Specimen Trees for Sale Online

The most important aspect of specimen trees is that they draw the eye to a specific location. Specimen trees do not have to be large trees like Oak trees or Maple trees. These can be used as specimens but remember that the scale or size of your property will dictate what size trees you can use.

How to Use Specimen Trees in a Large Landscape

Proper design dictates that the tree does not overpower the landscape. You will want the tree to be the focal point, but in smaller gardens, a large tree will become the entire landscape, and every other design element will be lost.

Larger trees can be the focal point in larger gardens, and in fact, there may be many large trees used as focal points. This is the primary design principle for estate gardening. There is a wide variety of large trees that are used in this principle design.

Larger tree selections such as maples, oaks, poplars, chestnuts, and other shade trees typically are used as specimens due to their size, shape, and in some cases, their gorgeous fall color. Most people can relate to visiting large parks or public gardens and gazing in awe at the mature trees planted in these areas. Often these trees are not grown in groups but rather dot the landscape, allowing us to appreciate the grandeur and strength of these trees.

Southern magnolias have been used as specimen trees all over the south, and now thanks to the newer hardier varieties, these can be used in the northern regions as well. The weeping willow is also an excellent choice for large specimen trees with the added benefit of adding movement to the landscape. Willows move with even the slightest of breezes, and nothing is more calming than watching a weeping willow gently swaying with a warm summer breeze.

Choosing Specimen trees for your Small to Mid-sized landscape

In midsized gardens, this effect can be achieved with small to medium flowering trees which remain under 25 feet tall. There is a wide range of flowering trees that can be planted anywhere in the yard, including the front yard, and these trees can be used anywhere without the concern of the tree "over-powering" the landscape.

Mid-sized and small properties are almost tailor-made for redbuds, Japanese Maples, Crape Myrtles, and dogwoods. Mid-sized specimen trees have the added benefit of flowering. You can choose trees that enhance the color of your home by using contrasting flower colors. For example, if you live in a red brick home, adding white flowering crape myrtles will contrast beautifully with the red brick adding to the "specimen effect" of the tree.

Specimen trees can also be seasonally relevant focal points as well. In a well-designed landscape, the season could start with the beautiful early spring blooms of a redbud tree in one area, followed by the mid-spring blooms of cherry trees, moving to the late spring to early summer color of a kousa dogwood and continuing through summer and fall with the colorful crape myrtles.

Evergreen Specimen Trees

Evergreen trees are also excellent choices for specimen trees. Very few trees can draw the eye like blue spruce. The color doesn't have to be the only draw with blue spruce, though. The form can also be a draw, as in the case of weeping blue spruce.

Hollies such as Nellie Stevens holly have the benefit of two traits, making them perfect as specimen trees. First, the attractive dark green foliage during the spring and summer, add the red berries in the fall and winter, and you may have the perfect specimen tree.

This concept of form can also be attributed to topiary trees. In this case, it's not the size but the shape that will draw your eye.

Colorful Foliage Specimen Trees

Colorful leaves also make for great specimen trees. Naturally, our eyes are drawn to color; therefore, it is natural to choose trees with colorful foliage when selecting trees.

Fall color is only one aspect of choosing a tree based on colors. The Bloodgood Japanese Maple tree, for instance, has a gorgeous deep red color throughout the growing season as well as an interesting branching structure. The Ruby falls Redbud adds interest with its burgundy leaves, weeping habit, and early spring display of pink flowers.

There are endless choices for specimen trees, and it's not difficult to choose the best landscape tree for your desired effect. We are confident that you can find the perfect tree in our selection. We have the finest selection of quality trees and offer all of the professional tips and tricks you need to get your specimen tree growing.