Find Out Which Trees Provide The Best Shade with Livingston Farm

Fast Growing Shade Trees

Hot hot hot! Summer temperatures are here and Livingston Farm is here to help! Many areas across the nation are experiencing temperatures around 90 degrees and above, along with prolonged dry periods. This is great for days by the pool or out on the lake, but what about your garden?

It is often easy to assume that the conditions in northeastern climates are tough for plants to survive in. However, there are multiple varieties of drought tolerant plants and trees big and small that will thrive in the heat, even with little to no water. These plants will turn your dry landscape into a relaxing oasis.  Livingston Farm carries some of the best cow-manure compost and topsoil in Vermont!  We have exactly what your trees need to start their healthy life!

The Gingko Tree provides months of colors with their unique, heart shaped green leaves that turn a vibrant shade of golden yellow in the fall. They glow in the landscape while other plants are entering dormancy.

Worried about a smell? Don’t be. Male Ginkgo varieties don’t produce fruit so they don’t produce the same smell that female Ginkgo trees have.

These trees can be grown anywhere. They’re cold hardy up to growing zone 3 and will survive harsh, snowy winters. They are also smog tolerant, making them perfect for urban areas. Most importantly, they are drought tolerant and heat resistant, so not even the blazing sun or scorching heat will stop Gingko Trees from thriving.

Chinese Pistache trees should not be overlooked, because they add beauty and functionality to the landscape. They have thick, green canopies that create shaded areas beneath them that are perfect for hanging out under during hot days.

These are tough and low maintenance. They will tolerate urban smog and pollution, and will adapt to a variety of poor soils that are sandy or heavy in clay. Landscapers flock to Chinese Pistache trees because they’re one of the most heat resistant fall foliage trees available, with a high level of drought tolerance. It’s an ornamental tree that nearly impossible to kill.

In the fall, their green leaves turn multiple shades of red, orange and yellow for a vibrant fall foliage display. By growing to about 25 to 35 feet tall, they’ll be noticed all over the neighborhood and recognized as one of the most beautiful trees.

Phenomenal Lavender bushes only grow to about three feet tall, so they will never outgrow an area with limited space. Even though their size is little, their personality is big.

By blooming for months every summer Lavender illuminates the landscape with tons of purple flowers. The flowers have a sweet fragrance that fills the summer air. It often attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, which are a delight to watch.

It’s always great to have this lavender variety on hand because it naturally keeps mosquitoes away. In the summer during barbecues or family reunions your guests won’t have to use harmful chemical sprays.

Best of all, Phenomenal Lavender is incredibly low maintenance. It’s the hands-free flowering shrub with a high level of drought tolerance and heat resistance, so it will continue to bloom and thrive during the hottest heat waves of the year.

There is little to no wait with the American Red Maple. It grows up to three feet per year, which is a rapid growth rate. Forget waiting for a large, beautiful shade tree because you’ll almost instantly have a mature maple tree.  The American Red Maple is recommended for growing zones 4 through 9 and will adapt to a variety of poor soils, while also being urban tolerant. They will clean and filter the air in smoggy city areas.

Most importantly, the American Red Maple is beautiful. It has a thick canopy filled with lush green leaves that create a shaded area beneath it that’s perfect for hanging out under during a warm sunny day. In the fall the green leaves turn a shade of bright red for a vibrant fall foliage display that can be seen from miles away.

When we get hot and thirsty, so do our plants, but that doesn’t mean that you have to take a break from gardening and improving your landscape during the summer. There is a large variety of heat resistant and drought tolerant trees that will laugh at the heat while providing beauty all summer long.

Adding trees to your landscape can bring about fresher air, privacy, and shade to relax under, all while increasing your property value. It’s no secret that a beautiful landscape can increase the value of a home, while benefiting your neighborhood with vibrant green hues for everyone to enjoy.

You can find the right tree for your landscape for any project, from needing a living privacy fence to planting ornamental flowering trees in your landscape. No matter what you’re looking for, consider a tree with a rapid growth rate in order to have a full bodied, mature tree in your yard, without waiting for years before your tree takes off.  If you have any questions, Livingston Farm is here to help!