if i want to see a hodge podge of different trees, i go to an arboretum the chance to create a grand allee is a rare thing. too often we don't have a sense of scale in landscape design or water it down with insipid design. not that i'm opinionated. of course...by reading the postings here...many are. elms deserve a comeback. numerous varieties. related...zelkova. spring grove, cultivar of note. fall color, superior hardiness. maples. blah. a genus with more problems than i care to count. and the best species for street trees is the one everyone detests. go fuggur. trees that have a tendency to drop fruit, branches, or are generally considered dirty don't make good street trees. silver maple, tulip tree, oaks, walnut. see a tend with this list? i'd go so far as to add sycamore and larch. i'd avoid trees that have a reputation for breaking under heavy loads...such as magnolia. (i may consider certain varieties ( brackens brown beauty) but in general...no). trees with a tendency to short lives also...such as the flowering pears or flowering cherries. honeylocust. male varieties. sweet gum. watch varieties. the only reason i would consider planting a mix os if the congregation chooses to pay for the trees by allowing individual(s) to select a tree as a living memorial for (whoever was important to them) and in doing so wanted a tree that person was fond of or reminds the people of their dear ones. make sense? even then i'd try to manipulate the list of possibilities as much as possible. because people tend to thonk weeping cherries are pretty...but a heavy snow sure makes a mess of them and then they are a pain to clean up and that's not an issue you want on a primary access road. i'm assumimg you going to be working with a local place? quick math tells me you are looking at 35? trees. assuming 30' spacing. i may be nuts...but ever think someone who lives in your area, is familiar with your climate, might be someone to talk to? does the town have a street tree department? granted, this is a private property, but you still want public vehicle access...including emergency vehicles.

"Don't sell the bike shop, Orville! It'll never fly!" Ok, now that that's out of the way... You've recognized, at least intellectually, that it's a hard business model and there have been a lot of failed attempts in the past. So you need to be sure that your point of differentiation really is just awesome so you can succeed where others have failed. On the non-profit side, there was a group I came across via a Smithsonian magazine article years ago called the Home Garden Project Foundation (link below). I reached out to them probably 15 years ago to discuss setting up something similar in my area, and it sounded like you could make a modest salary running such a non-profit, IF you were a successful fundraiser/grant-getter. The way you've explained what you want to do sounds almost like you're creating a de-centralized urban CSA. It's a neat concept, but as a way to pay yourself I see one big challenge. To me, it looks like the homeowner is fronting more of the risk (land, materials, granting you access and permission to do your thing) than you are and all they're getting in return is part of the produce that they paid for and is growing on their land. I'm not discounting the value you're providing, but part of my job as a sales coach has been identifying objections BEFORE the prospect does. Anyhow, just my .02 Here is a link that might be useful: HGPF

I agree with shaxhome, the lombardy poplars have a terrible habit to sucker everywhere and their shallow roots will eventually make your drive unbearable. Ideas: Evergreens Wattles- keep in mind these can be short lived but are spectacular. Kurrajongs Eucalypts- go to either your soil con or forestry nursery for best types for your area. Deciduous Plum- spring blossom, claret foliage (nigra or x bilreanna) Chinese Pistachio- amazing orange/red in Autumn Claret Ash- deep autumn colour Liquid Amber- red Chinese Tallow-red Poplar- non-suckering more stately variety London Plane-gets big Golden Elm-yellow, slow growing, huge I've listed small-large The deciduous will cost more and will need more watering than natives. I would recommend sticking with 1 type of tree at most alternate 2.e.g Wattle alternated with Kurrajongs Good Luck

In my opinion to make the best of the opportunity presented, Jimmy needs to visit at least a few local gardens and nurseries that carry or display the "right" sort of plants, so that would be Inverewe or Cally Gardens, and possibly others I don't know off the top of my head. (Torosay sadly stopped being a public garden; I've been to Culzean but it didn't strike me as having a particularly awe inspiring variety, by UK standards anyhow) And admit to himself you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. I haven't studied the pictures but if some of what's already there are junk trees (whatever that is in western Scotland) time to turn them into firewood. Believe me, once you start, it gets easier. I've gotten rid of about 10 junk silver and red maples on my property over the years, and it's only a hectare.