Okay, finallly after all the great suggestions I ended up spending some money....and wishing I had still more room for a few other great suggestions. The Dogwoody shrub that wants too be a tree thing has been moved to the far back yard with other shrub Dogwoods. In it's place is a young Fringe Tree, Chionanthus Virginicus, about 5.5 feet tall from a local nursery. Because there were so many good suggestions, I also picked up a Red Buckeye that was on sale at the same local nursery as it was leftover from last year. Looks good, lots of good buds. It is on the north side of the Virginicus, towards the back. On the corner, between the two, is a rather columnar and tall 11' Tricolor Beech that I found after checking several Menard's stores (the first two I found were gone when I went back for them). It's in a great location, but sadly, I don't think it will end up working out too well. The tree has lots of good new buds, but I wasn't able to check it out real well when I saw it as it was raining pretty hard (the beginning of the deluge y'all saw on the TV of the Chicago area getting hammered). Once I had the hole dug and started to unpot it, I saw that it had been balled and burlapped before being put in the pot. Removing the burlap, it didn't have much of a rootball and looked to have a graft section that had been cut off when it was dug up. Hmm. My first thought was to bring it back, but then what else would I put in the hole I'd dug? Then I realized I have all year to see how it does before I have to bring it back. So I planted it and am anxious to see how it goes through the spring and summer. I've had some things with a lesser rootball that survived well with some extra attention, and I figure I'll give this guy a chance at a happy life first. Picture is of the tree in the yard, trunk still wrapped and some staking in case the wind gets tough. Kind of hard to see with no leaves, though. Next picture is of the rootball and graft section. Should be an interesting spring and summer, still need to find room for a Kousa, though...

I made a really stupid mistake, and I'm very embarrassed to have to post my experience but could use some advice (so please excuse my poor decision). I found a handyman that offered to move the red maple tree in the front yard to the back for the bargain price of $75. The only thing is that the tree had a monsterous root system, and he had to move it with his truck and a rope around the trunk. The bark scratched, which I didn't think was a big deal...and he said he thought it would be ok...until I researched on gardenweb after he left. The tree is very scratched, circling 75-80% of the tree's circumference, so it may take years, but the tree won't make it. I called him back to tell him that the tree would eventually die/break and he felt bad and offered to plant another tree for me. Last week, after my initial posting and reading the feedback, I ended up purchasing an autumn gold ginko (it's not planted yet and is actually still at the nursery). I had every intention of getting a kousa, but I'm just not seeing any that look good in the nurseries (and I've been all over in two counties). Plus I'm finding most are no-name varieties. Plus the branching structure starts out low -- just 14" from the base, so while it's a tree, it's a low branching tree (and I guess I'd prefer a higher branching tree in the front yard). I'd like to try a kousa if I can find the right spot, just not the front yard. Sorry, I'm being particular, but I'm trying to make the right decision that dh will be happy with as well. I realize that the ginko will get 40', but it's such a beautiful tree, so I figured that perhaps I would put that in the front. In lieu of what happened, and as much as I love the ginko, I'm thinking that I should plant the ginko in the back yard where the red maple (the only tree in the backyard) had been planted. I'd also like to get a Blackgum to put in the back yard (maybe next year, or this year if I can find them on sale). One of the local nurseries has a serviceberry tree that is $259 -- a nice tree, but out of the range of what I wanted to spend (I'd love to wait for them to go on sale, but I'm not sure when that will be and if they will still be around). THIS YEAR: I really need to have a tree in the front yard (part of the agreement I made with dh when I told him I was moving the front tree). Should I plant the ginko in the front yard or will I regret it when it gets too large? OR Should I plant the ginko in the back yard and get a smaller tree for the front (as per my original plan, but I just haven't found the right tree for the front in my price range). On a good note, my dh did not say "I told you so" or anything to that effect, but I do feel like I'm in an "I Love Lucy" episode at this point.

Based on your last picture, I would begin removing lower branches from the tree in an attempt to regain a view of the house and so that lawn can be maintained easily below the tree. To not remove lower limbs encourages the upright oriented limbs to become future trunks and compete with the main trunk. Not that that is bad in and of itself, if that's what one wants. But it often results in a trunk formation that is less attractive when trunks branch below the canopy. (Unless it's a multi-trunk tree and then it looks best if it "branches" at the ground.) It's already happened and when allowed to go too far, is too difficult to correct without maiming the tree's appearance. Also, the one low branch on what looks to be a weeping cherry at left corner of house seems odd and out of place. I would get rid of the white gravel mulch and replace it with wood-based mulch. Plan so that plants eventually cover everything and there is no longer need for mulch. In my drawing I'm showing an idea for creating a landing off of the stoop. It's not a finished plan, but you could create a workable plan that improves the approach to the entrance. I'm surmising that the slab continues behind the hedge, in which case, I'd get rid of the hedge and all plants in front of it and bring only grass to slab ... the purpose being to make a welcoming entrance instead of a secret, purposeless hideaway. It is not necessarily the case that ADDING plants is the key to improving your property. The large shrub left of walk seems too close to the walk. If you can't relocate it to in-line with the window (about 4' from the wall,) I'd scrap it and get another shrub for that location. I'm showing only groundcover around the weeping cherry. It looks a bit junky to have those other plants coming up under it.

No one can advise you because we do not know your zone or soil conditions.