There are a couple of conversations happening here at once, and I'm posting to continue the one about trees close to the foundation. My understanding is that tree roots don't cause trouble only by invading the foundation, but also by sucking the soil dry around it, causing the soil to pull away and leave the foundation unsupported. It may be that a solid foundation could withstand this, but it still doesn't seem like a really good idea to me - even if all it does is create openings for critters to burrow in. Anyway, I do agree with Gardengal that altering the curve on the bed would make an awkward strip of grass between the bed and the tree on the left. Deepening the bed to include the tree would go with Bboy's suggestion about the right hand side. But that would give you some serious gardening space to plant up and take care of - is that what you want? If your taste in plants leans towards boxwoods - which have their place - then I don't see the point of having more space for them. Green blobs are good for hiding things and filling space that is unavoidably empty, but why create planting space only to fill it with green blobs? On the whole, the question of how to shape the beds leads to the eternal question of why your landscaping is bound and determined to be just foundation planting rather than a plan that looks at how best to integrate and enhance the house on the lot AS A WHOLE. Again - and I think I'm just going to stay out of foundation planting discussions because I am as tired of saying this as people must be of reading it - unless you're a really keen gardener who desperately needs every square inch of your property for your plant collection, why does this house need foundation planting? It seems far more important to me at least to put your tree succession plan in place. I'd plan where the new trees will be, and design beds incorporating them around their ideal locations, with a view to you or a future homeowner being able to remove those current huge trees within twenty years without a complete loss of shade. KarinL

I was going to suggest an All-In-One Almond Tree - a beautiful, flowering semi-dwarf nut tree that only grows to about 15' - but I think your state is too cold for it. http://www.willisorchards.com/product/All-In-One+Almond+Tree#.UagWmpywXLc Well, if you plant it away from the house at the outer edge of your flower bed, you MIGHT consider a native pawpaw tree (although it could grow up to 25'). It grows in a pyramidal shape and has delicious fruit! You might also consider some smaller species of persimmon trees, too? Here is a link that might be useful: Pawpaw Trees

I'm not clear as to how you are saying the tree would be used (in the bed adjacent to the house, etc). Some of the negatives of this tree include: 1. It's a very weedy tree with seedlings popping up everywhere. Louisiana doesn't appear to have a comprehensive list of invasive plants (that I can find) available online, like many other states do. Georgia, for instance, lists Firmiana simplex as a category 4 invasive (possible invasive in need of further study to determine exact status). I wouldn't be surprised to find that this species was considered a low-level invasive in Louisiana. 2. It's a fast-growing, weak-wooded tree and produces lots of litter. Be prepared to do a lot of picking-up under and around this tree. The leaves are very large, and, when they fall, they look like paper or something in your yard. I'm constantly thinking trash has blown under mine when I look at the area from a distance. The large leaves can look interesting on the tree, but they are just an eyesore when they fall. If you are contemplating planting it next to your house, falling branches may also be a consideration. 3. Like many other fast-growing trees, this one is usually fairly short lived. If you are planting for the long-term, that is something worth considering. By the time this one is falling apart, you could be enjoying a really nice specimen of some other species. Some positives include: A. It grows quickly, so provides shade faster than many alternatives. B. It's somewhat unusual and can make a good conversation piece. It's even somewhat tropicalesque. C. It's somewhat adaptable and doesn't require as much babying as some other alternatives. D. Your neighbors probably don't have one (yet, LOL). E. It sure beats a Bradford pear tree (at least in most cases).

define small ... redbud??? i would hesitate on anything called a maple ... roots tend to be very problematic .... ken