Depending on the light conditions, etc., you might do better sticking with the lilies that grow no taller than 3-4' - the taller ones (which can be up to 6-8') tend to lean a bit, and they WILL lean toward the light. Tying them up can work, but they are prone to breaking at the point they are tied, and it's a pain. A number will be willing to bloom in part shade, but in the deepest shade, they won't bloom. If you mostly want the height for the summer and fall/winter months, there are a number of upright-growing grasses, that get to your desired height. You might have to divide them every few years, to keep the widths in bounds. The blades and flower stalks can be left for the winter, and only cut down when the new growth starts in the spring, so there would be only a short period when there would be nothing there. Avoid pampas grass, and a few of the others - the saw-tooth edges of the grass blades can cut bare skin. Since you are willing to do some pruning, either annually, or more often, then the range of possibilities opens up. Just bear in mind that a clipped hedge or individual bush is formal looking, and needs to be shaped with a slight point or roundness to its top, to shed snow, with the sides of the hedge sloping a bit from top to the bottom, so light gets to the lower branches and they stay alive. Non-conifer, or non-evergreen, shrubs growing tall and narrow aren't as easy. Will boxwood be hardy in your area? It's not overly fast growing, but... A tree-form, single trunk amelanchier might do - the spreading out could be kept to the top section. While they have proven to be invasive in some areas, butterfly bushes (Buddleia spp.) can take hard pruning to keep them in shape. Strawberry bush (Euonymus americana) might be too wide, but grows to 5-6', z.5b. Large fothergilla (F. major) might be too wide also, an upright pyramidal shrub to 8', z.5. Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is another possibility, but looks better when left un-pruned, so you would need to pick the right location - grows to an upright 6-8', with a number of cultivars and flower colors to choose from. Hollies will need pruning to keep them narrow, in general, but there are narrow cultivars. One of the deciduous ones might be nice in winter, but you have to have a male for berries, and it may need pruning. (Holiday decorating?) Kerria is another that might need a little pruning to keep to the width - and it can be temperamental, dieing for no good reason over a winter - the double flowered cultivar seems hardier than the single. An apple or crabapple trained to an espalier might be very nice - it is work.... Pyracantha is another that will work very well espaliered - you can train it into many different shapes if so inclined (hearts, circles, squares, diamonds, etc.) - just be aware it has thorns! P. coccinea 'Lalandei' is hardy to z.5b, with red-orange berries. If fireblight is a major problem in your area, then forget the apples or pyracanthas, although some of the crabapples, and some pyracantha hybrids are resistant.... Climbing or rambling roses can be very effective trellised or on a pillar or post - if you pick varieties with colorful hips, they will last until the birds eat them, or go for those with multiple or ever-blooms for summer interest. A tree-form lilac, or any of the lilacs (with some possible trimming needed) might be perfect. Most of the conifers do have narrow cultivars, and some of the taller-growing ones have smaller selections as well - the trick is to find them. Eastern white pine can be sheared as a hedge, but you do HAVE to keep after it. I would stay away from Dwarf Alberta Spruce - they are prone to disease, and after growing for a few years (usually more than 10), they start to look not-so-pretty. But, there are cedars, arborvitae, etc., etc., that have selections that should work. While you are looking for shrubs, cross-posting in the Trees Forum might garner more answers - some people over there don't look over here, and they are VERY knowledgeable about shrubs as well as trees!

This is j0nd03. I can't log in with my old username for some reason. Toro, your tree is looking might happy! Mine has actually flowered the last two years but did not bear fruit so I guess it is a male. I have four other blackgums planted on the property so hopefully at least one of them gives me some babies in the future!

Thanks everyone! I guess I'll wait it out until spring and see what happens. As I said, I havn't seen any signs of sap oozing from any of the wounds or fungal fruiting bodies. Whats the odds the wounds will callous over? I can't get another tree until late winter/early spring. arktrees I'm constructing a small 1 acre collection of mostly conifers and maples but some other species. With our terrible summers, I've constructed tents/shade covers on most of the new plants to protect from late evening sun until the trees get established. I'll remove the structures after 2-3 years....ugly!...but small price to pay for healthy nonstressed specimens. It's not my place of residence anyway. I hand water each individual specimen during the first few years. During August-September watering every plant can take 4-5 hours per session but it will all pay off eventually. ken I don't see any sprouts above or below the graft union. I bought the tree from an Oregon grower. I have a lot more trees coming this winter/early spring and will just order a replacement....just in case. I'll ask the grower if they have seen any similar issues on their field grown stock. flora uk Zone ratings of the trees is based on estimated coldest temperature a tree can survive. They're all estimated and a lot of factors come into play. All zone 7 areas aren't the same climate. In my situation....Once you get to the upper end of the zone ranges, I have to worry about my zone 7b southern U.S. growing conditions (high temps, humidity, etc) that a typical zone 4-6 tree isn't accustomed to. I should never have to worry about reaching the cold extreme limits of a zone 4-6 tree. I'm sure european beech can grow in mild zone 7-9 climates throughout the world. I think it'll grow in my area too.......once fully established. j0nd03 Yeah this summer was horrible. Luckily I didn't loose many specimens. I lost a Larix eurolepsis (Larch) when we had that 112 degree day in August. It was ailing anyway. The extreme heat done it in. Funny thing is my other smaller larch are fine. Its was a bad year to plant larger specimens. They weren't established enough to handle the extreme summer conditions. Just too may roots removed from the B&B trees at harvesting and takes so long to regenerate! Oh yeah....I remember my username abciximab because it is a generic drug name. I'm a pharmacist. Patrick

Not sure it anyone still looks back at this section of the forum, but I found it extremely interesting. The question I have is more of a top-down question. I currently grow blue spruce, in multiple numbers (hundreds/maybe a thousand potted up now, and maybe another thousand almost ready to pot ). Mine are 2-3 years old, so early stage. Grown from seed. Some from "majestica" blue spruce seed which seem to grow quite eratically to be honest. In any case, I read of blue spruce cultivars like Hoopsi, and Fat Albert. I believe they are grafted onto Norway Spruce understock. What I don't understand is how the colour (very vibrant blue) is common to all grafted stock. I assume that "they" (whoever "they" are) select specific/specimin adult trees and take scions exclusively from that tree? Who would maintain the Hoopsi "trademark" i.e. select consistent adult trees? I assume certain of the "progeny" may then be a source of scions, thus improving the variety? Also, I know I can buy grafted Hoopsi grafted stock (a year or two old) but if I wanted to graft my own Hoopsi, how would one proceed (and is this type of activity monitored? i.e. purchase a Hoopsi adult tree and presumably take my "scions" from that tree??) Alternatively, if one of my current trees grew with a vibrant blue colour (I seem to have a few out of a thousand) could I then use that tree for scions, a number of years from now? (provided I obtained or grew Norway Spruce or some other suitable understock). Sorry, you can tell I'm very new to this. But any information will be helpful.