April is filled with celebrations of nature, including Earth Day, Arbor Day and National Gardening Month.
Many states and cities have events to help keep their land clean, beautiful and filled with greenery. This year, turn your focus closer to home.
If you have your own yard or garden, take the time this month to plant a tree. From large to small, there are options for every space.
Dogwood
Blooming in more than one color, dogwoods offer more to our planet than just beauty.
These flowering trees offer pollen to pollinators such as bees, and are a food source for birds, mammals and insects.
Dogwoods also brighten wooded areas and yards with their pink, red or white blooms. These trees are usually one of the first to add color to the landscape in the spring.
Dogwoods can grow as tall as 20 feet.
Chastetree
If you’re looking for something that would fit into your garden, look no further than the chastetree.
Although this plant is categorized as a tree, it resembles a bush. This tree has purple, white and pink blooms in the summer and can grow to at least 8 feet tall.
A friend to small yards, this colorful plant also provides nectar to butterflies, hummingbirds and bees, and offers seeds to smaller birds.
Crepe Myrtle
Another vibrant option for your yard, the crepe myrtle is a winner in the South because it handles heat and humidity well once it’s established.
The tree’s white or pink flowers provide food for many pollinators, including bees and butterflies. The crepe myrtle’s seeds also provide food to birds in the early winter.
Although this tree grows to nearly 20 feet tall, it is sure to fit right in with other elements of nature that call your yard home.