The Berm

[auntie]

Our house backs up to a fairly busy state highway. When it was built, the developer created a berm and planted it with some random trees and shrubs. 

We have almost 300' planted with white pines, honey locust, dogwoods, purple leaf plums, forsythia and junipers. It was never particularly interesting, but it worked well at providing something of a screen between our yard and the road. 

Fast forward 25+ years and we're having issues. We've lost 4 white pines and I fear another is ready to go. Three of the dogwoods are gone; the last one looks ready to die. All the purple leaf plums have died off. I have gaps.

I don't want to line up a bunch of giant arborvitae, but I don't want plants I have to fuss over once they're established. I was thinking may a couple of these and a hedgerow of butterfly bush nearer my deck. Any ideas?

[treedimensional]

Oak. Different species of oak.
Aren't there any saplings coming up on their own? I would expect some natural regeneration to be happening.

[simpsongal]

Holly is fast-growing and great for privacy and the intense green folliage is beuatiful.

[auntie]

May 10, 2013 7:39:06 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

Oak. Different species of oak.
Aren't there any saplings coming up on their own? I would expect some natural regeneration to be happening.

I don't have any oak in the area. Any babies I get seem to be maples. Not a huge fan. Plus I'm allergic to them.

[treedimensional]

If oak is underrepresented, that is exactly what you should plant. There is no more ecologically important tree in north America.

[simpsongal]

We planted an oak last year - it's thriving, probably doubled in height already.

I think it was a white oak. I forget which "color", it's the hardiest one. We have "Oak" in our street name, so we figured we should have at least one oak tree.