Question
Hi Sean, we recently purchased a house. The problem is that the previous owners had tons of trees in the backyard which make it look like a jungle. Altough, I do like the privacy of our backyard in a way(our back yard faces a busy street and is also next to a canyon) and the fresh air that the trees provide, I don't like the jungle look. Also, another issue I have is the sun. There's lots of it. Our house is in a spot where the sun's heat and rays point directly to back part of the house all the time (maybe that's why there are millions of trees in our backyard). I do feel though, if I cut some of the trees, some of the shade they do provide in some areas of the backyard will be gone. I need ideas on how to have a nice private backyard with lots of shade and not too many trees, and also if you know of any trees that won't attract lizards. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Elsa,
Well it sounds like you want "to have your cake and eat it too". No really, I think the thing for you to consider is called "thinning". Consider removing some of the lower branches of the trees and maybe even removal of a a few of the smaller trees but not too many. Be sure to leave the large deciduous trees that have good canopy and provide shade while removing the ones that make the space feel closed in. Remember its easy to cut trees but not so easy to get them back so take one branch at a time.

Good Luck
Sean J Murphy
www.amenityarchitects.com