Pam wrote in message ...
LeeAnne wrote:

Hi all,

We are having 2 large old oak trees taken out of our yard today :-( I will
miss them dearly. One is very close to our house and the other leans toward
the house & has some rot on the bottom and that is why they are being
removed.

I'm in Zone 5, about 20 miles north of Boston and I'm looking for pretty
tree suggestions -- maybe something w/some type of berry on it (aren't there
trees that have berries in the winter?). Something that will attract
different birds or interest the ones I already have even more. The front
yard will look so empty w/o a tree in it, I need to replace it w/something.
Also need to give the birds good cover and a safe place to go to from the
bird feeder that's already in the front yard.

Also, maybe something that doesn't grow to gigantic proportions?

We have planted 2 Maple trees in our garden. Both have died. Is it
possible that poor drainage is the reason?

Flowering crabs, serviceberry (Amelanchier), Cornealian cherry (Cornus mas) and
hawthorns are all very attractive smallish trees that birds will find appealing.
They also appreciate an area they can hide and nest in, so I'd consider adding
something evergreen as well - a yew or small conifer might work well.

In addition to a number of trees, I have included in my garden various other,
more shrubby type plants they like too - viburnums, a large form of cotoneaster,
shrub dogwoods, mahonias, barberries. They love my holly tree, too, but it is
large and messy and the birds tend to seed it around very freely - I'd have to
think hard about recommending anyone plant a holly unless they have sufficient
room and don't mind plucking out errant holly seedlings continually.

pam - gardengal