4 Deciduous Trees That Work Great Around Your Patio

Many of our patio and hardscape projects eventually turn into landscape projects.  When we plan for a patio, we like to place plants around it in our designs to soften up the hardscape, so a temporary plan is already in place in case you wanted to add plants right after or in the future.

Over the past few years we have installed and maintained many trees for our clients.  We have seen that some trees work better around patios than others.  Trees that should be used around patios should be smaller in size and maintain a healthy growth habit.  They should also provide one of the following:  fragrance, temporary shade, or act as a focal point.  Some trees are selected for their beautiful blooms and bark; others may be selected for a particular time of the bloom or the seasonal changes it has.  Here are our 4 favorite deciduous patio trees to use around your next outdoor living area.

Kousa Dogwood

This tree displays a vase-shaped habit that eventually rounds out with age.  It is mostly known for its late spring blooms.  The actual, insignificant, yellowish-green flower is centered in between four narrowly pointed petal-like white bracts.  The bracts are the showy part of the bloom.  The flowers are followed by berry-like fruits which mature to a pinkish-red in the summer and persist into fall.

Eastern Redbud clump

This tree is known for its stunning small pinkish purple flowers which bloom profusely on bare branches in early spring before the foliage emerges.  The leaves are dull green to bluish-green leaves and have a paper-like texture.  Leaves turn pale yellow to greenish-yellow in fall.  They usually are available in a clump form or as single trunk.

Bloodgood or Crimson Prince Japanese Maple

Japanese maples are generally grown for their attractive foliage and shape.  They start off with small purplish flowers that can enjoyed if planted close enough to your patio. The beautiful palmate leaves are wine-red to burgundy in color and turn reddish-purple, yellowish-bronze in the fall. The shape of these maples is excellent and unique

Serviceberry

This tree is provides showy flowers that are fragrant, which develop into colorful berries that start out red and turn purple.   It has a beautiful fall orange and reddish fall display, which is why it is commonly called “Autumn Brilliance”