What height range will work right there?

Conifers come to mind really when I hear dwarf for up north.

The typical planting here would be a Japanese Maple but I really question their cold hardiness any further north than me. Of course some spring die back will help to keep em small lol.

do redbud trees grow in your area?
there are some dwarf redbuds in a planting by a shopping center that were installed over 10 years ago by the city. i do not know the cultivar name but have seen one called 'don egoff' online that is similar to these. they are only about 7' tall but may reach 10', based on what i have read. the color is more intense (toward purple) than the taller species and i think they flowered at a slightly different time (don't recall if it was earlier or later than the tall ones).
they are eye-catching when in flower but not a standout the rest of the year.
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The rebuds are beautiful, and I think they will work here. I'm not interested in a conifer, would prefer a flowering tree of some sort. The height could be up to 8 to 10 feet, but it would have to be a narrow taper....not too wide. Thanks for your ideas.