First, the conifers won't cut much noise, but don't let that stop you from planting. My Cupressus/Xanthocyparis/Callitropsis (will they ever settle this) nootkatensis 'Green Arrow' does fine in an open, unprotected spot. It's about 17 feet high now and I never had to stake it.

tj

thanks Tsugajunkie - for some reason, I think that weeping forms might need extra coddling.

any chance at a pic of the area???

what do you mean by mushroom ... most plants on standards are then sheared into a mushroom shape ...

if you dont mind deciduous.. look at the weeping larix .. which you train to the height you want ... same with P strobus pendula ...

there are also a couple globe thuja ... that grow to that form.. without shearing ...

and of course... the ground hugging pines and junipers...

ken

thanks Ken, I was really thinking of Pinus densiflora "umbraculifera". Saw one at a big box store and it was love at first sight. The price tag made me look elsewhere. I just like the structure of it compared to the triangular spruces and the large footprint they are going to take up. I'd like to intersperse small deciduous trees and small dwarf conifers for added interest and make a nice long bed the whole length of the North side of the property.

Key: Norway Spruce (NS), White spruce (WS), Colorado Blue Spruce (CBS), Pinus cembra (PC), Pinus flexilis "Vanderwolf" (PSV), Cherokee Brave Dogwood (CBD), and lilac (Llc). The circles represent their 10-15 growth potential, nothing is more than 4 feet wide now. North is top of the photo and entrance to subdivision, West is the driveway and in cul de sac. East is a rural street with minor traffic. There is a fence now and the areas where there are clusters of trees are outlined with plastic edging and mulched. There is a semi-circle of emerald green arbs just South of the white pine and that is one large bed.

my point .. if i had one.. is natural shape.. vs what one might call.. topiary ...

the one you saw .. with the excessive price ... just guessing.. was 10 to 15 years old.. and probably trained into that shape/form ... hence the price ...

the corollary being ... either pay the price.. or start small and do the training yourself... if you have a decade to do it ...

with conifers.. it not like you will have to be out there every week ... its more like a once or twice a year hand pruning job ...

ken

i finally remember the globe form one ... and thats natural shape ... and it appears there might be 3 colors:

https://www.google.com/search?q=thuja+occidentalis+globosa&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiho4DTlcPMAhUCkh4KHSXzDhQQ_AUIBygB&biw=936&bih=745&dpr=0.9

you know, i was thinking the same thing, Ken. I can get a nice cheap specimen of Austrian Pine and shape the thing myself and if it gets too big remove it since their shelf-life in the Midwest is declining. I saw a nice Yugoslav Pine last year I should have got for that purpose, but i wasn't ready to expand my bed just yet. Maybe I will devote a corner to the veggie garden for a few years for some young conifers and move the specimen since the Mrs. has raised an eyebrow or two about the price of plants lately.

I've seen a 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' with an average crown spread that I figured to be about 44'. Others you have listed are going to grow way more than 15' across over time also, if they achieve anywhere near their genetic potential. So I wonder about having room for everything you have planted already to mature, let alone mixing additional trees in.

It depends on what you are planning for - short term effect or long term effect. Of course when you plant woody plants that are going to exceed the size of the planting site, unlike comparatively easily removed or liable to die out on their own herbaceous plantings these can become a sometimes expensive to remove liability.

Long term staking for weeping forms would be for those like Picea abies 'Reflexa' (commonly sold as 'Pendula') that do not remain upward or outward growing unless kept tied to a support - or where root-bound under-stocks are not able to support the weight of the ever enlarging scion. In this latter instance the problem is not limited to weeping forms - I seldom buy grafted conifers presented to the market here as these are usually and often quite apparently grafted onto severely deformed stocks left too long in bands or other small containers.

Thanks Embrothrium, I know what you mean about mature size. I know they never stop growing but I think in our difficult Midwest climate we simply don't have the giant trees encountered in the Pacific NW or even the East coast. Our area was prairie before it became farm and now suburban. There simply aren't any really big trees older than 30 years in my area (35 miles SW of Chicago). I talked to an old farmer down the road (corn and soy) and he said drive around and look at Norway spruces. Measure the width of the biggest one... and go from there. He was right, actually. The largest one I could find was in town (of ~24,000 people) and near the high school. It still wasn't that big. The other ones were on his property and although not as tall, they were good sized specimens that were well-spaced. I figure between droughts, wind, clay, and cold, even the hardiest spruce or pine isn't going to live up to its full potential. The pic is deceiving, the silver car is a Monte Carlo, 197 inches long (~16.4 feet). I tried to plant the spruces on 15 foot centers especially on the North side of the property. I was looking at small deciduous shrubs and grasses that can be moved about once the trees start to reach their potential.

Interesting take on grafts. I always look for own root roses as well, it never occurred to me about the grafted conifers of which I was leaning towards. Maybe I should sit out a few years and observe the average growth of some of these as they could become monsters assuming they all flourish, correct?

mbrad , you will be happy with densiflora Umbrellabla bla

different form , big enough for your space

ron,,,Glendale heights

Tanyosho compact,back right

plant-killer, that is perfect. I am a bit south of you off I-355, thanks for the info!! Is your spot sheltered? Mine would be NW facing, unless it goes in the backyard.

Thanks to the members of this forum for all your help over the years, finally stopped lurking and posted. All of these are in the front and side yard, facing W and N. They are very far from the side of the house and in full sun all day. I am about 35 miles SW of Chicago in a new subdivision surrounded by corn and soybean. I'll post the back and side yard another time. These are the pertinent photos based on the discussion of the post.

Front yard shot with globular Colorado Blue Spruces

same shot, late summer last year for comparison

Gold cypress and Alberta spruce in background

Pinus cembra

Picea abies with spring flush and Picea pungens in another island bed

Picea glauca with Emerald Green arborvitae behind. This is my favorite, perfect shape and the best living Christmas tree. Right at the entrance to the neighborhood. Not the baby Colorado Blue Spruce growing through the fence - it's going to be planted in the park as I was gifted it, but don't really want more Colorado blue Spruces.

Pinus flexilis "Vanderwolf's Pyramid" planted a few weeks ago. The green shrubs along the porch are quickfire hydrangeas, real show stoppers.