Golden light or dark snowy skies

They’ve been warning us for days now of the huge snowstorm that is going to blast us with several inches of snow down to the valley floor. For those of us who love a little snow from time to time, of course, want to believe. Really, we do. Those of us who have lived in western Oregon for most of our lives have learned that usually the first or second panicked reports from our local news-casters are false alarms.

Sure, get the kids all hyped-up about snow and their heads filled with visions of days off school, building all kinds of snow sculptures, snowball fights, sledding, and in general, just having a great time! While parents, on the other hand, need to make child-care plans should the schools actually close. Sure, there are some snowflakes falling from the sky – if you are fortunate enough to find yourself above 500 feet in elevation – but it’s just a tease, it is not near cold enough to stick and accrue any reasonable accumulation.

The conifer garden looks fantastic in the midst of dark, stormy skies and a blanket of snow.

I would love to see my garden in a blanket of snow. What is it about a garden full of trees and shrubs, of all shapes and sizes, either sprinkled lightly or heavily covered in snow, that brings such a sense of peace and happiness? I haven’t had that pleasure since 2008, which turned out to be quite an unusual snow year for us with a big fluffy blanket of snow in January, and then again in December, in what possibly became the largest snow event in 40 years!

The conifer garden glows in the low winter sun.

Winter in the conifer garden is a beautiful time of year. We have had one of the driest Decembers in recent memory, and with that dryness, we actually had many days that were filled with sunshine! Oh, how beautiful are the conifers, dressed in their winter colors with the low, golden winter sun illuminating the scene in a hue of warmth; which brings to the soul, hope of the coming spring.

OK local weather forecasters, just keep teasing us with promises of a big snow event, I’m ready to enjoy the transformation of beauty it will create in my garden. But, rain or shine, snow or silver thaw, the conifer garden will be a place of beauty to be enjoyed, not only by me, but by all the critters that have made this little garden their home.

Ed-
Conifer Lover

Conifer Garden Tour

Three years ago, I was involved in the creative process of designing the new addition to the Jean Iseli Memorial Garden at Iseli nursery. In nine days, the American Conifer Society will be touring the gardens at Iseli Nursery as part of their National Meeting being held at the Oregon Garden Resort in Silverton, Oregon. If you have not yet joined the ACS and have some time to spare, I think you should join now and register for this event!

Understandably, this may not be a reality for most folks, so I thought it might be fun to feature photos from the Iseli gardens in this post. Enjoy!

This is one of the first views as guests arrive at the Jean Iseli Memorial Garden at Iseli Nursery in Boring, Oregon.

One view of the first stage of the Memorial Garden designed and planted in Jean Iseli's honor, shortly after his death in 1986.

This view is near one of the entrances of the new addition to the Memorial Garden, planted in the summer of 2008.

Intermediate, dwarf and miniature conifers planted with other exciting garden plants in section of the 2008 addition.

Another view of the original Jean Iseli Memorial Garden planting.

Of course there is much more to see for those who are able to attend the tour with the American Conifer Society next week.

I hope to see you there.

Ed-
Conifer Lover

Snow in the summer garden?

I know, that last thing many of you want is more snow this year! For those of us in my corner of the Pacific Northwest, with our daily morning drizzle, a little snow would at least be a change of pace. But, that’s not the kind of snow I want to talk about today.

With all the shades of green, blue, and even bright golden-yellow in the conifer garden, I also love the conifers with a more subtle approach to their color scheme. There are two conifers that immediately come to mind that should be useful in just about every region of the country. Some folks will be able to grow both of these plants in their gardens, while others, depending on their location might be better off choosing one over the other.

Cedrus deodara 'Snow Sprite' is a bright spot in the garden all year long.

Cedrus deodara ‘Snow Sprite’ is definitely one of my favorites. This is rated as an intermediate grower by the ACS growth rate standards, but its growth is on the slower end of that scale and in my garden it seems to grow five to six inches per year. I do like to prune my plant to encourage a more fuller, more formal shape, so that can have some influence on its annual growth. What is truly exciting about this conifer is its color. As its name suggests, it is a very light-colored plant with its new growth emerging an almost white, buttery-yellow color. As the foliage matures through the season it does darken a little, but ‘Snow Sprite’ will always be a bright spot in the garden – even in the dead of winter. This Zone 7 tree won’t survive those harsh mid-west winters, but it does quite well along the Pacific and Atlantic seaboards where marine air moderates the winter cold. In the south, cultivars of Cedrus deodara are known to do quite well. I even have a report of ‘Snow Sprite’ surviving happily as far south as Austin, Texas.

Cool off this summer with a Tsuga canadensis 'Summer Snow' planted in the garden.

For folks in those colder winter areas, Tsuga canadensis ‘Summer Snow’ is a fantastic intermediate sized tree that is hardy into Zone 4. Again, it thrives in other moderate areas, but struggles in southern regions. ‘Summer Snow’ flushes its near pure white new foliage every spring which contrasts nicely against the older foliage that has matured to a medium green. Naturally growing into a fairly large tree, it does respond very well to annual shearing which will encourage a fuller form thereby intensifying the effect of its white foliage. Planted against a backdrop of dark green conifers and it will really stand out. Grouping with other colorful conifers and exciting companion plants will give your garden a multi-season appeal with a full pallet of color.

May your garden flourish with all the colors of the rainbow, and may the winter snow truly be many months away!

Ed
Conifer Lover

Raise your hand if you remember the ’80s

Jean Iseli was a visionary with a passion to bring the world of the conifer collector to the everyday gardener.

The 1980s were a fascinating time for conifer lovers. It was the decade that saw the obscure conifer collectors and the nursery industry begin a kind of partnership that is very influential in the contemporary dwarf conifer movement. One of the early gurus of the movement, Jean Iseli, was a very good friend of mine and made a huge impact not only on my life, but the lives of many others before he passed in 1986. 

Some of those he influenced were the young men and woman that he gathered and inspired – the workers who dedicated their lives to growing and bringing to market premium dwarf conifers that earlier had only been known to collectors. Most of those same hard-working individuals are still the driving force behind the products grown under the Iseli name today.

I have had the pleasure of knowing these fine folks all these years. They are always kind enough to allow me to wander the gardens to learn about new and exciting discoveries long before they will ever make it to the marketplace.

'Rheingold' x 'Heather Bun' x 'Rhiengold' - imagine a "wall" planted in a checkerboard pattern of alternating orange and green - Just one of the creative constructs to come from the encouragement of Jean Iseli.

There was a time in the ’80s (and carried well into the ’90s) when Jean’s eccentric creativity and quirky sense of humor inspired the Art Form Division of Iseli nursery. Back in those days, employees were encouraged to create some extremely unusual creations through the technique of grafting several different cultivars onto a common, large, rootstock. Some of the more successful creations were combinations of dwarf or miniature conifers of different colors and or textures grafted either as a tiered construct or a multi-branched sculpture. These things were truly remarkable.

I have often wondered what happened to all of those hundreds and hundreds of unique works of art that were sold and shipped all across the United Sates. There were a few forms that were very popular and were created and shipped for a great many years. Did they survive? Were they cared for and maintained? Are they neglected and forgotten oddities, overgrown and ignored? Who knows?

Multi-generic constructs were the combination of cultivars of different genus and or species into one colorful conifer. In this case, a Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea' floated above a Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' which floated above a Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold'.

What I do know is that those were amazing times in the world of conifers. We wouldn’t have the incredible selection of dwarf and miniature conifers available today, from many growers all over the world, if it hadn’t been for the inspiration and dreams of people like Jean Iseli. I miss him.

Ed-
Conifer Lover

Yes, I experimented with grass, and now I know better

Several years ago, in one of my attempts to not be a total conifer snob, I experimented with quite an assortment of ornamental grasses. The funny thing is, even though I had some very specific reasons for avoiding them in the first place, they had become the latest, greatest craze amongst the garden experts I know, so I gave some of them a try, only to confirm after several years that all of my natural instincts about them would prove to be true.

Now, to be fair, I do want to say that there are some very attractive ornamental grasses available in quite an assortment of colors and sizes. I am even inclined to use a couple of them in containers mixed with other herbaceous plants that I have basically eliminated from the main garden. I definitely prefer the ultra low maintenance and year-round color, shape and texture of my conifers.

Unlike a large mounding form of ornamental grass, 'Whipcord' will retain its great color and texture all year long, adding to the multi-seasonal appeal of the conifer garden.

So, the other day we were having one of those blustery Pacific Northwest kind of days that begins with thick cloud cover and rain, then the wind picks up and blows the clouds away and the sun shines brightly, which is almost immediately followed by a big black cloud and more wind and rain, etc. As I was sitting next to my nice warm woodstove, sipping a cup of warm Blueberry Rooibos tea, my wife diligently clipping coupons from the Sunday paper, my phone rang.

“Ed, dude! You’ve gotta tell me you love all these cool ornamental grasses I just saw!”

My young nephew and his wife have been bit by the garden bug and have suddenly started watching every garden show they can find on TV or online video.

“These are like the greatest things I’ve ever seen. They’ll add lots of color and soft flowing texture and they move and sway in a gentle breeze!” He said as if trying to sell me on his new discovery.

“Yes, they are all that aren’t they.” I said trying not to squelch his excitement too quickly. “They also are prolific seeders and spread themselves all over the garden. Not to mention the lovely dead brown piles they turn into in the winter. Of course you could shear them all down to stiff brown stubs in November when it’s pouring down rain if you want.”

“Dude, you really know how to kill a guy’s enthusiasm.”

“I think I may have an excellent alternative for you.” I said and I invited him over for a little garden tour.

My nephew has been over many times, and I’ve done my best to convert him to strict coniferism, but there are many temptations out there, so I will need be patient.

Thuja plicata 'Whipcord' is also great grown as a grafted "standard" allowing its wispy branches to fall freely as they dance in the wind.

We walked around my garden during one of the brief sun-breaks and I led him straight to the plant I was thinking had the characteristics he admired in the grasses he had seen. Thuja plicata ‘Whipcord’ is a very unusual form of the Western Red Cedar, a native forest tree in our area. ‘Whipcord’ was selected as a seedling among thousands and thousands of tiny little trees several years ago at a nursery here in Oregon and has become very popular ever since its introduction to the trade.

‘Whipcord’ is one of those unique conifers with very long, wispy cords of foliage that grows as a mounding form. The long branches grow upward and out arching and weeping toward the ground. The little branches will move and flow and sway in the slightest breeze providing much the same effect for which the ornamental grasses are touted. It’s broad mounding form is also similar to many of the grasses. One obvious advantage is that it is evergreen – it will provide its wonderful display of multi-seasonal color all year-long!

Great texture, interesting form, appealing movement, wonderful year-round color, great in containers and essentially maintenance free. Well, I’ve certainly convinced myself, I think my nephew is on track now too.

Ed-
Conifer Lover

Gnomes and fairies: clap your hands if you believe

I believe that there is a very fine line between a vivid imagination and reality. As we get older, that fine line broadens until we get to a certain stage in life when it seems to dissolve away completely.

For example, the conifer kids came by for a visit the other day. They are a very nice young couple with a six-year-old son. You may remember that I mentioned this little fella in a post a while back – he wondered where the gnomes lived in my garden. They have visited a few times since that initial visit and every time they are here, their little boy wanders off on his own in the garden. One time we found him laying down on his stomach, knees bent and feet bobbing about in the air, talking with my miniature Picea glauca ‘Elf’. When I asked if he was talking to my plants he laughed, called me silly, and said that plants don’t talk. Then he jumped up and ran off as if he were chasing a butterfly. His parents and I exchanged glances and continued our conversation. Kids have vivid imaginations, right?

With a name like, Picea glauca 'Elf', it's no wonder some folks have vivid imaginations while visiting the conifer garden.

Several years ago my wife and I traveled 45 miles south to where my grandmother had lived most of her life – well, most of mine anyway. She was nearly 100 years old at the time and we had almost convinced her that it was time to sell her home and move into a very nice place that could provide her the additional care she needed. We were sitting out on her back patio, in the shade of her giant oak tree one summer’s afternoon. I knew that convincing her that moving away from her home and garden would be very difficult. We had been gently hinting at this for several years and she was a very strong-willed and independent woman. After listening to some of the wonderful stories of her past, we were sitting quietly and her attention seemed to be focused on something in the direction of the old Tsuga canadensis ‘Jervis’I had planted as a birthday gift for her many years ago.

She nodded her head and then turned to me and said, “I’ll go anywhere you think is best so long as my friends can come too.”

Thinking that she was referring to some of her favorite plants, I told her that they were too large to dig but we could plant some new containers for her to keep on the small deck of her new place.

She looked at me as if I was crazy and said, “Not the plants, silly, the fairies.”

My wife and I looked at each other, smiled and told her that of course they would be welcome to go with her.

My conifer garden has always seemed to attract all kinds of small critters. We share this home with quite an assortment of  birds, squirrels, assorted insects, the neighbor’s cat and… well… I’ll leave that to your imagination.

Ed-
Conifer Lover

Lovin’ the classics – part II

What is it about classics that make them so appealing? There is something pleasant and enjoyable about watching a really good old black and white film from the late 1930s or ’40s. I get much the same feeling when I have an opportunity to spend some time with my antique car restorer friend. My old heart begins to pound with excitement when I am invited to go for a ride in his 1915 Model T Ford. Of course I can easily become lost in the mesmerizing wave of tones and melodies and rhythms of classic composers like Albinoni, Haydn, Handel or Grieg. Even the older conifers – those that have been available in the trade for a great number of years and are sometimes overused – offer that same kind of nostalgia.

Just because something is old, doesn’t mean that is has lost its appeal or value. One old conifer that withstands the test of time is Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’. This is simply one of the most beautiful and versatile conifers available. Its young branches are long and flexible allowing the creative gardener to train it into any shape imaginable. Most often, ‘Pendula’ is found with a nursery stake and the plant trained up to 3-5 feet. Very mature specimens can be seen at some of the older arboretums around the world and they have mounded and layered upon themselves creating large weeping mounds of dark green beauty.

Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula' adds a unique sculptural effect to any garden.

In my garden, I staked mine to just about seven feet tall with a gentle curve to the main stem to give it a little character. Then I’ve pulled a few of the side branches up in a more horizontal position, alternating around the plant, adding more interest. Essentially, I’ve given my relatively young plant a head start on what its natural character will develop in many, many years. You may remember me describing how an old specimen can be trained into a living tree house a couple of years ago. Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’ is one classic conifer that will always be a garden winner!

Great for containers or the garden, Abies balsamea 'Nana' is an old favorite.

Another great plant that I first became acquainted with back in 1977 is Abies balsamea ‘Nana’. This is a small-needled, dark green, compact mound that is great for the partially shaded space. In spring, its new foliage will push out a very bright green color which contrasts well against its own dark green mature foliage. As the season flows from spring to summer, the new foliage hardens and becomes a glossy dark green. Soft to the touch and the eyes, ‘Nana’ looks great planted near Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’ and the other three classic conifers on my list.

The brilliant orange color and soft texture of Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold' make it a valuable addition to the garden.

Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’ is one of the most amazing conifers in any collection. Its foliage is soft and orange – bright orange! In the spring and summer, as the foliage is flushing fresh, its color is the most intense. With the colder temperatures of winter, the orange darkens to an almost brown color – not a dead-brown, more like a dark orange. When young, it produces soft juvenile foliage. If allowed to grow naturally, it will become a broadly upright tree and the foliage changes to what is called, adult foliage. The color remains, just the overall texture changes. This is one plant that I definitely recommend giving an annual shearing to encourage full compact growth and the production of juvenile foliage. Responding very well to shearing, ‘Rheingold’ could be a great candidate for topiary if one were so inclined. I like to keep mine as a rounded mound.

With the two conifers I described last time, and the three on today’s list, a new conifer garden enthusiast would have a great combination of plants to begin their own collection. All five plants should be readily available at your local independent garden centers and they will all play well with the other plants in your garden. Include a couple Hosta and Lavender plants, a few spring and summer bulbs and a dwarf Japanese maple, and you’ll have a fairly good-sized garden bed that will be the talk of the neighborhood.

Ed-
Conifer Lover