dementia13 wrote in message ...
Are any of the magnolia family evergreen and somewhat smallish???
Are they quick growers??


The Southern or Bull Bay Magnolia is evergreen and gigantic, though a
little looking around and luck will nab you a smaller variety.

Does anyone know of a smaller tree?

I think you overestimate the rambunctiousness of this tree-- yes, over time
it will form a massive, spreading tree (typically 35-40 feet tall and half
again as wide as it approaches maturity). It's commonly used as a street
tree/boulevard tree in the south). Combined with the confines of its
smallish planting area and cooler northern temps and you have a very
maneagable choice.

Dave.

PS a great winter hardy camellia for our area are the Oliepheras... 'Lu Shan
Snow' in particular is absolutely gorgeous.

Peter wrote in message ...
A good idea.... looks like it would be great for sheltering a
house.... but the size is a little extreme 50' -75' tall with
equal spread. The entire cul-de-sac would be full, not
to mention the root system would probably disrupt the entire
neighborhood water, sewage and electrical system.

By which time I will have moved on to another experience....
as one gets older, the tree's have to learn to grow more quickly.

Do they make these in miniature size ???


On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 15:52:48 GMT, "David J Bockman"
wrote:

Although it will eventually exceed your desired dimensions, a Quercus
virginiana (Live Oak) might be nice... a great visual anchor and
definetely
an evergreen canopied tree.

Dave

Peter wrote in message
...
Thanks for the info and links....

Your're correct about the temperature.... instead of -20 it was
-10 BELOW zero actual temperature including wind chill factor.
(Columbia is about 20 miles north of D.C.)

That was this past January / February 2003.... I remember getting
a lot of calls warning me about the freeze and spending a few hours
freezing my buns off trying to cover plants that had not been mulched
for the winter. This included a dozen or so newly planted protected
carmellia's hardy to 20 degrees. Darned that night was cold.

Matter of fact, the next few days were also frigid.
The carmellia's didn't survive, pulled them up, put them in
storage and some are beginning to get leaves again.

I did get a chance to look at some magnolia's.... for some strange
reason I thought they were canopied tree's....(wonder where that idea
came from).

Still open to some suggestions about small canopied evergreen tree's.
The plan for the center circle includes two park benchs that we'd
like to shade...
(all we need is a concrete checkers board to complete the image !!)

Thanks again for the help...already found a few magnolia's for the
backyard !!!



On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 10:24:33 GMT, Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:27:10 -0400, Peter wrote:


Location is in Maryland, right between Baltimore and Washington,
D.C.. we are officially in a zone 7a but because of the urban
city
heat, the USDA has also described this area as being zone 8.

Kinda crazy weather.... can be 110 degrees in the summer months and
drop down to -20 degrees below zero during the winter.

I don't think so. What you probably mean is that it gets as low as 20F
in winter; that is, 12 degrees below freezing. USDA zone 8's 'bottom'
temperatures are 10-20F; zone 7's are 0-10F. The all-time record low
temperature for DC is around -5F.

What tree's would be evergreen, grow about 30' high with
a 20' spread, forming a canopy. I was considering a
magnolia.. but am open to suggestions.

Are any of the magnolia family evergreen and somewhat smallish???
Are they quick growers??

A brief Google shows many varieties of Magnolia that might suit your
purposes. Magnolias produce deep shade, so that would influence your
choise of 'underplantings.'

This site has several detailed descriptions, 'though I wouldn't think
it were comprehensive.

http://www.sleepyhollownursery.com/descriptions/mo.htm

Placed in that perspective a "Live Oak" does sound like an
appropriate choice.... and acorns,....an All-American tree.


I'll include a few magnolia's, and the live oak tree in

the recommendations, to see what the neighbors feel comfortable

with.

Me??? I'm picking up a few magnolia's for my own yard...

and some of the winter hardy carmellia's. I'll find a spot to

put them somewhere !!!

Thanks again for your many suggestions...


On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 21:31:26 GMT, "David J Bockman"
wrote:

I think you overestimate the rambunctiousness of this tree-- yes, over time
it will form a massive, spreading tree (typically 35-40 feet tall and half
again as wide as it approaches maturity). It's commonly used as a street
tree/boulevard tree in the south). Combined with the confines of its
smallish planting area and cooler northern temps and you have a very
maneagable choice.

Dave.

PS a great winter hardy camellia for our area are the Oliepheras... 'Lu Shan
Snow' in particular is absolutely gorgeous.

Peter wrote in message ...
A good idea.... looks like it would be great for sheltering a
house.... but the size is a little extreme 50' -75' tall with
equal spread. The entire cul-de-sac would be full, not
to mention the root system would probably disrupt the entire
neighborhood water, sewage and electrical system.

By which time I will have moved on to another experience....
as one gets older, the tree's have to learn to grow more quickly.

Do they make these in miniature size ???


On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 15:52:48 GMT, "David J Bockman"
wrote:

Although it will eventually exceed your desired dimensions, a Quercus
virginiana (Live Oak) might be nice... a great visual anchor and
definetely
an evergreen canopied tree.

Dave

Peter wrote in message
.. .
Thanks for the info and links....

Your're correct about the temperature.... instead of -20 it was
-10 BELOW zero actual temperature including wind chill factor.
(Columbia is about 20 miles north of D.C.)

That was this past January / February 2003.... I remember getting
a lot of calls warning me about the freeze and spending a few hours
freezing my buns off trying to cover plants that had not been mulched
for the winter. This included a dozen or so newly planted protected
carmellia's hardy to 20 degrees. Darned that night was cold.

Matter of fact, the next few days were also frigid.
The carmellia's didn't survive, pulled them up, put them in
storage and some are beginning to get leaves again.

I did get a chance to look at some magnolia's.... for some strange
reason I thought they were canopied tree's....(wonder where that idea
came from).

Still open to some suggestions about small canopied evergreen tree's.
The plan for the center circle includes two park benchs that we'd
like to shade...
(all we need is a concrete checkers board to complete the image !!)

Thanks again for the help...already found a few magnolia's for the
backyard !!!



On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 10:24:33 GMT, Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:27:10 -0400, Peter wrote:


Location is in Maryland, right between Baltimore and Washington,
D.C.. we are officially in a zone 7a but because of the urban
city
heat, the USDA has also described this area as being zone 8.

Kinda crazy weather.... can be 110 degrees in the summer months and
drop down to -20 degrees below zero during the winter.

I don't think so. What you probably mean is that it gets as low as 20F
in winter; that is, 12 degrees below freezing. USDA zone 8's 'bottom'
temperatures are 10-20F; zone 7's are 0-10F. The all-time record low
temperature for DC is around -5F.

What tree's would be evergreen, grow about 30' high with
a 20' spread, forming a canopy. I was considering a
magnolia.. but am open to suggestions.

Are any of the magnolia family evergreen and somewhat smallish???
Are they quick growers??

A brief Google shows many varieties of Magnolia that might suit your
purposes. Magnolias produce deep shade, so that would influence your
choise of 'underplantings.'

This site has several detailed descriptions, 'though I wouldn't think
it were comprehensive.

http://www.sleepyhollownursery.com/descriptions/mo.htm

A good idea.... looks like it would be great for sheltering a
house.... but the size is a little extreme 50' -75' tall with
equal spread. The entire cul-de-sac would be full, not
to mention the root system would probably disrupt the entire
neighborhood water, sewage and electrical system.

I think you overestimate the rambunctiousness of this tree-- yes, over time
it will form a massive, spreading tree (typically 35-40 feet tall and half
again as wide as it approaches maturity). It's commonly used as a street
tree/boulevard tree in the south). Combined with the confines of its
smallish planting area and cooler northern temps and you have a very
maneagable choice.

I'd like to second that. It's a marvelous tree, beautiful in
form, sturdy, and well suited to your climate. Unless your
site is extremely windy (not likely for a cul-de-sac), it
should grow reasonably upright in form, not as low and
spreading as those right along the coast. The shape can be
encouraged with careful pruning. The result will be a much
nicer spot for placing benches and underplantings than a
magnolia. Even when the tree gets very large (100+ years from
now), it may overhang the street, but that will be the canopy,
which will be well off the ground. It's a beauty.


Mike Prager
Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a)
(Remove symbols from email address to reply.)

Sincere thanks to all who responded. The Live Oak - Quercus
viginiana suggested by David Brockman (thanks Dave) seems
to be almost the perfect choice....

So far the shrubs and anchor plants are in place, I'm doing the
walkways and bench pads today. Border plantings tonight.
Flower beds tomorrow, mulch and final cleanup on Sunday.

From a weed overgrown patch in the middle of a community cul-de-sac
to a garden of eden.. from planning to ice cream social celebration
all in a week.

Makes me appreciate the rec.gardens newsgroup...without you
we would still be trying to stick a recycled Christmas Tree in the
center.

Thanks again....





On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:27:10 -0400, Peter wrote:


I'm landscaping a circle in a suburban cul-de-sac.... The circle is
30 feet in diameter, and gets full sun. Surrounded by plenty of
decideous trees such as Sweet Gum and Hickory Locust on adjoining
properties, but the circle stands out in the sun. My thoughts are
to place a smallish tree in the center of the circle....

Location is in Maryland, right between Baltimore and Washington,
D.C.. we are officially in a zone 7a but because of the urban city
heat, the USDA has also described this area as being zone 8.

Kinda crazy weather.... can be 110 degrees in the summer months and
drop down to -20 degrees below zero during the winter. We've just
had 4 years of drought, yet this year, it's rained so much my
backyard turned into a swamp. I planted carmellia's last year,
and the temperature promptly dropped to 20 degrees below zero,
followed by a very wet spring.... about an inch of standing water
on top of the ground. Last year the ground cracked from the heat and
drought. So it needs to be a sturdy tree.

What tree's would be evergreen, grow about 30' high with
a 20' spread, forming a canopy. I was considering a
magnolia.. but am open to suggestions.

Are any of the magnolia family evergreen and somewhat smallish???
Are they quick growers??


Thanking you in advance !!!

Your suggestions and recommendations are greatly appreciated.