"Ogon dawn redwood (Metasequoia Glyptostroboides Ogon) " I like the look, but think that it may grow too tall. "It looks like the former planting site is almost at bottom of ditch. I'd move it uphill some. Unless a tree is known to grow in wet ground (such as bald cypress) most would not like it. In order so as the tree doesn't shade foundation plantings, you might consider moving between ditch and street, like midway between. It looks like there's room according to your second picture. Don't know why you would want the tree to be same height as house. You should be looking BELOW its canopy to view house. So a tree that gets larger -- especially with increased distance away from house -- would be better. (Your house is probably less than 30' height.) The maple seems fine." Yes, the last tree was almost in the ditch. I was thinking of moving it back a few feet. With the slope, the water would run off well enough, but eventually it will put out roots into the ditch area. Going on the other side of the ditch is something that I have thought about, but I know that there are fiber optic cables that run somewhere in that vicinity. The landscaper opted to move the sprinklers in closer to the ditch area to avoid hitting anything, so I figure that If he was concerned with it, then I should be as well. However, one tree is a lot different than an entire run of piping. I may ask him about it. On the height, I guess I didn't express myself well. I want the canopy to reach the the roof line of the house, so that the house can be seen from beneath, as you suggest. But I don't want something that will tower too high above. For instance, those trees at the back right corner are mostly pin oaks. The are beautiful where they are, but they are about 60 feet high. The shadow being cast on my front lawn is also from pin oaks that my neighbor kept when his house was constructed. Although he sits on an even higher hill than I, the trees are still about 30 feet above his roof. It gives a secluded look (which I can appreciate) but I prefer something more open and inviting. Does that make sense?

The problem with shantung maple is that there's not really any named cultivars outside of Dallas area that I know of like you'd get with Japanese maple cultivars in many shapes, form, size, etc. You can get nice ones from Metro Maples tree farm (small local tree farm) from there. Fire Dragon, Golden Dragon, Dwarf Golden Dragon, Blaine's Dragon, Skinny Dragon, etc. A major tree grower just started growing Fire Dragon and it should eventually be widespread across the country. Not sure about others. Maybe Dwarf Golden Dragon later on because of its unique lime green summer color that do not burn in full hot weather. I have to admit that after having grown a bunch of Shantung maples from seeds, some are nice while some are not so nice form-wise. People from all over Texas drive to Metro Maples just to get Fire Dragon....

My profile used to say zone 5 ME, I just noticed it says just Z5 now. Sorry. I'm on the border of zone 5b/6a (I generally plant for zone 5, and take a chance on some zone 6 perennials), in the southern-most area of Maine about 3 miles inland from the ocean. The house faces east, so the tree is on the north east corner. Full sun. The wind generally comes down a hill from the north (across the open yard). The spot where the tree is, is 12' from the house, I could move it out further for the right tree, but I don't want a 40' wide tree there. The native soil has quite a bit of clay, but when we built the beds last year we removed quite a bit and brought in sand and loam with compost. That garden you see there was planted less than one year ago. I have a Bloodgood Maple in another bed in the back yard (the northwest corner of the house) that gets the same wind and is doing well, also planted last year. Pests...well, I have Japanese Beetles I'm handpicking off a rose bush and a hybiscus. I don't have any lilies, but if I did have them I'd have lily leef beetles on them. No Gypsy Moths in this area that I know of. I can't think of anything else. Humidity...typical New England, summers can be humid, but it's not as bad as, say, Boston (the average high in July is 83). We get maybe 5 days a summer above 90. I just looked up the precipitation, we get between 3.4 and 4.8 inches per month. May-September is just under 4" per month. I want an ornamental tree, I know it sounds cliche, but this is a prominent position in the yard (and from the street), so I want something pretty. Except in bloom, I don't really think of Crabapples as pretty. I also considered Kwanzan Cherry, but I was told they can split in windy locations. I'd like something that will reach 20', but won't exceed 30'. The current spot was chosen for the size the Aurora Dogwood would have reached, but I can move the spot out to accomodate a tree that will get wider than 20' (there aren't any pipes or anything in the way). I appreciate the help, let me know if you need anything else. If you go to the album you can see lot more pics of what the site looks like.

Thanks for the suggestion. I do have an area that I want conifers and will definiately consider the Arizona Cypress for that! They would go on the north side of my property and it is okay if they are all the same type of tree and evergreen. But for the south side of my property I am needing decidious for sun in the winter and during the winter the wind doesnt blow much along that side. It only blows from the south or south west in the summer (when they would be in leaf). I am hoping for fall color in the trees on the south side (with the original post was about) and variety in form, like columnar and wide heads for shade with different colors. Thanks!