Using Trees to Frame Views and Highlight Features

Five trees that frame views and highlight focal features in Australian gardens. Practical placement and pairing tips for sophisticated landscapes.

bay treecercisframing viewsgarden designjapanese maplemagnoliaolive

Trees do their best work when placed with purpose. Used as living frames, they direct the eye to a feature, a vista, or a quiet corner. Done well it makes the garden read as designed.

Here are five trees we recommend at Evergreen Trees Direct for framing and focal work.

Framing principles

Use matched pairs to flank views. Place lighter open-canopy trees in front of solid features. Reserve focal trees for points where sightlines converge.

FAQs

Best framing pairs? Magnolia Little Gem or Bay clipped pillars.

Focal trees? Cercis Forest Pansy or sculptural Olea.

Urban gardens? All five tolerate pollution.

1. Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' (Little Gem Magnolia)

Narrow evergreen magnolia that frames distant views with vertical structure.

Type: Evergreen tree
Height: 4-6m
Width: 2-3m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Glossy dark green with copper underside
Flowers: Fragrant white summer blooms
Form: Upright, narrow
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low.
Best for: Framing views, vertical accents, year round structure

Why choose it

Narrow vertical form acts as a natural frame for distant features without blocking the view.

Perfect pair

Pair Little Gem framing pair with a Cercis Forest Pansy as the focal feature inside the frame.

Tips for planting

Plant matched pairs for symmetry. Water through year one. Mulch annually.

A vertical evergreen for framing.

Shop Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'

2. Laurus nobilis (Bay Tree)

Mediterranean evergreen clipped into pillars or balls for formal framing.

Type: Evergreen tree
Height: 5-8m (can be pruned to desired height)
Width: 3-4m
Growth rate: Slow
Foliage: Dark green leathery aromatic
Form: Upright, clipped
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, drought tolerant
Maintenance: Low.
Best for: Formal framing pairs, topiary, pathway markers

Why choose it

Clips to crisp lines for matched framing pairs that flank doorways, paths or views.

Perfect pair

Pair Bay framing pillars with an Olea feature inside the frame.

Tips for planting

Trim spring and autumn. Mulch with bark. Water through year one.

Crisp Mediterranean framing.

Shop Laurus nobilis

3. Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)

Refined deciduous feature that highlights views through its layered branches.

Type: Deciduous tree
Height: 4-6m
Width: 3-4m
Growth rate: Slow to moderate
Foliage: Palmate, brilliant autumn colour
Form: Layered, open
Conditions: Part shade, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low.
Best for: Foreground framing, courtyard focal points

Why choose it

Open layered branches frame views with delicate texture. Seasonal colour adds drama.

Perfect pair

Pair Acer palmatum framing with a Magnolia Little Gem hedge for backdrop.

Tips for planting

Shelter from drying winds. Mulch heavily. Water through summer.

Delicate framing with seasonal flair.

Shop Acer palmatum

4. Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' (Forest Pansy)

Compact deciduous tree with purple foliage. The focal feature inside any frame.

Type: Deciduous tree
Height: 5-7m
Width: 4-5m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Heart-shaped deep burgundy purple
Flowers: Pink pea-flowers in early spring
Form: Spreading, rounded
Conditions: Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil
Maintenance: Low.
Best for: Focal features, contrast inside framing pairs

Why choose it

Purple foliage demands attention. The perfect feature inside a green frame.

Perfect pair

Pair Forest Pansy with a Magnolia Little Gem hedge for evergreen framing.

Tips for planting

Plant in autumn. Mulch heavily. Water through summer.

Purple drama as the focal feature.

Shop Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

5. Olea europaea (Olive)

Mediterranean evergreen as the sculptural feature inside formal frames.

Type: Evergreen tree
Height: 5-8m
Width: 4-6m
Growth rate: Slow to moderate
Foliage: Silver-green narrow leaves
Form: Rounded, gnarled with age
Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Maintenance: Low.
Best for: Sculptural focal trees, Mediterranean style

Why choose it

Silver foliage contrasts with green frames. Sculptural trunk and crown read as living architecture.

Perfect pair

Pair Olea focal with Bay Tree framing pillars for Mediterranean precision.

Tips for planting

Water year one. Mulch with gravel. Open canopy each winter.

Sculptural Mediterranean focus.

Shop Olea europaea

Compare at a glance

Cultivar	Height	Width	Form	Foliage	Best if you…
Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' Little Gem Magnolia	4-6m	2-3m	Upright, narrow	Glossy dark green with copper underside	Framing views, vertical accents, year round structure
Laurus nobilis Bay Tree	5-8m (can be pruned to desired height)	3-4m	Upright, clipped	Dark green leathery aromatic	Formal framing pairs, topiary, pathway markers
Acer palmatum Japanese Maple	4-6m	3-4m	Layered, open	Palmate, brilliant autumn colour	Foreground framing, courtyard focal points
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' Forest Pansy	5-7m	4-5m	Spreading, rounded	Heart-shaped deep burgundy purple	Focal features, contrast inside framing pairs
Olea europaea Olive	5-8m	4-6m	Rounded, gnarled with age	Silver-green narrow leaves	Sculptural focal trees, Mediterranean style