Trees come in all sizes, from towering oaks to dwarf fruit trees you can grow on your patio. And if you're looking for something just right for a small yard, the choices may seem endless. To pick the perfect species for your garden, first measure out exactly how much space you have.

A good rule is to plant a tree away from the house at a distance equal to one-half of the maximum tree height. For a 20-foot tree [at maturity], plant no less than 10 feet from the house. Tree roots can grow beyond the canopy of a tree, so a bit of wiggle room is a very good idea. When selecting a tree for a small space, consider ornamental trees, which are often slower growing, as well as trees that come in dwarf varieties. Different species can suit different needs — shade, privacy, color — depending on the shape of the tree and its canopy, not to mention potential maintenance. Pretty fall foliage can also mean more raking is in your future!

Here are some suggestions:

Add spring flair to your landscape with crabapples. There's a wide array available that bears flowers in shades of white, pink, and red; has weeping, rounded, or columnar habits; and produces orange, gold, red, or burgundy fruits. Many varieties offer exceptional fall color and great disease resistance as well.

Size: From 6 to 30 feet tall and wide, depending on variety. Standout Varieties: 'Prairifire' has dark pink flowers, reddish-purple foliage, and great disease resistance; 'Centurion' has rose-pink flowers, an upright shape, and great disease resistance.

Red bud is valued for its outstanding display of pink or white flowers in spring, it is an easy-to-grow small tree with delightful heart-shape leaves that turn golden-yellow in fall. It thrives in sun or partial shade and is native to areas of North America.

Size: To 30 feet tall and wide. Standout Varieties: 'Forest Pansy' has purple foliage that fades to dark green in late summer; 'Silver Cloud' has white-splashed leaves; 'Royal White' has pure-white flowers.

A Southern-garden gem, crape myrtle offers big clusters of frilly flowers in shades of pink, red, lavender, or white in summer and fall. Many varieties show off beautiful red, yellow, or orange foliage in autumn, as well as interesting patches of green or silver on the underside of their peeling cinnamon-color bark. Size: From 6 to 25 feet tall and wide, depending on variety. Standout Varieties: 'Arapaho' has red blooms and purple-tinged foliage and good disease resistance; 'Catawba' has purple flowers, brilliant fall color, and good disease resistance.

One of the most beautiful North American native trees, flowering dogwood bears pink or white springtime flowers, bright red fruits in late summer, and outstanding purple-red fall foliage. An understory tree, it does well in partial shade. Size: From 10 to 25 feet tall and wide, depending on variety. Standout Varieties: 'Cherokee Sunset' has rich pink blooms and variegated foliage; 'Cloud Nine' is a floriferous variety with extra-large blooms.

Count on kousa dogwood to put on a terrific spring show with its attractive pink or white blooms. And this tree keeps performing once spring ends; it bears red fruits in late summer and wonderful reddish-purple autumn foliage. It's typically more disease-resistant than its North American cousin, flowering dogwood. Size: From 10 to 25 feet tall and wide, depending on variety. Standout Varieties: 'Milky Way' has more flowers than most; 'Satomi' has pink flowers.

Saucer magnolia offers some of the most beautiful flowers of any tree. Its large blooms appear in shades of white, pink, and purple in mid- to late spring. Do some research before buying a magnolia to make sure you have the best selection for your climate. Some types, while hardy, suffer flower damage from late frosts. Size: To 20 feet tall and wide.

Few plants are more beautiful than a Japanese maple in its full fall finery. And happily, there are numerous ways to use this little tree in your yard—try it as a specimen in a partly shaded spot, for example, or use it as a focal point in a mixed border. Name: Acer palmatum selections. Size: From 6 to 25 feet tall and wide.

Magnificent when it blooms in late spring and early summer, golden chain tree produces hanging clusters to 2 feet long of yellow flowers that resemble wisteria. The dark green, fine-texture foliage is attractive, too. Name: Laburnum x watereri. Size: To 25 feet tall and wide

Hope this helps

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