Digital BW, The Print

I've got a question about fine b&w landscapes. I've been working with 
a dedicated infrared dslr and getting good results with exposure, 
focus, and lighting but I'm having trouble with the final image and 
how I composed them in the field. I did an experimental study of 
images of trees around a pond. The problem is with a DOF that puts 
everything virtually in sharp focus that it renders the main subjects -
 specific trees or groups of trees - less prominent such that they 
look more random than I'd like. Take a look:

http://www.pbase.com/markleewebb/chance_pond_ir_march_1_2008

Question - for shots like this where you are stuck with a background 
of other trees and you have other trees to right and to left and 
sometimes in foreground - can you ever use DOF to emphasize your main 
subject? Nail focus on main subject but go very soft using DOF on, 
say, the background? Is this ever done with landscapes?