I think a good centerpiece tree for Long Island would be some really
beautiful variety of Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana). I'm not
particularly fond of the pale pink and white varieties, but there are some
that come in darker rose colors - and when I lived in the Southeast I loved
to pass a particular tree that had deep purple buds opening to a deep
reddish purple. I have never been able to find the name of that variety.
Anyway, the magnolias should be "transplantable" and long lived - and in
some years, the trees will rebloom in August.
"Tom Newton" wrote in message
...
Hi Folks -

I live on Long Island.

Last fall, we lost our beloved american dogwood, which was the centerpiece
of the backyard. It was 80 years old, big round and craggy, a real gem,
but
it has been dying a slow death from various ailments common to the
species,
and it finally fell in a wind storm in December.

Anyway, there's a void out there in the backyard that my wife and I can't
stand anymore. We'd like another nice round show-piece type of tree in
that
spot, perhaps a Kousa Dogwood or a Japanese Red, but the nursery size
versions of these trees are tiny... and will take forever to grow to the
size we like.

So at this point we're considering having a tree company locate us a
mature
tree locally and transplant it here with a budget of about $2500. Besides
a
Kousa or a Jap Red, are there any other recommendations out there?

Thanks for any advice.

Tom