I sell a lot of homes in Milton, Ontario. At one time, Milton was a small, quaint town with a population of around 30,000 people. That was before the big developers like Mattamy, Great Gulf and Greenpark came to town. I remember driving through Milton on my way out to Carlisle wondering where all the construction came from and why Derry Road was being expanded from 2 lanes to 4. That was back around 2001 or so. I also remember graffiti at the Greenpark cite on Thompson Road from local “Old Milton” residents resisting the changes coming to Milton. Little did they know at that time that the population would basically triple and near quadruple over the next 18 years turning their small town into a small city.

So why the topic "plant a tree", you may ask? Well, before these subdivisions were built, the land was basically farmland and swampland caused by the runoff from the Escarpment. Trees were scarce, making developers happy. All they had to do was raise the grading a bit, install sump pumps in every home and away they went. But, the lack of trees meant very barren and boring landscaping. Not a lot of ravines or wooded areas - the occasional waste water pond - but mostly just flat land all the way from Mississauga to the escarpment. I sold a home on Farlow Cres in Milton about 5 years ago. Excellent clients and some of the best people I’ve had the privilege of working with. I went into their backyard and I was stunned to see mature trees and privacy! Something you rarely see in “newer” Milton. I listed the home and sold it for a record price and I’m convinced the trees had a lot to do with it. The homeowner planted the trees when they first moved in they were now reaping the benefits. The moral of the story is, if you move into a new build home, the first thing you should do is plant some trees. If you stay for 10 plus years you’ll thank me when they grow and provide privacy and you might just improve your resale value too!