How to choose the right tree species and placement for a small front yard
Homeowners trying to shade a west-facing house often struggle to find a single tree that grows fast, fits a small yard, doesn't kill the grass underneath, and survives heavy clay soil. This makes it difficult to settle on a species or placement without compromising between summer shade, visual appeal, and yard space.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1asking online forums for opinions on design renderings and layouts
- 2Keeping the lower branches trimmed up so the grass underneath does not start looking patchy.
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My 2 story house faces west, so I need a deciduous tree to shade it. I'd like something fast growing that will provide shade while still allowing grass to grow under it. I live in zone 8 in the dfw area and have heavy, alkaline, clay soil and a smaller front yard.”source ↗
“Does this mythical tree exist? What do y'all think about a Chinese Pistache or a tall crepe myrtle like Natchez?”source ↗
“My husband and I are torn between a Shumard red oak or crape Myrtles. We can’t agree on which placement looks best:”source ↗
Where this came up
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