Would a Japanese dappled willow (Salix integra "Hakuro Nishiki") be zone pushing? I think they are just beautiful and varigated! I think they may only be Zone 4 hardy but in a sheltered location......? I saw them at Agrola on 137 Ave in Edmonton a couple of years ago. Would look nice with the blue? spruce in the back there. :)

Ginny

Hmm, such a beautiful natural setting. I'm probably not much help here, because if it was me I would "wall-off" this sitting/firepit area with a row of something like lodgepole or scots pine through the grassy area at front, then cut off any branches that grew back over the sitting/firepit area. My goal would be to make this a sitting/firepit area that seemed wild and cut off from civilization. If you want it incorporated into the rest of your yard, well that's a whole different ball game :)

With all those beautiful tall trees in the background, have you considered planting some shrubs? Elders come in various colours and leaf shapes, purple sandcherries would add colour but for a small tree what about Serviceberry? They come in tree form and I consider them a 3 season shrub, nice flowers in the spring, berries during the summer and beautiful color in the fall. Just a thought. Marg

How about a Nannyberry?

If you look up the thread titled "Anybody Have a Tree Form Nannyberry?" you'll find an awesome picture posted by North53.

I think it would look awesome in your spot =:)

Linden sounds good,...it might die back a bit due to being a bit low and wet?
I'm thinking of amur cherry.

Is a ninebark too small? I'm really loving my Diablo and next on my must-have list is 'Center Glow'.

I have linden trees and had a little leaf linden at the old house. They are PLAIN. There's nothing wrong with them but their only redeeming feature is they are green and usually healthy.

Nice ideas guys! I'm now thinking of incorporating several of your suggestions. An Amur Cherry as the feature tree (always wanted one of those!), "Hakuro Nishiki" willow, Nannyberry, Golden Elder, ninebark, pines (probably dwarf kinds) and throw in a few more saskatoons around the edges of the tree line.

Really like these specimens as seen at the Devonian Gardens, Tilia amurensis.

LOL! The same thing always happens to me when I ask for advice on this forum........

You said you wanted help to select "a tree" and now you're wanting "several". =:)

You have a beautiful backdrop for whatever and however many you choose. I'm envious.

"You said you wanted help to select "a tree" and now you're wanting "several" ... Yes, I'm now thinking of adjusting my plan to incorporate several specimens, though I want to avoid creating any planting beds.

"You have a beautiful backdrop for whatever and however many you choose. I'm envious." ... thank you Naf! I actually hadn't wanted to expand the yard in that direction, as the yard is already tooo big, though the previous boundary called out to be pushed further back and now provides for an ideal location for a much needed fire pit and sitting area.

I have a white dogwood and a red maple that need a home, Terry. They are not happy in their pots and I don't know where I would put them in this yard. Maybe they could find a spot in your fire pit area. :)

Ginny

Ginny, now how could I possibly refuse a generous offer such as that? Let me know if you're soon feeling up for a visit here, or we could drop by at your place ... oh, and I'll get the shovel ready :) Thanks!

Did some head scratching and got the shovel out and thought best to change and divert the direction of water flow that comes from two directions during times of excess moisture. The two flows will be converged into one and directed along the tree line through a gentle trench to be dug along there ... the area will become drier and without worries as to any newly planted trees and shrubs suffering from wet feet. It'll be a fair bit of digging, though the soil is good and I can peck away as time and my engery permits ... only thing I'm concerned about is the dang roots I'm gonna need to hack through :(

twrosz, that is a very lovely setting there. I wish I had this much property!

Anyway, I don't know if this works or not..... since you have lots of tall and narrow trees in the background, I would go with something with more horizontal lines. However, there are not many choices like that in our zone.... I wonder if a Pagoda dogwood would do well there?

I so wished that I could have one of those lovely dogwoods in my backyard!

Lots of Joices for sure,...I'm thinking of fall color now, Amur Maple, flowers smell wonderful, similar to linden, [bee tree]
In flowering shrub,....Mock Orange or flowering almond, most bees stay away from these.

Ostrich ... I do have some seedling grown Pagoda dogwoods, most of them dieback a good deal each winter, though one has performed very well and indeed would look great in this new location, thanks for the suggestion :)

Konrad, yes, amur maple is also a very good idea! So, many good choices :)