Your landscaping plays a significant role in your home’s curbside appeal. You’ll want to be careful, though, while you’re shopping for the trees and bushes that you want to bring home. If you’re not sure what plants might thrive in your area, you may accidentally invest in foliage that leaves your home looking worse for wear.
In the same vein, some trees and bushes can have a detrimental impact on the health of your home’s foundation.
What plants, then, should you bring home from a nursery, and where should you plant them in your yard to maximize your curbside appeal without compromising your home’s structural integrity?
Where Not To Plant Trees and Bushes in Your Yard
Each tree and bush has its own way of growing.
This means that there’s no set-in-stone rule dictating how far away from the perimeter of your home you’ll want to plant the trees or bushes that you bring home from a local nursery.
However, you can work with local experts to determine how rapidly the plants you’re interested in may grow and where, in turn, you can plant them in your yard.
It is a good rule of thumb, at least, to leave twenty feet between the perimeter of your home and the largest tree you’re looking to plant.
When in doubt, consider investing in smaller trees and bushes if you want to decorate your front walk more directly.
Planting For Your Home
Speaking of small trees: which might suit homes in Virginia and Maryland best?
For trees that can safely grow closer to your home, you should consider:
- Crabapple – growing up to thirty-five feet tall, you can plant crabapple trees within six feet of your home without having to worry about the impact of the roots on your home.
- American Dogwood – maxing out at twenty feet in height, it is safe to plant American Dogwoods between six and twenty feet away from the perimeter of your home.
- White Fringetree – another shorter tree, white fringetrees cap out at twenty feet tall and can be safely planted between twelve and twenty feet away from the perimeter of your home.
- Hawthorn – Hawthorns are a little taller than their peers, topping out at thirty feet in height, and should, as such, be kept at least twenty feet away from the perimeter of your home if you want to avoid root damage to your foundation.
- American Holly – another taller tree, coming in at 30 feet at its maximum height, you’ll want to keep American Holly at least eighteen feet away from your home’s perimeter.
- Pawpaw – though they can grow up to twenty feet tall, pawpaw trees are safe to keep within five feet of your home’s perimeter.
Note that you’re not resigned to trees when planning your home landscaping. There are a number of bushes that lend their shade to your front walk. Some of the best to include in the Virginia and Maryland area include:
- William Penn Barberry – plant at least three feet away from your home.
- Border Forsythia – plant at least four feet away from your home.
- Tatarian Dogwood – plant at least eight feet away from your home.
- Dwarf Fothergilla – plant at least three feet away from your home.
- Sweet Pepperbush – plant at least four feet away from your home.
- Buttonbush – plant at least two feet away from your home.
- Smooth Hydrangea – plant at least three feet away from your home.
- Chinese holly – plant at least five feet away from your home.
Each of these bushes thrives at a different time of year, so be sure to plan your landscaping adventures accordingly.
Tree Roots, Bushes, and Your Foundation
While tree and bush roots will not move against your home with malicious intent, they can still disrupt the soil around your perimeter and cause your foundation to sink prematurely.
If you want to avoid this kind of damage, it is in your best interest both to plant with care and to invest in early home waterproofing measures.
You can reach out to an area contractor to determine what protective methods may suit your needs best.
Planting Guide Where NOT to Plant Trees and Bushes in Your Yard Created By: JES
