Providing Comfort
In outdoor living rooms, let there be sunlight, and plenty of it for the good of growing flowers. But let there also be shade for comfort when and where needed. In the children's play area or at any spot desirable for benches or chairs where the family might gather, a few trees thoughtfully placed will provide endless joy and comfort.
Providing shade is just one of the practical phases of tree planting. The decorative part that trees play in the picture of our outdoor living room is equally important. They are needed in the border often to provide height, screen and emphasis. Trees are often grouped with shrubs to provide vistas of enduring beauty. Their intrinsic value in the beauty of their foliage, the glory of their flowers, the richness of their fruits and their pattern against the sky provides one of the most inspirational features of the outdoors. With so many contributions and their use limited by the lack of space, it is apparent that choosing and placing the right tree is of great importance. Happily, there are numerous varieties that will serve one purpose as well as another combining aesthetics with practicality. For instance, an apple tree will provide shade as well as an elm, plus the loveliest of flowers and delightful fragrance in the springtime but also has the practicality of furnishing fruit later in the season.
It is desirable to locate trees used for shade at just the right spot to provide the shade at the time of day it is needed. By observing the sun carefully, you can easily find the proper location.
The average outdoor living room does not provide enough space for many shade trees, especially if they are tall growing, spreading types which will throw shade over considerable area. Usually one or two of such kinds are sufficient.
Most young trees are not very large when they are planted, so select and place varieties with thought as to how it will appear when fully grown. Nursery catalog descriptions of trees usually give their height and spread as well as other characteristics.