Artful Conifers

Last week we took a short side trip on our way to North Carolina, stopping at Pearl Friar's "topiary" garden. Pearl has been written up in several travel and garden magazines (and probably other journals noting oddities) and I have once seen his face on a billboard in South Carolina. This garden is absolutely worth the short drive off Interstate 20 near Bishopville, SC. The garden is visible from the road that passes by the front of his home, but you will want to get out and view these masterpieces up close.
When we arrived, the garden was deserted except for Pearl's son and an apprentice who were busy tending to the grounds. Soon a couple small buses arrived and there were people milling about. There is no admission but a donation station is available and we gladly contributed to help continue what can only be described as one conifer (and boxwood) lover's obsession. In fact, Pearl's art has spread the entire length of the small road to the neighbor's and their neighbor's and their neighbor's home.

Gyokruya - Made for Shade

Conifers that not only adapt to but also do very well in the shade are hard to come by in our area. We know of a number but were pleased to find this variety, a Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica 'Gyokruya') at a friends house on a recent visit.
We know we can trust the siting of this plant as our hosts own and operate their own nursery and propagation effort here in North Georgia. Their specimen approximately eight or nine feet tall is shown at left at the rear of the planting bed against the house.
Though we have carried these plants for some time in our own nursery but had never used them in the shade -- until now! We had an empty spot near our home's entryway and placed a small one there several months ago now. It seems to be doing quite well, though it is still small.
Note: We have seen a number of variations in the spelling of this conifer's cultivar but believe the one we list to be generally accepted.

Tom Thumb - Keeping it in its Pot

We acquired a handful (literally) of these wonderful spruce (Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb') after much begging of the grower (Iseli Nursery in Portland Oregon). We had admired their bright gold year round foliage and very, very small size. The plants arrived at our nursery and were a mere 4" to 5" tall and about 8" wide and came with a hefty price tag.
The original group sold or promptly expired and we were heart broken. Nevertheless, we tried again and were able to sustain and even have one prosper in our garden. This time, and we believe this is the secret with this plant, we have kept it growing in its original soil and plastic pot yet embedded it in a more decorative container. We know that one day we'll have to transfer it to a larger pot allowing it to grow outside its original boundaries and we worry about that. One of our customers and fellow conifer enthusiasts, however, has his growing in the native soil and swears by it. So, there may be hope down the road when we get the courage up!

Weeping White Pine Graces a Corner in Suwanee

This weeping white pine (Pinus Strobus 'Pendula') was installed to fill this otherwise very bare corner of a deck. We love this plant as each one has such an individual character.

Plus they are very, very easy to grow in our area.

Rare Wollemi Pine

We acquired four plants from a release by National Geographic in 2005. Two are in the ground and two are held back -- just in case. So far the plants have survived 13 degrees on the low side and the upper 90s on the high side in typical Georgia clay.

We saw an 8 foot tall specimen in Oregon and it was quite striking with tiered branching on a very rigid main stem. Our experience so far is only with the juvenile forms of this plant. How it will prosper in Georgia going forward remains teo be seen, but so far, so good.

Planting instructions from the Geographic suggested a well-drained planting site with protection from temperatures below the mid 20s and a fertilizer application low in phosphorus. the plant should spurt and grow to 20 feet in ten years.

Verdoni Dwarf Hinoki in Duluth, Ga

This lovely dwarf conifer (actually one of two) at the doorway of one of our customers is perfectly situated and sited.

The plant, a Verdoni Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Verdoni'), gets good sun most of the day and is well attended (watered whenever the drought restrictions allow).

We have found that these plants do best in our area when protected from the strong afternoon sun and when they are "brush" pruned regularly. By brush pruning we mean, reaching into the interior of the plant where browning or dieback occurs and merely brushing it off with your hand. It can be cut out using pruners as well but we find that more time consuming and no great advantage.

The Verdoni generally maintains this small shape (3 to 4 feet in height) as it is a fairly slow grower.

Wates Golden Pine -- A Yellow Pine

While the first time we encountered this yellow needled pine (Pinus virginiaina 'Wates Golden') , it was in Oregon and the yellow color far more pronounced, we have since planted several in the North Georgia suburbs and found them to be equally lovely if not as yellow.

Our experience is that the pine does not show its golden color until fall and often not the first year it is planted.

This specimen receives lots of afternoon sun. Others with more shade do not, as would be expected, seem to be as brilliant.