Question
We would like to plant a shamel ash but are afraid of the roots.  We want to plant it about 6 ft. from the house, 5ft. from the driveway and 10 ft. from the sidewalk.  Is this a safe distance?  If not what kind of tree should we plant with a lot of shade?

Answer
This ash is safe as far as the house is concerned but it would cause up rooting problems with the driveway and sidewalk. This problem will not occur until many years down the road--20+. The other problem being this close to the drive and walk will be the limbs over hanging the drive and hitting the car or hitting walkers along the walk. I would plant it at least 20 feet from the drive and/or walk. There are other trees that have a narrower crown that you could use I would go to a local tree nursery (not a department store like Walmart) and ask them about a tree for the areas you have in mind. A drawing of the area will help them pick the right tree for you.