I bought a yew to put in there. The lady at the nursery said it could get up to 10 feet tall but can be kept trim. That should give a little vertical and also some winter green. Do you think I should still add boxwoods by the foundation? I am trying to root some now for the back, but could do some more for the front too. Thanks for the response.

Thanks. The Bed is 7+ ft wide, 31+ feet long; faces due East, full sun until noon, full shade after 2 pm. I plan to only have one of each shrubs in that bed. I âÂÂcouldâ later consider planting one of them in the bed on the other side of the steps. I can do without the Beautyberry if I had to, I can find a place for it in another area. The year-around interest is what I was hoping to get others to comment on. I did my own research and this is what I found.

I actually have some photos, I just realized, though they are taken from the porch so are into the canopies, not capturing the full tree profile from the ground. Both were taken in September. Pterostyrax, circa 4 years old: Heptacodium, circa 12 years old: My neighbour has a forest pansy redbud and though I was jealous when she got it, in the intervening years I have come to regard it with indifference. I think you have to know what you like in a tree, especially when you are seeing them up close. The redbud to me is somewhat sterile, and stagnant. It doesn't move a lot with the wind, the flowers are meh (maybe this one isn't situated well), there is no insect or wildlife interaction, and it has kind of a "designer plant" vibe to me - maybe that would not be the case with species varieties. I also cannot abide trees that have 4 days of flower interest and then nothing - our street tree is a flowering cherry that I could say goodbye to without regret tomorrow. For up close tree-planting, you have to consider things like bark, foliage form, foliage movement, fragrance, the development and emergence of buds and seeds... all things that you will be looking at every day. I find that these two trees are holding my interest, and in the case of the heptacodium increasing it, every year. Your needs, and thus your trees, will be different, of course. That said, the paperbaRk maple that Whaas has suggested is also a good option, and maybe easier to get and hardy. By the way, the other thing you have to come to terms with on a small lot is rapid tree turnover. Like, maybe 20-30 years, if that. We've been here nearly 20 years, and I am already taking out shrubs and conifers that I planted early on, and I suspect even the heptacodium will have to come down within 10 years. If that side yard is yours then you have more space than I do, but other than that your house and yard are uncannily like mine (straight walk to centre door, porch with two windows; only diff is I have a peaked roof where you have the dormer). Karin L

The picture is no help. move the camera up to the city sidewalk, in line with the front door, and take a series of slightly overlapping pictures that pan the ENTIRE scene from far left to far right, including neighboring houses in the first and last pics. Unless you move the cars for the picture, we wouldn't be able to see left of drive. Please take when light is good. Above picture much too dark.