Beauties for our Boreal Landscape

 We love living in the boreal forest.

The fresh scent of balsam on a sunny day,

the distinct sound of the wind soughing through 

the gracefully long needled pines.

 

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' (left) - Pinus strobus 'Sarah Rachael' (center) -Chamaecyparis pisefera 'Squarrosa Intermedia' (right)

While we have our majestic White pines, beautiful Red Pines,

White Cedars, and deciduous Tamaracks that all seem to touch the sky with their imposing size,

there surely is room for some diminutive conifers in your landscape.

All evergreens, or conifers (cone bearing) grow at varied rates and are classified by sizes.

As defined by the American Conifer Society,

the annual growth rate determines a tree's 'category',

i.e. miniature, dwarf, intermediate, and large.

Category	Abbreviation	Growth per year1	Approximate 10-year size2
Miniature	M	less than 1 inch (2.5 cm)	less than 1 foot (30 cm)
Dwarf	D	1 to 6 inches (2.5 – 15 cm)	1 to 5 feet (0.3 – 1.5 m)
Intermediate	I	6 to 12 inches (15 – 30 cm)	5 to 10 feet (1.5 m to 3 m)
Large	L	more than 12 inches (30 cm)	10 feet (3 m) or more

Abies koreana 'Icebreaker' sprorts needles with white undersides that

 curl up and make a fantastic display.

All conifers are further classified by zone, or the minimum temperature

in winter they can withstand and still survive.

Many of these trees thrive and are native in Alpine climates, and all the

specimen conifers at Gracie's are hardy in Zone 3 (-40 degrees) and Zone 2 (-50 degrees).

There are even a couple that are classified Zone 1 (-60 degrees).

Zone 1?  That's hard core.

Cute little Picea abies 'Tompa'

Juniperus communis 'Green Carpet'

Pinus banksiana 'Pipecleaner'

Abies lasiocarpa 'Mulligan's Dwarf'

 

 Pinus mugo 'Honeycomb'

With their lilliputian size, they are covered entirely with snow in winter, 

which prevents deer and rabbit browse.  The snow cover also prevents

wind burn, which many evergreens exhibit after a cold winter.

Pinus strobus 'Stowe Column' is a beautiful, columnar pine that's great for borders.

P. mugo 'Honeycomb' in the background.

Larix decidua 'Varied Directions' Tamarack in the background, Picea abies 'Obergarten Bruns' 

in the middle, and

Thuja occidentalis 'Bobozam' or 'Mr. Bowling Ball' in the foreground.

Larix decidua 'Varied Directions' is covered with tiny cones,  turns gold in the fall, 

then drops its needles in winter.

 Some are grafted onto rootstock and called "standards' like this 

Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa'

or this Pinus strobus 'Horsford Dwarf White Pine'.

Trees on standard do not get taller, but the grafted evergreen will increase in

size as the tree ages.  These standards can be easily pruned to maintain their shape.

My pride and joy Pinus sylvestris 'Hindu Pan' - topiary form.

Another of my favorites, 

Pinus strobus 'Mini Twists' has soft, twisted needles.

Similar to 'Mini Twists' is 'Wiggles'

Conifers prefer acidic soil (which we have in abundance), and

are water-wise once established.  They are not heavy feeders and require only a bit of compost fertilization each spring (I use Happy Frog for acid-loving plants), and are long-lived. 

So, while they are small, they are not precious.

This fantastic specimen is Pinus Koraiensis "Avocadra' with 

variegated dark and light green needles.

Rock gardens can be made more interesting when planted with 

spreading junipers and small specimens. 

Above, Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip' and Larix decidua 'Varied Directions'.

 A trio of miniature conifers

Pinus uncinata 'Maja' (left) Abies lasiocarpa 'Mulligan's Dwarf (center)  Arborvitae 'Zmatlik' (right)

Picea abies 'Pusch' sports red cones in spring that turn to brown as 

the summer progresses into fall.

 

Picea glauca 'Ketch Harbor'

Picea engelmanii 'Bush's Lace' forms a large 'skirt' around the base 

of its trunk and makes a statement in the landscape.

Picea abies 'Cobra' has branches that twist in a serpentine fashion.

A great way to utilize these smaller specimens is to landscape around the entrance

of your home.  Who hasn't seen an overgrown arborvitae crowding out the

steps to a house?   

They look pretty cute in their little 1 gallon pots, but their mature height can be 60 feet.

Not, perhaps, the look they were going for?

By choosing dwarf and miniature species, you can keep the 'look'

for many years without pruning, or worse yet, having to remove 

a behemoth arborvitae in a few years.

 The varied textures and colors remain true to the boreal forest vibe,

and provide interest year around.

These two photos were taken at my friend, Pam's home and I think 

you'll agree, her gardens are stunning.

This was my personal project for the summer - a Zen garden for contemplation 

and a place to meander and enjoy my prized conifers.  

A miniature and dwarf conifer garden is low maintenance conversation piece,

and will bring endless joy.

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