Posted by
Jennifer Tibbitt
Friday, July 6, 2012 8:04 AM EDT
In many parts of the country, with summer bearing down on us, we seek the relative comfort of shade. I won’t do the stereotypical
do-si-do and complain about the
weather; rather, I’ll talk about
a simple solution to urban summer heat: trees. They’ve been called the lungs of the earth — rightly so. Trees are our dear old
friends, providing oxygen, cooling greenery and acting as a habitat for wildlife. They also enhance the landscape and can even raise property values (bearing in mind, one must plant a tree that adapts well to its environment). And, perhaps most important for the summer, trees provide shade.
Coming in many shapes and sizes, shade trees provide the shade canopy that can be the stuff of dreams. For this post, I’ll discuss only the deciduous variety — the best provider of shade. How about a “Great Gatsby” summer, lounging in linen beneath a massive weeping willow’s lush and bucolic shades of green, a drink in your hand and a smile upon your face? Back to reality: I live in a big city, with parks but also blast-furnace vehicles and glaring concrete and glass. Breathe a little life into your world. The more trees, the better.
Here are 6 small shade trees for city gardens. 
Amur Maple Grows up to 15 feet tall; leafy; not too large (like other maples); native
Black Cherry White blossoms in spring, cherries in summer (bonus!); upright; native
Gingko (pictured above) Tough as nails, this old-timer can handle anything you throw at it — including smog and heat waves
Russian Olive Sentimental favourite (my Grannie had a gnarly old one in her front yard on the prairies); silver/blue leaves; another pollution-tolerant tree
Paperbark Maple Pretty cinnamon
stick peeling bark; fall colour is yellow/orange; native
Eastern Redbud A stunner in the spring: lavender buds cover the branches, followed by large heart-shaped leaves; native
And
here are 5 large shade trees for city gardens. But, plant these species
only if you have the room — they can really take up space. If you do have the room to let them grow, generations of
family and neighbours will
love you for it.
Chestnut (pictured above)
Stately, sheltering, big (imagine a grand boulevard lined with these); should be planted
away from patios and such, as the sharp burrs that cover the nut can cause pain; Note: chestnuts are tasty when roasted
Honey Locust Grows quickly to a height of 40 to 60 feet; dappled shade allows light through, so grass can grow beneath; salt-tolerant; brilliant, glowing yellow in fall
Autumn Blaze Maple A show-stopper (like the name suggests); fast-growing; native
American Beech Grows to a height of 30 feet; golden-bronze autumn colour; attracts wildlife; native
Linden Many varieties, so I’ll go with the little-leaf: cool, dark-green leaves; flowers can be used for a soothing herbal tea; grows to a height of 60 to 80 feet; one of the oldest living tree species in Europe (some in England date back 1,000 years) — a true
survivor.
There are too many wonderful trees to list in this blog, but these 11 suggestions should have you off to a great start. Why not
take a stroll down a tree-lined street, or in your local park, to see what’s growing? Share your observations in the Comments! And remember, there are no bad trees — only bad planning.