How Linden Trees Can Benefit Your Yard

Part of what makes linden trees so beneficial is the fact that they produce small yellow blooms with a fragrant scent, attracting pollinators to your yard. Butterflies and bees will flock to your linden tree, so much so that some people know the linden tree as the “bee tree.” At night, moths will visit your linden tree to continue pollinating your garden.

Linden trees also add lots of shade to your yard, keeping you (and your local wildlife) cool during high temperatures. If your yard already gets lots of sun exposure, adding a shady spot gives you access to more microclimates, expanding the range of plants you're able to include in your garden.

Easy Care Tips for Linden Trees

As Stewart herself points out, linden trees tolerate urban conditions, so they can still thrive in tough soil and tight spaces. While some trees will suffer dropped or burnt leaves when exposed to air pollution, linden trees tolerate pollution. They’re also simple to care for in general, and are very low-maintenance. For those in hot climates, linden trees are even drought-tolerant.

Although you might not be designing your own tree maze like Stewart, it’s still a bonus that linden trees are so easy to shape. Their foliage is extremely dense, so you can prune it however you please without exposing any gaps. Espaliered linden trees make a beautiful wall accent or privacy feature.

Left alone, the little leaf linden tree can grow up to 80 feet tall; its long branches can span up to 50 feet wide. Stewart already uses lindens in a few different areas of her yard, and they're impressively large and full. It's likely that she'll carefully control the size of her little leaf lindens in her living maze, to keep the walls low and uniform; her espaliered linden trees can be kept quite short. If you prefer smaller trees, you can do the same in your own yard.