As Minnesota landscape designers, we’ve seen it time and again: one well-placed tree can change everything. From cooling your home in summer to creating a cozy backyard retreat in winter, trees are an investment in beauty, comfort, and long-term value. Whether you’re planting your first tree or looking to care for the ones you already have, here are five powerful reasons to make trees a top priority in your landscape.
- Trees Help You Save Energy, Naturally
Strategically placed trees can dramatically improve your home’s energy efficiency. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides provide shade in the summer, reducing air conditioning needs by cooling your roof, windows, and outdoor living areas. In the winter, evergreens placed on the north and northwest sides act as windbreaks, blocking cold winds and helping to lower heating costs. Trees also create microclimates (tiny zones where temperatures are more moderate) making your yard more comfortable all year long.
2. Trees Increase the Value of Your Home
Unlike most landscape features that depreciate with age, trees grow more valuable over time. In fact, studies show that a well-maintained landscape with mature trees can boost property value by 3–15%. Trees enhance curb appeal, give character to a neighborhood, and make a lasting impression on potential buyers. Whether you’re staying for years or thinking of selling in the future, planting trees today is a smart investment in your home’s worth.
The only time a tree can reduce a home’s value is when it poses structural issues, harbors disease, or presents danger.
If you’re concerned about any of these issues with a tree on your property, our Sargent’s arborists are trained to assess and find solutions for problem trees.
3. Trees Are Powerful Environmental Helpers
In Minnesota, we experience intense seasonal rains, snowmelt, and temperature swings, and trees help us manage it all. Their roots absorb stormwater, reducing runoff and preventing erosion. Trees also act as natural air filters, removing pollutants, producing oxygen, and absorbing carbon dioxide. Simply put: planting a tree is a direct way to support a healthier planet.
4. Trees Support Wildlife and Biodiversity
Trees do more than frame a beautiful yard; they create a thriving habitat for wildlife. In Minnesota, native trees such as oaks and maples support an incredible variety of birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects.
For instance, a single oak tree can host hundreds of species, from caterpillars to chickadees. By planting just one native tree, you’re helping strengthen the local ecosystem.
It’s a simple yet powerful way to create balance and beauty in your backyard and play a role in protecting Minnesota’s biodiversity.
5. Trees Add Beauty and Boost Well-Being
Trees give a landscape structure and personality; a sense of establishment amongst residential homes. They add structure, color, and interest to your landscape, but the benefits go beyond beauty. Studies have shown that spending time around trees can reduce stress, elevate mood, and even encourage more time outdoors. The USDA recently released a detailed article about the benefits trees provide to human health and well-being. Science proves that getting out in nature, whether going on a nature hike or reading a book under a tree, is beneficial to our health and longevity.
Whether you’re adding a single ornamental tree to the front yard or building a long-term planting plan, trees are one of the most meaningful investments you can make. In Minnesota’s four-season climate, trees aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential. Sargent’s is here to help you along the way as you choose, plant, and care for trees that will thrive for generations. We’ll even do the heavy lifting!
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