Thanks, folks. My choices so far have all been from local nurseries catalogs.... there's not really anyone there to talk to this early so I'm just catalog shopping. I know people on my road grow all manner of Magnolias (saucer and star) but they're mostly people with professional gardeners, so just the fact that they look great in the neighbors yard doesn't mean they're right for me :) I did notice some of the nurseries catalog entries noted "very disease resistant" Malus varieties, so perhaps thats due to the cedar rust. I'll have to look into that. We have two very old, very overgrown, very tall crabapples in another part of the yard: what does cedar rust look like? Ammelanchier looks great! Love that it has fruit and fall color, too. It might be a little big for my space, but will investigate further... thanks for the idea!

Where are you located?

We have a lovely stellata in our front yard. The commonly made mistake with them is to plant them in "protected" sites on your property. Magnolia stellata is an amazingly tough and cold hardy shrub and you actually do it a great disservice by "protecting" it. Our's is planted where it received the full brunt of the worst northeast storms, it's never failed to bloom for us. The only thing that can ruin "the show" are heavy rains at peak bloom. Your's is a baby; this is its first year in its new site, and it may take time for it to set roots and really acclimate itself. Be patient! Odds are, it will be just fine with some time, so what if you get no flowers this year? (I have a "Butterflies" yellow one that has yet to flower, it's been 2 years).

So true, Zach! This isn't the traditional Magnolia with the huge glossy leaves and massive blooms, but more of a shrub in comparison. The biggest Royal Star Magnolia I've seen in the Denver area is at the zoo, along the little train route. They must do something to make their soil more acidic because they seem to grow a lot of things at the zoo that don't grow, or at least don't grow very well, in alkaline soil. Popmama, I wonder if the ones at O'Toole's are a slightly different Magnolia variety. They look so pretty, but the blooms are bright with bright green leaves, whereas the Royal Star blooms are a pale pink (that fade to white) and the leaves are more of a pale chartreuse (when they finally leaf out). I got this one from Home Depot about 11 years ago. For some reason that one tree (there were 4 of them there) just jumped out at me. I resisted it the first time, knowing it probably wouldn't do well around here but couldn't get it out of my head. When we went back for something else a few days later and it was still there, in spite of my better judgement I brought her home. All I do is spread homemade compost at the base every year or so (and provide supplemental water). I used to have to prune back dead branches in the spring, but she seems so happy now in her new spot. The tree I miss most from growing up back east is the flowering dogwood. I see them for sale sometimes at the big box stores but have never seen one growing around here, so I can't bear to bring one home and watch it die in my garden. I miss them so much though. They were my favorite trees to climb and just sit in as a kid.