Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Will It Work?, 1 by sherriseden

sherriseden wrote:
I want to create a small woodland in the back part of my yard, which is about 45' X 35', with a focus on native trees, shrubs, and groundcover for birds. For the evergreen trees, I've come up with Picea glauca, Pinus strobus, Juniperis (horizontalis, communis, virginia), Thuga occidentalis, and Tsuga canadensis as possibilities. I like the Picea glauca because it seems narrow, but can grow tall, which is OK on the left side of the picture . . . nothing is above. But will it look too large? Any suggestions for evergreens? I want to stay away from cultivars because I hear they may not produce cones and may revert, like the really disturbing picture on this link: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/p/picgla/picgla1.html (scroll down to 'specific liability' under 'cultivars', if you dare to look)

On the right side of the picture, the lowest branch of the silver maple is about 20' up, so I will put understory trees and shrubs there. I'm thinking about two or three trees, 10 shrubs and groundcover altogether.

So . . . do you think all this will work? Is it too much? Any evergreen suggestions? Thanks!!

P.S. That's a redbud sapling by the stump and a few Amelenchier stoloniferas (serviceberry shrubs) along the fence where you see sticks to mark their whereabouts. Also, that little guy in a cage is an evergreen I rescued as a seedling from a nook in the silver maple bark. It started out as 1/2" (I thought it was moss!!) autumn before last and has grown 8"!!!)