Will do... going to take ground level pics...

Redbuds bloom before they leaf out. The blooms are rather delicate. I would plant it where there is a backdrop that the blooms can show up against. Would not be a bad idea to plant it in front of the scraggly junipers, but far enough so that when it matures they play nicely together. If you plant it between the birch and pine, it's not going to get so big it blocks the view of either, if you keep it limbed up.

So you think b/w the birch and pine would worK? I think so too... it dips a bit there and there's good moisture in the ground but not wet... it'll get a bit of relief from the peak PM sun (2-4 PM) in that spot...

What about in front of the gray shed? It's a bit more "wet" there but I am hoping to alleviate the excess moisture with a weeping tile drainage pipe. It's basically the lowest spit on my property... but the literature on redbuds state that they appreciate moist soil...

If I was going to plant it "between" the pine and the birch, I would plant it back a bit, so it formed the point of a wide triangle. Unless I really wanted to make a specimen out of it, and then I would plant it slightly in front of the two, same way only reverse the triangle. Planting three disparate trees in a line is not aesthetic. Placement would depend on your lines of sight and what you want to see when looking in various directions. Try them all out.

I wouldn't plant it by the grey shed so much because I can't see what you've planted in the gardens around that shed, but with a redbud tree there the area might eventually become too shaded for the plants to continue to thrive. But I really can't tell from the photo where you are talking about specifically.

pinkmountain, there's quite a bit of space between the shed and the garden. I'll take a pic... maybe 25' feet and that shed will be moved in the future...further back, giving even more space

I am a bit concerned that the spot can get a bit wet in spring as it is a low spot. Drainage is ok considering that it is a clay/loam/sand mix.. maybe a bit more clay though. The other option is to place it along the fence line (see last pic) or get the dwarf variety, the Ace of Hearts redbud, and re-think the whole thing.. perhaps even plant it in the front yard.

Can redbuds be pruned to control size and form?

Nearly any woody plant can be pruned to control size and form. Most are easy. The devil is in the details for a few others.

that's true... don't know if you folks have ever been to places like France..over in Europe, France especially, trees are pruned HEAVILY! You'll see old boulevard trees with big trunks and completely pruned crowns in the winter..

I don't know if these pics are any better, but here they are. I am strongly leaning to place it in front of the gray shed (back right of the property). That shed will eventually be moved a little further back and to the right to abut the property lines in the corner. Or possibly along the fence on the right where the two viburnum shrubs are situated. Alternatively, I could place it at the front of my house somewhere in between the Norway maple and the little red oak I planted recently (but closer to my walkway/entrance. But I think it might be too big for the front and my little ranch hoe will be overwhelmed by trees/shrubs.. Thoughts?

Front location:

At a distance or near the perimeter seem like reasonable possibilities. If at the front yard, off of the left corner of the house and extend the bed to below it is another possibility.

By "extending the bed" are you referring extending the left-corner bed (where the smokebush is located? The distance between the edge of that bed to the crown of that norway maple on the same side is about 20+ feet... that Norway is sick and my guess is that the municipality will have to cut it down in a few years... at which time they will replant with a small tree thereby opening up that whole side again for many years to come.

So how tall and wide should i expect an eastern redbud to grow given my short growing season/chilly winters ?

I do not like redbuds. I find them weak and weedy. Is their no other choice?

i am open to suggestions... ive also thought of going in another direction at the front with a concolor conica fir... a dwarf variety of fir that would add some diversity to the mostly deciduous plantings...

just looked up Paperbark Maple - wow! i could see that in my front yard...

This looks great too! More of a shrub... http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c120

Nothing will grow well next to a Norway maple. Redbuds look best, (IMHO) when planted in groups, since their flowers are so delicate. From a specimen tree perspective, I like dogwoods and crab apples and magnolias better. YMMV.

really? Is it the root system? Shoot that's too bad.. dont like the tree to begin with. They are sickly around our region now. The cities and towns planted millions of them and they are invasive.

Kousa dogwood looks gorgeous...

Yes, the root system. So "next to" depends on the root system. I think sometimes thing can grow within the root system if the two plants establish together. But if not, keep well away from the Norway maple's roots.

so this applies even to a smallish tree like serviceberry?