Here are more pictures...but before we had grass.

Here is another picture. Note, the tree would be on the outside of the rock...further away from the house but I want it to Anchor the corner.

I think a fairly slim tree would do very well there. You don't say where you are in zone 6, it looks like Maryland.

Birch would do nice, if you go for the white kinds, remember that Bronze Birch Borer is a problem in the Mid-Atlantic. They grow fast and have nice leaves, but can be disfigured when the ice tears the small branches off. Sometimes the top breaks off too.

Crabapple is a group of species and hybrids with hundreds of forms. Again, do your homework because there are various rusts that cause the leaves to fall off by the end of July. Most Crabs don't have the vertical silhouette you may want either.

Lilacs are very small trees / tall shrubs. If you want something a little taller, Amelanchier might do. Most have clusters of small white flowers in the spring and make very good eating berries in June or July. you'll have to fight the birds for them though.

Is that last shot a late-afternoon or early morning scene?

Are those PVC pipes where your septic field is? If so, stay away from Birches, willows, Maples or anything with aggressive root systems. In fact that close to the field, i would only consider a small tree or a large shrub. Perhaps a Purple leaf smoke bush, a Jane Magnolia or a small conifer that tops out at 10-15 feet.

Roger, that looks like a clean-out and a stub-up for something, not a leach field. If that's a leach field, that HO needs to call his builder!

paperbark maple

Thanks for the suggestions. All of our utilities come into the house on that corner (electric, gas, water, sewer). So I like the idea of a smaller tree to avoid any issues in the future. I like the idea of a magnolia or some variety of crab apple (ones with small berries). Someone suggested the Jane Magnolia would that be a good one?

WxDano: I cant remember what time that picture was taken..but I do know our house faces NE. I am in Rochester so Zone 6a

here's an idea ...

it looks like other parts of the subdivision are already landscaped.. snap a few pix.. of similar houses scaping.. and we can make recommendations from there ...

a single tree ...??? .. lets think of a 'concept' .. here.. and then work our way towards a specific tree .. even.. if you provide pix of what you do NOT want ... that is a start.. you should want something different.. rather than cookie cutter.. just like everyone else ...

underground utilities.. are irrelevant to your plant decision.. ESPECIALLY if you have sewer ... i dont understand your explanation ....

also.. the house next door doesnt seem to be right next door.. is there some curve in the road???

ken

Jane magnolia is okay....they grow really slow...I had mine for about 4 years and it only grown like 6 inches.
Other Small Trees:
Eastern Redbud 'Appalachian Red'
Flowering DogwoodP
Serviceberry
American Hornbeam
White Fringetree
Pagoda Dogwood
American Holly (can get kinda Large)
Blackhaw Viburnum

I'm with Ken here - on that corner and in the north part of the property you need some evergreens for wind deflection in the winter - I don't see 8" walls so the plants on the north side will eventually be valued for blocking the heat-sucking winds of winter.

Plopping one tree isn't the way to go, you need a landscape plan. One that takes aspect and shade into consideration - that is a part-sun location for a good chunk of the year, and surely any decent plan will put shrubs between the walk and porch and you'll want everything to flow.

...says the old landscaper.

hey.. is this related to some builders budget .... in the house building????

ken

I second paperbark maple, multi stemmed if you can get one

Did you consider planting more than 1 tree? Perhaps having 2 on both corners of the house. Oh and it seems you have a small plot of grass next to the pathway, why not take the grass up and plant some shrubs, bulbs, and other plants rather than plain grass

If you're looking for a crabapple with small fruits, let me suggest the Sugar Thyme variety. Put one in my back yard a couple of seasons ago (zone 7b) and it's done very well. The fruits are probably 1/3 inch in diameter and persist through the winter.

It does sucker a bit, but then again, so do most crabapples. The link below provides some additional info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sugar Thyme

Yes we do have a full landscape plan. In that plan it called for a river birch in that area but I am not sold on it which is why I reached out to the forum. We are having a paver patio put in the back of the house along with a shed. We will have 6 Norway Spruces put in on the berms along our property line, lilacs put next to the shed. The landscaper is only putting the trees in for us...he will be cutting and prepping the beds for us and we will be putting in other plantings.

Norway Spruce? No offense but they can get bit shaggy as they mature...in other words they are lacking in form. Have you considered Eastern White Pine?...they do very well in New York, New England.