So far this year we have planted two actual trees along with a number of shrubs. I'll talk about the shrubs another day but here are the two trees we planted. I have always admired the canopy of maple trees and the fall color of the red maples in particular. We put this tree in a few weeks ago. It isn't a special variety of maple just a simple Acer rubrum but that's fine by me. When it's larger and can provide shade it will serve as a welcome respite from the heat of the summer sun. In the fall it will bless us with vibrant red foliage and in the spring it's red buds will be a welcome harbinger of the warmer weather to come. I remember when I was a kid climbing the maple trees at my grandfather's house. The branching patterns of the maple family make an excellent place to play.
The other tree we planted was a Yoshino Cherry. The Yoshino Cherry or botanically known as (BKA (not an official term, I think I just made it up)) Prunus x yedoensis is a great flowering tree in the spring and has a pretty nice canopy the rest of the year. It is my favorite of the flowering trees, but perhaps you might have guessed that by now! I highly recommend the Yoshino Cherry for its appearance and as a replacement for various trees of ill repute. Of course there's my oldest daughter again, she loves jumping in the pictures!
Here is a close-up of the flowers. It didn't have very many in it's first year but next year it should have a quite a few.
This is what I hope it will look like in about three years. The branches are full with spring flowers. You can see why it is a favorite of mine. The Yoshino Cherry is spectacular in the spring. Imagine what it would look like if you planted this tree among some native redbuds and you would have a fantastic flower display.
