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The seat wall continues beyond the wall spur to wrap around a small planter where a small specimen tree grows. I'm recommending Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria) for this place because it doesn't need much water (so it won't cause problems with the oaks) and it looks good in every season. In the spring, it leafs out with purple leaves, then insignificant flowers dust the tree. The flowers are followed by what causes the smoke: seed heads with long feathery plumes attached (kind of like clematis seed heads). These remain on the tree until fall, when they fall and the leaves turn bright yellows and reds. In winter, the twisted branch shapes provide sculptural interest. This is what a smoke tree looks like (this one is at Foothill right outside one of the classrooms the OH department uses).
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