Funny you should post this. I just sent them an e-mail. We bought a Tree Classics tree three or four years ago because we had heard so many good things about them. Spent a lot of money, but we felt confident. The tree came, and it was lovely. It also came with a great storage bag. So, rather than pack it away and store it in the crawl space, we left it standing, pulled the bag up around it, and found a safe corner for it in the laundry room. Imagine our dismay the next Christmas when we unzipped the tree bag, and plugged in the tree. Fully 25% of the lights didn't work. We followed the troubleshooting guidelines, checked connections and lights, and nothing. When I checked on the website, they noted that they did not warranty the light bulbs, and so we would have to order bulbs from them to replace ours. I wrote to them, but because it was within their Christmas window, they did not respond - ever. The tree that we paid hundreds of dollars for stands in the laundry room. We use a little tabletop tree, because we can't afford to spend more money on a big tree and lights, etc.That also means that we don't get to put out the dozens of ornaments that we have collected over the last 26 years, including the ones the kids made in school. Yesterday, I got an e-mail from the company, talking about how the old company went bankrupt, and they have taken over the business, improved everything, and now have a 2 year guarantee on lights. And would I like to order a tree and get 10% off? Needless to say, I wrote them and related this story. Let's see what kind of response it gets me. Anyone taking bets on this?

do understand.. nothing will be drought resistant for the first few years.. depending on size planted .. also.. keep in mind.. something that creates GOOD SHADE ... might EVENTUALLY limit what you can grow under it .... but that would probably be many years down the road ... a pic of the area.. might get some better ideas .... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

Thank you Floral - Do you have any knowledge of these varieties? Growers near me offer: Amelanchier canadensis, Amelanchier laevis, and Amelanchier grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance.' I am thinking that a (single-stem) Hawthorn, followed by MS Serviceberry, and a SS Donald Wyman might be a nice pattern. My husband is not a fan of the Chionanthus, and I am seeing that the Halesia Carolina is a better understory tree. The allee will be at the west side of the property, and most of it will receive full sun. That's why I ruled out dogwood for this location. Occasionally, we get some strong winds from that direction too, as there is a large field in front of us, with few wind breaks. Please let me know if it is a "hardy" tree. Cecily - Cercis canadensis are my favorite tree, and I have several planted in the yard. For whatever reason, the cercis royal white doesn't appear to be as readily available, but I'm sure it can be had with a little effort. It's another great possibility. Thank you!

Looks to be some sort of alder, Alnus sp. Several alder species are on the list of recommended Cleveland street trees.