Trees are often considered to be the anchor of any UNIQUE landscape design. They will almost always be the largest plants in the palette and will grow to be the walls and even ceiling of your outdoor living space in some cases. Limiting your tree selections to native varieties will provide many added benefits that most homeowners are not aware of.
VISUAL SCREENING
Many trees such as the Live Oak and the Evergreen Elm will become rather dense as they grow. This foliage can be used to create a natural screen of other homes or items which you might consider to be an eye sore such as power poles, walls or commercial properties. These trees can also be used to create separation or a boundary for your property at least from a visual perspective. It is also important to remember that the screen will not only block a view that you do not want to look at but it will also provide you more privacy from others looking into your yard. A single strategically planted tree can block a window and eliminate issues from that nosey neighbor living beside or behind your home. And finally, large trees can be planted simply to enhance the existing view and beauty of your yard.
SOUND BARRIER
In addition to providing a visual screen or barrier, more dense trees will also provide a sound barrier. This can be very helpful if you live near a busy road or one of the valley’s many highways. Trees will not eliminate the sound completely but they will offer a visually appealing way to greatly reduce it. Planting a few trees along the edge of your property can also be a very neighbor friendly way of helping to reduce the noise of children’s play area in your yard from disturbing nearby neighbors.
Energy Efficiency
Well placed trees can also work to your advantage when it comes to the cost involved in heating and cooling your home. Locating large dense trees on the east and west facing side of your home will help to block the sun in the heat of the summer which helps your home to remain cooler. In most cases, these same trees will have lost some or all of their leaves in the winter months which will allow the sun to heat your home and lower your heating costs.
Why Native?
Selecting trees which are native to the area is wise for several reasons. The first reason is that the native trees are more likely to thrive in the area as opposed to non-native trees. The extreme heat of the summer, the wind of the monsoons and the lack of rainfall make this a difficult climate for trees which are not native to the area. Native trees are also going to be much less susceptible to diseases and bugs which means that you will have fewer care and maintenance issues. Water is another key factor when selecting trees for the valley. If you are not planting native trees, then be prepared to provide a great deal of supplemental watering to keep your trees healthy. Not only can this be time consuming but it can also be costly as the trees grow larger and demand more water.
Investing a little bit of time to researching native trees will provide you with a long list of trees to choose from. You are certain to find some which will meet your needs for beauty as well as function. And sticking to the native plant palette will ensure that your trees provide you with many years of beauty and function while requiring only minimal care and maintenance.