Can you help me pick a species of tree for the yard?

If two trees failed at the same spot, I would probably have an arborist look at the site and make a recommendation. Probably the greenskeeper would be qualified for that opinion. Something is funky there killing trees, and if you stick in a Willow or something that really sucks up water, it might get too bushy and block peoples view. Or it might die too. Put a red shirt on any tree there.

You could build up the soil in that spot so it would drain around it. That might be a good option. This is a site that describes a number of trees that might work for you. I agree that you might want to get a professional to see what the problem is. Besides being waterlogged, it might have the wrong soil pH, or composition, which would be a problem for many trees.

Thanks for the advice. That site is great! I’m no expert, but I don’t think it’s a problem with the Ph since there are several oaks and a few cherries very nearby that are doing great (although the cherry closest to that spot is about 50% of the size of the other ones planted at the same time). I don’t think building up the area is much of an option just because it would force the water onto other parts of the yard which are already pretty wet.

In VA and on a golf course where it gets lots of sun, I’d suggest crepe myrtle. Won’t hide the view, at least not for the first 50 years.

The American hornbeam, which is native to Iowa (so it should do OK in summer and winter) likes moist conditions and grows to 20–30 feet.

Another option would be a srhub instead of a tree. You might like Red Chokeberry.

There are also a number of plants that love marshy ground. Some decorative grasses and vines come to mind. If it’s a climber, it will try to take over any neighboring trees, so be sure to keep it trimmed. Ask a nursery man, or do a search for marsh plants

Edit: Cat tails might do the trick for you!

I have a Japanese Willow, it is in a pot on my deck but could easily be placed in the ground. They are willowy in appearance fill out but not dense enough to block the view, are pruned back every spring if they get too large.

Would probably get 12 feet tall or so and just keep pruned to shape.

Or.. Smoke trees.
Moderate growers, don’t get huge 12–15 feet or so, and beautiful plum colored leaves in spring with smokey clusters of blooms in summer. Also, drought resistant.

OR…( lol ) Clusters of exotic grasses, Myscanthus, Zebra grass. to form a shorter wall at the corner of your property.

@majorrich I loved your red shirt answer!!

A nice small tree that is very adaptable is the White Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus). It’s a small, hardy tree that is filled with beautiful, delicate, fragrant white flowers in the spring and early summer. Not too big, and would fit nicely in the corner of your yard. Prefers moist soil and full sun, though will tolerate drier soils too. Cold hardy.

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/dbpages/images/309a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/dbpages/309.html&h=340&w=400&sz=79&tbnid=5jbC3TR07AD9nM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchionanthus&hl=en&usg=__UHDQxKgmtb7PioJ2k8iKyFMG2fs=&ei=SCPBS5K1CoOFnQePvLi2Cg&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=7&ct=image&ved=0CBUQ9QEwBg

I think bamboo might do well there. And bamboo, once established, can be cut down and regrown, too. There is such a wide variety of hardy and decorative bamboos available (and they also propagate in different ways), that you should take your pick.

http://www.bamboogarden.com/default.htm

Japanese maple. did i spell that right?

@CyanoticWasp

Yes, Bamboo is a good idea! I have a ton of Bamboo, love them.

Note: The willow and Zebra grasses like lots of water, not so much the smoke tree, overlooked the water exposure.

Willows do well in wet areas, and there are some varieties that do not get very large (my mother has a beautiful curly willow that is about 15 feet high). They have an extensive root system, though, and should not be planted near the foundation of a house.

Japanese maples come in many varieties, a great number of which remain small. They are a lovely, lovely tree.

Japanese magnolias are another favorite of mine. The variant names that end in a woman’s name (mine is an “Anne” magnolia) tend to be dwarf forms that stay under 15 feet or so. They create a dramatic spring display with large, tulip shaped flowers that appear before the leaves.

A teddy bear magnolia is an evergreen that doesn’t get as large as traditional magnolias.

The red bud is a very hardy tree and is native to north America.

Be very careful with bamboo – it is highly invasive!

@syz .. yes the japanese maple is a beuitiful tree. i have one in my front yard, a red one.

maple or rosebud

@syz

Oooh…the redbud!

My area is exploding with them now, all over the backroads, beautiful!

Lilacs are nice, and they smell great.