Trees for the Front Yard

People often think their front yard doesn't have space for a tree. That's a shame, because there are plenty of beautiful, small trees. A tree in your front yard creates an inviting atmosphere and also contributes to biodiversity. Here are 10 beautiful trees for the front yard.

A Front Yard with Early Blooming Trees

After winter, it's wonderful to see life and color in your garden early on. Small trees that bloom abundantly early in the season are very popular for the front yard. A very early bloomer is Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry). In early March, this small tree forms a cloud of fine yellow flowers, followed by red, edible fruits in the summer, and as a bonus, it offers a beautiful yellow-orange fall color. In one season, this tree is worth it three times over.
Magnolias are also known for their early bloom. Magnolia stellata (star magnolia) blooms first, with bright white, star-shaped flowers that have a delightful fragrance. This magnolia is usually offered as a shrub but is also available as a small tree. It grows to about 3-5 meters tall, making it very suitable for a smaller (sunny) front yard. Another beautiful magnolia is Magnolia 'Susan'. With its large, purple-red flowers, it's a striking presence in April-May! Because it blooms later than many other magnolias, 'Susan' doesn't suffer from frost damage to the flowers.

Beautiful Trees and More Birds in Your Front Yard

Also very suitable for the front yard is Amelanchier lamarckii (Juneberry). This naturally looking small tree buds early in spring and produces a cloud of white flowers in April. In the summer, the edible 'berries' are very popular with birds. And it also offers stunning yellow-orange-red autumn hues.

Ornamental crabapples are also grateful trees that don't grow too large. Besides a rich spring blossom, an ornamental crabapple provides numerous decorative fruits in late summer/fall. These are purple-red on Malus 'Red Sentinel' and remain on the tree until January. Malus 'Sugar Tyme' blooms with fragrant white flowers, and the ornamental apples are red to purple-brown. If you want more birds in your garden, an ornamental crabapple is a good choice. Especially in winter, they come to feast on the colorful fruits.

Another beautiful species that offers multiple ornamental values and is good for biodiversity is Crataegus (hawthorn). In May-June, the white flower clusters attract many beneficial bees, while the berries in late summer/fall are a treat for birds. A recommendation is Crataegus ×persimilis 'Splendens' (maximum height 8 meters) with beautiful, bright red berries.

The fruits of the spindle tree are also popular with birds and are very beautiful to see. The pink-red fruit capsules are very striking and have given the species its Dutch name. Euonymus, as the Latin name of the spindle tree is known, is usually a shrub but Euonymus europaeus 'Red Cascade' is also available as an elegant small tree. It grows about 4-5 meters tall. The flowers are not very noticeable, but the beautiful fall color and fruits are.

Japanese Maples

Japanese maples stand out for their graceful foliage, grow slowly, and reach 1 to 6 meters in height. They can become quite wide, but height and width depend on the cultivar. There are many types to choose from, and the leaf color can range from fresh green to deep purple-brown. Acer palmatum 'Bloodgood' has beautiful dark red leaves. Japanese maples are sometimes grown with a single trunk, and others are more shrub-like.

Tips for Choosing the Right Tree for Your Front Yard

Of course, there are many more beautiful trees suitable for the front yard. Perhaps you prefer a winter bloomer like a witch hazel on a trunk Hamamelis intermedia 'Arnold Promise' or how about a Parrotia, Pinus, or Acer campestre grown as a macro bonsai tree? A small tree that meets all your needs can be easily found through our tree filter. Also, carefully consider what tree form you want. If you don't want to obstruct the view, choose a standard tree, roof tree, or pruned multi-stemmed tree.

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