Evergreen, hardy, colourful, low maintenance, great for screens, hedges, focal points, mixed borders, rock gardens and containers. So many attributes! Yet conifers suffer from the worst image problem a plant can get. This is because most when they hear the word Conifer, shudder and automatically think of big hedges, so much clipping to keep in control, the cause of so much neighbourly strife; in a word, Leylandii. But there is so much more conifers can do in your garden, and in this leaflet, we will show you what they can offer, and how to use them best.
Seasons of interest. Yes, conifers are evergreen, (except for a few tree conifers) and that means that you get 365 days of colour from them. To say that they don’t change however is wrong – colours of many varieties get brighter and richer in autumn and winter, whilst spring brings new young foliage – particularly pronounced with pines, which produce “Candles” – growths of compacted needles that stand upright in the foliage, eventually separating. One big plus for conifers is that they really stand out during the winter, when most other plants are dormant, so mixing them into a bed or border with other plants works very well.
Dwarf . These are slow growing varieties suitable for the garden that, compared to the species they were bred from, are considered dwarf. This can mean that they can grow well over 2 metres, so always check the label for eventual size. This said, however, most of the dwarf conifers we stock will be true dwarves, in a selection of textures and colours with an eventual height of between 10cm and 2 metres, including conical (pointed, upright), spherical, ovoid, spreading and ground cover forms. These are good for a variety of situations:
- Specimens. To form a focal point in the garden, a large, single, usually upright conifer either in a bed of smaller plants (heathers, pansies etc. or in the lawn. Juniperus ‘Blue Arrow’, Taxus ‘Standishii’, Picea ‘Edith’ and Cryptomeria ‘Sekkan Sugi’ are good choices.
- Mixed border. To add substance, winter interest and variety to an area of spring or summer flowering plants. Choose from Chamaecyparis ‘Boulevard’, ‘Elwood’s Gold’, Cryptomeria ‘Mushroom’, Picea ‘Daisy’s White’, Podocarpus ‘Young Rusty’, Platycladus ‘Aurea Nana’ Juniperus ‘Pyrimidalis’ and much more.
- Patio . Dwarf mountain pines look the best in large containers, such as Pinus mugo ‘Winter Gold’, ‘Hoersholm’ & ‘Mops’. Also Chamaecyparis ‘Nana Gracilis’, ‘Curley Tops’, Picea ‘Alberta Globe’ & Podocarpus ‘Red Embers’ amongst others.
- Rock gardens. Amongst alpines, a few very dwarf upright conifers can help to break the monotony, such as Juniperus ‘Compressa’, Chamaecyparis ‘Minima Aurea’, Picea ‘Albertiana Conica’.
- Ground cover. At the front of a border, or to cascade down a slope, choose Juniperus ‘Blue Star’, ‘Holger’ ‘Goldschatz’, ‘Blue Chip’ or ‘Nana’
- Alpine troughs. The of the dwarf is needed – Picea ‘Lilliput’, Chamaecyparis ‘Butterball’, ‘Nana Aureovariegata’, Thuja ‘Anniek.
Hedges. Leylandii are still the most popular hedging conifer, and for a good reason – it’s fast growing, able to screen off something ugly in very little time. The rate of growth though does mean that it has to be kept pruned, two or three times a year. When problems arise between neighbours it is usually because they have been left to grow far too large. There are however other conifers that are less vigorous and don’t need as much upkeep:
- Thuja ‘Smaragd’. An attractive, conical tree of emerald green, that stays dense. Quick growing, and can still reach a height of 5m if left unchecked, but only needs one trim in August.
- Cupressus Goldcrest. Bright gold-green foliage with a lemon scent. A good fast growing hedging conifer that need only be pruned once a year.
