W. Jim Cortese Featured in Real Simple on Trees for Small Yards

W. Jim Cortese was recently featured in Real Simple in the article “7 Beautiful Trees That Are Perfect for Smaller Yards,” sharing guidance on trees that can work well in smaller home landscapes. The article includes Cortese’s insight on trees such as the Japanese Tamukeyama maple, American holly, and redbud.

A small yard does not mean you cannot have a good tree. It does mean you need to think carefully before you plant one.

I have seen many trees planted with good intentions in the wrong place. A tree that looks just right at first may later crowd a walkway, grow too close to a house, reach toward utility lines, or require more maintenance than expected. That does not make it a bad tree. It just means it was the wrong tree for that spot.

Before planting a tree in a small yard, ask three questions: How large will it get, what will it be growing near, and what will it need from me over time?

Those questions can save a homeowner a lot of trouble later. Mature height, mature spread, sunlight, roots, nearby structures, drainage, maintenance needs, and seasonal changes all matter. The right tree should fit the place where it is planted not only today, but years from now.

That is especially true in a small yard, where one tree can have a large effect on the whole landscape. A well-placed tree can shade a window, soften a street view, bring birds close to the house, mark the seasons, or become the tree a family sees every morning from the kitchen table.

In the Real Simple article, Cortese discusses Japanese Tamukeyama maple, American holly, and redbud as examples of trees that can bring beauty and interest to smaller spaces when planted thoughtfully.

That is the sort of thing people do not always think about when they are standing at the nursery looking at a pretty tree. But they should. Trees are living things. They grow, change, respond to weather, compete for space, and sometimes outlive the people who planted them.

That idea connects closely to one of the central themes of Cortese’s book, John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales: trees do not have to be enormous to matter. Whether a tree grows in a front yard, along a neighborhood border, beside a school, or near a family home, it can become part of the story of that place.

Read the full Real Simple article here.

Readers can also explore Cortese’s earlier Real Simple feature on trees that add beauty and value to a home, his tree heat stress feature connected to The Pioneer Woman, his ArborTIMES article on mentorship in modern tree care, his reflection on receiving the ASHS Distinguished Achievement Award for John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales, and his work supporting future tree care professionals through the Cortese Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Scholarship.

Cortese is the author of John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales, a unique anthology devoted entirely to stories about trees. The book brings together history, folklore, reflection, and personal connection to explore the many ways trees shape human life.

To stay connected with W. Jim Cortese, read more Tree Stories, purchase John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales, learn more about the Cortese Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Scholarship, or inquire about speaking opportunities, visit JimCortese.com or contact him at Jim.Cortese@outlook.com.