Plan for New Trees The best way to ensure success with your trees is to make the right selections in the planning stage. You’ll want to consider location, climate, sunlight, and soil conditions. We asked Michael Clarke, landscape architect/horticulturalist and founder of Yardwork, about resources to help homeowners find the best tree options. This is what he had to say. “Homeowners can access several key resources to find the best tree species suited to their region, such as local agricultural extension offices, often university- affiliated, which can provide information on trees that thrive in your area. They can help with climate zones, growth habits, and disease resistance. Additionally, websites like the Arbor Day Foundation, the National Arbor Day Tree Nursery, or regional botanical gardens provide detailed information on tree species based on geography, climate, and other factors. Local nurseries or garden centers often stock plants and trees suited to the local climate, and their staff can offer valuable advice on selecting trees for your garden. Finally, it's always a good idea to check the USDA website to determine your growing zones and the Sunset Garden website, which also has zones [to] help guide plant selections based on cold hardiness.” Additionally, we talked to Tammy Sons, CEO of TN Nursery based in Tennessee. She added to Michael’s thoughts saying, “Choose plants hardy for their planting zone. That’s the #1 thing anyone needs to know before choosing any tree or plant. I like our IP zone detector at tnnursery.net. It's a popup that sees your location, tells you your planting zone, and then directs you to choose plants ideally suited for your zone. Also, you can use the USDA hardiness zone map, which is accessible online.
This map shows what zone you are in and is highly accurate.”
She also outlined a few other key considerations, recommending to buyers, “Always check plant labeling to see what location, soil type, and sunlight requirements to plant in before planting. Some plants also require well-drained soils, so make sure you check this as well. If it needs well-drained soil, plant it on the top of a slight hill or slope for best growth results.”
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July 2025
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