best area for trees (Boulder, Longmont: coupons, houses, landscaping)

[qfrost]

I've been doing more 'virtual' driving around the communities of Broomfield, Louisville, etc.. I like less prairie and more trees. What communities around Boulder/Loiusville have the most foliage?

thanks, Q

[DressageRider]

Any of the old town sections, I would think. I am in old town Longmont which was established in the 1870s and we have fabulous trees -- great autumn foliage (and a nightmare of raking come October!) Love our trees.

[qfrost]

Good to know, I'm hoping we get out there this summer and drive through the entire area. I've seen some of the newer construction areas, but I don't remember seeing much planted. Maybe they were just too small to count yet. Gotta have trees nearby, or it's not home.

[Katiana]

I would agree with DressageRider. The older areas of every city have more trees. Big hardwood trees are not native to Colorado. People have planted and nurtured these trees in their yards. We brought a couple of silver maples (considered "trash trees" by some) home in a little station wagon 20 years ago. Now they are taller than the house.

[jkcoop]

I think driving around is a really good idea because it really varies by neighborhood.

For example, my neighborhood I don't think is much older than one my friend lives in. But when people moved into these houses they immediately started planting trees. So now our trees are getting pretty large. Doesn't hurt that we are also next to an old neighborhood with huge trees and a park/creek.

Her neighborhood for some reason didn't have many people planting anything. That is one thing she hates about her neighborhood - lack of trees. And the one things she's always commenting about ours. I'll admit, it's odd.

I'm with you - I love my trees and I'm glad all of our neighbors seem to as well because they planted really good ones right off.

Old town Longmont is lovely for all the old trees - and the fall is beautiful there.

[qfrost]

I also wondered whether there were some restrictions in the newer areas that prohibited planting trees, based off the number of areas I saw that were really devoid of anything but subdivision houses...

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by qfrost

I also wondered whether there were some restrictions in the newer areas that prohibited planting trees, based off the number of areas I saw that were really devoid of anything but subdivision houses...

I don't think so, and I think if you'd look closer, you'd see trees. They're just tiny saplings right now. The City of Louisivlle gave out coupons for trees when our old neighborhood was built, so many per home.

[jkcoop]

I also have a theory that when some of those areas were booming and people were getting into huge houses, they didn't necessarily have the money to then landscape. I've noticed that many of those houses, even years later, still have the basic landscaping that the builder put in.

[CosmicWizard]

Katiana wrote:

Big hardwood trees are not native to Colorado.

There are some really big old Cottonwood trees along the Colorado river in Grand Junction. I've also seen the big old Cottonwooods along other rivers in Colorado. As far as I know the Cottonwoods are native to Colorado.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Katiana wrote:

Big hardwood trees are not native to Colorado.

There are some really big old Cottonwood trees along the Colorado river in Grand Junction. I've seen the big old Cottonwooods along other rivers too.

True, though I don't think Cottonwoods are technically hardwood trees. I knew I should have been more specific when I posted, and said "such as oak and maple".