New Dwarf Conifers in the Garden

Dwarf conifers are great pieces to add to any garden as structure and all season interest.  Among our first year yard transformation are scattered several varieties of these little gems.  While they will maintain a small stature, their place in the garden is not commensurate to their size. 

The first one to show off is Abies Koreana 'Kohout's Icebreaker', or just 'Icebreaker'.  Surely named for its icy blue/white recurved needles that light up the corner of this garden.  This one is grafted on Abies firma stock, and will remain quite small.  It is said that eventually, it will develop a leader, but that usually takes years, and can be pruned to remain in a small bun shape.  The picture on the left is our tree, and the one to the right is a mature specimen (on a higher graft), found on the internet.  I found this one at Conifer Kingdom, and I must say, I was really impressed with their customer service and the shipping packaging was great.

Next on the list is Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Verdoni'.  We had our eye on a Hinoki Cypress all summer at a local garden center, but it never came to pass.  Then on a road trip, we found this one on fall clearance at a garden center in St. Thomas, ON.  It is a beautiful limey green/yellow color and will mature into a nice small tree at about 5-6 feet tall in 10 years.  Again, ours is on the left, and mature one shown to the right.

Sticking with the gold theme, we have Thuja plicata 'Fluffy', a Western Arborvitae.  This is another fall special, from English Gardens in Michigan.  Fluffy will grow to approx. 5-10 feet tall, and 3-6 feet wide (according to the source of this tree, Proven Winners).  Fluffy is planted in a partially shaded corner of the woodland side yard and again, will serve to light up a section of the garden.

For our next dwarf conifer, please meet Pinus Sylvestris 'Beacon Hill', a Scotch Pine.  There is not a lot of information available about this guy, and from what I have seen, he may need to be re-sited based on his potential size.  I like that there is already a small cone, despite it being a small specimen.  Beacon Hill was found at Whistling Gardens, from our friend Darren.  If you are in the area, it is a must stop.

Finally, we have Thuja Occidentalis 'Primo'.  This is a really tight little tree with closely held foliage.  As can be seen from the specimen to the right, it can be pruned into a very slender statement piece and will stay well behaved, even if not pruned.  Primo was found at Bordine's in Rochester, MI.

        

     

Thanks for looking at our small, but growing, dwarf conifer collection!  Happy Gardening!

Listening to:  "Black Lipstick" by Chicano Batman