Arboreal experts of Washington share a few of the best trees to spruce up a yard.

3 Trees for the Perfectly Landscaped Lawn

Seattle is known for being a beautiful city, and part of that beauty comes from the trees that dot the urban landscape. The housing market continues to flourish and if people are looking for a way for their homes to stand out, looking at their lawns can be a good place to start. The trees listed below will make a great addition to almost any yard.

1. Weeping Willow

This tree, with its slender light green leaves and trailing, flexible branches, has long been seen as a sophisticated landscaping addition. They are fast growing trees that have a pleasing rounded top and can thrive in a wide range of soil and water conditions. Its unobtrusive fruit feeds deer, rabbits, and squirrels and leaves no lawn mess. 

Weeping willow leaves turn a lovely yellow in the fall and the weeping branches can be easily trimmed for a more manicured look.  

While these trees may be susceptible to a variety of pests and need plenty of room to grow, they are easy to care for and create beautiful shade.

• Positives: Fast-growing, creates low lawn litter, adds shade, thrives well in almost any moisture level, great for nesting birds
• Negatives: Needs a lot of space to grow, can be attacked by many different pests, may need regular pruning

2. Douglas Fir

The douglas fir is a native tree that thrives in the Western Washington climate. This tall evergreen can grow to a height of 70 feet. The needles can range in color from dark yellowish-green to a bluish-green depending on which variety you choose. The douglas fir has a very high attraction level for wildlife, both for food and nesting. It thrives in full sun and can tolerate partial shade. 

• Positives: Medium growth, well adapted to the area as a native tree, good for lumber, year-round foliage, attractive cones
• Negatives: Can be damaged by winds, sensitive to drought, needs a lot of space

3. Thundercloud Plum

The thundercloud purple leaf plum is an especially lovely and versatile fruit tree that offers eye-catching and conversation-starting beauty in almost every season. It is deciduous and has small edible fruits called cherry plums. 

The pink blossoms of the springtime are spectacular and the mature summer leaves are purple, making it stand out significantly among its green-leafed fellows. 

It is a fast-growing tree that takes very little maintenance. It is good for lining the edge of properties or as a single statement tree. Purple leaf plums are smaller trees that can work well in limited space. 

• Positives: Fast-growing, good for smaller spaces, fruit for wildlife, lovely spring flowers, unique summer and fall foliage, easy-care, versatile soil and drought tolerance, good for bees and other pollinators, no need for regular tree pruning
• Negatives: Fruits may cause lawn litter, needs full sun exposure

About Seattle Tree Care

Seattle Tree Care provides excellent tree service to all our clients, including residential, commercial and HOAs. We offer free estimates and perform a wide variety of services including tree risk assessment and tree trimming and removal. Call us today for more information about our work in the greater Seattle area.