So many of my clients are surprised that the little sapling they planted is now a huge tree. It's important when you plan your garden and start planting trees to understand how big they will grow and to keep them maintained in a way that supports how you use your garden. Arborists can help your tree grow in the shape and direction that you want so that the garden is perfect for your family. My blog has tips for the home owner on keeping your tree healthy and, of course, tips on when to use an arborist to get the perfect result.
In this world of technology, where a single screen can provide books, games, TV and education, children are missing out on the simple pleasures that today's adults once enjoyed. According to a recent report by Savlon and Play England, a quarter of children between the ages of 6-15 have never rolled down a hill, while a third of children have never climbed a tree.
Where once the world outside was a place of wonder and adventure for children, it has now taken a back seat to the more convenient, as well as simpler, world of technology.
But trees can offer so much to children. If you have enough yard space, a lawn or open space isn't enough on its own. Place a tree there, however, and you have something that will benefit your children in many ways.
Trees Boost Problem Solving Skills
Whilst climbing trees, children must judge distance, plan routes and overcome obstacles to reach their destination—the upper branches. This inevitably improves their problem solving skills.
Climbing Trees Boosts Children's Cognitive Abilities
A study by the University of North Florida in 2015, found that activities such as climbing trees and balancing on beams can improve the cognitive functions of children. Not only do these activities improve a child's motor skills and spatial awareness, but they also improve working memory—an area responsible for the processing of information.
Children Can Exercise Their Imaginations
Planting a weeping willow—a fast growing tree—provides your children and their friends with another world right there in their yard. Not only can they climb the low, often horizontal branches, but the dangling fronds of the willow provide a secret, inner world within which they can play make-believe, kind of like the one in the children's novel: The Secret Garden.
Choose A Fast Growing, Non-Invasive Tree for Your Yard
When choosing a tree for your yard, presumably before your child is of climbing age, choose one that grows quickly but lacks the invasiveness of some fast-growing trees such as:
Have a Tree Specialist Prune Existing Trees for Safety's Sake
If you already have a mature tree in your yard but are worried that it might be too dangerous for your children to climb, pruning it might be a good idea. However, seek out the services of a professional for this as they will be able to better judge what should and shouldn't be pruned.
With a little creativity, a tree specialist or arborist can prune your existing tree in such a way as to make it safe for children to climb.
Remove Old and Frail Trees that Might Prove Hazardous
Some trees, such as old weeping willows, are frail with brittle branches. If your children are avid tree climbers, you should probably consider hiring a tree removal service to remove an old or particularly tall tree so that you can replace it with something a little more child-friendly.
Encourage your children to develop their minds, bodies and social skills by planting a tree or two in your yard. Remember too, that you can always call on the services of a tree specialist should you need to prune an existing tree or even transplant one from another area to your yard to provide your children with an instant, and natural, climbing frame.
Share14 April 2017
