Did you know that high stress levels can compromise your immune system? By reducing these levels, your body’s natural defense system is able to work its magic. Trees release oils into the air, called phytoncides, and inhaling these natural essences can actually help to boost your immune system. Learn more at https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/guide-forest-bathing/ Research conducted in […]
Generally, trees should sit about 15 feet away from a house. Some large species need a little more room while smaller species can be a bit closer. If the tree is hanging over the house, or even has branches touching the roof, it’s probably too close. If the tree’s not actually scraping the roof but […]
A mature tree can add $1,000 to $10,000 to the value of your home, reduce your heating and cooling bills, clean the air, improve your attitude, and help your curb appeal. But when buying a home with large trees, have them checked for these seven important issues. A good certified arborist like Arbutus Tree Service […]
Satellite imagery has become the biggest tool for counting the world’s trees. A recent survey showed that a part of the Sahara “where no one would expect to find many trees” actually had “quite a few hundred million”. While forested areas are relatively easy to spot from space, trees that aren’t gathered in thick green […]
Scientists and environmentalists urge us to see the plants in our gardens as part of nature and not just exterior decoration to be kept as pristine as possible. Native trees that need a bit of water like local species of willow, cottonwood and maple support a kaleidoscope of life. Shrubs like hazelnut, dogwood and native […]
As a tree grows and its branches and roots expand, the area around it can become a barren wasteland. The tree roots quickly soak up all available water and do a great job of blocking the sun, so few plants thrive there. However, it is possible and relatively easily to create a lovely, dense fill […]
Botanist Diana Beresford-Kroeger recommends that people living on the West Coast “should hug the broad-leafed and cinnamon-coloured Arbutus tree (Arbutus menzeisii), especially in April or May”. That’s when it produces buds and come into flower. She suggests you put your hands on the trunk of the tree and lean against it and breathe in the […]
A single tree featured in a home yard has a higher dollar value than a tree in the middle of a forest. Trees rated by an assessor like Arbutus Tree Service as having perfect form and in peak health are more valuable than diseased, poorly shaped specimens. Well-cared-for trees are more valuable than trees with […]
When a branch is cut back to the main trunk, to a lateral branch or to a lateral bud, a higher concentration of hormones in these areas causes the wound to heal rapidly. When a stub is left, the distance from the hormonal source increases and the wound heals slower, if it heals at all. […]
A cherry tree that inspired award-winning Canadian author Joy Kogawa was damaged in a fierce windstorm that swept across southern British Columbia. The backyard tree is the focus of Kogawa’s children’s book “Naomi’s Tree”, which became a symbol of her desire to return home after she and thousands of other Japanese Canadians were interned during […]
