Designing Tree Allées

300 yrs old Oak Tree Allée, Louisiana © Mler13, Wiki Image

You probably have walked or drove a straight way that has a row of trees on each side. In a city setting, it is common to see this kind of pathway landscape as a streetscape or an entrance way to a destination or a focal point of interest. We call this allées. It looks like the most simple landscape design but to create a distinctive and beautiful allée way takes more than a design sensibility: it takes not only knowledge regarding proper vegetation plantation but also a mathematical skill to design a space with live elements that change their vertical and horizontal dimensions every time.

© Agence Ter

© Deep Root

You will need to know how big a tree is going to grow in 5 years, 10 years and plus. Knowing a species' average growing circumference is considered as basic knowledge in landscape design. Especially in designing an allées way, it becomes imperative to calculate how wide the tree branches are going to spread out to decide planting distance. The denser the distance is, the more it looks like a vertical wall that encloses a pathway. The width of a pathway should be determined primarily based on the function of the path - whether it is a public park or a pathway to an Estate, etc.

Crab Apple Allee Spring / Conservatory Garden, Central Park, New York © Anna Willis via Pinterest

Crab Apple Allee Summer / Conservatory Garden, Central Park, New York © CND.com

Metasequoia Allee / Nam Yi Island, South Korea © BSTour

Tree pruning is another element that needs to be considered. It is an essential practice if trees are planted along the road - branches can block a traffic signage, etc. When allée way trees are cared and pruned properly, they become like architectural elements that visually enclose a pathway. I personally think an allée way start to look stunningly beautiful when tree branches from the opposite sides almost start to touch each other that it becomes like a tunnel. When all these considerations are properly done, there is an opportunity to create something one of kind and distinct from all other forms of passageways that becomes its own destination.

Thanks for reading & Stay tuned for the next story!