Don't get the pines; they don't tend to live very long. We got a shumard oak from the Ag people- 31 years ago when we built our house it's HUGE now - so plant it for plenty of room to grow. I love the shade it gives but I hate the darn acorns when they fall - and grass won't grow underneath it either-- oaks are very acid to your soil -- and, it has those darn buck moth caterpillars hatch out every spring & they give a nasty poisonous sting, so for about a week you have to contend with that.
We went to where an old plantation home used to be - my cousins farm the land now, & dug up young live oaks that were sprouting around the base of the original trees, they line our driveway now. We transplanted a sycamore into the back yard -- big, beautiful, & I like the huge leaves that fall off of it-- I mulch them & put them in my garden spot. The sycamore does drop a lot of small branches though.
We planted several pine trees but only 2 are left. They drop a lot of needles & pine cones but they're in a part of the yard that that doesn't bother us much.
Still love all of our pecan trees the best -- and our bradford pear, which turns the beautiful fall colors, and my willow - it's not the kind of willow that has the fluffy stuff, it's a decorative weeping willow of some sort I got at Lowe's. Also love my crepe myrtles by the turnaround -- they grow fast & so pretty! I got 3 of the crepe myrtles for $5 from Fads 'n Frames several years ago -- it was the end of the season & they were going to throw them out -- they were covered in mildew - I took them home & sprayed them every day for 2 weeks with a mixture of Dawn dish detergent & water -- cleared the mildew right up & we planted them & they took off like wildfire. We have banana trees (got those free 2 years ago from an old house up the road they were tearing down - I stopped & asked could we have them & they said sure-- I've seen bananas on these trees - the root systems were huge! - so I hope they will produce for us) & citrus (lemons & satsuma) in the back yard where they are protected from the north wind. (bought those at Holloway's nursery in Forest Hill - they have a great selection of citrus).
You need to make a trip to Forest Hill & visit some of the nurseries there & talk to them about what you want--they are very helpful & will talk trees and plants all day long, and also take a sample of your soil to your local ag office & get it tested to see what kind you have & what you need to add to it.
