We can provide some starter ideas and guidance, but for any specific planting plan or a final plant list, it may be best to hire a landscape designer. One useful first step can be to have a laboratory soil test performed on each planting site. (Not for every tree or planting bed, but in each of the two areas in your photos, at least.) This will analyze the nutrient content of the soil as well as acidity level (pH) and organic matter content. We can help to interpret the results if desired. The goal with learning nutrient content is so that any plant species known to thrive in situations with certain deficiencies (if present) can be chosen so they require less input to thrive, or so that any needed nutrients can be supplemented upon planting. Acidity level will influence which plant species grow best without having to try altering the pH, which is not very feasible long-term and would reduce maintenance tasks if the plants are well-matched to the soil type. Working with existing conditions and selecting plants that tolerate or thrive in them, rather than trying to change them to suite the needs of particular plants, is always the best approach in terms of plant survival odds and keeping costs lower.

Watering new plantings can be critical to their establishment, and the establishment period length will depend on the size of plants installed; the larger the tree, the longer (by years) that period will be. For trees of average size from a typical garden center, for example (maybe in the 1 to 2.5" trunk diameter range), establishment can take 2-3 years; similar, or perhaps less, for perennials and shrubs. Tree watering bags can help with maintaining root moisture for periods with insufficient rainfall. Otherwise, some sort of irrigation system, buried or otherwise, can help to minimize plant stress. The reflected heat from the areas of pavement and buildings may increase the drought stress experienced by plants in these locations during years like this one with a rain deficiency and heat waves. Granted, shade from older trees will help to ease that, though tree roots compete with plantings underneath them, so there is a trade-off.

All trees will shed at least some "litter" onto the ground beneath them, be that leaves only or also seeds or small twigs occasionally, but there are a number of options that won't produce fruit that might be messy when it falls. Trees that do produce fruit or berries which might be suitable for use could be positioned in such a way that their branches won't reach over the pavement. Our resource Planting Trees in a Changing Climate might provide some ideas in the plant lists linked within the page.

Information about soil drainage can also influence what species we recommend to you, as well as if there are any buried utility lines that need to be left accessible within the root zone of mature plants. Granted, it's been a while since we've had a drenching rain, but from this past rainier spring, do you recall any areas that stayed soggy longer than others?

We can compile some starter ideas to share with you early next week, and if you perform soil testing, those results might narrow-down some plant choices as well. Do deer visit the area, either during the day or overnight? (If they have little to eat right now, due to all the lawn, it might be hard to tell.) Trees would need trunk protection from deer while they are young, but perennials would be more vulnerable to browsing long-term, so this information also helps to narrow-down a list of suitable plant ideas.

If you would like to explore some native plant lists in the meantime, to see what kinds of species are widely grown or often available, these resources (which will overlap a fair amount) might be useful, though are not exhaustive:

• Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • you can use what is essentially a web version (and searchable and filterable) of this via the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay's Native Plant Center
• Native Plants of Maryland by UMD Extension
• Landscaping with Native Plants by the Maryland Native Plant Society
• Native Plants for Northern Virginia (still applicable in central Maryland)

You can also investigate whether rebate programs like the DNR's Marylanders Plant Trees, which covers part of the cost of tree purchase, can apply to shared property like these common areas. If not clear from the website information, you can inquire with the DNR directly. County incentives, like Howard's Turf to Trees program, might also be a helpful resource.

Miri

Here are some ideas for trees that have above-average tolerance for urban conditions (drought, compacted soil, reflected heat, etc.). It's not an exhaustive list, but may be a starting point for research into what species would work best in those locations.  Use a diverse mix of species where possible, since that will help to keep the planting more resilient, as different species have different tolerances and vulnerabilities. Growth rates will vary, and some species might be harder to find than others. (Hickories, for example, are tap-rooted when young and thus are hard to find at nurseries because they can struggle to fit into containers past the seedling stage.) All listings will be locally native unless noted, and even if some blooms are not showy or not visited by lots of pollinators, the plants support beneficial insects and other wildlife in other ways. Botanical names are in parentheses.

Shade tree stature (larger):

• Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
• Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
• Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) -- native to North America, but not locally native
• Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)
• American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) -- use only male trees if you don't want any producing fruit (female trees, if pollinated, will bear edible fruits)
• Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis) -- use a thornless cultivar; otherwise, the wild type can be extremely thorny-trunked
• Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
• Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
• American Elm (Ulmus americana) -- use only cultivars with resistance to Dutch Elm Disease (probably most of what's on the market already anyway)

Flowering or understory tree to mid-size stature (small to medium):

• American Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
• American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) -- native to North America, but not locally native
• Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier, several species and hybrids)
• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

Evergreen trees:

• Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)
• American Holly (Ilex opaca)

The options for shrubs and perennials are even more extensive, but will be easier to choose once you know where trees will be growing and where their shade will fall as they mature.

Miri

Thanks very much for all your help!!
Sent from my iPhone



You're welcome!

Not sure what to do next. Jan has not been in touch. Do you think I should just go ahead and send this info to Larry and John etc and suggest they consult with Sun nurseries about the suggestions?