Ornamental Trees and Plants

Ornamental trees and plants are, as you might imagine, ornamental, as opposed to trees and plants used for commercial gain. For the purpose of residential landscaping, however, ornamental trees also often refer to smaller trees that can't be used to support hammocks, tree houses, or tree swings. Just because you don't have a lot of space doesn't mean you can't plant a tree in your yard. Small ornamental trees can assuage your impulse to have a tree in your yard without overwhelming your home and ruining its curb appeal. For truly tight areas, you may need to be content with an ornamental plant but even these small additions can add beauty and/or fragrance for your home.

Flowering Ornamental Trees
Flowering ornamental trees are often the most prized possession of a homeowner's landscape. They combine the beauty of a flower with the size of a small tree, creating a truly magnificent addition to your yard. You can choose a tree with any number of blossoming traits; you can plant a saucer magnolia for its large pinkish white blooms, crape myrtles for their long blooming period, or dogwood trees for their horizontal branching.

Weeping Ornamental Trees
Weeping ornamental trees are another favorite of many homeowners. Their long, slender, looping branches are coveted for their immense and unique aesthetic value. Some weeping trees, such as the weeping cherry tree, are also flowering trees. Also like a flowering tree, different tree species can be chosen for size, flowering traits, and growth seasons.

Ornamental Plants
Ornamental plants are a great idea for your landscaping and your interior decorating. Plants or shrubs are different from trees not necessarily in size, but in the lack of a single, distinguished trunk. Some shrubs can be pruned to give the appearance of a trunk and are mistakenly referred to as an ornamental plant. While ornamental trees almost always need some sort of care, ornamental plants typically require diligent care to achieve the best results. They are usually planted expressly for the enjoyment of a home gardener.

Ornamental Tree Care and Hiring an Arborist
Hiring an arborist can be a great idea for many homeowners considering ornamental trees and plants. Even if you fancy yourself a generally knowledgeable gardener, an arborist will probably be able to offer you advice you either didn't know or wouldn't have considered. They may be able to warn you about how specific species perform in your local climate, what special care may be required. They can also give you ideas about how your yard can continue to be transformed and beautified for years within the framework of the ornamental tree you're planting this year. An arborist can also help you if you need to remove an old tree currently on your lawn or give advice about pruning and tree diseases in the future.