KAREN WIGHT -- No Place Like Home

Trees are more than garden ornamentation. They become part of your

family. Some trees you inherent and you learn to appreciate their gifts

even though you might not have chosen them.

Some trees are a personal choice, like a marriage of sorts. They suit

your needs, provide you with shade, beautify your surroundings, and offer

you pleasure.

And, as a good companion does, trees grow old with you -- scars and all.

If you are choosing a tree for your home, you might consider this a

monumental decision. It is.

There are many things to consider: garden adaptability, growth rate, root

habits, maintenance, beauty and longevity. Consider placement. A tree for

a backyard with a pool must meet a stringent list of requirements. It

should be evergreen (deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall).

The tree should be clean and not have a lot of debris, flowers and

berries that could fall in the pool. If the tree is located next to the

edge of the pool, the leaves should be smooth, not spiky.

One favorite around the pool is the New Zealand Christmas tree

(metrosideros excelsus). This tree is evergreen, thrives in coastal

conditions, is drought-tolerant after its first two seasons, has large,

dark green leaves and from May through July (December in New Zealand,

hence the name), has prolific scarlet flowers that are clustered on the

end of its branches.

Its native name, pohutukawa, literally means “drenched with spray” and

describes its adaptation to seashore conditions where wild plants grow.

I’ve noticed that there are several New Zealand Christmas trees in the

median strip on Irvine Avenue before the curves. If you are looking for a

great tree for a backyard with a pool, check these out.

Other good choices for a pool location include palms, banana trees,

fiddle-leaf figs and the evergreen magnolias. A tree with surface roots

is not a good choice for a pathway planting, sidewalk or driveway.

Choose a tree with a tap root -- a root system that grows down instead of

out. Crepe myrtles are good choices for these areas. During the summer

months, they have a showy display of white, red or pink flowers. They are

available in a multi-trunk form, which grows in a wider, shrubbier

pattern, or on a single trunk with a canopy-type branch system.

These trees are deciduous, so you do get leaf drop. But the floral

display makes up for the fall inconvenience.

Remember, when you plant your trees, size does matter. A 15-gallon plant

may seem harmless now, but in six or seven years when you notice your

driveway lifting, you will not think as kindly about your choice.

However, if you want instant gratification (which I usually do), consider

buying a boxed tree. These trees are generally taller and more mature.

They tend to grow quickly once you put them in the ground because their

root system is so happy to be free at last.

However, there are a couple drawbacks to consider.

The first issue is cost. Obviously, these trees are going to be more

expensive because they have been nurtured longer (all those baby-sitting

fees that get passed along to you).

The other consideration is that you must to be able to get them to their

new home. Most nurseries offer delivery services. However, these fees

rarely include placing the tree in its desired location.

If you really go for broke and buy a 36-foot or 48-foot boxed tree, be

sure the crane or lift system can reach your desired location.

Believe me, I have learned this the hard way. And, even though six grown

men can move a 36-foot box, I don’t suggest you try it.

Growth rate. Is the tree needed to provide shade for a sun-drenched room?

Choose a tree with a nice canopy and fast growth rate.

Liquid ambers fill the bill here if you don’t mind the tree being bare

during the winter months. Melaleucas are also good for impressive growth

habits. They are evergreen, have interesting bark and nice, cream-colored

flower stamens and, in the multibranched form, develop a nice spread.

The kids will love feeling (and peeling) the bark and the cat will love

to use it as a scratching post.

Which brings me back to my initial philosophy that a tree does indeed

become part of the family. Have you ever gone through your childhood (or

your children’s childhood) photos and noticed the change in your

landscape over the years? The kids grow, the trees grow.

They are climbed in, swung on, used as tethers for nets, supports for

signs, shade for picnics, support arms for a secret fort and camouflage

for a kiss.

Trees may know and see things that we can only wonder about.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs Saturdays.