Advice needed: columnar tree/shrubs to frame door

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 21, 2006

I'm trying to help my sister who lives in zone 5 come up with ideas for some shrubs to frame her front door (these would be planted in the ground on either side of her front porch, not in pots). First thought of course was those columnar junipers but her boyfriend hates those, plus that's what all her neighbors have and she doesn't want to look just like them. Requirements are tall, narrow, and evergreen. Having flowers would be a big plus, but I'm not sure there are too many evergreen flowering shrubs for zone 5 that would also be tall and skinny! Any thoughts? House is 2 stories, so something at least 10 ft but probably not much more than 25 would be ideal.

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growin Beautiful, BC(Zone 8b) Sep 21, 2006

When I do design for the front door I often use Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' as it is evergreen here with winter pink/fragrant blooms http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/64304/index.html but in Z5 it would probably be deciduous with blooms in the middle of winter. It tends to grow upright and is easily trained. Just a thought.

I also like the shape and look of Koelreuteria paniculata 'Fastigiata' for a strong upright look. There are a few cv's of Juniperus scopulorum - ie. 'Skyrocket' which are tough, clean-looking.

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snapple45 Holland, OH(Zone 5b) Sep 21, 2006

Take a look at Ilex crenata "Sky Pencil". I love mine. It grows against a north facing fence in full sun. Some rate this no colder than zone 6 but I have had absolutely no winter die back or leaf injury. I have had it for three years.

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StarhillForest Illinois, IL(Zone 5b) Sep 22, 2006

Unless the house architecture is formally symmetrical, and perhaps even if it is, I would avoid a matched pair of anything at all. Be creative and free-form, not confined by artificial symmetry.

Guy S.

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willis_mckenna Lombard, IL(Zone 5b) Sep 22, 2006

A pic is worth a 1000 words, but hows abouts a Picea Abies Cupressina or a Picea Gluaca Pendula?

Bill

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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Sep 22, 2006

Thanks everyone for the suggestions so far! I think the Ilex might make it for her--I'm not sure if she's in 5a or 5b, but since the plants will be right up against the house they'll definitely be in a bit warmer microclimate so I bet they would make it. And I didn't know that Koelreuteria was hardy in zone 5, guess I just never noticed them until I moved here to CA so I assumed they were a warmer climate tree so that's good to know too! I also like the suggestion to consider something asymmetrical, that would definitely help with not looking like the neighbors because they all have the symmetrical junipers, I'll see what she says, I think she's going for a little more formal style though so she'll probably stay with a matching pair.

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