I cannot just limit this to ten trees. So here is my second set of ten: 1) Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) - Fantastic tree. How can you not love a tree with heart-shaped leaves. The fall color on this tree is usually a bright peach color mixed with a little bit of orange or red. The tree gives off a distinct scent of cotton candy when its turning. You feel like you are in the land of Willy Wonka when it has this scent. This tree is finicky though. It does not like drought, sandy or compacted soil, or high wind and will start losing it's foliage in the summer in response to these conditions. 2) Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) - Some may be surprised to see this tree on anyone's list. It's considered a trash tree by many. I love it. If you drive down Memorial Drive in Cambridge in late September - early October, you will see all of the Green Ash trees turning their bright golden - yellow color. It's a beautiful sight. This tree produces good shade and is tolerant of just about any conditions. Several male cultivars are now on the market, which avoids the prolific seeding observed with the females. I do hate the fact that this tree is one of the last to leaf out in the spring and one of the first to lose it's leaves in the fall. 3) Norway Spruce (Picea abies) - I love these trees. Giant Christmas trees the whole year through. The have a very dark green color and I really love the way the branches curve up at the ends. It gives this tree a very graceful look. A very large tree in time. A fast-grower for a spruce. 4) Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) - Zone 5 is the limit for this species. It would be wise in that zone to get the "Village Green" cultivar which has greater cold tolerance than the species. The vase-shape of this tree makes it a good replacement for the American Elm. Between the shape and the tree's tolerance for just about any conditions, it makes a great street tree. Zelkovas are in the Elm family and consequently are not totally immune to Dutch Elm disease but they tend to be highly resistant and this disease is usually not a problem. This tree can have spectacular fall foliage (ironically they did not this year around the Boston - Cambridge area) turning a bright burnt orange color. The Village Green cultivar has the best fall coloring that I've seen. 5) Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - Had to include a member of the red oak family again. Oaks are not thought of as fast-growing trees but this species is definitely an exception. Becomes massive in time. Fall color is variable but can be quite good. A very strong, shade tree. 6) Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) - One of the few evergreens that tolerates shade. Very graceful foliage. Probably the most graceful of any evergreen. The tree likes moist soil (found in shade). The woody adelgid is killing many of the hemlocks in New England. Hope they find a way to eradicate it before it kills all of them. 7) Black Birch (Betula Lenta) - Absolutely beautiful tree. The bark is a shiny, dark grey and peels to a certain extent. The bark looks very similar to the bark of many cherry trees only with a dark color. Very ornamental especially in winter. This birch has very good bright yellow fall color, too. 8) Crabapple (Malus) - The perfect tree. An explosion of white or pink bloom in the spring. A ton of crabapples in the fall. Beautiful bark on most varieties similar to cherry bark. Hundreds of cultivars to choose from. Most of the modern cultivars have resistance to fungal diseases that were a problem on older varieties. These trees tolerate drought and bad soil rather well. 9) Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella Pendula) - Beautiful tree. So graceful and very striking in bloom. It get quite large in time for a flowering tree. Not as prone to problems as most cherry trees. Needs to be sited in a moist area though. 10) Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) - Wanted to put cornus florida here but zone 5 is pushing it for that species. I like this one too. Flowers in early summer and can put on quite a show. The giant red fruit of this dogwood is more visually appealing than cornus florida. Fall color is spectacular. Many cultivars to choose from.

Thanks for the help. The photo was taken at the end of the day which is why it's showing little sun. The area gets some shade but I found Oriental Spruces to be pretty shade tolerant. The Oriental Spruce I purchased is Gowdy which I read is slow growing and only gets 15-18 ft tall (I'm aware that trees never stop growing). if it gets bigger I don't mind pruning it. The Weeping White Pine I removed was about 13 ft tall and did not overwhelm the area. I spoke to a landscape designer who suggested I plant the tree more towards the left and plant something not to tall in the middle towards the back. I was also advised to plant the Spruce tree directly in the middle so now I'm confused to where I should plant the tree. I would greatly appreciate your professional help in advising me.

Ken-adrian it is not telephone-poled. The leader is only slightly flexible, and bending up a bit could keep it from dragging the ground. it It has just been planted after 3 years in a pot. Hurricanes were an issue in it’s beachside home in CT. Not a worry now. The owners are sentimental about it, it must stay. This is the only logical spot in the small yard with enough sun. My suggested location, not the client’s. I just want to make the best of it. And NOOO I dont want to move it! If I dont have to. It is heavy! I just want to be clear on my options for pruning & training it. 20 year window is all I am concerned with. Your 30 year tree gives me some insight. Any idea on it’s current width? Johnfuda has me concerned, but I am under the impression this is a tree that you can somewhat control the size of with selective pruning or train it as it grows along. Could yearly spading/root pruning keep it from upheaving the patio? I thought spruce were very slow growing, especially if they are not in their native setting. and before planting, roots were circling! I am guessing it is a picea abies ‘pendula’ too. But all pruning/training info I find seems to reference that tree’s first 3 years. This tree is older than that. I am intrigued by the 2nd leader suggestion. I know how to do that on other evergreens. As for letting them battle it out for space with the underplantings— well, in a tiny city garden every inch is precious. I only want to sacrifice the area if doing otherwise will create a stupid looking evergreen.

when i see this.. i wonder where the root flare is ... ken