Replacing the tree in the front yard is on the next-year list. Your guess of Sorbus acucuparia was spot on; that's what this one is. It began as a multistem tree and is losing one trunk per year. I think voles may be eating the bark just below the soil surface. Now it has only one trunk that is leaning at an odd angle. So that will be replaced for certain, and perhaps the bed that contains it will be moved or reconsidered. No other trees are on the table for now. We have glorious mountain views and we have been very careful to frame them deliberately. In this case I'm much more concerned with the view from the house than the view of the house. The tree on the right in Yardvaark's photo would block a spectacular view. Of course, you had no way of knowing that. :) But rest assured, the front yard has generous clumps of aspen trees that do soften the overall look of the front yard. Also Yardvaark, it's pretty easy to reconcile liking the idea of a tree yet not actually wanting one. In the abstract, small trees look nice anchoring house corners. Yet in specific, in this particular case with the long and lean layout of the front porch, I prefer that to be left open. Make sense? That said, if I could find the perfect, small, well-behaved, interesting tree to put in the left corner of the foundation, I would consider it. I've always wondered about Hawthorne trees because they stay narrow. Deviant, I just love the look of that entryway patio and porch. That creates a very welcoming face on the house and is probably a lovely place to linger and socialize with the UPS guy. Thanks for sharing the photo. Thanks for the ideas and input, I am benefiting from the collective wisdom here. I am home from my trip now and will have a look at my space with fresh eyes.

Hi, Gardener64.... Thanks for the ideas! I think the rocks themselves are going to be too small to do something like that directly, though I totally see where you're going with it. I agree, it would be cool to try to extend the look of wall so the steps were similar to the rock wall/blended in... I like the concept a lot. Maybe disguised cinderblock might be the way to do that. The stones themselves are typically about the size of a softball. The wall I think has been around as long as my house, which is about 100 years. So I don't want to disturb it too much. Your ideas have me thinking... If I can get the steps to look like part of the wall, I could probably also add something like woolly thyme, so it all looks very natural and Secret Garden-like. I'll definitely post pics when I figure it out. Good food for thought!

I think it is a bit too much to ask of anyone that they explain in a forum posting what experts take whole books, or at least several pages with diagrams, to explain. We just built our first stone wall and as guidance used a book called Stone Work: Techniques and Projects, by Charles McRaven. In it he answers all your questions and more. Your library or bookstore would be a place to start, although come to think of it the stoneyard where we bought the rock is also where we found a selection of books.

i get my stone from Garrity's at about 3500 N. Ritter Ave. on the east side. i had my limestone and gravel for my pond delivered for less than $100, about 5 years ago. i also used to go to the Stone Center, off Allisonville Rd. we would get the van weighed, and drive back to the river rock. i would take about 5 kids and we would hand pick the rocks we liked. we then would have the van weighed again to get the price per pound. the kids loved it, we got the exact stones we wanted and didn't have to pay delivery charges.