hey

conifers are trees.... they NEVER stop growing ...

they have an inherent annual growth rate ...

its all about such.. and how many years it will take to get to a height ... e.g one that grows a foot per year.. will be there inside 8 years ..

one that grows 3 inches per year ... 32 years.. if my math is right.. this early in the morning.. lol ... and you start small ...

sooo.. you want a mini.. or a small dwarf.. NOT a 'Moderate to fast-growing' ..

fast growing.. and stopping are impossible goals...

should you wish some suggestions for a given spot.. i would suggest a pic of said spot ...

see link for general discussion on conifer sizes ...

after we decide on growth rate.. then we would look to color.. shape.. form.. etc ...

one idea with such restricted height.. might be a weeper, trained to such.. which then weeps back down ... or you buy it near said height.. and plant it ...

OR is basically the hub of conifer growers in the US ... if you cant find a plant in OR ... well.. give up.. lol ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks.

Here are some photos.

The maple tree there (I just bought the house) is overgrown, and may be taken out, if I can find $1000 buried in the backyard.

The little mound of dirt is from the hole where the evergreen would go.

Thanks.

Mac

Another photo - the hole is behind the maple

The hole is between the maple and the driveway.

Good job w the photos, I feel like your a little tight in that corner. If you went into the yard a little further, while keeping an even distance between the sidewalk and the driveway, you could find many nice columner conifers to work out there. I would be as concerned about the diameter potential as much as the height for obvious reasons.

Al

Yes, I am trying to get some greenery between the street and the side of the house.

I want to move it further into the yard, but the overgrown, never-pruned maple is there.

In what sense is the maple "overgrown"? Not trying to provoke argument here, but I hear that phrase all the time and it gets me to wondering.....the plant has a certain genetic potential. Given suitable conditions, it may reach that potential before other factors contribute to its decline. But nowhere in there is any state of "overgrowth" reached.

Now you did say never pruned also, and there are numerous highly competent arborists that could do the job with ease. Maybe then the tree would be less objectionable to you. Just a thought.

When I first saw your size requirements for an evergreen, I thought of the "Woodward Globe" arborvitae, but I guess that would ultimately get wider than the alloted space. Maybe a smaller globe arb-they're really unheralded plants which, if sited correctly, can offer virtually maintenance-free screening, and which will get to surprising height, without ever getting truly tall like an actual tree-form would. I'm sure there's numerouos other offerings, and especially in a relatively benign location as yours, there should be numerous choices.

+oM

A couple of thoughts....If you just bought the house...maybe you'll like the maple better in all its glory after it leafs out. If not,you have choices.
Have you considered a color for this 'evergreen'.....blue,green,yellow,etc?

Al

Yes, I may get an arborist to prune it.

No color in mind.

I saw the maple in leaf last summer (I bought the house last summer).

It is lovely, but...it dominates the front yard, and leaves no room for any other tree (like one that might produce fruit).

No competent arborist is going to be able to do anything about the size of the maple without wrecking it. If you don't like having the tree in that spot, and have the money pay somebody to take it out for you.

As it is, the area you have chosen for a conifer to put some greenery between the street and your house is too small.
I'd put a rock outcropping there to make up the difference in height between the sidewalk and driveway. If you remove the large limb pointing toward the driveway you would have more room behind the rocks for a conifer composition rather, than one by itself hugging the corner, leaving your design 'spotty'.
Mike