It depends on what you want in your environment. For me, I like sunshine on my house to prevent mold and for my mental well-being, especially in winter, and I like growing veggies and colorful annuals which require full sun for much of the day. So, when we moved to this house in the woods, we cut down a lot of trees and continue to cut small trees before they reach a height that requires a tree $cutter$.

There was a small stand of young pines that would've blocked all our winter sun when full grown (how depressing for me) so we cut the tops off and they still look nice, but are now growing bushy and to a shorter height.

We do have a small garden on one side of the house that was in full sun, but is now mostly shaded by two trees that have grown very tall, but they are my hammock trees and I would never cut them, so that garden has become a shade garden on its own. It's interesting to watch the sun lovers die out and shade lovers proliferate.

Really, it's what you need and what you can live with.

I would limb up and trim so that more sun would reach the area. Lots more choices for flowering plants then.

I have limbed up my trees and suggest you do the same

No doubt your trees were planted by ignorant people like my own neighbors who figured they were the best way to get instantaneous screening with the cheapest available plants.

Pines and most maples are very difficult to garden underneath. Personally, I think pines look terrible when they are limbed up. However, the only way to live with maples is to limb them up and thin them. But you should plan to do this every four or five years, and it won't be cheap. Look for the forum, above, by a member who is asking others to critic her plans to live with two Norwegian maples, for some suggestions as to what can live underneath them.

However, I suggest a long range culling program. Take out a few trees now to make space to get some understory trees and shrubs started, assuming that you want your backyard screened from your neighbors. In a few years when these are doing well, take out some more pines and maples, etc., until only the best specimens of the maples and pines remain.

Thanks for the advice and explanations you guys. I think I know what Im going to do now.

P.S Its a secret! LOL

Thanks again!
Lucas