What Makes a Landscape Beautiful?

Deciduous Trees

• Hardy trees like oaks and maples can form the structure of a landscaped area. These trees provide shade and greenery during spring and summer months and turn vibrant shades of color in the fall. To provide year-round greenery and form a backdrop for other plants, evergreen trees are often used to produce beautiful landscaping. They can be grown under a variety of conditions and give privacy and wind protection.

Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

• Evergreen trees provide beautiful greenery to a landscape year-round. Some evergreens like the Blue Spruce are so distinctive that they are used as a specimen tree. This ornamental evergreen is highly symmetrical and features silvery blue needles in new growth. Eucalyptus can grow 6 feet in a year and provides a sweet aroma. Some shrubs like the Yew are also evergreen. The Yew is prized for its dense growth and lustrous needles. Evergreens can be used as a backdrop to enhance the effect of other plants in the landscaped area.

Flowering Shrubs and Trees

• Landscapers use flowering shrubs and trees to add color and beautify the landscaped area. Pink and white dogwoods and magnolias are common flowering trees that are spectacular in the springtime. Flowering shrubs like azaleas come in red, purple and white. Hydrangeas, lilacs and rhododendrons also add vibrant color to a landscape design.

Annual Flowers

• Gardeners often anticipate the spring season when they can plant their annual flowers. Annuals are prized because they provide beauty and a range of colors to a landscape. Favorite annuals are impatiens, which come in a wide variety of colors like red, pink, purple and white. Marigolds, pansies, begonias and snapdragons also beautify the landscape.