September feels like the end of and the beginning of many things. It is still summer if you go by the rhythm of the solstice and equinox. Summer is over if you bookend it between Memorial Day and Labor Day, even more so if you are still a student or have children who are now back in session.
A welcome reprieve from the dry conditions, coupled with cooler nighttime temperatures, heralds the arrival of autumn. Soon, asters will burst forth in bloom, the goldenrods have already begun, and ironweed stands tall and majestic while we await the coming of chrysanthemum and toad lily blooms.
This time of year also marks a busy period in the real estate industry, the fall house hunt. Whether you are a first-time home buyer or an experienced house hunter, here are a few things to look for in the garden as well as some red flags to avoid.
Let us start with trees. Large mature trees are a definite value for any home, especially if they have been well cared for over time. The canopy of a mature tree can save thousands in cooling costs in the summer alone. Their ecological benefit is huge.
This tree fell on a Newton home during a storm in 2024.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
An old oak tree, for example, can be a host to hundreds of moth and butterfly caterpillars, a fact that draws nesting songbirds to your boughs. Before you envision yourself seated underneath the tree with a cool lemonade in the shade, be sure to assess the tree first. This is where the help of an International Society of Arboriculture-certified professional is essential.
Some people consider old trees to be a hazard to property, but practices like cabling limbs and retrenchment pruning can add years to a tree’s life and confidence to the homeowner that their investment is not at risk. I recommend exploring all options to keep the tree in place and considering removal as the last option.
With newly constructed homes, the mature tree canopy has yet to develop, but there are still important considerations to weigh. I have often seen young trees planted too close to the foundation in an effort to add height and interest to the plantings surrounding the home. Young trees will grow and need to be spaced far enough from the house so that they can mature and take on their full potential. Landscapes will grow and change over time, and the placement of a young tree is best done while imagining what it might one day become rather than the size and shape of the tree in this moment.
The next topic to discuss is ecologically harmful plants, also known as invasive species. Calling them invasive pretends that the plants themselves are actively invading and threatening our ecosystems. The threats they pose are real and can have dire financial and ecological consequences. But how did they get here in the first place?
Humans introduced them through the government or the horticulture industry. The plants themselves are not evil and are not bent on world domination; they simply thrive in the disturbed conditions we create, often coming in after home construction is finished.
Massachusetts has a great resource at mass.gov to learn more about which plants pose the most significant risks, how to identify them, and what can be done to help control their spread. Armed with this knowledge, any potential home buyer can avoid a heap of garden woes in the future.
If your dream home already has a planting on the banned list, what to do? Plan to remove and replace the offending interlopers in the spirit of being a good neighbor and friend of the planet.
In conclusion, a great garden will grow to complement the house and its inhabitants, a reflection of their values, creativity, and individuality. It takes time for a garden to come together, not too dissimilar to the time needed to transform a house into a home.
A patch of land is a gift, not only because of what grows there now, but because its potential shape in the future is vast. Happy house hunting, may you find your dream space, and may it grow with you together!
Ulrich Lorimer is the director of horticulture at the Native Plant Trust in Framingham. Send your gardening questions, along with your name/initials and hometown, to ulorimer@nativeplanttrust.org for possible publication. Some questions are edited for clarity.
Comments are closed.