Gardening in modern America is something that has been relegated to the task lists as a “chore” instead of a “fun activity.” However, working outside is generally considered to be a healthy practice, and the benefits are almost limitless. Tending to a garden can reduce stress levels, improve motor skills, increase muscle strength, increase flexibility and endurance and lower blood pressure. It can even reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.

For many, the backyard has come to symbolize peace and quiet. It’s a family centered space, and functions as a safe haven from the outside world. The finished landscape project itself can evoke a sense of enjoyment, but the physical act of gardening and tending to it has been proven to reduce stress levels for most adults. Gardening also produces feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, and gives you something to take pride in.

There’s no easier way to cultivate a healthy and successful garden and landscape than by using the best trees available. You want trees that are healthy and are low maintenance. Fast growing trees such as flowering dogwoods and hybrid crepe myrtles are ideal specimen trees that even a novice gardener will find satisfying and easy to work with.

The white flowering dogwood tree evokes a sense of classic Southern beauty, but thanks to horticulture technology can now be grown across the country in Growing Zones 5 through 8. This tree offers beautiful features all year long. In the spring it offers hige white blossoms. In the summer, the leaves are the main feature and the glistening foliage offers cooling shade.

Fast Growing Trees Nursery manager Travis Zboch said that the flowering dogwood trees only grow to a height of 25 feet, so they are ideal for use in gardens or flower beds, as other plants can grow comfortably beneath them. “Imagine the serene garden setting you could create with the snow white blossoms of the white flowering dogwood,” he said. “You can match other complimentary colors to create a beautiful and pleasing garden project.”

The Red Rocket Crepe Myrtle has bright red flowers that shine for four full months during the spring and summer seasons. It’s also the fastest growing crepe myrtle tree available, so you don’t have to wait as long for the results you want. This tree is highly resistant to the crippling effects of mildew, and also extremely tolerant of drought conditions.

For a touch of soft elegance, the Royal Empress tree can help transform any yard into a calming sanctuary. This ancient tree is native to China and tradition claims that the trees were planted in honor of the birth of a baby girl. This fast growing tree has vibrant purple flowers that sprout in the spring and are lightly fragrant. The Royal Empress evokes a sense of delicacy, but it’s a hardy tree that is resistant to drought and tolerant of the many different climates found in America.

Zboch noted that while the term “gardening” may bring to mind only small plants and shrubs, trees are easier to work with than most people think, and are integral components of a stress-reducing landscape plan. “Good landscape design makes a living space more satisfying, no matter if you plant flowering trees, evergreen trees or fruit trees,” he said. “Trees are a source of enjoyment, and can also create a much-needed sense of privacy.”

If you desire more privacy for your landscape, try planting the Thuja Green Giant. These incredibly fast growing evergreens are very easy to plant and grow. Zboch thinks highly of these trees, saying that "thujas are very disease-resistant and adaptable to many growing conditions. If you want a worry-free tree, then these are the trees for you."

Deborah Bartley is a nationally recognized author and director of the Fast Growing Trees Nursery. Fast-Growing-Trees.com is a nationwide mail-order nursery that offers a wide variety of flowering trees, shade trees and fruit trees.