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Home , Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Chamaecyparis pisifera, Cupressus arizonica

USING IN THE GARDEN WHAT YOU’LL NEED THE EASY GUIDE TO Few gardens rely solely on flowers occasional trim and an annual forUsing year-round interest; they also feed of slow-release fertiliser. • BucketToo ls • Slow-release fertiliser need a structure of different Low troughs can be underplant- • Fork • Secateurs or shears shapes, colours and textures to ed with miniature bulbs and • Spade • Coniferous provide a background and main- bedding plants. Plant a single • Soil conditioner For more information: GROWING tain year-round appeal. Conifers in patio planters to give (peat, coir, well- www.rhs.org.uk/advice are ideal because they are avail- height or a combination of rotted compost) www.plantforlife.info able in so many forms, are hardy, different shapes, textures and Growing easy to care for and long-living. colours for an all-round display. CONIFERS ● Hedges in a variety of growth Use prostrate in place rates and colour give privacy, of trailing plants. provide habitats for wildlife, ● Borders can benefit from the HORTICULTURAL TRADES ASSOCIATION absorb traffic noise and pollu- graceful, arching foliage of pen- THE HORTICULTURAL TRADES ASSOCIATION IS RUN tion, screen unsightly objects dulous conifers or upright-grow- BY THE GARDEN INDUSTRY FOR THE GARDEN INDUSTRY Coni f e r s and create a backdrop for the ing specimens. Plant with other It is dedicated to providing services, products, advice and information Gardens Beneficial to Wildlife HTA garden (see our leaflet Making shrubs, phormiums, heathers or to help support and promote the business activities of grasses for a long-lasting border. garden retailers, growers, landscapers, wholesalers, for advice on planting a hedge). ● Water features: conifers are manufacturers and service providers in the UK. ● ● Ground cover can be provided excellent planted beside water HTA Specialist Groups – HTA and Hedging Group; by fast- or slow-growing pros- as their strong shapes make Association of British Conifer Growers visit www.conifers.org.uk trate conifers used to edge wonderful reflections. They also ● Tel: 0118 930 3132 or visit www.the-hta.org.uk ponds, paths or borders; cover hide the edges of pond liners and ● PlantforLife – visit www.plantforlife.info unsightly areas; and suppress break up fixed lines of vision. weeds. They can act as a foil for ● Mixed plantings: conifers can bulbs, flowers and grasses. be used with other plants to ● Specimens planted in the centre give year-round interest and ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY of a lawn, in a corner, in a tub or colour: dwarf conifers live hap- THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY IS THE UK’S LEADING GARDENING CHARITY in a border or rockery can add pily alongside other plants in Membership benefits include: structural interest to a garden. containers, or by themselves as ● freeRHS entry with a guest to RHS Gardens Wisley, ● Containers: miniature and specimens. Try them with winter Rosemoor, Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr; dwarf conifers suit container bedding and early spring bulbs ● free entry to more than 140 recommended gardens; planting and will last five years and flowers, which can then be privileged entry and reduced-rate tickets or more in the same pot with a swapped for summer bedding. for RHS flower shows; minimum of attention. Just Heathers and hardy cyclamen ● free gardening advice service; water in summer, give an also make a great combination. ● and free monthly edition of The Garden magazine. ● Call 0845 130 4646 or visit www.rhs.org.uk

Photography: Tim Sandall/The Garden, RHS, HTA Copyright: All information contained within the Easy Guide series of leaflets remains the copyright of the HTA and cannot be reproduced in written or electronic form without permission EG13/0110 Made from at least 50% recycled paper; the remainder is from certified forests CONIFERS RECOMMENDED PLANTS TRIMMING & PRUNING There are over 1,000 different conifer to choose Correctly chosen, most conifers only need a light Conifers come in a vast range of colours and many change shade during from, so if you can’t find a specific variety, there will be clipleylandii in late summer with secateurs or shears to theConi year. Careful choice fcan e give r you s a great splash of colour in autumn Choosing Pruning alternatives. When buying conifers for a certain position, keep the shape correct – even x Cuprocyparis and winter when most other plants are dormant. choose suitable plants based on height, colour and growth just require an annual trim, preferably Size is determined by variety and not by size at planting. Most plant habit rather than trying to remember a long Latin name. in July. Junipers benefit from occasional radical labels carry a 10-year height as part of the description. Generally: leylandii Below is a list of some of the more popular cultivars, pruning and most reshoot from the old . But ● d = dwarf, under 40cm in 10 years ● s = slow, under 1m in 10 years or you can see what’s available at your local garden centre don’t let them get too large before pruning or ● m = medium, up to 2m in 10 years ● f = fast, anything above that. or nursery, or visit www.conifers.org.uk you’ll have unsightly brown wood for a year or two. Growth rates vary: some grow quickly straight away (x Cuprocyparis ) but then need to be kept in check; others are very slow for a HEDGING plicata BUSHY time and then grow rapidly (Araucaria araucana – monkey puzzle); while Green lawsoniana ‘Green Hedger’ m, Green Abies balsamea Hudsonia Group d, some barely grow more than 2cm a year (Picea mariana ‘Nana’ – spruce). xleylandiiCuprocyparis leylandii f, Taxus baccata m, ‘Nana Gracilis’ s, Pinus mugo varieties s, Tsuga canadensis ‘Atrovirens’ f, T. occidentalis Emerald m & ‘Brabant’ f ‘Jeddeloh’ s carpa CHOOSING & PLANTING Yellow/gold ‘Stardust’ m, x Cuprocyparis Yellow/gold Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Fernspray Gold’ m, ‘Nana’ d, ‘Nana ‘Castlewellan’ f & ‘Gold Rider’ f, macro Aurea’ s & ‘Nana Lutea’ s, C. pisifera ‘Filifera Nana’ s & PREPARATION & PLANTING TIME: 30 MINS ‘Goldcrest’ f, Taxus baccata golden varieties m, ‘Sungold’ s, Pinus densiflora ‘Alice Verkade’ m, Planting Thuja occidentalis ‘Sunkist’ m Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’ s, T. plicata ‘Whipcord’ m Conifers will tolerate most soils, but Blue/grey Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Chilworth Silver’ m & ‘Pembury Blue/grey ‘Boulevard’ m & ‘Squarrosa avoid planting in areas that water- Blue’ m, Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Ice’ f & var. glabra f Lombarts’ m, Juniperus ‘Grey Owl’ m, J. squamata ‘Blue Star’ d distichum log regularly, except for Variegated/ Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Summer Snow’ m & Variegated/ Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Nana Albospica’ s, C. pisifera (swamp ) and white tipped ‘Argenteovariegata’ m, x Cuprocyparis leylandii white tipped ‘Snowflake’ d, japonica ‘Sekkan-sugi’ m, (dawn redwood). A ‘Harlequin’ f, Thuja plicata ‘Zebrina’ m J. x pfitzeriana ‘Sulphur Spray’ m very chalky soil will suit Taxus (yew), Winter colour Cryptomeria japonica Elegans Group f & Elegans Compacta m Bronze/purple/Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Compacta s, Juniperus some junipers and pines. Local winter colour horizontalis ‘Andorra Compact’ d, Podocarpus ‘Blaze’ d & climate, such as areas of high or COLUMN (fastigiate)sempervirens ‘County Park Fire’ d, orientalis ‘Rosedalis’ s low rainfall, can affect height and Green Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Ellwood’s Pillar s, ‘Grayswood spread. To help you choose the Feather’macrocarpa m, ‘Green Pillar’ m, and ‘Little Spire’ m, Cupressus BALL (globose) right conifer for your garden, see ‘Totem Pole’ m, Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ m Green Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Gnome’ d, ‘Green Globe’ d & our list of plants opposite or ask Yellow/gold Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwood’s Gold’ m, Cupressus ‘Minima Glauca’ s, Picea abies ‘Little Gem’ d, P. glauca your nursery or garden centre. ‘Wilma’ m, C. sempervirens ‘Swanes Gold’ s, ‘Alberta Globe’ d, Thuja occidentalis ‘Danica’ d Before planting, remove the tree Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’ s, Taxus baccata ‘Standishi’ s Yellow/gold Platycladus orientalis ‘Aurea Nana’ s, Thuja occidentalis from the pot and soak the rootball Blue/grey Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Pelt’s Blue’ f, Juniperus communis ‘Amber Glow’ d, ‘Golden Globe’ s & ‘Golden Tuffet’ d in a bucket of water for about 10 ‘Compressa’ d, J. scopulorum ‘Blue Arrow’ m, Blue/grey Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Curly Tops’ s, minutes. Clear the area of weeds. Pinus sylvestris Fastigiata Group m Picea mariana ‘Nana’ d, P. pungens ‘Globosa’ s Make the planting hole about Variegated/ Juniperus scopulorum ‘Silver Star’ m, Taxus baccata Variegated/ Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Pygmaea Argentea’ d, twice the size of the rootball; the white tipped ‘Fastigiata Aureomarginata’ s, ‘Icicle’ d & ‘Ivory Tower’ s white tipped C. pisifera ‘Nana Aureovariegata’ d & ‘Plumosa top of the rootball should be just leylandii Compressa’ d, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Golden Promise’ d 2.5cm below ground level. CONICAL: (pyramidal) Bronze/purple/Cryptomeria japonica ‘Compressa’ d & ‘Vilmoriniana’ d, Refill the planting hole with the Green Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwoodii’ m, x Cuprocyparis winter colour Thuja occidentalis ‘Teddy’ d original soil mixed with peat, coir ‘Olive’s Green’ f, Picea glauca var. albertiana or very well-rotted compost. Do not ‘Conica’ m & ‘Laurin’ d, Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup’ m GROUND COVER:(prostrate/semi-prostrate) (growth rates refer to width) use nitrogenous fertilisers such as Yellow/gold Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Minima Aurea’ s, ‘Springtime’ s Green Juniperus communis ‘Green Carpet’ s, ‘Hornibrookii’ m & poultry or horse manure or bedding & ‘Yvonne’ m, Thuja occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbon’ m ‘Repanda’ m, J. x pfitzeriana ‘Mint Julep’ m, plant compost which often contains Blue/grey Abies lasiocarpa ‘Compacta’ m, Cupressus arizonica J. rigida subsp. conferta m, J. sabina ‘Tamariscifolia’ m fast-release fertiliser, which can ‘Pyramidalis’ m, Juniperus chinensis ‘Pyramidalis’ m, Yellow/gold Juniperus horizontalis ‘Golden Carpet’ d, J. x pfitzeriana damage conifer roots. One or two Picea glauca Alberta Blue s & ‘Sanders Blue’ s, P. pungens ‘Carberry Gold’ m, ‘Gold Coast’ m & Golden Joy’ s feeds with a slow-release fertiliser ‘Hoopsii’ m & Glauca Group m Blue/grey Cedrus deodara ‘Feelin’ Blue’ m, Juniperus horizontalis is quite enough to maintain growth. Variegated/ Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Fleckellwood’ m, ‘Snow White’ m ‘Blue Chip’ m & Glauca Group m, J. squamata ‘Blue Carpet’ m Give enough water to keep the white tipped & ‘Summer Snow’ m, Juniperus chinensis ‘Variegata’ m, Variegated/ Juniperus chinensis ‘Expansa Aureospicata’ m, rootball moist but not waterlogged Picea glauca ‘J. W. Daisy’s White’ s white tipped J. squamata ‘Holger’ s, Taxus baccata ‘Repens Aurea’ m in the early years after planting. Bronze/purple/Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Ericoides’ s, ‘Rubicon’ s & Bronze/purple/Juniperus horizontalis ‘Andorra Compact’ s & ‘Winter Blue’ m, Conifers also grow well in pots. winter colour ‘Top Point’ s winter colour m, Taxus baccata ‘Corleys Coppertip’ m