Some ideas for small, ornamental trees would be: Cornus mas, cornus kousa, cotinus (smoke tree - there a several beautiful cultivars), stewartia pseudocamillia, helesia carolina (silverbell), chionanthus virginicus (fringe tree).

The vibrunum is king

Whaas,

I didn't mention Viburnum because that is my default mode tree. There are 10 on my half-acre lot already.

I was thinking of a grouping of one of the Doublefile cultivars. The 2 Mariessi (sp?) I have are only 2 years old and already full and very pretty for 3 seasons.

Conoy viburnum is very attractive. If you like variegated plant cornus Kousa Wolfeyes is very nice.

David

Holly and azaleas come to mind

When I bought this house I promised myself I wouldn't plant Holly because the leaves can be so painful when working in the gardens. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful, but those damn leaves are like cactus. So I just enjoy them in other people's yards instead.

And as for Azalea... The last few years I have realized that I only enjoy them for those two weeks while they are blooming. The rest of the year they are really starting to bore me.

I am lately starting to enjoy Pieris, because it has so many different stages. In addition to being evergreen, the flower buds develop in the fall and stay all winter for a lovely effect.

Also a big fan of the viburnums not only for the flowers, berries, and foliage, but the branch structure is almost perfect in winter. Also consider a mass of Red Twigged Dogwood. You can't go wrong with those for all year beauty.

Just a note on the prickliness of holly leaves. Not all species and cultivars are prickly at all. I only ever grew one that was worse than a cactus--I think it was the Chinese holly (beautiful shiny leaves but extremely sharp). But all my current hollies are not bad at all (Blue Prince/Princess, China Girl, Nellie Stevens, Japanese holly, inkberry, and one with shiny round leaves and practically no prickly points (forget the name of the last one). Good luck!

Firepower Nandina is a homerun shrub in my garden. This is winter color.

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