Looking for decidous trees - help

[Phteven]

I'm looking for trees for my front yard. I want to plant 2 or 3 (there is a water pipe that I'm scared of so maybe only 2).
I'm looking for decidous trees (maybe with autumn foilage) so we can have shade in summer and sun in winter.
Not too high/big because the power lines run into our house from the front and the yard isn't huge.
Not too water hungry because this is Australia and I would prefer something that won't die in a dry spell.
The soil is ok but not super rich - I can mulch so it will be improved.
It is pretty much full-sun out there. Shade from the house early in the morning and from one street tree in the afternoon but the middle of the day is full sun.

Can anyone think of a tree or three I can plant. I would like different species not matching trees.
I did contemplate a mulberry but they get too big (maybe the dwarf one would be ok?)
Also thought about blossoming cherry for spring?
I would love a Japanese maple but I think the sun might be too full on for one.
Please help me find something suitable. I have tried nursery sites but they all assume that you know what tree you are after

[AnyDream]

Claret ash is a nice one, has beautiful dark burgundy coloured leaves in autumn, grow quickly and provide lovely shade --- you haven't said where you're living, but these tolerate both frosts and hot dry summers. They tend to grow up rather than out a lot.

Maybe you could choose one large shade tree and then just put a couple of smaller decorative trees on the other areas - good choices are the cherries, the early flowering ornamental apricot blooms first out of everything - gorgeous) or even something like a smallish crabapple. The ornamental prunus (flowering plums) are nice too - they have dark burgundy foliage as well.

[Phteven]

Thanks for your suggestions - just off to ask Prof. Google now
We're in Sydney so we don't get frosts (I've never seen one here).

[AnyDream]

If you're in Sydney, couldn't you have a frangipani tree...?? If you have an older style house, they look fantastic against a bare bit of wall and smell divine in summer! Not so good for shade as such, but if you already have a shade tree and need another to fill a space, they are lovely.

Another personal favorite which could grow quite big, BUT you could keep it trimmed smaller, is a Jacaranda. We've got one out front, right under the powerlines, but ever so often the power company comes past and lops off the top growth, and it still looks lovely.

Final suggestion - again, not a shade tree, but would do as a second thing to a big shade tree, is to consider planting a stand of silver birches. They are pretty all year round, lacy foliage, yellow in autumn and silvery-white bark in winter - if you plant several together in a stand they don't get very big.

[Oorki Galoorki]

i think any off the ash trees would be suitable..
we have a beautiful walnut tree in our back yard but they can have issues with other plants underneath

[Floweryfields]

I have a Chinese Tallowood - now it doesn't get incredibly cold here in Qld, but I do have fantastic autumn colours from it. It is a fairly bushy type tree but is deciduous which is great for winter warmth. It grows to about 5m I think so that should be okay with the power lines.

[Phteven]

I couldn't have a frangipani for 2 really dumb reasons.
1. About 15 years ago I had a flatmate who called them penis trees because she though the branches looked like penises.
2. My husband insists on mispronouncing them as grannies panties.

I'm off for more googling. I love the Claret Ash and I love the idea of a silver birch stand.

[AnyDream]

I couldn't have a frangipani for 2 really dumb reasons.
1. About 15 years ago I had a flatmate who called them penis trees because she though the branches looked like penises.
2. My husband insists on mispronouncing them as grannies panties.

That's the funniest thing I've heard all year!!

[AnyDream]

Please please please let us know what you eventually decide to plant.

[Phteven]

After a bit more googling and thinking I've decided to get a few more trees than I originally intended and plant them a bit closer so they're more massed up. Hopefully the competition will keep the size down a bit too.
Anyways....
I'm ordering a Claret Ash, a Chinese Tallowood and some Silver Birch to be delivered this friday (not sure how many silver birch - I have to get my order in by wednesday for a friday delivery).
I've bid on 2 Japanese Maples on ebay from someone a few suburbs away - if they die it's no biggy because I've only bid small change.

Once the nurseries have bare rooted trees in winter I'm getting a crab apple and a ornamental stone fruit to toss in the mix as well.

My poor DH isn't happy about the amount of holes he's digging this weekend lol.

I'm so excited - I know it's a few years till my grand plan comes into fruition but if it works I'll have colour in Autumn, sun in Winter, blossom in Spring and shade in Summer.

I'm also rescuing my dwarf peach and nectarine from the office and setting them free in the backyard - the poor things have been under DH's care and they looked rather miserable when I last saw them

[Nelle]

I didn't know you could buy plants on ebay! Wow.

Can't wait to hear how things go.

[Phteven]

If you're good with getting cuttings to shoot it's a really cheap way to buy.

[Phteven]

*sigh* turns out they don't have my Chinese Tallowood in stock. Might have to make it a Chinese Pistachio instead - similar size and nice foilage....

ETA - What about Magnolias? Are they ok in Sydney?

[Yael]

My sister has a degree in horticulture.. i will email her and see what she recommends

[Epacris]

I know you've already decided but what about a deciduous magnolia, they put on a fantastic spring show and they don't grow too big. I think it's good you didn't get the Chinese Tallowood, they can be quite weedy. Silver Birch in Sydney is right at the edge of its growing range. They need a nice cool spot and plenty of water so mabey not the best for where you're thinking? Perhaps also look at White Cedar (Melia azedarach) a deciduous Australian native that might be worth a try.

HTH

ETA – Magnolia soulangiana would be fine in Sydney (they do like a bit of water though). Heaps of amazing different flowers to choose from.

[Phteven]

Thanks for your help. I've been thinking that a magnolia might be nice and Daleys have a gorgeous one in production at the moment so I might just rein in my impatience and get one when they're ready. They have a dwarf mulberry and chinese pistachio too so I can order them all in one hit and keep down delivery costs.
I just got 2 Japanese Maple on ebay for 99c (bargain!!!) but I think I'll just keep them in pots on the patio instead of planting them.
I love silver birch and there's a spot in the back-yard that I think they might work so I might just pop them out there instead of the front yard.

So I'm still on the hunt for another one or 2 species for the front lol.

[Epacris]

Great! Definitely go check out White Cedar I reckon. I'll try to think of some other suggestions. BBL.

[Nelle]

Oooh I love magnolias! A house we rented for a year used to have a beautiful old one, and I loved it.