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...

What about a Bradford Pear Tree, Vitex Trees, Crape Myrtles, Robinson Crabapples, Southern Magnolias, Powder puffs (mimosa, Royal Empress', pink dogwoods or cherokee chief (beware of the diseases it can obtain) and lastly the one featured as #1 in DC Cherry festival, the Yoshino Tree ( I reccomend this )

You know Kim, I don't believe I've ever seen (or noticed) any fruit on my Sargent Cherry. There was an exceptionally good bloom this Spring, I need to check and see if anything is there this year. tj

I would go with either a saucer magnolia - we have a HUGE one in the front of our house or a crabapple tree. Both are very hardy. I've never had any luck with Eastern redbud - lost them twice to the cold temps. As for the yellow magnolia, "Elizabeth", she's pretty, but I would try and find the yellow variety called, "Butterflies". It's got beautiful vibrant yellow flowers with a touch of slight reddish tone inside the flower. Google it. I just bought one! Another yellow one is "Sunsation". Stunning yellow flowers with a pink overcast in the base. I love magnolias, but they do need to be sited in areas that don't get a lot of wind.