The sun is a welcome source of heat and light in the winter months in the northern hemisphere, but can be overwhelming in summer. A practical use for trees is to provide shade in summer. Deciduous plants lose their leaves in winter and therefore provide the added benefit of allowing the much-desired sunlight through.

Observing the sun during spring and summer days can aid in placing the right-sized tree to provide shade during the hottest parts of the day on a building or area in the yard. One must keep in mind that the mature spread of a tree dictates the planting distance from a building. For example, if a tree will reach a spread of 30 feet at maturity, it shouldn't be planted closer than 15 feet from the house. This is a difficult rule to follow because often the tree is usually only 2-3 years old at the time of planting. At that time it may have a spread of only 2-3 feet.

Trees must also be planted so as not to interfere with overhead power, cable, and telephone lines, or underground water and sewer lines.