'Summer Ice' Daphne is a continuous bloomer spring through fall. I don't have one but oh yah... I need one.

Dax

How about the huckleberry oak (Quercus vaccinifolia), such as this one photographed at Donner's Pass, CA in a lodgepole pine forest? The ones in our yard are quite a bit smaller.

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I think sempervivums make great companions to conifers.

....just wish that the birds & animals would leave them alone !!!!

BTW, this afternoon I planted 10 Fothergilla gardenii in my front yard, next to the Picea pungens I planted 3 years ago.
I think they'll make agreat combo....

btw-omg-asap-ttul, a conifer garden cannot be complete without deciduous azaleas and blueberries as well as garden maples and ginkgo's, re:.D

Hi,

I'd say there are a lot of good conifer companions - really all woodland plants and lots of other plants that grow well in slightly acid soil. Some classics are
* Heather
* Vacciniums
* Azaleas and Rhododendrons
* Hostas
and many more

My personal favorites: Linnaea and Pyrola

/Hans Olav

Dax
Low bush or high bush blueberries? or both?

Hi nuconiferlvr,

I'd just add a bunch of them. Figure out which ones bloom at the same time for berry production, and go from there.

They're very ornamental at all seasons as well as delicious to animals and humans. Find the moist well-drained sections of your landscape and that's where they go.

Dax

Dave-
Your 'Carol Mackie' is a good companion. Mine lasted 6-7 years and just inexplicably keeled over (true to what Dirr has said about them). It's last winter was mild and for the first (and only) time it stayed evergreen, that was the only difference from previous years. Russian sage makes a good companion and so does the ninebark Physocarpus opulifolious 'Summer Wine' (aka 'Seward'). And if you have hemlocks in the shade, Hydrangea quercifolia (use the cultivar 'Little Honey' if space is limited).

tj

Hydrangea serrata 'Shirofugi' A small gem 18"-24"H x 30"-36"W Flowers turn pink in fall. kt
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Hi Dave, I added a few small companion plants around my Pinus heldreichii 'Smidt' yesterday and thought it tied into your topic, so here's the before and after.
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Left to right bottom:
Sedum makinol variegatum, Juniperus horizontalis 'Pancake' (Okay, had to add at least one more conifer), Sempervivum 'Cherry Frost', Gypsophilia bungeana, Minuartia stellaria 'Frank Cabot', and Limonium minutum. It should look better when things spread and flow together a bit more.

Dan

Dan, that's a great little planting - love your companion choices there.

Hi rc, glad you liked the pics, I got some really cool weathered limestone rocks today, and encorporated them into another mini conifer garden. It should turn out to be pretty cool. I'll post pics when it's done. Thanks, Dan

If you would like some long blooming small bright yellow flowers on a low growing plant - zinnia grandiflora works well as a companion plant. Google it for more info. I have it reseeding here in sw Ohio in clay even though it is advertised as liking well drained soil. I obtained mine originally from High Country Gardens out in Santa Fe, NM.

"If you would like some long blooming small bright yellow flowers on a low growing plant...."

LOL - I thought you were going to mention Taraxacum! Mine have lasted for years and have naturalized very well. ;^)

Here is a link that might be useful: Taraxacum at Wikipedia

color's 'bout the same but the zinnia last for a longer period of time -- and none of those ugly seed heads.

As I mentioned in my April 25 post above, I got ten of these "Witch's Alder" plants completely bare - no significant leaves or flower buds apparent - three weeks ago.
But a week later they performed as if on cue !

Thought I would take a couple of photos while the flowers are still going strong..... (note the blue spruce on the right in the second photo)

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Ah, yes, Fothergilla. One of my favs.

tj

This is a section of bed I put in yesterday...

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This small area has 2 hardwoods, 3 new conifers, a Maiden Grass, some builder privet (which will go eventually), and a backdrop of Black Locust, Native Dogwoods, and Cedar.

This is a small corner of the bed that stretches across the back of my yard and due to the sun requirements will have:

* a shade garden in the back left around 2 dogwoods (1 native, 1 not)
* a host garden around a tulip poplar and pin oak (with bulbs for before the tree leave out)
* azaleas and rhodies transitioning from the shade garden, around a firepit, through to near the conifers
* a few Sumac in back of the azalea to provide some fall color, additional texture, and a small bit of summer shade (for the azaleas)
* the Conifers above
* a few (5-10 sub 18") grasses at the front.

This 75' * 20' bed has full shade, part shade, part sun, and nearly full sun in the same stretch. I think I can link all of the environments with the use of Pine Straw mulch, naturalized transitions, informal woodland plants (as mentioned above) and sticking with plants that like that sun requirement.

Here is a early morning picture of the bed...

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Here is an interesting combo I really like too...

{{gwi:683341}}A Harry Lauder's Walking Stick with Blue Rug Junipers (they will be moved once the tree grows a bit.

If you are looking for a woody plant that is a ground hugger to the extreme this is as good as it gets.

Dave Cotoneaster dammeri 'Streib's Findling'
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Yes, Dave.....love that cotoneaster......do you get berries later on? I have one but never any berries (unless the bunnies are eating the blossoms!!!!) not sure which cotoneaster to pair it with. Sorry if this question is not appropriate for the conifer forum.

No one has mentioned grasses yet. How about Molinia caerulea 'Variegata' which fits in with almost any other plant and never overpowers.
And of course, my personal favorite: Heucheras. They are great edging plants, come in many colors, and are well-behaved. The purple varieties look fantastic with blue-needled conifers. They look great massed, or can be tucked into a small space as filler.
Coralbelle

I liked this thread and wanted to see more.

Then again for those completely shaded areas shade loving plants rule. The one and only conifer Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' seems to be at its best in a lightly shaded area away from hot winds. This site also affords some winter protection as well.

Dave
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I recently received (5) japonica pieres Little Heath - nice variegated dwarf that I think blends nicely with conifers and JM's.

4 inch pots, $4.50/each...
I also have some Nangs

Here is a link that might be useful: Little Heath

As we live in very close quarters with our neighbors I rely on our conifers a LOT for privacy (though in the future I will be planting them as a contrast plant in a to be added bed) - and boring this may be, I find an ivy underplanting looks rather fitting under a conifer hedge.

How about coneflowers? There are so many different colors and flower shapes these days. I have conflowers (4 kinds), daylilies, lilies, magnolias (including a witches broom), iris, hosta, a siberian peashrub (fern leaf), and a Harry Lauder walking stick tree mixed in with my conifers.

Looking through past postings and rejuvenating a few with great pictures and ideas for us gardeners and cultivar collectors
...hoping there will be even more great stuff added!

Barbara

You left out Japanese Maples. Over 700 varieties - one to match every conifer on the planet! Seriously, there are some stunning cultivars that look fetching with conifers. Quite a few miniatures as well, so they can be kept in proportion as the garden dictates.

Here's a pic of a wall garden I planted this spring with some conifers and a nice JM called 'Kasagi yama'. Conifers are Pice pungens 'Montgomery' and 'Gold Mop' juniper. {{gwi:683347}}From Japanese Maples & Conifers

K4

Maples with conifers is a natural. That's what grows wild around here (along with alders etc.). In the fall many hillsides turn gold-and-blackish green, as the maple among the conifers change color.