Hi all.

Q regarding design:

If you had space for let's say 10 trees/shrubs; would you rather keep the pallet conservative (species/cultivar) for the sake of design/cohesion?
Or would you go all in on 10 different species/cultivars because you can't choose and want them all (and more if you could )?

I'm having this dilemma as of late now that tree planting season is coming close again. I planted a Carpinus japonica earlier this year (because I really like the species), but I want several more in my garden (space enough).
Trouble is that I kind of want a cohesive design (like 3 of these hornbeams in a triangle), but that would deprive me of atleast 2 spots where I can plant other trees I'd really to have too.
Examples:

Acer carpinifolium
Amelanchier sp.
Cornus florida
Cornus kousa
Betula sp.
Prunus sp.
Hamamelis.
.....

Photos of the tree and surrounding area at the moment:




I'd like another tree about where my SO is standing:




Drop your opinions

Personally, I prefer little clumps of trees to isolated specimens. I would try to work in a small orchard - say a pair of cherry trees and a pair plums close together and maybe a mulberry farther away, with a couple of smaller, more colourful flowering trees nearby. Then a few staggered along the fence-line.
It's entirely a matter of taste, and dependent on how you plan to use the spaces underneath. Just keep in mind what's self-pollinating and what isn't.

The closer to the house the smaller the tree. Main reason is root systems otherwise I say plant what pleases you in there. Everyone has different tastes.

Serpent said: Personally, I prefer little clumps of trees to isolated specimens. I would try to work in a small orchard - say a pair of cherry trees and a pair plums close together and maybe a mulberry farther away, with a couple of smaller, more colourful flowering trees nearby. Then a few staggered along the fence-line.
It's entirely a matter of taste, and dependent on how you plan to use the spaces underneath. Just keep in mind what's self-pollinating and what isn't.

I'm not interested in fruit, so an orchard isn't very likely. I want to go the 'specimen' tree route; I'd like to give each individual ample space to grow to maturity.
Also, my garden isn't THAT wide + any standard sized tree needs to be atleast 6.5ft from neighbouring land. I'm not planning on a tree sized hedge

pepper23 said: The closer to the house the smaller the tree. Main reason is root systems otherwise I say plant what pleases you in there. Everyone has different tastes.

The building in the picture isn't the house, but the shed (or poolhouse, whatever...) I'm very much aware of invasive root systems and whether or not any tree can handle SOME hard surfaces; some have not made the list because of that

I guess it comes down to whatever choice makes me THE LEAST UNhappy considering I didn't go with the other option. In that sense going for a caleidoscope seems preferable.

I agree with serpent. I love to plant things in odd numbers. So you could do five of one and five of another.
Or three, three and three.
I find that 10 plants of ten different types too busy. There is a lot to be said for clumps of the same providing variety yet interest. Ten of ten is way too busy to enjoy the form, shape and color of trees.

Personally I like three shorter kousa with taller acres in between the kousa clump. The Acers could be flanked on the other end by three flowering cherries. I find splashes of color with a anchoring clump of acer in the middle to be very soothing and comforting to the eyes. 3 kousa then 3 acer then 3 cherries would be pretty darn nice I think.

Another view. Red and blue triangles are the configurations I'm thinking about. You can see the house in the back from here.

It slopes away from the house, so water has the tendency to collect around the shed and if there's alot, it runs around the corner to the front red circle. (would be perfect for a rain garden... )





Oh and I have a small (two feet tall) Carpinus fangiana growing further along (yellow dotted line). Like....15-20ft from the bottom red triangle again.

Another idea about trees... rather than only lots of one color, or many different types to arrange, you could also go for many cultivars of a type... that could be arranged by bloom color or other feature so that they look coordinated when in bloom, and much the same the rest of the year. (Best of both worlds?)
I've been trying to design with a high cultivar variety, and really my designs end up as varied as the landscape features I'm working around. I think lants of a type in groups are good, and symmetry where it works out is nice, but otherwise organizing by predominant colors or features could be a good way to arrange it. Doubling up with compatible vines and groundcovers in the same space can also help control weeds as they add seasonal interest.
Just a few more ideas.

Hi! It's great to hear you're passionate about planting trees and creating a beautiful outdoor space. If you're feeling torn, you could consider a balance between the two. Perhaps planting a few species in larger numbers and adding in some different cultivars for interest.