Trees.

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My home is, relatively, cool. A large part of why it is cool is due to the construction of the house and additions. However, another large part of this are the trees. I do love trees, if I am not quite a tree-hugger. I enjoy the brown, green, red, purple, and other colors which make life more vivid. I enjoy having living neighbors I can, mostly, trust implicitly. I enjoy that trees eat sound, shield from the sun, breath my exhale and exhale my breath, and many other things about these powerful yet delicate beings.

As I am looking over the grounds, I realize the trees here have been here for some time. My guess is that they matured to fully grown some time ago, at least the main shade trees. They do have some time left to them, but not so much as I would like. So, I have been considering the options for new trees, where to plant them, when to plant them, what type of trees, along with other variables.

From what I have heard fall is, generally speaking, the time to plant trees. While that is some time off, time passes quickly. I have considered native trees, and there are a few that might work. Most will not, not for shade. Here, I am sure, naturalists and "conservationists" or more real people who must pay their own heating and cooling bills (or suffer heat for those of us without air conditioning) must part ways. Either we want native trees or we want to cut our expenses (save the environment... I do not think so... but, whatever to those). For me, the choice is clear.

Of course, that still does not settle the thing. Picking the right tree for this environment, which fit my tastes, which grow at a reasonable rate, and which will offer shade is no small thing. I know, there are garden centers and nurseries galore, one of them is right here in my little town if I am not sure whether they offer trees yet. And yet, even with these resources, I am dubious. As with hardware stores, computer stores, and the rest, quite often the worker will sell you whatever you want, whatever gets them the best commission, or ignorantly pick almost blindly. So, I tread lightly when dealing with sellers, and try to approach with some knowledge, a reasonable idea of prices, and the willingness to ask and then check what the person selling something is saying about it against other resources.

In the end though, it comes down to faith. One must, eventually, have faith in the seller, the tree type, the instructions, and one's ability to tend to the tree. Without it, no purchase will occur, no tree will grow (or die), and no shade, no privacy, no comfort, will be derived from the potential offered.

I must admit to enjoying the search. I have always wanted an oak in the back yard (if that is highly unlikely for a number of reasons, the possibility does exist). There are many wonderful trees out there, trees that will grow well here, trees I could potentially enjoy for the rest of my life. Acidic soil, little summer moisture, high temperatures, and placement are all difficulties though, which... keep me from getting too far ahead of myself in this regard. Oh, and of course, the cost of the trees and the work needed to plant them properly... Even then, though, I am pleased to be searching for new friends, family really, from the plant world.