I'm the wrong one to ask about aspens, but I'll try to answer anyway.

Aspens do well in some soils and at some elevations. If you have those soils and elevations, go for it.

At lower elevations with alkaline soils, aspens are weeds. They don't do well, but they refuse to die, sending suckers out everywhere. Cutting the roots actually encourages this to happen more.

Hi Holly,

If you live on a normal residential lot, I strongly recommend getting something besides Aspens. Aspens (and cottonwoods) are poplars, and they spread by underground roots that go EVERYWHERE. My neighbor has an Aspen, and I have aspen trees coming up ALL OVER my front yard. And the people behind me have cottonwoods, and I have cottonwoods coming up ALL OVER my back yard! Everytime I try to dig a hole to plant perennials, I have to hack my way through a mass of Aspen or cottonwood roots--some so big I have to actually cut them with a saw! Also, as bpgreen says, they really don't do very well at lower elevations. My neighbor's has half died off and doesn't look all that good. If you decide to go for it anyway, I don't think it really makes much difference exactly where you put them. I'd put them wherever you think they'll look the best. But do consider the affect they will have on your yard--and your neighbor's--after a few years before you plant them.

Welcome to GardenWeb,
Skybird

As much as I dislike aspens, I'd recommend an aspen over a cottonwood any day. At least aspens don't add to allergy aggravations.

I have a neighbor with cottonwoods, and he has to make a trip to the dump after every windstorm. I need to talk to him to let him know that I'll take anything less than an inch in diameter (for my shredder).

I noticed that I said that at the wrong elevations and wrong soil conditions aspens are weeds. I should apologize for that comment, since it maligns weeds.

I agree wholeheartedly! Why everyone in Colorado thinks they must have aspens in their yard is beyond me. For the record they will do best at elevations of 7,000 or higher.

How far from a house to plant an aspen? Fifty miles.

I also have them sprouting up everywhere because a neighbor planted one about four feet from the property line. The plague!

In the back yard across the alley from me, a neighbor has the noxious trifecta going--an aspen, an ailanthus, and a siberian elm! The first was planted, the other two are volunteers. I guess they are believers in diversity! In fact, they don't know a carrot from a candelabra.