For most Asheville homeowners, curb appeal begins with beautiful landscaping. But just as important as beautification is the preservation of the natural Western North Carolina ecosystem that surrounds us. With the use of native tree species in yards and gardens, Asheville homeowners can integrate the two goals, to great success.
Native species of trees and plants occur naturally, without human introduction or intervention. Over time, they have built up physical and biological characteristics specific to regional elements – things like climate, soil type, moisture, and other local plants, animals and insects. They are hardy and environmentally friendly, and help to restore regional landscapes that may be compromised in rapidly developing areas. In short, they are perfectly adapted to their home.
Asheville’s urban canopy
The trees that blanket Asheville are a characteristic that defines the city’s natural beauty. Asheville’s trees along city streets, in parks and natural areas, in backyards, and in landscaped open spaces are collectively known as the city’s “urban forest.”
Planting native trees in your yard contributes to Asheville’s urban canopy, beautifying neighborhoods and cityscapes, and offering privacy screens as they provide shade and absorb harmful gases and other pollutants. The urban canopy is a natural habitat for birds and wildlife, protects soils from erosion, cool streets and homes in the summer, and protects us from winds in the winter.
The City of Asheville has an Urban Forestry Commission made up of nine citizen volunteers appointed by Asheville City Council. The goal of the commission is to protect and preserve Asheville’s tree canopy. The commission co-sponsors with Asheville Green Works for the Treasured Trees program of Buncombe County, which recognizes unusual specimen trees on both public and private property. The panel also assists Asheville’s commercial and residential properties with tree and shrub selection.
Native know-how in your yard
When landscaping with native trees to contribute to Asheville’s urban canopy, there are many resources to teach which will work with your property (https://www.fws.gov/southeast/pdf/fact-sheet/western-north-carolina-native-plant-recommendations.pdfis just one of them). You can also simply study the land around you to get an idea of what grows near your home naturally and beautifully.
In the Asheville area, it’s easy to maximize your native-planting success by matching the right trees with the right site conditions. To do this, assess the type of light and amount of moisture your planting site receives throughout the day, as well as throughout each growing season. The direction your garden faces, the amount of horizontal and vertical working space you have, and your altitude also figure prominently in native landscaping success. Having your soil pH tested is helpful, and will indicate whether the soil needs to be amended.
If you’re looking for the perfect Asheville-area house to go with that perfect native-tree-populated yard, contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.
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