Conifer Garden
Botanical name: Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ Common name: Bird’s nest spruce Origin: The species is native to Northern Europe, but Nidiformis is a garden variety. Where will it grow: Hardy to -50 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2 to 8; find your zone) Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Water requirement: Average (1 inch of water per week until well established) Mature size: Slow growing to 2 feet tall and 8 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Resists deer, rabbits, insects and disease; drought resistant once established Seasonal interest: New growth appears in midspring as light green tips, providing beautiful contrast to the dark green mature foliage; Nidiformis earns its place in the winter garden when its low, round form contrasts with the winter landscape. When to plant: Spring or fall is preferable.
Contorted. Most of these trees arose as sports from weeping conifers. They are weepers on steroids, each one developing its own unique shape; no two are alike. Contorted conifers make incredible specimen plants when used thoughtfully. Recommended conifers: Blue Cascade blue atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Blue Cascade’, zones 6 to 9, shown here) and Big Wave Norway spruce (Picea abies ‘Big Wave’, zones 2 to 8).
Weeping. Weeping conifers, like fine wine, can be an acquired taste. To some they exude personality; to others, they can seem depressing. Generally, however, they seem relaxed and add that feeling to the garden. They contrast well with conifers of differing shapes. Practice caution when using multiple weeping conifers in one sight line, as they can be overwhelming when planted en masse. Recommended conifers: Angel Falls white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Angel Falls’, zones 3 to 8) and weeping Norway spruce (Picea abies ‘Pendula’, zones 3 to 8), both shown here. Others to consider include the weeping blue atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca pendula’, zones 6 to 9), the deciduous Cascade Falls bald cypress (Taxodium distichum ‘Cascade Falls’, zones 4 to 9) and the weeping Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’, zones 3 to 7).
Round. Round or mounding conifers, such as globe blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Globosa’, zones 2 to 8), pull the eye back down to ground level and contrast well with other shapes in the garden. Additionally, many people find this shape soothing and nurturing. Round conifers tend to be rich in texture. Recommended conifers: Globe spruce, Mr. Bowling Ball Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Bobozam’, zones 3 to 7), dwarf Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’, zones 5 to 8), bird’s nest spruce (Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’, zones 2 to 8), mugo pine (Pinus mugo, zones 2 to 8) and blue star juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’, zones 4 to 8).
Columnar. Narrow, columnar trees, such as these Alaskan cedars (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, zones 4 to 8), provide height where it is needed most, lifting the eye to fill out a garden vignette. Columnar trees generally take up little square footage, which is a bonus in small gardens. Columnar trees can also be used to mimic architectural columns to frame front entryways for added emphasis. Recommended conifers: Alaskan cedars, of which ‘Van Den Akker’ is the narrowest cultivar; columnar Norway spruce (Picea abies ‘Cupressina’, zones 2 to 8); and Degroot’s Spire arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’, zones 3 to 8).
Conical. This iconic shape rekindles Christmas memories. Conical trees, like these blue spruces (Picea pungens, zones 2 to 7; find your zone), also conjure images of exploration and discovery. Use one as a focal point or to bring height and mass to a bed of low-growing shrubs and perennials. Or consider planting several to give your landscape that woodsy look. Recommended conifers: Colorado blue spruce, Norway spruce (Picea abies, zones 2 to 8; check invasive status in your area), Vanderwolf limber pine (Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’, zones 4 to 7) and Oregon Green Austrian pine (Pinus nigra ‘Oregon Green’, zones 4 to 8).
Certain pines, such as this Louie eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Louie’, zones 3 to 8) and Chief Joseph lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta ‘Chief Joseph’, zones 5 to 8), put on quite the winter show when their foliage changes from light green to brilliant yellow. Explore the colorful possibilities of adding conifers to your garden. These plants are anything but predictable and boring.
Add elegance with chartreuse. Chartreuse is cheerful and elegant, is easy to work with and lacks the brassiness that yellow can have. Plants such as this Skylands Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’, zones 4 to 7) prefer partial shade and are a welcome respite from the dark green foliage that often seems to rule the shade garden.
Brighten with yellow. Yellow is bold and cheerful, never to be ignored. Used sparingly it creates an unforgettable focal point in the garden. It lends itself to an elegant vignette when placed alongside black patio furniture or foliage. Some yellows can appear brassy, so choose this hue thoughtfully. Some yellow conifers, such as this Lemon Thread false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Lemon Thread’, zones 4 to 8), require nearly full sun, while others will scorch in sunny gardens.
Much in the same way as the trinity of onions, celery and carrots are invaluable in the culinary world, chartreuse, burgundy and blue are an invaluable trinity in garden design. Notice how in this photo the Blue Chip juniper (Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’, zones 3 to 9) in the foreground and the blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’, zones 2 to 8) in the background provide a sense of calm and continuity to the burgundy and chartreuse Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’ (left), Cotinus ‘Grace’, Spirea thunbergii ‘Mt. Fuji’ and Phormium ‘Golden Ray.’ Without the blue-green conifers, the composition would visually fall apart.
Entire gardens can be built around conifers. Let’s explore color to help design with conifers. It is readily apparent from this photo that conifers are anything but predictable and boring. They come in an array of colors, shapes, sizes and textures. Conifers can be combined in ways to rival even the most thoughtfully designed perennial beds with regard to these four elements. Bonus: When those multicolored perennial beds are asleep for the winter, conifer gardens continue to shine with color.
Shrub-Form Conifers The list of shrub-form conifers is seemingly endless. Led by junipers, these conifers generally grow to a more predictable and manageable height. Many remain low, some less than 1 foot tall, and spread to a width of 3 to 5 feet, effectively becoming a ground cover. Others can reach an eventual height of 8 feet or more, so proper choice and placement are paramount. Shrubby conifers can make a stunning focal point, as shown in this garden. The properly sited dwarf Japanese garden juniper (Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’, zones 4 to 9) commands attention as it cascades over a low wall.
Contrast conifers with one another. Because conifers have such varied sizes, shapes, colors and textures, it is exciting, and often intimidating, to use them together to create vignettes of high contrast and interest. Bedmates such as this Slowmound mugo pine (Pinus mugo ‘Slowmound’, zones 2 to 8) and this Curly Tops false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Curly Tops’, zones 4 to 8) provide year-round structure and high contrast based on size, shape, color and texture. Don’t be shy about using different conifers in close proximity. Your garden may just thank you.
Junipers. This group of shrubs and small trees is probably the most maligned group of conifers in existence. Highly textural, many juniper s— like this Grey Owl cultivar (Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl’, zones 2 to 9) — exhibit sharp foliage that conjures up painful childhood memories of hiding in the bushes. Many of the newer juniper cultivars are user friendly and highly recommended. For color and texture, junipers are unsurpassed. Consider planting them with columnar spruces or firs for contrast.
Spruces. These conifers generally have stiff, short needles that are arranged in a 360-degree pattern around the branch, as opposed to fir needles, which are generally softer and grow on the upper portion of the branch only. Additionally, spruce needles have four sides and are easy to roll between your fingers; fir needles have two sides. All spruces are quite textural. Some spruces, like this blue nest spruce (Picea mariana ‘Ericoides’, zones 3 to 9), are mounding in form. Others are tall standard, weeping or contorted. Consider pairing nest spruces with narrow, upright conifers, such as Chirimen hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Chirimen’, zones 5 to 9).
Pines. These trees are go-to plants in garden design. Pines generally exhibit narrow, erect foliage. Their sculptural quality has made them a staple in Asian gardens for centuries. This large and diverse family includes black pines, such as Thunderhead (Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’, zones 5 to 10); white pines (Pinus strobus and Pinus parviflora, zones 3 to 8 and zones 5 to 8, respectively); red pines, such as Dragon’s Eye (Pinus densiflora ‘Oculus Draconis’, zones 4 to 7); and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris cvs, zones 2 to 7). Some of the newer pine cultivars, such as this Mini Twists (Pinus strobus ‘Mini Twists’, zones 3 to 8), exhibit contorted foliage that brings additional textural interest to the garden.
Hinoki false cypresses. This tree, known botanically as Chamaecyparis, is related to cypress and generally exhibits the same fine texture. There are two major types of Chamaecyparis: pisifera and obtusa. Pisifera is enerally blue in color and has a coarser, more rounded type of foliage, whereas obtusa’s foliage is generally softer and flatter. Both are excellent tools in creating an artistic garden composition. This Lucas hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Lucas’, zones 5 to 8) has beautiful soft, flat, fern-like foliage. With its yellow foliage and reddish stems, Lucas earns its place in a sunny or partially shady garden. Here it is shown against the contrasting blue foliage of Angel Falls weeping white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Angel Falls’, zones 3 to 8).
Jay Sifford Garden Design Evergreen cypresses. Cypresses, such as this Raywood’s Weeping Arizona cypress (Cupressus glabra ‘Raywood’s Weeping’, zones 5 to 9), exhibit a texture similar to that of a rough-woven fabric. The fact that many of these cypresses sport colors of blue or chartreuse only enhances their value in our gardens. Creating a vignette by planting Raywood’s Weeping with a trio of shaggy globose dwarf pines or low-growing chartreuse junipers planted en masse would make a textural statement worth remembering.
From sharp and spiky to soft and fern-like, conifers are studies in textures. These Colorado blue spruces (Picea pungens cvs, USDA zones 3 to 7; find your zone) in the background anchor this garden and exhibit a coarse texture, while the white pines (Pinus strobus cvs, zones 3 to 8) and the Alberta spruces (Picea glauca ‘Conica’, zones 2 to 7) bring in a soft, fuzzy textural quality that draws us in. The chartreuse junipers low in the foreground have a deceptively soft, airy quality, as these are, in fact, less desirable to touch. It is the artistic blending of these textures that gives this garden depth and interest. It is what makes you pause to take a second look. Like an artist uses a variety of brushes, paints and palette knives to craft a painting, you can use a variety of conifers as your tools to craft a sensual and personal garden.
Grasses. These plants are virtually unsurpassed with regard to shape and texture. Many of the newer cultivars offer a wide range of colors. This low and mounding Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’, zones 5 to 9) contrasts perfectly with the Thunderhead pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’, zones 5 to 10). From sedge to switchgrass, there’s a grass or relative to pair with every conifer.
Shrubs. Colorful foliage is what sets newer shrub cultivars apart from older ones and what makes them perfect bedmates for conifers. This Orange Rocket barberry (Berberis thunbergii ‘Orange Rocket’, zones 4 to 9; check for invasiveness in your area) would be an inspired alternative for pairing with the blue spruce in the previous photo, since orange and blue are complementary (opposite) hues on the color wheel. Additional shrubs to consider for your garden pairings include weigela (Weigela cvs, zones 4 to 8), ninebark (Physocarpus cvs, zones 3 to 8), boxwood (Buxus cvs, zones 5 to 8) and smokebush (Cotinus coggygria cvs, zones 5 to 9).
Flowering perennials. Referencing the color wheel will provide guidance to effectively pair flowering perennials with your conifer(s). Notice how the pairing of blue spruce (Picea pungens cvs, zones 4 to 7) and Firewitch cheddar pinks (Dianthus ‘Feuerhexe’, zones 3 to 8) here is especially appealing. The blue-gray foliage of this dianthus nearly matches that of the spruce, while the pink adds punch. When planting perennials in close proximity to conifers, keep in mind that taller perennials can shade lower portions of the tree, causing brown patches and dieback. Shorter perennials may be a safer choice.
Consider texture. Texture appeals to us on a tactile level. Well-designed gardens generally have a lot of texture. Notice how the two plants shown here, a Blue Cascade atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Blue Cascade’, zones 6 to 9) and Toffee Twist hair sedge (Carex flagellifera ‘Toffee Twist’, zones 7 to 10), couldn’t be more different in size, shape and color. It is the similarity of texture that ties them together. Their texture in common begs the garden visitor to reach out and touch.
Consider shape. Whereas size appeals to us on an emotional level, shape reaches us on an intellectual, almost empirical, level. Notice how the variegated Japanese water iris (Iris ensata ‘Variegata’, zones 5 to 9) injects interest into this vignette while providing a point of transition between conifers. The light, vibrant hues of the iris foliage speak to the bright, spring-like hues of the Golden Pacific shore junipers (Juniperus conferta ‘Golden Pacific’, zones 6 to 8). The shapes, however, contrast. The iris is quite vertical, while the juniper exhibits horizontal growth. The shape of the iris foliage does, however, mimic the shape of the much taller Alaskan cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Van Den Akker’, zones 5 to 8), effectively pulling the garden together.
Color. Color appeals to us on an artistic level. While the previous garden is sublime, some may find the green-on-green palette too restful for their personal taste. When designing a garden worthy of accolades, the color wheel can be your best friend. When viewing the color wheel, hues directly across from each other are called complementary colors, while hues adjacent to each other are called analogous colors. Complementary colors, such as the blue and orange shown in this photo, create a high level of interest. Pairing blue with an analogous color, such as green, would create a more subdued, and some would say less interesting, vibe. The particular blue exhibited by this upright juniper has undertones of gray, as does the red in the neighboring barberry. This creates a secondary connection that speaks to the quality of this design.
Size. A memorable garden is one in which differences in heights are tastefully exploited to create a dynamic three-dimensional quality. Notice how the tall arborvitaes (Thuja cvs, zones 4 to 8; find your zone) contrast with the shorter clipped boxwood (Buxus sp) hedge and the hostas (Hosta sp). The emotional impact of this nearly monochromatic garden is profound due to the thoughtful juxtaposition of size.
opposites really do attract. As a result, I build my gardens around the concept of juxtaposition. Consider these four characteristics: size, color, shape and texture. Playing it safe means that you match three or four of these attributes when choosing garden mates. You’re trying hard to not rock the proverbial boat, but in your doing so, your garden becomes predictable and risks being a bit boring. Being artistic and somewhat daring means that you match one or two of these attributes when creating your garden vignette and contrast the rest. You’re injecting life and planned spontaneity into your space. Not matching any of these criteria means you’re probably buying marked-down plants at the local big-box store. Comparing and contrasting plant characteristics can seem like a daunting task at first, but once you master it, your garden will become both your palette and your playground.
Bird’s nest spruce is sometimes confused with Globosa blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Globosa’, zones 2 to 8). There are, however, several colorful variations of Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ available in the trade. Shown here is the beautiful chartreuse cultivar ‘Vermont Gold’. Its new growth is both bright and stunning. For smaller spaces a dwarf offering known as ‘Little Gem’ is commonly available and recommended. Smaller yet is ‘Pusch’, which grows to 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide. Pusch is unique in that it sports many bright pinkish-red cones in late spring.
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