Metasequoia of course!

I wouod consider them, but your ideas are reasonable as well. With th3 dogwoods how about the tree ones on the shady side. A mix of the native Cornus florida and the imported Cornus kousa?

Nyssa sylvatica is under utilized....

sounds like a large property ... might watering be problematic over said space??

if so.. timing of the plantings could be very important ...

find out if ROS is invasive in your area ... if so.. skip it .;... otherwise your list is ok ....

if you have a budget to go a bit more exotic [rather than bigboxstore].. you might want to talk to a local upscale nursery.. and see what they could truck in.. for spring delivery ....

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

What is the setting? Clearing in woods? Edge of yard? A photo might help. The trees around the area will send out branches, so shade will increase and if you only add the listed shrubs, you won't get much ornamental value as the shade diminishes bloom over time.

btw.. my local county soil conservation district office ... has plant sales in fall and spring ... and they sell zone and location appropriate conifers, trees and shrubs ... for this sort of application ..

they are rather small .... but the size is based on plant and go applications ...

again.. watering large transplants could be a problem on a large property ...

ken

Trying to post pics of area, try 2 coming. And thanks for all of the advise so far.

Oaks and pines.

Haha!

I would put in a bark mulch path and in the shadier areas use mountain laurels, flowering dogwoods, perhaps some redbuds or Stewartia pseudocamillia, all plants that will do fine as shade increases and will benefit from the partial shade from the surrounding trees and will fill in to cover the midlevel bare trunks. In the sunnier spots you can put Fothergilla, deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons. You will have spring and early summer flowers and then cool green for the summer. In fall it will have good color. Add ferns and some other woodland ephemerals and perennials. Mulch well and water for the first year.

I agree, plant the area with three ideas in mind. One to make it look natural, two to make it so you enjoy looking at it, and three plant it with the idea of attracting wild life.

One of the most difficult things is to make a woods look natural. It takes time to work the area cutting the poison ivy and green briar, and similar plants while at the same time encouraging the good native plants like Virginia creeper, and the hundreds of other plant native to your area.

To make it attractive I would add some flowering trees and bushes. Consider not only the flowers, but also the color of the foliage. While you are some distance north of us, we have placed azaleas and camellias. There are things like Hydrangea, lilac and such that also produce flowers.

Lastly do things to encourage the wild life in your yard. While in some ways they are a pest squirrel are a lot of fun to watch as they jockey for position on the feeder, Flowers encourage Hummingbirds, again watching their dog fights is enjoyable. Flowers also encourage butterflies,

You have not lived until you see a doe with two fawns and the fawns are bouncing around the yard and playing while the doe watches over them

Rhododendron, Azalea, Weeping Cherry, Flowering Dogwood, Kousa Dogwood, Japanese Maple, Rose of Sharon, Forsythia, Red-twig Dogwood, Hosta, Liriope.