I'd skip the pear trees.
I have two gorgeous Prairie Fire Crapapples that are just amazing when in bloom. They aren't there yet though. They have very small fruit and leave no mess at all. Birds love them in the winter. They are considered to be disease resistant. Size is right for what you want. I get so many comments on them when they are blooming.

I also have a redbud (which may be dead), two dogwoods, and two cherries. The cherries are almost past bloom and the dogwoods are nowhere near blooming. I think they wait until June. All are relatively young trees.

HTH

Look at other native trees, perhaps. Many are less showy than what's typically in peoples yards, but unusual because few people pick them. I would suggest sourwood, but I'm not sure if they get even that large.

Cornus kousa.
They are magnificient trees and not prone to diseases as our native Cornus florida.

various magnolias

I agree about skipping the pear trees; most flowering pears are weak wooded and disease-prone.

To that I'd add ... careful choosing any cherries - the P.O. planted some Kwanzans here and they are magnets for winter moths. Even before the advent of those moths, the trees were unsightly for most of the season. They look lovely for about 2 weeks per year, and not too bad when the leaves are off, because of the interesting bark; otherwise they always look tattered.

I love magnolias - although I have only the summer-flowering native, which isn't all that showy. The saucer magnolias can be a little over the top, but they DO stop traffic!

Lately I've been concentrating on plants that bloom at different times of year, since my neighborhood is a riot of color in spring without much of a contribution from me. An Arnold Promise witch hazel would knock your socks off in February and March, and can be grown as a tree, should you decide that "spring blooming" can mean very, very, very early spring.

I already have a serviceberry, but I really like that sourwood. Very cool flowers from google images. Does it have any year round interest?

Lisa

The sourwood has good fall color and can grow big. I used to enjoy a mature tree at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

The main reason I haven't got one is the statement "intolerant of drought". It apparently needs constant moisture - not something you can count on in Plymouth in the summer. I'd hate to plant a tree that would die if I wasn't around to constantly water it.

Claire

We planted a sourwood at our NH home. I have to say we were very disappointed in it. The flowers last literally less than 24 hours. Now granted, the tree opens its flowers over a couple week period (think daylilies).

But...but...after that 24 hours glory, the flowers hang on the tree & look like used Kleenex. The tree does not shed until the flowers are shriveled up & brown. It's really quite a sad sight in bloom, IMO.

Fall color was variable but when it was good...it was very good.

Ours was not a water hog after the first 3 years of establishment. We irrigated twice/week its first 3 seasons & then it was on its own.

/tricia

go for a native and something unusual to extend the period of bloom in the neighborhood. Halesia...so beautiful. Cornus mas- blooms a little earlier than forthysia. I don't know about it when mature, because our is a toddler. Is is a cherry, so look it up in Dirr.

Do you have Michael Dirr;s book/s? The tree and shrub bible for me?

I love witchhazel. It is early, but I've seen is a mature shrub in a small front yard and it blooms for over a month when nothing else is a color yet. Different ones' flowers show up better than others.

Witch hazel does, literally, bloom for 2 months; mid-February, all of March, and into April. At least, Arnold Promise does, on the cape. Mine is a teenager, and is about ... 12' tall. Not sure how tall he'll get.

Love the halesia suggestion - I don;t have one but they certainly do look nice.

My cornus mas is an incredibly slow grower, it's got to be 10 years old and is no taller than me. A nearby (volunteer, no less) crab apple outshines it every year, I'm sorry to say. Maybe it's just that it's unhappy on the southeast corner of my house, but I'm underwhelmed by the flowers and overall appearance of this plant. Bummer, because it was on my list of "can't live without" plants for a long time. If I was going to plant something there now, I think I'd go with Prunus mume.

How about Cornus alternifolia? There are several nice varieties, and it is native. Other options are Yellowwood, Dove tree, and Forest Pansy redbud (same flowers, but red/purple leaves).

How about a Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)? The flowers are not as exuberant as Cornus florida but it is a small tree with an interesting architectural shape.

Does anyone have any experience with a Virginia Fringe Tree? I'm really liking what they look like in pictures.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1356508563044373436giMbil

Lisa

Here is a link that might be useful: tree

I have the Virginia fringe tree in my yard. It is beautiful. There are male and female. My mom happens to have one of each, and the male is definitely showier, but both are still beautiful. Mine is still small, and they are slow growers, but the flowers last year were incredible. My mom's are larger and both have a beautiful vase-shape. Very open and nice. I'd say it's a winner for a small, native tree.

Too many choices!

Ok so I'm still researching and these look so interesting. Any comments?

Winterking Hawthorn
Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' Weeping Pear
Cornus controversa 'Varegata' (no blooms, but soooo pretty)

Lisa

Hi Lisa,
I saw mature cornus controversa 'variegata' in a few gardens on an English garden tour and it is absolutely spectacular! Most had it planted where it was back-lit and it really does take your breath away.