Ask Burton: Q: I had an old sweetgum in my front yard that’s given up the ghost this year so we had it removed. I’d like an upright smaller tree to go in the yard now. The sweetgum almost had the shape I wanted, but it was still a little too big and the spiny seed pods were not a favorite! Our front yard is small and I’d like a small tree out there with that upright kind of shape, but something that would stay in the twenty foot range. I also don’t care for magnolias, as it feels like we’re always picking up leaves, so do you have any ideas for a smaller evergreen tree?