Trees are an important element in garden design. They are focal points, shade, winter silhouettes, and they are the best way to connect the multiple layers of plants and buildings.

The types of tree choices to add to a garden are numerous; the obvious characteristics are evergreen or deciduous, and what color and shape the leaves are. There also is another notable design tip to add trees to the garden: the color and texture of the bark.

After leaves fall, bare tree trunks and branches are more noticeable and emerge as a stronger part of the garden when there is no competition from the abundance of summer growth.

Now is the time to take a walk through your garden and look for places that need a pick-me-up for winter. Look at how faded summer plants can be joined by winter beauty, and plan the landscape for a year-round show.

Showy bark textures

River Birch (Betula nigra) — Large mature river birches have a papery-thin, peeling bark and grow tall and slender. The variety “Heritage” will begin to peel the bark at a younger age.

White Birch (Betula sp.) — Their beauty is especially effective as a centerpiece in a planting bed or in groves. The stark, white bark gives dimension against a backdrop of evergreen trees. Up-light them with landscape lighting for a beautiful glow after dark. Betula utilis var. jacquemontii is one of the better choices for pure white bark.

Snakebark maple (Acer capillies and other species) — Pink, green or black vertical stripes run down the trunks. Most snakebark maples also put on a vibrant fall color show in the fall as the leaves change.

Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum “Sango Kaku”) — This Japanese maple is one of the more popular and classic varieties used as a focal point. Young branches turn a brilliant coral color as the weather cools down.

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) — A nice tree for small garden spaces or container gardens. As the name implies, the trunk has a cocoa brown bark that peels paper thin and gives it a shaggy appearance. Choose a multi-trunk variety as a central feature in a planting bed.

Tibetan Cherry (Prunus serrula) — Rich, deep burgundy-colored bark with a glossy appearance makes this a treasure. Truly an all-season tree that has loads of white flowers in the spring, deep green leaves in the summer and eye-catching bark in the winter. For best success, this variety must be planted in well-draining, moist, organic soil.

Stewartia (Stewartia spp.) — Orange bark stewartia (S. mondelpha) has a shaggy bark that peels off to reveal a coppery, orange color. Stewartia pseudocamellia has a splotchy mosaic-like bark texture in hues of grey, orange and brown.

Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. The plants benefit from planting now as cooler weather and natural rainfall help ease transplant shock.

If you do nothing else for your landscape design this season, plant the trees and shrubs. The smaller details of annuals and perennials can go in next spring.

Get out in your garden and enjoy the cool weather. Less stress, no heat stroke, new garden planning and shopping nursery sales for more plants. What gardener can resist that?


In the Garden columnist Sue Goetz, CPH, is a garden designer, speaker and writer from Gig Harbor. Visit www.thecreativegardener.com or email questions to be answered in this column to info@thecreativegardener.com.