Solutions for streets and avenues

Trees on streets and avenues make a major contribution to the character of a shopping street, thoroughfare or roads in our living environment. Large trees with leafy crowns lend boulevards their stately character. Decorative blossom trees along streets in residential areas create a pleasant atmosphere. As well as providing a green experience, trees on streets and avenues also create structure and help road users to orientate themselves.

In the past, streets had an important function as a meeting place in the public space. With the arrival of cars, the design of streets and avenues had to become more practical, with the focus being put on rapid and efficient movement. Trees on streets and along avenues create a natural experience, bring human scale and give identity to the city. They make it enjoyable again for people to walk along the street, and as a result the social factor of public roads is restored to its natural glory. 

Street patterns are one of the most constant factors in urban design. While plots are still frequently increased or reduced in size, the structure of streets more often remains stable. As a result, the trees along these streets and avenues often get the chance to continue growing for a long time. Therefore, it is important in the design of a street or avenue to make allowance for the mature size of the trees.

Planting along streets and avenues presents challenges. These include, for example, restricted room to grow, as a result of which the roots of the tree cannot grow in all directions; or sealed ground (often by means of asphalt), resulting in large quantities of rainwater running into the verge, possibly with salt spray. The growing location above ground also plays a role in this. There must be enough free space under the crowns to allow for both cars and high lorries to pass.

It is important to take into account the density of the crown of the trees. If it is too dense, this may cause a tunnel effect because the tree canopy prevents the free flow of air. The air continues to circulate between the road and the treetops, which means that vehicle exhaust gases are not mixed with cleaner layers of air.