Thanks for the suggestions. I'm making a list so I can do further research
on each of them.

Question about the vine maple. There are some maple trees (not sure what
variety) in my yard. And whenever I prune off one branch, several branches
grow out of that spot eventually. This makes the tree quite ugly. I wonder
if vine maple has this annoying characteristic.

Questions about fruiting trees. Don't they attract insects? Don't they
require a lot of fertilizers to make fruits?

I also have some rhododenrons in my yard. If left unattended, they grow from
a bush into a giant bush, and the leaves become so large they are no longer
attractive. Also seems susceptible to powder moss (?). For maintenance, I
was told to pick off the flower every year after they blossomed. That is a
tedious operation.