Trees: Our unsung heroes

Trees provide shade, beauty, and tranquility…Who hasn’t sighed at the sound of wind rustling through leaves? Or enjoyed our changing tree seasons from spring’s blooms to summer’s lush greenery; from fall’s many colors to winter’s snow-laden branches? Trees are truly our unsung heroes.

Most of us see hundreds, maybe even thousands of trees each day. They pepper the landscape in our yards and neighborhoods, parks and playgrounds, roadsides and forests. They provide beauty, ambiance, and a panorama of color and diversity as we go about our busy lives. But do we stop and think very often about the extent of what trees really do for us?

For starters, trees filter pollutants and exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide… They actually make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier. Trees regulate temperatures through the evaporation of water in their leaves, and they filter the fall of precipitation, holding some of it in and lessening its impact. Trees channel breezes, break forceful winds, and can decrease the severity of storms.

Trees provide shade, beauty, and tranquility… Who hasn’t sighed at the sound of wind rustling through leaves? Or enjoyed our changing tree seasons from spring’s blooms to summer’s lush greenery; from fall’s many colors to winter’s snow-laden branches? Trees are truly our unsung heroes. Properly selected and located trees can greatly enhance your home’s curb appeal, adding value to your property, and trees can save you money as they create shade, lowering energy bills.
"Well-designed landscaping can absolutely reduce energy costs," says Hilary Moody, Design Coordinator of JusTrees in Garner. "Shade trees near homes reduce cooling costs in summer, and dense, low lying trees and shrubbery (screening plants) can insulate homes in summer and winter. Screening plants on the north/northeast sides of homes help in deflecting wind chill. Horticulturists and landscape architects can help in decisions on which trees and plants will work best for particular settings."

The US Department of Energy backs Hilary in these statements. Hilary Moody mentioned www.energy.gov and  www.eere.energy.gov as two excellent websites that give consumer tips on energy efficiency in regards to landscaping.

Whether you’re interested in lowering energy costs, adding value to your home, or just enhancing the visual appeal of your yard, landscaping professionals can help you through the selection process. "At JusTrees, we make recommendations based on desired tree size and site conditions in terms of shade and sun," says Hilary. "Once selections are made, we schedule installation – We want to make sure our trees are not planted too close to homes, sidewalks, or driveways. Our pricing includes a number of services, including organic soil amendments, fertilizer tablets, and ground cover mulch, to name a few. We try to make the process as simple as possible, and customers really like the fact that we feature a two year replacement guarantee on our trees."
According to Hilary, the planting season for trees in the Triangle area is fall through spring. Hmmm… That would be right now! So don’t delay – Take a look around and see if it’s time to add a few unsung heroes to your landscape!

Rebecca Newsome is a freelance writer.