There is a crepe myrtle at my mom's house that I love to touch and photograph. It was there when my folks bought the house in 1999, but it was completely inundated with English ivy. After we liberated it and eradicated the ivy, we were presented with a beautifully twisted smooth trunk. I guess that's one of the only benefits of ivy!
I don't know how old this tree is; it may be over 50 years old. The house is over 100, and there was a similar house in the exact spot that burned down. Obviously, this tree is old and has been through a lot, but it's a survivor, and its battle scars make it a piece of art!
Trees are investments for the future. If you are lucky and can get them past the first few perilous years, they will reward you and wildlife for decades to come, perhaps centuries. These are plants for your children's and grandchildren's generation.
And trees don't have to be that old to be exciting. Also, at my mom's house, there is a 15-year-old Magnolia macrophylla that I grew from a seed. The original seed came from the UGA campus in the early 2000s. Because it was planted in almost full sun, it exploded in growth and is now probably 30 feet tall! I love looking up from the base of the trunk and appreciating the light filtering through its whorled branches.
You should touch your trees and immerse your senses in their presence. In time, you will begin to notice their individuality!
Some are easy to identify; trees like American beech and Sycamore have distinct smooth bark, while others like shagbark hickory and river birch have unique peeling bark. But even oaks and maples exhibit their own unique bark patterns. You simply have to build up your mental images, and that takes time!
I love it when people limb up trees and use that as an anchor for a shady ornamental bed. You can make a nice circular bed underneath a maple... as I did with the September-blooming red spider lilies. This bed houses a multitude of species that bloom from February till October. Spring bulbs, like Leucojum and Narcissus, and May blooming Phlox.
Some trees, like this crape myrtle, provide support for hanging baskets and other ornamental features like mirror chains. I just happened on this basket of impatiens last year outside an old house near downtown Newnan. Think of creative ways to use what you have! Don't always go out and buy something new; distinctiveness and character come from resourcefulness and imposing limitations. They say this is true in all areas of creativity, from music composition to art. Don't go for the "commercial" or "generic".
Of course, I could go on and on about how trees enhance our lives by providing cooling shade to all the ecosystem services they provide! But we all know trees can kill and destroy. After the 2021 Newnan tornado, many people panicked and hastily cut down any tree near their house; while I understand the fear, and there is always a risk from large trees, it is also important to step back and assess the real dangers in our lives. We have far more to fear from driving to the grocery store or taking the latest pharmaceutical than being killed by a tree.
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