Hello, I do not have much design skill as there are times I would add something and it looks nothing like I envisioned it to look like. I am thinking about adding an emerald green arborvitae tree in the corner of my house. I do like how those trees make the corners of a house look smoother, but I usually only see them used that way on big houses. Plus I am not sure if it will look silly to have four shrubs and then an arborvitae alone in the corner. Also, when the wind blows will I hear it slapping up against my house? Please let me know and thanks.
In my opinion it's not a good thing to have any large tree too close to a house. The root systems can undermine the foundations for example. Arborvitae trees can grow to quite a height so maybe it would be best to get a small, slow growing conifer instead. It would look good at the corner of your house and would be much easier to keep pruned to a desired height. Is there any way you could post a picture of the area you're thinking of putting the tree into? It would help our members to advise you further on what they think.
Hello eileen, sorry for not being able to reply. I changed my email and it automatically disabled my account until admin approval. I thought I uploaded an image to this site but when I posted I noticed it wasn't there. Here is a pic of my house: http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae59 ... 8-1259.jpg I need to try and add the arbor tree between the small space where the grass and boxwood meet in the corner. So an arbor's roots can really damage my foundataion?
Hi garden newbie, In my opinion, (and that's all it is), is that you don't have enough room there for an arborvitae. you'll have problems getting around it as it grows. double check the mature size of the plant before you decide to purchase a shrub for that area. To mark the area the mature size would take up, take a string that is 1/2 the width of the shrub, measure from the corner of your house to where the center of the tree would be. pound a stake in the ground and make a loop around the stake with it, allowing for the amount you used up for the loop, or add a little extra for this step, pull the string (or rope) tight and walk the string in a circle around the stake to "see" where your shrub would be growing in the future. We often UNDERESTIMATE the space a shrub is going to take up, because it is so small when we start out with it. You have a blank slate to work with, if you will, go look at the shrubs that are available that would fit the area you have to work with. You may decide to go with something that would bear fruit or have some interesting foliage or flowers on it. You really need something that has some interesting contrast to the "globe" shrubs you already have. also, make sure the specimen you choose doesn't reach the roof line of your house. During the fall, the gutters can get plugged leading to ice build up if you live where it freezes and the movement of the shrub/tree can cause damage to the shingles and gutter.
