There’s never a bad time to spruce up your garden game with another show-stopping ornamental tree in your landscape design. With so many different species of trees available, from evergreens to flowering trees, it can be challenging to decide which one best complements your space. We’ve outlined a selection of popular ornamental trees that are perfect for the New Hampshire region and will add fabulous character to your landscape!
Bottlebrush Buckeye
If you’re looking for a gorgeous plant to fill the ground space of your garden, look no further than the bottlebrush buckeye. As one of the best shrubs for massing over a large area, the bottlebrush buckeye is a beautiful textured plant that will add interest to any landscape. This dense, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub has a ground-hugging growth habit and reaches about eight feet tall and twelve feet wide once fully grown. The white flower spikes of this shrub appear in the summer for a unique texture that will compliment any landscape. The best time to prune is in the late winter or very early spring.
Hydrangea Trees
At maturity, hydrangea trees can reach a height of 8 feet and a width of 8 feet. Many Hydrangea paniculatas can grow up to 25 feet tall, such as the Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ or ‘Pee Gee’ variations. Hydrangea paniculata is the only type of hydrangea you’ll see pruned into a tree; they are shaped into single-trunk trees in their early stages to avoid the typical multi-stemmed growth habit of hydrangea shrubs. Its voluptuous blooms will liven up your backyard; be sure to plant it where it will get at least four hours of sunlight a day during the spring and summer.
Blooming Redbud
The Eastern Redbud is a popular and beautiful flowering ornamental tree that will surely add a brilliant pop of color to any garden space early in the season! This tree is pretty flexible with its soil preference, but it typically thrives best in moist, well-draining soil. With round, heart-shaped leaves that fade into a gold-yellowish color in the fall, these brilliant blooming redbuds make for great shade trees in backyard settings! Flowers bloom between March and April and persist for two to three weeks.
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry
Look no further than this spring gem for beautiful spring blooms and delicious berries! Serviceberry (Amelanchier ‘Autumn Brilliance’) trees embody the true meaning of spring, attracting pollinators with showy white flowers, and have purplish June berries for you and your backyard wildlife. Its white blossoms last just a week or so during the warmer months, but you can enjoy its beauty all year round with its vibrant foliage that turns to a rusty red in the fall. They look stunning when planted near evergreen trees and dark flowers for a nice contrast of colors.
Bloodgood Japanese Maple
Bloodgood Japanese maple trees are beloved for their vibrant foliage throughout most of the year. The leaves start red in the spring and darken to a purplish-burgundy through the seasons. They are relatively pest-free compared to other trees and shrubs, and can thrive in various conditions, though dappled shade is ideal. While the tree is young, you can prune it into your desired branching pattern. Once established, it will only need standard pruning to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches and suckers. We highly recommend using mulch to protect the roots of this tree to help retain moisture, particularly during its first year of growth.
Saucer Magnolia
A cold-hardy magnolia is the saucer magnolia, with saucer-shaped pink flowers that are white within. Its stunning display is bursting with spring color that precedes vibrant foliage for the rest of the season. This variety is an excellent option for your front yard to increase curb appeal, provide privacy for your front window, and still give you a fantastic view. If pink isn’t your shade, we have other varieties of magnolias available at our garden center.
Contact us for a consultation on planting and maintaining the perfect ornamental tree for your space, or stop by Stephens Landscaping Garden Center in Moultonborough today! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for updates and featured products.