Thanks Karin for the heads up that we were given the right information...to keep the rocks away from the plants base. And hanging head on the sand cherry we most likely killed...It was fairly large...my husband got a decent size root ball but I felt he could have taken more. We did NOT trim the plant back so the volume of the top matched the volume of the roots. Once moved I've given it miracle grow and watered deep...But again we had it smothered with rocks up high on it's main base. Would it pay to trim the shrub shorter to after planted to help counter that we hadn't done it before transplanting? Thanks on the kind words of the waterfall...I was really trying to go with the "natural" look...then that weeping maple suckered me into purchasing it. We vacation around waterfall trails and have for years. So when I suggested a water fountain feature in the backyard...my son who was 11yrs. old at the time commented he felt that a waterfall would be more appropriate. And that is how it all started. I originally wanted a horseshoe of rocks placed so that a larger rock/bolder could sit a top. And have the bolder drilled and water come down over it. Which sort of reminded me of a smaller version waterfall called "Ash Cave" down in Hocking Hills area of Ohio. But the kit we purchased was HUGE...and the man working the bobcat and my husband felt we were going to be wasting so much materials by making as such...and it went from there. I do love it and the sound it makes. It's built into a hill so I really don't have a "HUGE" pile of rocks coming up unnaturally from the ground to form it. Our neighbors who walk by complain because you can't really see it from the road...but only hear it. But to make it any other way would of made it look more unnatural. On the corner from us the previous owners made a rock garden of large rocks...so what rocks you do see from our backyard when not viewing the waterfall...looks natural to the area I think because of what the previous neighbors did. One neighbor came by and visited...and teased that HGTV called and wants their waterfall back. lol We also have a porch swing back there along with a few chairs on the back patio. And off the other patio where we have a picnic table you can view the waterfall as well. So it's ideally placed for our own enjoyment... No one can get over the size rocks used to make this waterfall. I think that alone helps make it look more natural than using just smaller ones that one can lift with their hands. Big project took most of the summer. But well worth it.

do understand two things ... seed/seedlings will not be 'maintenance-completely-free' .. until they mature.. which might take a few years ... you are not going to scatter some seed.. and be done with it ... and until they mature.. they will need PROPER WATER ... again.. going back to the dynamic that they will not be 'maintenance-completely-free '.. this year ... if you understand that.. you will win .. if you dont take some kind of care of them.. it wont matter what you do ... to put it another way.. whether a MATURE plant is maintenance-completely-free .. has really nothing to do with growing babes from seed ... most good nurseries [not bigboxstore] ... have trays of groundcover ... which you can tease apart.. and plant to cover ground ... the added expense.. will cut down the time and effort needing to baby babies .. i understand budget is an issue.. but if you want it done.. it might be worth the additional cost.. to avoid failure ... ken

I wouldn't repeat the 'Bush's lace on the other side....too formal, but your call. Since you have a Blue conifer on the left, Red from the maple in the middle, I would go with something Green or Yellow on the right... Noon - Sunset is probably near full sun in all Spring and Fall, maybe partial in winter. A picture would help, but since you already have 'Bush's Lace' growing there, it must be getting pretty good sunlight. Here are some ideas: Cupressus macrocarpa 'Wilma' Picea glauca 'Pendula' Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns' Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Korean Gold' Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone'

thanks for the recs, I coulda just googled the usda hardiness zone and found many options but I know for example like dogwoods are recently not doing to well in this zone (something with a beatle or something like that) but I will search each type further. Now I think I'm going to actually just plant like 7 different types of trees in between the arboorvitaes! Sounds wrong but I have seen many examples of similar, and it looks cool, also what's good is that for example arborvites sometimes can get snow damaged (limbs break under weight) and if you have a 20 year old screen of them and one gets beat up, you might want to replace it and might be hard to find the exact type and especially size and could be pricey. With using different types, if something dies or gets beat up it can just be replaced. I think I'll try an aprocot tree (have seen one doing well in the area) and a few other evergreen columnars/semi columnar.