Pros and Cons of Having Trees in Your Garden

Pros and Cons of Having Trees in Your Garden

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Having trees in your garden Credit: Welcomia via iStock by Getty Images

A well-kept, mature backyard can increase the attraction of any dwelling. For your individual sense of enjoyment and rest, non-public out of doors house can work wonders since connecting to nature is thought to be wonderful for combatting stress, in addition to enhancing psychological well being and wellbeing. If you’re pondering of promoting your house, a beautiful backyard with bushes, flowers and extra not solely makes your property extra engaging to sellers, it may possibly add as much as 20% of the worth.

Trees are nature’s light giants and, frankly, we may at all times do with just a few extra on the planet. Interestingly, solely 10% of England is woodland, and woodland solely represents 13% of the total land area within the UK. When it involves gardens, you’ll suppose any mature backyard would absolutely characteristic at the very least one tree, proper? Well, in precise reality, whereas there are many people planting bushes, and tree-planting tasks in progress everywhere in the globe, opinions are divided over whether or not having bushes in a backyard is definitely a good suggestion.

If you’re questioning what on earth may probably be the issue with having a number of stunning bushes in your backyard, let’s take a second to think about the professionals and cons. We’ll begin with some doubtlessly critical issues:

Root Growth and the Damage This Can Cause

Did you understand the underground root system of a tree tends to reflect the cover above? More than that, tree roots can unfold 3 times or extra the width of the cover and the peak of the tree – and this will have potential penalties for close by buildings you shouldn’t underestimate.

Not all bushes close to buildings trigger injury, however in some circumstances – and significantly if the subsoil consists of shrinkable clay – structural motion, subsidence and blocked drains will be the end result. Roots can penetrate your house’s foundations, making them unstable and inflicting cracks in partitions and ceilings, sloping flooring and misaligned doorways and home windows. Some bushes are thirstier than others; suffice to say willow, poplar, oak and elm bushes ought to by no means be planted near the home.  

If you observed structural injury, dampness or cracking could have occurred, ask a surveyor to hold out knowledgeable building survey or specific defect report to “verify any defects current and contemplate essentially the most possible trigger based mostly on the inspection and the probably penalties of non-repair.”

A Home for Unwelcome Pests

Of course, bushes are a pure habitat for all kinds of animal species, and that’s appropriately. However, if the wildlife in query is pests. akin to rodents, woodworm and, in lots of areas of the world (although not the UK), termites, the state of affairs is far much less interesting. Rotting wooden in previous tree stumps is extra more likely to appeal to pests, however completely wholesome bushes can do that too.

Termites are thought-about to be some of the damaging pests on the planet. Sometimes referred to as ‘white ants’, they’re truly extra carefully associated to cockroaches. They feed on plant matter and timber so are in a position to destroy picket buildings, inflicting important injury to buildings. As for rats and mice, most individuals don’t need them wherever close to the home. They’re a well being threat and are recognized to unfold greater than 35 ailments together with salmonella, toxoplasmosis, plague and hantavirus. And, do you know rats can climb into open home windows and vents unnoticed by way of bushes near the home? It doesn’t bear eager about!

Okay, we’ve established planting bushes too near the house can result in an elevated threat of pest infestation in the home and the foundations changing into broken. However, in addition to being nature’s own eco-friendly asset in your backyard, let’s not overlook there are lots of good explanation why trees in the garden can be a wonderful thing. With cautious upkeep to keep away from the dangers talked about above, we are able to and will take pleasure in our big pure pals.

Trees Provide Privacy

One of the principle benefits of bushes within the backyard is the privateness they will present. Foliage can block sightlines from public into non-public areas, whether or not this implies nobody can see into your backyard or the inside of the home. Protected from prying eyes, your house and backyard needs to be a carefree surroundings by which you are feeling comfy. Screening from the general public may act as a burglar deterrent, since potential criminals gained’t be capable to see what’s inside to steal. However, at evening, bushes can present shelter for criminals to cover behind, so putting in good exterior lighting (ideally with PIR motion sensors) is extremely beneficial.

Trees Offer Shade

The greatest backyard designs will produce a great steadiness of sunshine and shade. Shade will be achieved in some ways akin to by putting in awnings or solar sails, and placing up parasols or gazebos. While your garden aspect will largely decide the quantity of pure gentle obtained – west and south-facing gardens are usually sunnier than east and north-facing gardens – any bushes within the backyard are pure suppliers of shade and solar safety.

Garden occupants can take pleasure in dappled daylight coming by the pure motion of the foliage above, which is each soothing and enchanting. What’s extra, tree shade will be helpful to protect sun-intolerant vegetation from an excessive amount of gentle. Make positive you intend your panorama design to position any bushes in the best spot.

Trees Are the Lungs of the Earth

Finally, the advantages of bushes go far past the nice surroundings they produce in our home gardens. They play a key function in ecosystems, in our planet’s environment, water techniques and climate patterns, too. Even in a backyard, bushes are a part of the general ecosystem.

Once planted, they act as a supply of shelter and meals for animals and bugs. Different bushes appeal to various kinds of wildlife. The most suitable option of tree for attracting bees and birds to your backyard is to plant rowans and crabapple bushes. A silver birch is a magnet for insects akin to ladybirds, moths, in addition to birds together with woodpeckers that generally nest in its trunk, and greenfinches who love birch seed. The bushes you’ll be able to depend on to maintain essentially the most wildlife are native species like willow, oak and birch.