Dax is right and you should accept that. If it grows fast then it gets big.

What sort of height are you willing to live with?

Wax myrtle is a nice evergreen tree and if you manage to get a female (you don't always know) then the birds will be very grateful.

Are you wanting to put the new tree under those pines or on the other section of the fence?

Hi. Thanks for the input. Minimum 8ft to maximum 20ft height should be good. 8ft would be tall enough to block out the windows of the neighbors. I was planning on planting something to the left of the birdbath, where you can see the neighbor's corner windows. The lefthand corner of the yard, where you can see a small half moon retaining wall, is going to be a shade garden. Thinking of planting azaleas under the pines. I also need to plant something with height to the left of the pines where you can see the other neighbor's house corner. I have done some research on the wax myrtle and it seems like it would be a good choice for us.

This post was edited by Yollies on Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 8:26

Ok the area to the left of the birdbath actually looks pretty shady. Is it sunny there at other times of the day and if so, is that morning sun or afternoon sun?

The photo was taken at about 5pm. The area where the maple was taken out, now gets full sun from early morning until late afternoon. The area next to the birdbath gets morning sun with the far left corner getting the least sun. You can see the area of least sun when you look at the dead spot in the left hand corner of the lawn. The trees providing the shade are all deciduous.

This post was edited by Yollies on Mon, Sep 8, 14 at 10:20

If that area doesn't get at least 5 hours of sun (morning sun does count), then I would withdraw my suggestion of wax myrtle as that needs more hours of sun to look full.

Part-sun suggestions would be Florida anise (Illicium floridanum) and Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana). Both are evergreen in your area.

You can get those in 3 gallon containers at nurseries like Buck Jones (two locations outside the perimeter). You might be able to get them inside the perimeter but they would likely cost more. Certainly call first to verify availability.

Here is a link that might be useful: Buck Jones nursery

'Chindo' viburnums can take some shade and still grow quite dense.

There are numerous hollies that might work there as well... 'East Palatka', Fosters, Scepter, x koehneana hybrids (get big though), Oakleaf, Spartan, Mary Nell, Yaupon, Blue Maid (slower), Some have spines; others don't.

All of the above grow more conically so you would not be losing a lot of yard space.

If you want something more umbrella-shaped -- maybe a loquat? Wax myrtle still might work with a bit of shearing to make more dense in shade.

Have fun removing all those maple roots! Hopefully your crew will do that work for you. Maple roots can be quite extensive and shallow. They'll need to be removed before sod can be placed. But you'll be glad you removed the maple.

I really like the wax myrtle, and think I'll try one just to the left of the pines. That area is in full sun for 8 hours or more a day. I love wildlife in the garden and do not mind berries. Also thinking of two Arborvitae Smaragd in the spaces between the three pine trees. I'll research the suggestions for more shade tolerant trees and shrubs.
As far as the roots go, guess what we did all Sunday! We had good rain the day before and the ground was soaked. My husband used an axe and I used a saw. Severed thick roots as close to the trunk as we could and then pulled away from the trunk and snipped with loppers as we went. Most came up easily enough, but it was still backbreaking work. The stump grinder came yesterday and ground the stump and about a foot of root clumps right next to the stump. Saved us a lot of money by removing most roots ourselves.

It's fun to get more sun - you'll find you have so many more possibilities now. Enjoy!

esh ga, thank you for suggesting Buck Jones. I see that the Woodstock branch is only a 20 minute drive for me. Planning on going there tomorrow and have a look at what is available. I will take a list of plants suggested in this thread and see what they look like "in the flesh".

I shop at that one myself. They are nice people and I'm sure you'll find some great plants.

Redbud trees like some shade and can grow fairly fast. They also cast heavy shade; little can grow under them, but they are excellent for weed suppression.

Allegheny viburnums also grow fast and top out at around 18 feet; are rather rangey looking but good as part of a mixed planting. Great for privacy but grow in an angular fashion that makes pruning a bit iffy.