Trees for near driveway or patio

Q: I need to get some shade in my driveway area but don’t want the tree roots to compromise the concrete driveway.

A: A ‘Natchez’ crapemyrtle would be a good choice, as would Japanese silverbell. Much depends on how much room you have and whether you want the limbs to be over the driveway or just beside the driveway.

In general, the taller the tree, the further away from the driveway it should be planted. Small trees that won’t grow more than 30 feet tall can be planted as close as 3 feet from the pavement. Medium-size trees that grow to a maximum height of 50 feet should be located at least 6 feet from the driveway. Trees taller than 50 feet might not even fit into the average home yard, but if they are an option, they should be planted no closer than 8 feet from the driveway.