Trees aren’t just beautiful: They’re an essential part of the Earth’s ecosystem. Without the oxygen provided by trees, life would most certainly not be sustainable on our beautiful planet. In short, you can never go wrong with planting trees. Here are the top five reasons you should plant trees.

• Shade

The summer sun is notoriously intense. By planting a few trees in your landscape, you’ll be able to enjoy a beautiful day in your backyard without coming face-to-face with heat and harmful rays.   

• Wind protection

The wind has a way of ruining backyard picnics and damaging homes. When you plant a tree or two in your landscape, you’ll protect yourself and your home from the negative effects of the wind.  Also, who doesn’t love the peaceful sound of wind rustling through the leaves?

• Aesthetics

A tree is always great for beautifying your yard. They’re tall, majestic, and can provide balance in a landscape that is made up of mostly short plants. Once you plant a tree in your yard, the neighbors are bound to notice.  

• Good for the environment

These days, too many trees are being cut down and not enough are being planted. In addition to the boost in oxygen, trees slow down water runoff, prevent soil erosion, and have many more positive effects.

• Property value

If you plant a tree in your landscape, you’ll also be able to measure the benefits in dollars. Trees can give a property a bit more beauty and prestige. Not only will your own property value increase, so too will your neighbors’ properties as you do your part to beautify the community.

Nothing gives a homeowner as much pride as a beautiful landscape. However, a lush lawn and stunning trees don’t sprout in a day. A fine landscape may take weeks of planning and installation. For more information, follow these links.

• Are you unsure of how to take care of trees? Take a look at this page from TreesAreGood.com
• When working with professionals, it’s always a good idea to come up with a rudimentary design. About.com has some great landscape design tips.
• Do you need some good landscape ideas? This page from HGTV.com can be a big help. 
• Whenever you plant anything in your yard, it’s essential that you check the condition of the soil. Learn how with this guide from eHow.com.
• Looking for the right tree for your yard? Check out this page from TreePeople.org.

Everyone likes keeping a beautiful yard, but sometimes, imagining exactly how you want your yard to look can be very difficult. When you’re stuck, it’s always a good idea to call in a team of professionals. Here are a few ways you can describe the ideal landscape to your local nursery.

• Take a picture

If you have a friend whose landscape you admire, then ask him or her if you can take pictures and show them to your nursery. This can be great if you don’t know the name of a certain tree or if you simply like the arrangement of a landscape and want to mimic it in your yard. All you need to do is show your nursery the pictures, and they’ll do the rest. 

• Magazines/internet

When planning a beautiful new landscape, it’s always a good idea to do your research. This means picking up a few magazines or surfing the Internet until you find helpful tips or images. Simply print or tear out the pictures you like and bring them with you on your next trip to the nursery. A plant expert will be able to give you advice on the feasibility of the pictured design, including climate considerations, cost, level of care, and more.  

• Take a walk around the nursery

Lastly, a great way to get your design wheels turning is to simply walk around the nursery, and take down the names of trees you want for your yard. You can then make a small landscape design that explains where each plant might go. The nursery expert can then give you some advice based on sunlight and shade considerations, aesthetics, and other factors.

Since trees are a big part of what makes our world beautiful, it’s easy to understand why we would want them in our yards. However, trees can be very finicky growers if the conditions aren’t right. Though you may want certain species of tree in your yard, it could be that your yard simply can’t support them. Here’s a quick guide to choosing the right trees for your landscape:

Soil
The soil is the source of your tree’s nutrients, so it should be the first factor you consider. Determine whether your yard’s soil is composed of primarily sand, silt, or clay—if you’re feeling really savvy, you could even get a home test kit and find out the pH level. You should then take the information to a nursery, where they will tell you whether or not your soil is suitable for palm, citrus, or other trees. 

Space
It’s important not to determine which trees to buy based on how they appear at the nursery. Instead, you should do a bit of research to find out what these trees look like once they reach maturity. Then make sure that your yard will be able to support their needs for years to come.

Conditions
In addition to soil and space, you also have to make sure your landscape has the right conditions to support tree life. Does your yard get enough sun? Is it flat? Does it get a lot of wind? These are all important factors to think about before settling on a type of tree. The process of selecting trees is sometimes overwhelming, which is why it’s always a good idea to seek the help of nursery professionals.