What Should Go Here? The Empty Spot Where Our Ash Tree Used to be

This week we're going to dial down the seriousness level a couple of notches in The Evergreen Parker. After all the heavy talk about development and density and strip malls, I want to address something more down to earth.

Recently we had to have a giant ash tree in our back yard removed because it had been infected by the This tree was at least 55 years old. We know this because one of our neighbors, who is 60, said she remembered it as a child. It was about in tall in feet as it was old in years. The thing was huge. Full of leaves before it got sick, it dominated the back yard. It was about to demolish the garage, which had been built next to the tree many years ago without, as it turned out, an understanding of just how big the tree would get.

Now, without the tree, there is a huge gap in the back yard, both in terms of mass and shade. So, in the same manner in which I asked for suggestions about how to , I'm asking for suggestions about what to put here. Probably not a , but I'm open to other ideas.

And while you're at it, share your landscaping or back yard improvement plans for the spring.