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By Sara Lancaster Special to HomesPlus What do you want the trees in your yard to do? It may sound like a funny ques- tion, but a successful home land- scape design that includes trees depends on how you answer the question. "We try to work with home- owners to figure out what it is that they want from the trees in their yard," said Joe Hanson, president and owner of Hanson Landscaping, Inc. in Waukesha. "A lot of the time the reason is beautification, but privacy screening is also a big deal, espe- cially with a lot of the newer sub- divisions that are being built on old farm fields without existing trees." The aftermath of the emerald ash borer is also sending home- owners back to the garden nurs- ery, added Carrie Hennessey, hor- ticulturist and landscape design- er at Johnson's Nursery in Menomonee Falls. "The emerald ash borer has definitely bumped the tree busi- ness as people are losing the ash trees from their yards and want- ing to replace them," she said. Whether homeowners are look- ing to replace trees (like ash) or add trees to an empty canvas, consider creating a tree wishlist before visiting your local nurs- ery or meeting with your land- scape design team. Do you want the tree to attract wildlife? Are you looking to shade the patio? Or is something ornamental more in line with your vision? Along with your likes (and dis- likes), you'll also want to discuss space and placement, according to advice from Ann Weid, con- sumer horticulture educator with UW Extension Waukesha County. Because while selecting the right tree has a lot to do with homeowners preferences, there's more to it than simply liking the way a tree looks, she said. "It's also the conditions of their yard soil, sun, slope, space, she said. "It is important to research what is best and not just buy something that looks good in their friend's yard." Hennessey knows exactly what Weid means. "Most often I see someone being lured by something pretty, but not properly planning for it or putting it in an area that it's not going to thrive in," Hen- nessey said. For example, in the nursery, some tags on the trees don't list the size of the tree at full maturity. "So be aware that the height listed on the tag might only be what the tree will be in 10 years, not the 30-plus years you hope it will be around for," Hennessey said. That's why Hanson often rec- ommends dwarf varieties of trees and shrubs when designing a landscape around or close to the house. Dwarf varieties don't require a lot of maintenance and they tend to make the landscape design last longer, Hanson added. C O N T E N T S Hot peppers are becoming increasingly popular on the plate Being prepared with a whole-house generator A publication of the Waukesha Freeman and Oconomowoc Enterprise • MAY 2016 Your Guide to Homes, Home Improvement, Lawn & Garden and MORE! HOMES HOMES WAUKESHA + Be the boss of your trees Decide what plantings should do for your yard Johnson's Nursery Inc. Dwarf crabtrees can beautify the yard while not creating as much mess as larger versions. See TREES/Page 3

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