Interesting situation, to pick a spot for a new tree. Clearly there is room, but the question of where is not as easily answered as one might think - as shown by the fact, perhaps, that no one has answered! It took me a couple of days to figure out why this is hard. One reason is not knowing just what you want your relationship to be with passers-by on the road and with your neighbours across the road - how much of the house you want to leave visible, how much you want to be able to see out - for example, do you want to be able to see when the mail is being delivered, or when someone is coming up your driveway? Another is not knowing how you like the task of mowing to go. So we don't really have enough information to fully understand your preferences... you don't need to explain them to us, but you do need to articulate them to yourself to make a decision. What is important to you about the front yard, and about trees in the front yard? Another is that there are already more trees than I realized from your earlier photo and they are quite distinctly linear in arrangement - furthermore, many are already maples. So it is hard to know whether to create a new linear component in the design or start to transition from a linear to a more random arrangement. I would prefer to evolve away from the linear aspect, especially as you move away from the driveway. Planting in groves does have its risks, as BBoy has pointed out above. I went on a tour of a local arboretum a while back (Riverview) where trees were frequently planted in 3s and 5s, and the resulting groves, 100 years later, now consist of rather unevenly developed trees in that the canopies are abutting and sometimes killing each other off on the adjoining side. So the trees are uneven although the groves remain symmetrical. But that's 100 years out, and all your specimens may not be 100-year trees. If they are not, then you can actually plant with a view to tree succession already. For example, I do not like the two maples (green in your first picture, red in your later ones) that are quite symmetrically planted across the middle of the lot - I don't like their shapes, so that's personal, but I also don't like their symmetry, since they somehow don't relate to each other or the property at all. I think I would begin by disturbing their balance a little by planting new trees near them, or in front of them, and then plan to remove one of the two existing trees at a later date. Always with a view to sight lines (and mowing lines if those matter). Also, I can't remember if you said anything on the other thread about big trees in the back yard, if you want or have any growing in there. For looks alone, nothing settles a house into a property better than being backed by some tall trees. But if it is not practical to plant them back there, then I would plant them in the front, albeit a fair distance from the house. As they grow you can prune their canopies up and even if they block your view now, eventually sight-lines will re-emerge beneath them (and in winter of course). All that refers mostly to deciduous trees. Conifers are also beautiful to have in the yard, but they will block sight lines all the time, so place with caution. Karin L

Thank you ja-gardener. That is pretty similar to where my very uneducated eye was going too; I know that the one branch is too low and has to come off, but I figured the stuff in the middle was more critical as it could effect the integrity of the tree. I'll let the lower branch on for another year or two. I am thinking that if it is carefully pruned as it matures it will end up with two to three main branches coming off the trunk. It was not perfect when we bought it, but not nearly so crowded! Other than taking off too very thin low limbs I've mostly let it go. It went in the ground nearly four years ago, but the first year ended up being terribly dry. We watered it diligently but it was stressed so I wanted to give it several years to make food for roots before taking anything off the top. This will help me start the conversation with the arborist and I'll see what he says. I might have him out to look at it before it leafs so he can get a good idea of the structure, then have him prune it this summer.

hand trowel ... dig 3 or 4.. 6 inch holes... AND FIND OUT IF THERE IS ANY MOISTURE AT DEPTH ... when i run irrigation on trees... i run it 6 to 8 hours on my sand ... because that is what is required with my engineered system of x gallons per hour... taking into account my sand... how did you come up with your number of hours??? and the way to find out.. is to dig the holes.. and discover how its working... you dont say how large the transplants are ... but if they are over 6 feet... you need to have the entire root mass planted dampish ... but not sodden.. for up to 3 years ... and it isnt surprising.. it appeared.. when the heat hit ... it has absolutely nothing to do with fert ... and as far as i am concerned.. you NEVER fert trees ... especially if you fert your lawn ... the tree will get/steal all it ever needs ... one might suggest that a soil test will tell you if anything is lacking.. i feel its much simpler to look around and see if trees... shrubs.. plants.. are thriving.. in general.. and if they are.. then the soil is good enough for your trees ... pic is you want more info ... ken

Unless the spot with the tree is especially prone to waterlogging, I doubt the wet summer and fall had an affect on the tree color. I was in NJ a few weeks ago and saw plenty of beautiful Red Maples. Now, the caveat is, Red Maple is one of those trees with fascinating genetic variation. Some trees regularly turn glorious red, while others are always yellow. Its just wierd like that ;-) If it was red last year, then something else (besides the weather) is likely affecting it. If it was yellow last year, it was probably mislabelled. I suppose it could just not like the surrounding soil too...