How to Choose Trees for Your Garden

Start with why

What would you like your tree to do for you? This question is important because not all trees offer the same features. You might like privacy, shade, greenery around your entertainment area, something for the kids to climb, or colours and textures to complement your home design. Once you’ve determined the why you can start a process of species elimination – starting with size.

Size matters

Many tree removals in urban areas are a result of the wrong tree in the wrong place. Look at the size of your yard and any objects nearby including your house, power lines, fences and driveways. Your little elm might look cute now, but in 15 years it could be leaning against your car port. A quick Google will help you with tree measurements but here’s a guide to some popular tree species and their typical heights:

Small (<8m)

Japanese maple (D)
Bottle brush (E, N, F)
Silk tree (D, F)
Crepe myrtle (D, F)
Dwarf cypress (E)

Medium (to 8m)

Ornamental pear (D, F)
Chinese pistachio (D)
Desert ash (D)
Irish Strawberry (E)
Magnolia* (E, F)

Large (to 15m)

Chinese elm (D)
Liquid amber (D)
Eucalyptus mannifera (E, N, F)
Red oak (D)
Red flowering gum (E, N, F)

D = deciduous E= evergreen N = native F = flowering *varied heights

Now you’ve looked at size, you can think about leaves!

Evergreen or deciduous

If you’d like your tree to give privacy or year-round shade, you’ll want an evergreen. As the name suggests, they won’t shed leaves in Autumn. Evergreens are also a good idea if you don’t like raking up leaves. Bottle brush and Magnolias are great options for privacy. Irish strawberry and our native Eucalypts are wonderful evergreens.

If you want shade in summer but sun in winter, you’ll want a deciduous tree. These trees put on a spectacular colour show in Autumn just before dropping their leaves and letting the sun warm your home. Ornamental pears, Japanese maples and Red oaks are beautiful deciduous trees.

Hottest of the bunch

Much like how we dress or who we date, the attractiveness of a tree is subjective, so we can only share our personal opinions here.

Our natives provide gorgeous textures and colours year-round. They complement modern-Australian architecture and are low maintenance. Eucalytpus mannifera have smooth white trunks and flower in late Summer / early Autumn. Wattles are early Spring bloomers adding bursts of yellow to the yard while Bottle brushes and banksias give pops of red and orange. All of these attract native birds and bees adding even more beauty to your mini forest.

Then there’s the show offs! Maples take our breath away in Autumn with their red, orange and yellow show. Ornamental pears also have a colour show plus they flower in Spring. Magnolias have glossy, dark green leaves and feature exotic looking pink or white flowers. And if hot pink or purple flowers in summer are your thing consider a Crepe myrtle.

There’s plenty of help

If after running through these steps you need another opinion, want to confirm a species for your climate, or need some advice on planting there’s plenty of help. Your local arborist, nursery, horticulturalist, or gardener will love helping you grow your mini forest.

We originally wrote this article for award-winning style blog, Style Curator.