Selecting the right plants to grow in your compound

Some of the trees considered ornamental pose serious risks to your landscape (house, perimeter walls, and septic tanks). Some plants are also known to attract creepy creatures like snakes and insects while others can damage the structure of your home and should  be avoided. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • He suggests that trees for landscaping be determined by factors such as non-toxicity, functions and maintenance requirements.
  • Meanwhile, trees such as the mulberry  attract caterpillars since their leaves are food for silkworms. some people  plant fast-maturing trees like the grevillea  but it has weak branches which frequently fall off and can cause damage to, say the roof. 
  • Some plants like the golden bamboo are  bushy and can harbour wild cats and snakes and should, therefore, be planted far from the house, besides being properly pruned regularly.

Plants add life and ambience to a compound, besides offering privacy from prying eyes.

However, it is important to choose  home-friendly plants. This is because some of the trees considered ornamental pose serious risks to your landscape (house, perimeter walls, and septic tanks). Some plants are also known to attract creepy creatures like snakes and insects while others can damage the structure of your home and should  be avoided.

Mr Jackton Mwakughu, a landscape architect, says that some tree have very strong and destructive roots that damage your property.

He suggests that trees for landscaping be determined by factors such as non-toxicity, functions and maintenance requirements.

“Some plants are toxic either to humans or pets, or both. They pose a threat either when cut or ingested, or trigger allergies. Some also have thorns and can prick those t who get in contact with them,” says Mwakughu, adding that plants from the oleander family, desert roses, moonflowers, euphorbia species (have poisonous sap) and should be not be planted within the compound.

HIGH MAINTENANCE

Meanwhile, some trees have deep, invasive root systems, which affect the foundations of buildings or create cracks on floors and walls. Deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves seasonally) tend to have a deep root system and are best avoided. The casuarina, jacaranda and eucalyptus fall in this category.

Mr Mwakughu advises that such trees be planted at least 20 metres from any architectural structure. This also applies to trees like the circus plant, which create an umbrella/layer canopies, such as the umbrella tree.

Meanwhile, trees such as the mulberry  attract caterpillars since their leaves are food for silkworms. some people  plant fast-maturing trees like the grevillea  but it has weak branches which frequently fall off and can cause damage to, say the roof. 

Besides, they grow very tall and  thus are difficult to maintain.

Some plants like the golden bamboo are  bushy and can harbour wild cats and snakes and should, therefore, be planted far from the house, besides being properly pruned regularly.

There are a number of protective measures to forestall these risks

“One way is to construct a root barrier. You can also put up a retaining wall or a tree guard, to control the rooting of a plant,” explains Mwakughu.

A root barrier prevents costly root damage while preserving the health and beauty of mature trees, making it unnecessary to cut  them down.