s orange, brown, and red fall foliage is undeniable.
Winter Landscaping Trees
Korean Fir Tree
These compact, ornamental firs are great for winter wonder without the need for a bunch of space. Korean fir trees thrive in moist, well-drained soil and full sun. They are slow-growing trees that are worth the wait for their deep-violet cones and (sometimes) silver needles.
Birch Trees
The bark of the birch tree is cool all year. But the white, peeling bark against a backdrop of white fluff creates a monochrome winter wonderland that doesn’t need intricate foliage to back it up.