thx dave..

the spiderwort surprises me.. total invasive seeder that is almost immune to roundup ... but that does not happen in your yard ...

even with my superfast comcast service.. it took this post forever to load... and i dont want to dissuade you from pics.. but perhaps a few less pix per post?? or not.. your choice .. just dont stop

ken

Ken,

Sorry about your load up time. I am running a super fast set up...about 5 seconds to load this page. I will remember that for the rest of you next time.

The spiderwort has been in the same place for 6 years with never any sign of reproducing itself. Maybe because it's a hybrid...I don't have a clue.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. Always enjoyable. We had only our second 80 degree day today so I'm waaaaay behind you.

tj

What a feast for the eyes. Thanks, Dave.

Glad to see your 'Skylands' in good shape. I've somehow coerced mine into it's 3rd season following your shade cloth example.

The foliage on Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Melody' is awesome, almost fractal, hypnotizing if you stare at it too long.

Gold is good, but then again so are blue, green and the many textures of conifers. Whatever you're up for posting, I doubt there will be a shortage of viewers. Increased load times just raise anticipation although it was pretty quick for me, at work.

Dave

Quite the color show Dave.

That's an excellent Skyland's.

Thanks,

Dax

Dave, what surprised me more than your beautiful plants is that all of them seem to be way ahead of mine in spring growth and I have my garden in a zone 8a (or 7b at worst...)! Look at these images I've taken last monday morning. I even have a Picea orientalis 'Early Gold' with fat buds but not even one has burst!

Your Acer shirawusawanum 'Autumn Moon' is way in front of mine even if mine is in full sun until 2 p.m...

Picea orientalis 'Early Gold' in full-full sun...

Your 'Skylands' way way in front of mine...

Your 'Ogon' way n front of mine with only 3 hours of noon-afternoon shade...

Sorry for the images in your beautiful thread but I'm amazed by the amount of time I'm back although 3 zones hotter than you. Spring sure takes it's sweet time here!

Best regards,
Fotis

P.S. waiting for your next color-group tour...

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Melody' is now officially on my "must have" list. I have an affinity for the obtusa in general and this is one of the most beautiful specimens I have seen. Anyone have any idea where I can buy one?

The other obtusa are great as well. How long did it take that aurea to get that big?

Skylands and Perry's Gold are also gorgeous.

Agree with other's comments about Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Melody' -- great specimen ! ....thanks !

Beautiful trees and wonderful photos as always, Dave. And I agree with the others that think your 'Melody' is a stunning cultivar. I want!! But, it's probably a non-starter where I live.

(I had no problems loading the page, either. Perhaps ken's comcast connection was glitching a bit.)

Holly

Nice Spring show Dave!
I like the colour combination between the Juniperus horizontalis 'Golden Carpet' and the blue Picea pungens.

The Picea abies 'Perry's Gold' looks like it's pretty old, it's the biggest one I ever saw.
How many years it's in your garden?

I think Thuja occidentalis 'Watnone Gold' is just a misspelling for what must be 'Watnong Gold'.

Some comments:
You're showing us a Juniperus pfitzeriana (x) 'Golden Joy',
but the Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' is also one of this big family, it must be written as Juniperus pfitzeriana 'Saybrook Gold'.

Your pic of the Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa Aurea' doesn't show us the right one, it's a Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Juniperoides'.
Squarrosa foliage looks totaly differend.

Normaly seen the Picea pungens 'Stanley's Gold' is a fast upright growing plant.
Your's is a nice spreading one, maybe it will make a leader some day...

Pinus parviflora 'Goldilocks' should be written as 'Goldylocks' but the true name of this golden beauty is 'Tenysu-kasu'.

I'm very interested to see some more colour combinations from your garden ;0)

Funny thing as I was posting these photos. How many have the correct names and is spelling of those names correct?

As I have purchased these cultivars I always use the name that comes with the plant. Several times I have caught mis tagged plants. Not being experienced enough I leave the name game to the professionals. Being a perfectionist I want my garden to be correct in every way. Correct names, color balance and correct placement of cultivars so they remain in the same place for as long as possible are a few guide lines I practice to maintain balance.

Some comments to coniferjoy:

"I like the colour combination between the Juniperus horizontalis 'Golden Carpet' and the blue Picea pungens."

This has to be the Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode' a Iseli purchase. Are you saying it should be called 'Golden Carpet? 'Mother Lode has been a standard in the trade for years here in the states.

Picea abies 'Perry's Gold'...About 3 ft. tall when purchased 8 years ago.

Ok on the Juniperus pfitzeriana 'Saybrook Gold' name change and Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Juniperoides' both Iseli. Can you post a photo of Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa Aurea'?

Picea pungens 'Stanley's Gold' a Stanley purchase. A side limb graft that would take major readjustment to make vertical. I decided to make it a prostrate grower and it fits nicely in my design so far.

"Pinus parviflora 'Goldilocks' should be written as 'Goldylocks' but the true name of this golden beauty is 'Tenysu-kasu'." Interesting...I even did a Google and found no results. Can you offer more information for 'Tenysu-kasu' as the correct cultivar name for this conifer?

More color combinations are coming. I could possibly do a photo shoot of each island, 13 I believe, with one wrapping around the whole back yard and another ...same for the front yard. This is a big under taking and could be slow in coming.

Thanks for everybody's input.

Later,

Dave

Ditto on the color contrast between the Picea Pungens and the Golden Carpet. Your Perry's Golden is spectacular.

Hi Dave,
Here in the Netherlands we have the Juniperus hor. 'Golden Carpet', in The U.S. there's the 'Mother Lode'.
Most time of the year these are the same when it comes to their colour,only the new growth of the 'Mother Lode' is a lemon yellow while it's a golden yellow on the 'Golden Carpet'.
No doubt your's is the 'Mother Lode'.

Specialy for you I just cut some branches of the 'Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Juniperoides'(l) and the 'Squarrosa Aurea'(r) for comparison:

A little while ago I found out via this forum that the 3 golden forms of Pinus parviflora are the same one.
-'Dr. Landis Gold'
-'Goldylocks' (often wrongly spelled as 'Goldilocks')
-'Tenysu-kazu'
It was the late Dr. Henry Landis who received this one from Japan under the name 'Tenyzu-kasu'.
Later on John and Dave Verkade took over the collection from Henry including the 'Tenysu-kazu'.
A Japanese friend of them translated the 'Tenysu-kazu' into English and the cultivar name 'Goldylocks' was born...
As always the first name given to this plant must be used which is Tenysu-kazu anf thats why I mentioned this to you to rename your 'Goldylocks' into 'Tenysu-kazu'.
I hope it's clear to you now and that I helped you with this info :0)

Thanks in advance for your upcomming pics!

Nothing gets a gardener rejuvenated more than seeing spring flush. It's by far my most favorite time of the year. But this one has been weird for us because we are on a horrible roller coaster on temps. Most of my spring push lost it's color immediately because we had a freak series of 90 degree days. The rest don't want to even think about cming out yet because we're now in the 50's again. But some have been exciting to watch......

My Cedrus deodora 'Silver Mist' pushed really pretty blues

As did my Cedrus deodara 'Sanders Blue'

Here's my little Picea glauca 'Rainbow's End' - almost burned up last year

My little Abies lasiocarpa �Prickly Pete� almost doubled in size

I've got to go but I'll put some more tonight

mark

Here's a few more.....

The picture doesn't do it justice but the tips of the Picea omorika 'Pendula' branches look like little blue and silver stars...especially at the top

All the yellow candles of the Pinus parviflora 'Ogon-janome'

The tips of the Picea abies 'Aurea' are almost green now because of the heat wave at bud break time. Looks weird considering the branch its attached to is still yellow on the top needles.

Abies koreana 'Icebreaker' still holding on in my heat....

a small Picea pungens 'Lutea' that also looks weird...the older branches are the traditional yellowish green color while the new push came in the heatwave and is green.

Picea pungens 'Gold Dust' just a weird and interesting tree. Some say miniature, some say big tree, still a tiny specimen for me

My Picea omorika 'de Ruyter just broke bud

My little Pinus densiflora 'Cesarini's Variegated' burned up last year whenre I had it so I moved it and low and behold I had great striped candles this year. Can't wait for them to unfold.

One more for now and then I'll wait until some of my bigger guys are getting showy.....Picea smithiana 'Ballarat' waking up

mark

WOW, what a gallery this is. I use this to show people the potential of unusual conifers in the garden. I'd show mine but they're so small still. Your 'Perry's Gold' is truely superb Dave. We can all drool over that one for sure.

Dave - for what it's worth, your Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Squarrosa Aurea' looks identical to my Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Juniperoides'. As for the page loading for me - opened right up using Road Runner.

That Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea' is one of my favorites but I have yet to get a small one to make without a lot of browning - as is the case with most(but not all) C.obtusa in my area.
Nice presentation -
Marshall

Just a couple of more breaking bud now.....

This has been one of my favorites because of its tenacity. A Picea omorika 'Nana' that is on the west side of my facing direct 100+ degree summer heat and yet it keeps it's colors beautifully

I love the Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns' Its different than the regular 'Pendula'. Instead of big star sprays at the ends of its branches it has tight little puff balls

Here's my Abies koreana 'Gelbbunt' that has quite a bit of yellow variegation but most all the new growth is solid green. One to watch I guess. I hope it isn't reverting.

Once again a variegated variety that is putting on almost all solid green growth this season. Its a Picea mariana 'Aureovariegata'

And one more to finish....after my Shirazz it's my favorite of my Japanese maples. The white variegation really pops in the dark area I keep it in. It's an Acer palmatum 'Butterfly'

That's it for me

mark

Dave I love your Perry's Gold. It's twice the size of mine and coloring beautifully. I've also always loved your Skylands. I had one up to about 6' tall that I kept tucked under a big native tree in the back of my garden. But this year that tree was very slow to leaf out and we had that freek 90-95 degree week back in March that torched the top half before I could stop it. So now I have half a tree and I'm trying to decide what to do with it.

But your garden is looking really nice.

mark

Home in bed for 48 hours now...one of many threads that can lift the spirits.

Dave / Tex...couple more weeks?

Thanks to all! Way enjoyable and inspirational thread. PLEASE keep em coming....AL