If you do not have Juniperus virginiana Blue Arrow... you could try that. A guy on here stated the majority of plants in a large planting splay under heavier snow, but that some do not. I would still try it.

Dax

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Blue Surprise' - Best blue "Thuja-like" conifer I have ever seen. 6ft in 10 years, It is hardy to z6. If you are in Winchester, MA you are z6b, not 5, unless you are in some strange micro climate.

Blue Suprise is a good choice but make sure you find one that is grafted to a root rot resistant rootstock. Otherwise you could have Phytophthora issues.

At the nursery I used to work for, we used to say - only partly in jest - that they named this cultivar Blue Surprise cuz it was a surprise if the dang thing lived very long. Root rot used to knock them down in no time. Fortunately, these are now usually sold as a disease resistant grafted specimen.

Blue Surprise was the first thing I thought of as well, but your zone 5 stopped me in my tracks. C.lawsoniana will do well on the east coast, btw.

Get one on those roots should you choose that.

D

All mentioned above will splay open under heavy wet snow and ice loads.

Wrap them with twine to prevent this. Works well. You can also drive a stake near the trunk and tie off to prevent leaning from snow and ice.

Finally all vertical growing conifers grow till they die. None max out at 4-10 ft.

Dave