The Northwest is a region that recycles, whether by habit, by law or by a desire for environmental stewardship. And while we may all diligently pack our cans and paper into bins, compost our food waste or even shop second-hand, our definition of recycling doesn't usually expand to include one deceptively obvious category: trees.  

Recycling a tree may seem like a daunting task. After all, as every fourth grader could tell you, the root system of a tree typically mirrors the size of the aboveground portion of the tree. A young tree might be small enough to transplant, but moving a mature tree seems a ludicrous notion. It's this sort of thinking that results in those tragic scenarios where a neighborhood is confronted with the early-morning hum of chainsaws, a series of whip-like cracks and the slow, basso profundo death knell of a geriatric tree gasping its last.  

Luckily, for those of us who read "The Giving Tree" a few too many times as children, there is a local tree hero who is giving mature trees new lives in the yards of grateful recipients. These tree adoptions are handled with care by Master Builders Association and Built Green member, Big Trees. With a name like "Big Trees" it wouldn't be hard to guess what owners Ross and Nancy Latham base their business on, but the sheer environmental ingenuity behind their tree transplant work is exciting in its application.  
One local family of arborphiles took advantage of Big Trees' services in order to create a stunning, multi-themed landscape in their yard. The family lived in a typical unincorporated Snohomish dwelling, complete with acreage. The house was 10 to 15 years old and no landscaping had been done, apart from fence-to-fence grass making the backyard look not unlike a football field.

The family wanted an interesting and artistic yard, with a wide color wash of both young and mature trees, but also sought to accommodate their children's need to play in an accessible, fuss-free setting. With form and function in mind, Big Trees collaborated with the couple to map out a landscape plan that was beautiful, but not a hands-off museum for delicate flora. 

At the heart of the project was to be a large, old tree that would grace the front of the house, offering an earthy welcome and visual gravitas to the home's entrance.  Answering the call, Big Trees sourced a 100-year-old Japanese maple coming from a home in Everett that needed the tree removed to accommodate a sewer line. This particular tree is in a category known as "specimen trees," which, as Ross Latham says, "is about the tree equivalent of an Olympic athlete" in terms of structure and health. After assessing the tree's viability, the Lathams gave it a good bill of health and began the task of salvage.

Big Trees began by hand digging and preparing the root system before wrapping the root ball.  Because of the vastness of the tree, they utilized special equipment, including their AG-90 Tree Spade, a hydraulic loader and a piece of rental equipment in order to lift the 8,000 pound maple. When salvaging a tree of that size, much of the weight rests in the root ball, creating an awkward, bottom-heavy tree, but the maple was successfully loaded onto the truck and transported in style to its new home in Snohomish. 

The elements critical to a successful replanting include: tree species, trunk caliper and canopy size, tree health and vitality, soil condition and moisture content, adequate root ball sizing, lack of surface obstructions (such as house foundations or sidewalks) and no overhead or underground utility conflicts. Each tree Big Trees replants is warranted, so the Lathams take great pains to ensure a successful replant. Luckily, the stars aligned for this particular maple and it was able to successfully take up residence in the bed in front of the house. To add to the "Japanese" concept of the tree, the bed was augmented with Japanese lawn lanterns and complimentary ground cover for a nicely themed look.

With the Japanese maple anchoring the front yard, Big Trees moved on to the backyard to work their magic with a multi-leveled non-linear aesthetic. The trees for this part of the yard were no less important to the overall plan, and would serve as the framework for the entire landscaping. A nice mix of color and contrast were implemented, including samples of gingko, paperbark maple, incense cedar, umbrella ornamental pine and coral bark maple. Another recycled tree from a separate site, a 20 foot tall sequoia, made its way into the mix as well. 

The project continued by elevating the bed line in some areas and creating a winding stream bed to add depth and mystery. Large shrubs, flowering shrubs and ornamental plants were added to the multiple elevations. And even with the more ornamental qualities of the yard, enough grass was left to facilitate comfortable play for the kids.

Throughout the front and back yards, each bed took on a personality representing various facets of the family's tastes. Much like different rooms in a house, the sections of the yard tapped into an array of aesthetics, from the earthy Northwest feel to clean line Asian influences. Yet all throughout the "rooms," color took command, offering hue diversity complimentarily selected to offer a rainbow in all seasons of the year.


Thanks to Big Trees, Inc. for their ideas and images.  Big Trees, Inc. is a Member of the Master Builder's Association.  For more information, visit their website at www.mba-ks.com.

To read other past projects, visit the Project Archives!