COVER_Spring11_final.qxp:CQ 3/31/11 5:27 PM Page cov1 Conifer Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 2 Spring 2011 Picea omorika 'Bruns' Photo by Don Wild COVER_Spring11_final.qxp:CQ 3/31/11 5:27 PM Page cov2 Abies veitchii Spring Cones Photo by Don Wild CQ_Spring2011_final:CQ 3/31/11 5:21 PM Page 1 The Conifer Quarterly is the publication of the American Conifer Society Contents 6 Expedition into the Altai Mountains by Jörg Kohout, translated by Ron Elardo 15 Conifers Outside Their Zone in Oregon by Don Durkee 20 For the Love of Conifers at Picadilly Farms by Flo Chaffin 26 Reference Gardens 101 by Flo Chaffin 30 The Johnson Sculpture Garden by Jack Ayers 34 Conifer Road Less Traveled – Part 1 by Tom Cox 38 Using Hypertufa to Contain Dwarf Conifers by Michael Larkin American Conifer Society Voices 2 President’s Message 4 Editor’s Memo 13 J. R. P. van Hoey Smith 17 Editor’s Corner 43 ACS Central Region Meeting The purposes of the American Conifer Society are the development, conservation, and propagation of conifers, with an emphasis on those that are dwarf or unusual, standardization of nomenclature, and education of the public. Vol. 28 No. 2 CONIFER QUARTERLY 1 CQ_Spring2011_final:CQ 3/31/11 5:21 PM Page 2 Conifer hank you for your participation in this marvelous society. At the ACS Board TMeeting this past February a hot topic for Quarterly discussion was Reference Gardens. The Spring 2011 Southeast Region in particular has been ac- Volume 28, No 2 tive in recruiting Reference Gardens with 12 to date. The Board granted the SE Region an The Conifer Quarterly (ISSN 8755-0490) is published quarterly by the American Conifer extra $3,000 for their Reference Gardens in Society. The Society is a non-profit organization 2011. I want flagship gardens such as the incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth U.S. National Arboretum’s Goteli Collec- of Pennsylvania and is tax exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code. tion, the Bickelhaupt Arboretum and The You are invited to join our Society. Please Dawes Arboretum to be Reference Gardens address membership and other inquiries to the as well. Please contact your regional leaders American Conifer Society National Office, 175 if you know of a public garden that should Charisma Lane, Lewisville, NC 27023-9611. Membership: US $30 (indiv.), $35 (joint), be an ACS Reference Garden. $30 (institutional), $50 (sustaining), $100 Compliance with new IRS guide- (corporate business) and $130 (patron). If you are lines for not-for-profit organizations was moving, please notify the National Office 4 weeks in advance. another important topic at our board All editorial and advertising matters should be meeting. It is necessary that our member- sent to: Ron Elardo, 5749 Hunter Ct., Adrian, MI ship be made aware through articles writ- 49221-2471, (517) 902-7230 or email [email protected] ten for the Conifer Quarterly of progress made by individuals and gardens that re- Editor ceive ACS funds. Furthermore, we want Ron Elardo to know what conifers you are planting, Technical Editors and which ones do best in your specific Ethan Johnson landscape situations. My goal is to com- Susan Martin R. William Thomas pile lists of ACS “Blue Ribbon” conifers for every landscape purpose and for every Advisory Committee part of the world where our members re- Larry Nau, Committee Chair side. These highly recommended conifers Marvin Snyder Ron Elardo should be on display at our Reference Evelyn Cox, past Editor Gardens. ex officio: Ellen Kelley We owe the public information about ex officio: John Martin these marvelous low-maintenance, high- Copyright © 2011, American Conifer Society. All impact plants that can be purchased to rights reserved. No material contained herein may improve landscapes and people’s quality be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed of life. Appropriate articles regarding by authors and advertisers are not necessarily these conifers and the functions of the those of the Society. ACS are to be published in the Conifer Note: Hardiness Zone references in the Quarterly, on the ACS website and in Conifer Quarterly are USDA classifications unless other media so as to reach a wider audi- otherwise specified. ence. Please check out the Conifer Data- 2CONIFER QUARTERLY Vol. 28 No. 2 CQ_Spring2011_final:CQ 3/31/11 5:21 PM Page 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK base as Bill Barger has updated it so you in Ames, Iowa on June 17-18 where Gary can sign in, contribute information and Whittenbaugh has organized what prom- even keep records on the conifers you ises to be an inspiring get-together. The grow at home. There is a separate sign-in National Meeting in spectacular Silver- for the ACS website and please note that ton, Oregon, August 4-6, organized by if you submit news or an article it should Brian Jacob, is not to be missed. It will be be in rich text format (RTF) for ease of followed by a 4-day post-tour of scenic posting. Perhaps you will enjoy reading Oregon organized by Brian Jacob, Kath- the new Central Region newsletter that leen Pottratz and Joe Carli. The Northeast Jerry Belanger has edited. An expanded Region Meeting in beautiful Burlington, version with more images and articles is Vermont, September 9-10, organized by posted on our website and has been sent Ridge Goodwin is certainly compelling. to Central Region members who have Lastly, the Southeast Region Meeting in provided their e-mail addresses to John gorgeous Athens, Georgia, October 21- Martin at the National Office. 23, organized by Flo Chaffin, will be Gee Farms in Michigan, who will dynamic. help host the 2012 ACS National Meet- Rich Larson has received his first ing, has volunteered to donate plants to conifer registrations this year. If you have the Secrest Arboretum in Ohio that was developed new conifers or wish to pro- devastated by a tornado last September, as mote conifers that have not been formally have our friends at Rich’s Foxwillow registered with the International Registra- Pines in Illinois. Thank you Gary, Kaye, tion Authority at the Royal Horticultural Kary, Rich and Susan for your generosity! Society, Wisley, please contact Rich at We need to recruit new members. The Dawes Arboretum. Volunteers who are willing to reach out to One way to develop new conifers is people by making public presentations or to grow them from seed. Please consider put on an ACS Rendezvous to recruit and participating in the ACS Seed Exchange retain members are welcome. Feel free to this year that Jim Brackman has volun- contact a board member or someone who teered to coordinate. I will collect more has done these sorts of things before if seed this year starting with the cedar of you can help. I am organizing my first Lebanon, the cones of which have begun Rendezvous in Northeast Ohio on Friday to shatter now that winter is giving way to July 8th where a good friend and neigh- spring. bor of The Holden Arboretum will open Those who wish to apply for the Jean her fabulous private garden featuring Iseli Memorial Grant this year may conifers and companion plants in the submit an application to me by May 6, morning. Bill Hendricks has volunteered 2011. Paul Halladin and Bill Thomas to help with tours and host our group for have once again volunteered to serve on lunch and a tour of Klyn Nurseries in the the committee. Inquiries are welcome. afternoon. Send me a note or give a call if Faithfully yours, you are interested in attending. Major ACS events planned for this year include the Central Region Meeting Vol. 28 No. 2 CONIFER QUARTERLY 3 CQ_Spring2011_final:CQ 3/31/11 5:21 PM Page 4 EDITOR’S MEMO legacy. For those who attended the National Meeting in Charlotte this past summer, the name Jӧrg Kohout has a special mean- ing. His adventures in search of witch’s brooms astounded us all. This time, in an English translation, we can follow his trip into the Altai Mountains in south central Siberia in search of even more witch’s brooms. I am certain you will enjoy the photography and the story. Even the living conditions on the expedition should be a real eye-opener. In this issue you will also read about conifers outside their zones. Don Durkee from Bandon, Oregon has written about pring is here. The days have been getting conifers thriving and growing in his Sprogressively longer. In some areas, the garden which lies to the southwest of first signs of spring have already begun to Portland. Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, poke their heads through the ground. Buds Cupressus duclouxiana, Pseudotsuga are swelling. Conifers have been flush with menziesii and others are learning to love color. The snows have receded. This Quar- the lush environment of the sea breezes of terly is itself abundant with new colors Oregon. In the Editor’s Corner, you will and perspectives. Spring is the time to re- also read about conifers living “outside joice, but sometimes it is also a time to their zone”. I have been attempting to discover what we have lost in winter’s raise conifers non-native to my Zone 5, snows. some of which are indoors for the winter. We all mourn the passing of Dick This is the first report on successes and van Hoey Smith. His lifelong work has failures of my experiment. benefited us all and he will forever be re- Along a similar vein, Tom Cox membered.