I hesitate to post over there as I'm a clueless rank amateur re landscape design on smaller plots. But that won't stop me here, on the RM forum, where my *reputation* is already, er, *established*. So here goes. Odd number of total trees. I'd plant 5 more, and sometime down the road, say 10 years, cut down two of them. I'd worry more about getting a clear line of site from the house windows, in other words, don't plant one smack in front of where you wish to look out.

I'd pick the trees for foliage color, and texture, a weeping birch is nice, and something with purple foliage. I'd avoid green ash, its over-planted in Colo.

Above all, putting down a heavy layer of mulch makes a huge difference in tree growth. It's difficult to find anyone who agrees with me on Garden Web, but following the advise of the experts at the Soil Conservancy, I have the best success by putting down polypropylene weed barrier, at least 6 feet in all directions around each tree. Obviously, you'd want to cover it with something thats a bit more attractive. But the trees grow twice as fast because of the more even soil temperature and moisture.

and lest we not forget.......

Here is a link that might be useful: Every woodland should have a dozen of these as well

Oh yeah, you have a reputation around here, David! OH BOY, do you have a reputation around here! And, thanks for that link! I was gonna get a dozen of themÂbut they seem to be out of the one named David!

Well, IÂm not gonna post over on "that other" forum either, but David had me so cracking up, I HAD to post something over here!

IÂll start out withÂI grew up in Illinois, and you definitely did NOT get a midwestern look! Since I donÂt really know much about trees, I think what David said sounds just great! ;-) I bet other people around here will post with suggestions for other possible trees. My main suggestion isÂitÂs your yard, and as long as YOU like the way it looks, itÂs just right!

I do have one question! What altitude are you at down there? Are you sure you want to put in Aspens? If youÂre not high enough they probably wonÂt do very well and will be short lived, and whether they do well or not, youÂre going to wind up with them coming up EVERYWHERE after a few years. So I recommend reconsidering Aspens, but otherwise I say, go for it! IÂm not even sure you should be consulting with a landscaper! TheyÂve already talked you out of what you really wanted, and you seem to have a pretty good idea of just what you do want, so you might consider the idea of just picking what you want and hiring somebody to install the trees and any other big stuff. The grasses and any other perennials you can easily plant by yourself. When you get the bigger stuff in the rocked area, you might want to add a bunch of sedums, iceplants, and hen & chicks to finish it off!

And, after youÂve completed your woodland with DavidÂs even dozen, how about adding a few of these!

;-)
Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Landscape Design Forum thread!

Well, I'm not so good with trees and landscaping here; I've still got all my favourite California coastal trees in my mind.

But...wouldn't a nice wisteria look great at the side/corner of your garage? Maybe it could bring a bit of fung shui (can't spell) to the corner. Hmmm, you could put in an arbor, too.

I like the idea of the trees, especially when lawn can be a lot of work. Actually, I'm probably the only one who hates maintaining a lawn. And, think of the shade you'll get!

I agree with Skybird; do you really want a landscaper if they aren't hearing your desires? If this is a different one, they listen to you and find ways to make your ideas work and it is in your budget then why not?

I'm not sure the wind would bother the tress. Just remember that if they are young, use three not two supports.

Sounds like fun!

Thanks to all of you for your ideas and your help!

david52, we're planning on an uneven number--if five is enough that's good news. We do have a nice view out the front over the plains and to Pikes Peak, but the best view is out the back, and we thought in the front we'd like looking into a woodland. "Woods", as we say in the Midwest. We were just on vacation in Iowa and Minnesota and saw beautiful purple trees; the leaves look like a maple to me -- not Japanese maple, but a big broad maple leaf. Haven't been able to find out what they are yet. The weed barrier idea sounds good. I'm not sure we can keep mulch on the ground, the wind here is so extremely strong. Speaking of which, ix-nay on the omes-gnay! We'd have flying gnomes all over the block when the wind comes up.

skybird, we grew up in Iowa and Ohio, but it had been 22 years since we were home. Just got back from there and fell in love all over again with the trees, although not the humidity or the tornadoes. We're at about 5500 feet here, I think, and aspens do all right. I like the suggestion of birches, though. We're not going to replace the rock, DH can't stand to tear up all that, so we'll end up with the rock in the front, an informal border of irises and peonies behind that, and then the "woods". I'm wondering if the rock part will look okay with the woods, though, since it will be sort of a desert look and then flowers and then trees. Do you have a thought about whether that will all blend? The gargoyle you suggest at least has wings so when the wind tosses it 150 yards down the road it will look more realistic as it's flying! I think it makes the gmomes look good by comparison.

jclepine, I too love wisteria. It would look great on the garage but nobody around here has it, so I think it must not grow well here. We've actually put four supports on the existing trees -- wind gets up to 100 mph here occasionally we're told, although we haven't seen it over 75 yet.

Thanks again to everyone. I really appreciate your help.

Susan, I'm totally unqualified to answer your design question, as this is only my 2nd year as a gardener, but I did want to comment about the transition from desert, to flowers, to woods. I think if you incorporate a few shrubs, and ornamental grasses in the area where the irises and peonies will be, it will look more like what you would expect to see at the edge of a woodland area.

What do you have planted in the rock area so far, other than the trees? I can't tell from the picture. You may want to check out the High Country Gardens website for some great ideas for rock garden plants, but I agree with Skybird, that some sedums, and Hens & Chicks would look great there.

Be sure to post "after" pictures. We'd love to see the progression.

Bonnie

Thanks, Bonnie. We have a couple of Miss Kim lilacs, a Russian sage, some tall grasses, a few barberry, and some things I don't know what they are. The company who did the planting had some stuff left over that they put in there and the guys who planted them weren't sure what they were. I haven't yet taken a sample to a nursery to identify them. Some are doing well, some not. We're not sure that the watering system was done right, haven't been able to tell for sure that everything is getting watered, but the company has promised to come out and check it all. I think I was too easily manipulated with this whole landscaping thing; I went along too easily with what was suggested.

I think you're right that we need some kind of gradual transition in these areas.