If you’re looking to improve the curbside appeal of your home, then you’re probably exploring what different kinds of foliage you can introduce to your front walk. Trees and bushes alike can catch the eye from the road, allowing you to make a little more off of the sale of your property.
That said, trees and bushes can also cause problems for the unprepared homeowner. If you plant foliage too close to your home, then your structural supports may find themselves at risk.
How, then, can you go about increasing the appeal of your home without putting your foundation, basement, or crawl space at risk?
Where Not To Plant Trees and Bushes in Your Yard
Unfortunately, there is no established rule dictating how far away from your home you should plant unruly trees and bushes. Each tree and bush grows at its own rate. To compensate for those different growth rates and to protect your home, you can do your research ahead of time to determine what trees in Virginia and Maryland best suit the land and, in turn, how far away from your home you’ll want to plant them to avoid foundation damage.
Some of the best trees to establish around your home include:
- Crabapple – with a max height of thirty-five feet, it’s best to plant crabapples at least six feet away from your home.
- American Dogwood – American dogwoods can grow up to twenty feet tall and, in turn, should be planted at least six feet and up to twenty feet away from your home.
- White Fringetree – white fringetrees can grow up to twenty feet in height and should, in turn, be planted between twelve and twenty feet away from your home to avoid foundation damage.
- Hawthorn – one of the taller landscaping trees, you’ll want to plant a thirty-foot Hawthorn at least twenty feet away from your home’s perimeter.
- American Holly – the thirty-foot American Holly needs to be planted at least eighteen feet away from your home’s perimeter if you want to avoid root damage.
- Pawpaw – despite their impressive, twenty-foot height, you can safely plant pawpaw trees within five feet of your home without having to worry about foundation damage.
You have the option, of course, to swap out trees for bushes when choosing plants for your landscaping. Some of the bushes best suited to the climate in Virginia and Maryland include:
- Dwarf Fothergilla – must be planted at least three feet away from your home.
- Smooth Hydrangea – must be planted at least three feet away from your home.
- Sweet Pepperbush – must be planted at least four feet away from your home.
- William Penn Barberry – must be planted at least three feet away from your home.
- Buttonbush – must be planted at least two feet away from your home.
- Border Forsythia – must be planted at least four feet away from your home.
- Tatarian Dogwood – must be planted at least eight feet away from your home.
- Chinese holly – must be planted at least five feet away from your home.
If you’re not sure when to plant these bushes or trees, you can reach out to the professionals at your local nursery to determine what conditions and time of year might suit them best.
Protecting Your Foundation From Root Damage
Tree and bush roots can do a lot of unintentional damage to your foundation’s structural integrity. If you do plant invasive trees and bushes too close to the perimeter of your home, you may rapidly find yourself contending with leaks and cracks.
Luckily, local contractors in your area can help you both determine what trees and bushes best suit your land and how you can protect your structural supports from premature settling. If you want to explore what waterproofing measures might be available to you, you can reach out to a professional for guidance.
