Evergreens are the stars of the holiday season. Everywhere you look there are holly, spruce, juniper, and so many more. But more important than wreaths and garlands, they are some of the only greenery left in the landscape after deciduous plants have gone dormant. Because of this, evergreens are an essential element of landscape design to create winter interest in planting beds. Rows of evergreens create privacy that lasts year-round and can also function as a windbreak. The UMD Extension recommends you plant evergreen trees on the northwest, north, or west sides of your home, to provide protection from winter winds and reduce heating costs in the winter months. They recommend Eastern redcedar, Arborvitae, and American holly to achieve this. They are also a great option for shade since they retain their canopy year-round and can help reduce heating costs in the summer.

In addition to making your garden or yard beautiful, evergreen trees are essential to the local ecosystem. They take over the hard work of cleaning the air by producing oxygen after all the deciduous trees have lost their canopies. Evergreens support pollinators, play host to many species of moth and butterfly, and sustain local wildlife populations. They are a vital source of food and shelter for birds and small mammals year-round but especially in winter when predators can easily spot them in a leafless deciduous tree landscape.

It’s recommended to plant evergreen trees in early spring, but they can be planted any time of the year as long as the ground isn't frozen and they are watered regularly. The City can assist with your tree planting through the residential tree planting program and the tree canopy enhancement program. See the the City of College Park's Tree page. You may find additional information about trees at this link from UMD Extension; another source of information can be found in this pamphlet on suggested landscape plants for College Park.