I want to purchase a new ornamental flowering tree for a south facing garden in North Vancouver to replace a dead cherry tree. I have not had much luck with cherry trees as several have died after twenty years from a blight.Should I get another cherry or switch to something else? The garden needs colour.What about a colourful perennial shrub? Suggestions needed please! I do not want anything too big.What about a dogwood?
You mentioned wanting colour, have you considered a non deciduous tree? Eucryphia is a good one, flowers in August or Magnolia Grandiflora, beautiful leaves year round. Dogwood, Cornus Mas, beautiful early yellow blooms ( out right now ), then red berries later in the year. Have fun with your decision!
Hibiscus syriacus in a shrub or standard form is a great compromise between a shrub and a small tree and fabulous for adding late summer/early fall colour. The city of Vancouver has even planted them as street "trees" ( I believe it's on Burrard south of Davie) My white flowered "Red Heart" blooms for weeks each year with no insect or disease problems. The large flowered ones are quite tropical looking, but my neighbour has on with quite small double pink flowers which is also lovely and would suit any style f garden. Avoid dogwoods unless you know you are getting one with proven blight resistance; even then do some research and don't just take the seller or grower's word for it. There are some great looking Cornus kousa around, but some are just as vulnerable as C. florida. If you have space for something larger then Styrax is a nice choice for spring blooming trees. Especially if its located where you can sit at a bench or table and look up into the pendulous flower.
how about: Davidia involucrata (though may be too large for you) Stewartia pseudocamellia Crataegus Cercis canadensis
I like the idea of Cercis in theory, but can't say I've ever really seen a good looking one here. Can you suggest locations for nice looking young and mature ones in the Vancouver area?
I've pruned a few very nice smaller to medium sized redbuds in East Vancouver and Kits, but can't recall exactly where they were. I don't remember if the UBC Botanical Garden has one, but I recommend a walk through there to many of my clients to get ideas for tree planting. It has great examples of mature forms and many are labelled.