Do you have a lot of bunnies and deer in your area? You may not see any in your own yard because of the lack of foliage, but if you've got a deer population, you're going to have some trouble. We've got TONS of deer where I am, and they will eat anything we put in the front yard (they can't get into the backyard!) But, if deer are not a problem, I suggest Hostas. These are perennials, they're pretty hardy and roughly maintenance-free. We've got a bunch around the yard and we planted them there at least 10 years ago, and probably have not done much since planting them other than feeding once in a while. The rain provides enough water. However, when we tried putting them in the front yard, the deer munched happily on them. Same with the lilies, even though I was pretty sure deer did not like lilies (or maybe the bunnies ate the lilies?). Black eyed susans are self-seeding, and quite strong too. If you want a few smaller flowers for cutting, snapdragons are very attractive and provide a nice burst of color, and depending on your zone, since they are self seeding, they may come back in higher numbers the next year, and so on. Iris is a very nice choice too, as it is a fairly sturdy plant and does not require too much maintenance. I suggest finding some bearded iris rhizomes online right around now, because they are late summer/fall planted. There are a number of very attractive "rebloomers" that will bloom in the spring and again in the summer, which is always nice. Deer won't eat them, and they're nice. However i'm not 100% positive 6hrs is enough sunlight for an iris, but it might be. (iris experts, chime in!) You might want to consider some kind of wild flower seed. check online (i always buy my seeds and bulbs from americanmeadows.com and they do have a section, IIRC, for what seed mixtures are best for each area of the US) as these can provide a colorful splash to your garden bed. If you're looking for spring time color, invest in some daffodils. These are totally maintenance free, other than planting the bulbs. They take care of themselves, you don't have to dig up the bulbs, and they will multiply over the years. Any spot is okay for them, though they do prefer a little bit of shade, and so your 6 hrs of light is perfect for them. If you're looking for some border annuals, petunias are a nice choice, as are portulaca. Portulaca is much easier to take care of though--you really don't have to do anything other than plant them. With petunias you have to make sure they don't get too much water--and if you get a lot of rain, they're going to rot and get moldy. (though this is the same with most plants, i suppose)

The wide blade one is either an old style fescue, like Kentucky 31, or a weed grass. Hard to tell from the one pic. Its a clumping type grass. When I see one in my yard, I just grub it out and either re-seed or stick in a bit of sod to replace it. That grass seems to want to grow along hot sidewalks more than my improved grasses, so, sometimes there I will just dig out a length of it and lay sod in its place along the concrete.

I know it can seem as overwhelming that people are almost chanting, "No rubber mulch, no rubber mulch", but please try to understand that there are reasons for this. People who aren't 'in the know' think that aesthetically-speaking rubber mulch is the way to go, but mulch is supposed to do a number of things. For one, it helps trap moisture around the roots of plants and prevents evaporation. It also normalizes the soil temperature, which puts less stress on the plants. The mulch brings a sense of cohesion to the entire bed. And the mulch also feeds the soil, breaking down over time, which, again, helps with moisture control. Finally, mulch helps to suppress weeds. Rubber mulch does some of these things, but I do not believe it is as effective at temperature control as the rubber can get quite warm itself (could be wrong) and it absolutely doesn't feed the soil. It will have to be replaced just like the organic mulches. Whereas the organic mulches pretty much just need a new layer each spring, the rubber mulch needs to be raked back, disposed of and then completely replaced. So really you are just replacing one inconvenience for another and unlike the organic mulches, the rubber mulch doesn't go on to do anything beneficial. While both rubber and organic mulches suppress weeds, the organic mulches have a slight edge here as there are many weeds that thrive in poor soil. An organic mulch will improve the structure and nutrient content of the soil, making some weeds less likely to thrive and all weeds are easier to pull. As others have mentioned, rubber also has a tendency to float or move during our summer storms. I find that large pine bark, like the type the builder used here, also tends to move about and escape the beds. I personally have had better luck with smaller pine nuggets or, even better, shredded wood. My hands-down favorite purchasable mulch is Florimulch. Florimulch is made from Melaleuca trees (a weedy invasive tree from Australia that Florida has been trying to remove from the Everglades), has a very nice golden color that doesn't fade all that quickly, lasts for a good long time (even on my paths that I walk on frequently) and is, so far, the cheapest of the bagged mulches.

Wow!!! Thanks everyone for offering your ideas, insights and helpful information! I'm so very grateful for the time you took to help me learn about the trees and to give me some factors to consider based on weather, tree characteristics, and my home's size & scale!! As a point of clarification, the trees are not free. Residents pay 25% (approx. $80) and the Village pays 75% (approx. $270). I have not yet talked to anyone in the forester's office, but I don't think I have a choice other than their list for planting in the parkway. Technically the parkway is Village property; so that's why they pay the majority. If I wanted to plant another type of tree, I'd likely need to plant that in my yard. The front yard is so small, I wouldn't want a tree smack in the middle of the yard, plus...with all the other projects currently on the list, I appreciate the lower cost point for me to add a tree or two. Upon reviewing my list closer, the Kentucky Coffee being offered is the Espresso, which I've learned is seedless, which is helpful. I totally understand and even appreciate that trees are messy. :-D I'm someone who enjoys raking and greatly values all the seasons. I love watching the life cycle of nature, including the leaves coming into bud and then falling. The "messy" concern is knowing some trees do tend to drop even more debris and/or can be a bit problematic with their seeds, berries, etc. As one who also loves the bees, butterflies and birds...some berries and seeds are lovely as they help sustain my flying friends. This afternoon I connected with a local arborist who is coming to trim a few trees in the backyard. He echoed many of the comments listed above. So....after reading all of your feedback, considering the arborist's comments and tuning into my own heart voice, I've ranked my choices to the Village in the following order (The form asks us to rank each 1-6) 1 - Espresso Kentucky Coffee 2 - Common Hackberry 3 - Red Sunset Red Maple 4. Frontier Elm 5. Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac (While this is available for everyone, I think this one added as a choice for homes that are near overhead utility wires - based on a note on the form) 6. Exclamation London Planetree Again! I greatly appreciate everyone's time and assistance! If there are any final comments, I'm sure I could wiggle my selection based on availability up until the end of March. :-D Thank you!!