A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 fast growing shade trees

We have finally purchased a house, but it only has pine trees around it. I want to plant something that will allow grass to grow around it and will grow reasonable fast. Any ideas/suggestions?? Thanks in advance!
Jiffy :p

October Glory Maples are really lovely, have incredible blazing red fall color and grow very fast. Autumn Blaze is another nice one.

trees in the willow family grow extremely fast, but only offer light shade.

As far as grass growing under a shade tree, I would recommend using a sod that is shade tolerant, like Z52 zoysia or fescue seed if you must have grass. An easier more shade tolerant choice would be using a nice evergreen ground cover like dwarf mondo, ivy, pachysandra or ajuga.

I live in zone 9 -- Look up London Plane to see if it will grow there. I planted a tiny fellow a few years ago -- now I have to rake its leaves in the fall (really grew). My hubby and I are partial, though, to the Coastal Redwood. We planted 20 of them on our property (we call it our forest) -- evergreen and very very fast growing -- no maintenance and very beautiful.