Planting the correct Trees and/or Shrubs in your Yard

When adding to your landscaping, there are many things you should consider such as correct placement of your trees and/or shrubs as well as the type you should be planting.

Coniferous trees (such as pines, spruces, cedars and fir’s) keep their needles all year long and are great for privacy and wind breaks. Consider planting them to the north or northwest of your home to provide shelter from cold, winter winds. You should never plant them to the south as they will block warm winter sun which can help reduce heating bills.


Deciduous trees (such as elms, walnut, maple and beach) drop their leaves in the winter however provide lots of shade in the summertime to help reduce cooling costs. Plant these types of trees to the east and west of your home for the most amount of shade in the summer.


Another consideration when planting shrubs and flowers is using native plants. Native plants are hardy because they have adapted to the local conditions and once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs. Visit : http://www.toronto.ca/trees/pdfs/Fact_2_How_to_Select_and_Buy_Native_Plants.pdf for a list of some examples of native plants and trees in our area.