Choosing Trees

Shade & Small Yard Trees

6 guides, starting with Best Shade Trees for Your Backyard: Picks for Every Yard Size.

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Best Shade Trees for Your Backyard: Picks for Every Yard Size

Choose a backyard shade tree that fits your space: how to match mature size to your yard, plus large, medium and small tree options and mistakes to avoid.

4 min read

Best Trees for Patio Pots and Containers

Which trees grow well in patio pots? Compare dwarf citrus, Japanese maple, olive, fig and dwarf conifers, plus pot size, watering and winter care.

4 min read

Columnar Trees for Small Gardens: Tall, Narrow Options

Columnar trees add height without a wide canopy. Compare narrow evergreens, deciduous and fruit options for small gardens, plus spacing and care tips.

3 min read

Flowering Trees That Thrive in Shade

Looking for flowering trees for shade? Compare understory trees that bloom in partial shade, plus flowering trees that cast shade, with care tips.

3 min read

Low-Maintenance Small Trees for Your Backyard

Find low-maintenance small trees for a backyard, from redbud to serviceberry, plus trees to avoid, what low-maintenance really means and basic care tips.

4 min read

Skinny Pine Trees for Tight Spaces

Skinny pine trees give you evergreen structure in narrow spots. Learn which columnar pines exist, narrow conifer alternatives, and how to plant and prune them.

3 min read

More in choosing trees

Tough Site Trees 4 guides, starting with Trees for Hot, Dry Climates: Drought-Tolerant Choices. Fast Growing Trees 3 guides, starting with Fast-Growing Medium-Sized Trees for Home Landscapes. Ornamental & Fruit Trees 6 guides, starting with Crape Myrtle Care: Pruning, Problems and Pros and Cons.