What is the best tree for your garden
If you have decided to plant a tree or two in your garden you have some decisions to make. It is difficult to say which decision should be made first as some of them have equal priority and significance.
Many municipalities will reward a home owner for buying shade trees; shade trees reduce the amount of energy needed to keep a home cool, and, they can also reduce the amount of water needed to feed the garden. Sometimes the home owner has to take their receipt and a picture of the planted tree to the municipal hall to get a refund or benefit of some kind. Other times it is one of the local utility companies that will provide the refund or benefit.
Another thing to decide is the type of tree you will get: will it be a fruit tree or an ornamental? Will you get a dwarf, semi-dwarf, or a standard height? Then you have to decide what tree is suitable for your zone and you soil type.
While these decisions may seem overwhelming, it is a good idea to walk around your neighborhood and see what trees you like. Visit a few garden centers and also public parks and large public garden planted areas such as outside large public buildings. There are so many locations where you can see what will grow well in your area; take photographs if you do not know the name of the trees you like.
Rather than view these activities as a lot of work, make it into an adventure. Go to places you have not been before and travel down roads you don't normally travel. Make it all part of your gardening experience.