Jared McClure, co-owner of Green Valley Nursery and Tree Farm in Claremore has considerable experience with planting trees and shrubs in the landscaping jobs the company does.

McClure has suggestions for how to be successful when adding hardwood to your home's yard and gardens.

“Using the cold hardiness and heat zones for selecting trees and shrubs is a good place to start,” McClure said. “You can also cross some zone lines if you put plants in the right place.”

For example, there are 150 varieties of Japanese maple. Many of them thrive here if they are protected from the scorching and dehydrating effects of south winds. Plant them on the north or east side of a building; they should never receive sun after 2 p.m. Most grow six to 12 inches a year coming out of the container and then one or two feet a year after being established.

McClure has had good luck with several Japanese maples in Oklahoma landscapes.

• Emperor I Japanese maple, which has been available here for three years. It grows to 15-feet tall, has thick stems, is drought resistant and suffers less wind damage.

• Fireglow Japanese maple has orangey-red color, grows to 15-feet tall in morning sun and afternoon shade.

• Coral Bark Japanese maple has chartreuse leaves and red bark that shows well in the winter when the leaves have fallen. This variety can take more sun.

• Garnet Japanese maple is a grafted, weeping lace leaf type. It stays 5-to-6-feet tall and wide. McClure said it is good as an accent for a corner planting with hostas and rocks. The homeowner just has to prune branches six or eight inches a year to prevent them from touching the ground.

• Virdis Japanese maple is similar to Irish lace with dissectum leaves. Summer color is chartreuse foliage and fall color is yellow and orange.

Some evergreens are good landscape plants. McClure pointed out that all evergreens shed their two-year-old needles. The needles turn yellow and drop within a few days and it is not cause for concern.

• Globosa spruce grafted onto a standard gets less fungus disease because the taller trunk helps maintain circulation. It grows to 5 feet, about 4 to 6 inches a year. These trees grow best in part shade after 1 in the afternoon or in full shade. Overhead sprinklers cannot be used near them.

• Blue star juniper is a full-sun tolerant, tough plant that has no insect problems. It also should not have irrigation directly sprayed on it. Nice accent plant for entryway.

• Weeping Norway spruce is a specimen tree with chartreuse new growth. It will grow to 20 feet in 20 years. Drought tolerant and must be planted high with good drainage. Good choice for near water features.

• Columnar Norway spruce grows 3 feet wide and up to 15-feet tall in full sun to part shade. Keeps good column form.