Woody, I'm no pro with photoimaging (paint.net - free download), so it is likely that the rendition is more than a little flawed, but circles are not for everyone either. I only use it here and you know that is not often. This is just an example of one way to do it. I like the circle because it has a containing feel to it and there is an automatic emphasis on the center point of an arc where there would not be such a reinforcement if it were a "U" shaped straight sided seating wall and rectangle patio. That would also introduce a line perpendicular to the face of the house very near to the jog that goes back to the door which will look very awkward if it is "almost, but not quite" in line with the jog. The curve allows going past the jog without making that awkward relationship.It is my way of avoiding the introduction of a conflict in this situation. Any of it can work, but the circle is easier to get away with. I completely understand that it won't float everyone's boat and I would do something different for you. Lazygardens made a great point on the "meet & greet" because now the focus is on an area that is not stuffed in a dark corner (the front door). It is a good example of changing the game to one that you can more easily win. If you don't like the context, make a new one. This is an intermediate stop on the way to the door and you know it before you get there. It is a great strategy when dealing with hidden doors. Looking through the sequence of photos on the thread, it starts with the (1) garage wall over powering the house, goes to (2) neutralizing the garage, (3) framing the house to move you toward the middle, (skip 4), and finally (5) placing yourself on the patio. Hopefully, whether or not you like the outcome, it demonstrates the impact of the accumulation of subtle techniques to mitigate existing negatives and enhance the positives. None of it has to do with what cultivar of plant you select - that too can take things to the next level, but this is working from general to specific. Plants were all chosen because I could grab them off of another photoimaging thing I did a while back and not because I selected specific plants. This example is all about abstracts influencing the big picture and not about what specifics were used to demonstrate it. I hope it makes people watch for these things and make their own judgements of what they see and can utilize to change a space or composition when they need to.

For the names of the maples you'd have to ask the nursery owner. But he may not know; so what you can also do is look at the growth habit of the tree and try to project out 20 years... and maples also lend themselves to pruning. If you want a high canopy, then all the branches you are looking at today will eventually be pruned off and a similar shape will be over your head. That is why to me the second maple/third picture looks more like what your property needs. But you could accommodate them both, or all three, if you manage them (once the other Bradford is gone, and honestly, it will likely be a lot cheaper to get rid of both at once - on the other hand, letting a new tree grow in for a few years first means you won't have to go through a moonscape phase). It actually looks like you might have a little new tree by the fence? Maples aren't always appreciative of being gardened under so if you want a flower bed I would be more inclined to remove your foundation hedge and corner pyramid evergreen, and make a nice garden there - those plantings weren't genius choices to start with and are getting past their best-before date. Removing that corner evergreen especially would open up your front door area nicely. Tree removal is always a good opportunity to rethink the whole property landscaping. If you do a plan view diagram and draw circles on it to represent the future canopies of your trees you may find it easier to think of options and placements. Consider sun direction and where you want shade. True you don't have a lot of room but there is scope for much better use of what you have. KarinL

Bart, I wanted to jump in and tell you what I use for vertical accents among my roses because I'm so happy with them, but you did say that your were interested in something columnar. Then Daisy mentioned Lagerstroemia, one of the trees I use, and you mentioned you might use one when you get ready for a different context. At that time you might consider some of these flowering trees (basically all flowering shrubs or shrubby trees that I train into tree forms). You mentioned that your climate is dry and you haven't had much luck with stuff that flowers in late summer. I live in Texas - very dry, not as dry as Arizona, but definitely dry. My favorite small flowering tree is chilopsis linearis or Desert Willow. I don't know if you would be able to get any where you are, but I LOVE them. They have erratic branching that is so interesting that it just cries out for someone to draw or paint them. Not formal, though, which you probably prefer. I have several of these planted among my roses - three that bloom pinkie-lavender, one that blooms white, and a very large one that blooms burgundy all summer. It starts in April and doesn't stop blooming until late September or October. It gives light dappled shade which the roses welcome in the heat of the summer. So when you decide to try another context, maybe you'll keep this one in mind. Another flowering shrub that I train tree-form is althea or Rose of Sharon. My largest is Helene with white flowers that have dark red hearts. This one is about 10ft tall. It begins to bloom in May and doesn't stop until September. Another I have is Aphrodite with huge pink flowrs/red hearts looking like a hibiscus. This tree is still about 8ft. and has already been blooming a month. The third flowering tree I use is lagerstroemia indica or crape myrtle as Daisy said. I have Glendora White which gets really large, Tuscarora - to about 15ft, and several bright pink seedling trees from my neighbor's trees - they grew to heights of 25ft. All these are trained tree-form so that the roses can happily grow beneath them. Another gorgeous small tree-form - evergreen - I have is Texas Mountain Laurel or sophora secundiflora, but it only blooms in the spring. Lovely lilac-like clusters that smell of grape kool-aid. So forgive me for not sticking to the columnar shape, but these are just suggestions - for what they're worth to you or anyone else. Lou

Yes, the Tropicana is the one I've fallen for! I know canna spread &/or multiply--do you over what period of time? (Trying to decide how many bulbs will make a healthy cluster w/out creating a future monster like my dahlias evolved into :). I'll check Sunset. I *adore* the Echium gentianoides and it would look stunning in front of the canna. It's the same color as the trim of the house (see link below--a old incarnation of one relevant bed, and the white is now repainted blue). The Tropicana canna would be beautiful with the echium in front of it, and something smaller to contrast with the echium at the stones. I also like the agapanthus Elaine--there are others in the garden which bloom normal lavender. The Verbena bonariensis would mix nicely in a center bed which has many variegated iris there for the beauty of their foliage; but their fairly inconsequential yellow flowers fade quickly, and the Verbena could incorporate and make a nice textural contrast which echos the canna/echium combo. Here is a link that might be useful: French blue house trim and bed...