"Goldilocks"

The longest candles are pushing 10 inches. Another year or two and something is going to have to go. Seems like a common theme around here.

Southern exposure, protected from wind by the staircase and house.

Pinus contorta "Taylor's Sunburst"

From the side yard.

Looks great! Taylors Sunburst is definitely on my top 10 list... I have one and will get another next year. Mine started pushing more than 4 weeks ago... still bright yellow and the show should go on for at least another 3 weeks. All my other spring flushers last for only 2-3 weeks.

Everything really adds charm to your home... you cant get that from generic box wood shrubs that almost everyone uses around there houses here in Ohio.

"It's not "Dan's Garden," but all the inspiration from you guys is very helpful."

We do not look to compare gardens (or I'd never post a pic- lol), we enjoy seeing varying visions. You have a very nice vision, thanks for sharing it.

tj

Wow! Looks fantastic! Extending the bed and your great combo of plants really give your house some serious curb appeal, Love it!

Dan

Nice, I really like the mix of colors.

The correct name on 'Goldilocks' is Pinus parvifolora 'Tenysu-kazu'...your plant looks fantastic! I've heard that this one is hard to grow, even doomed to fail at some point but yours looks really healthy and happy, it makes me very glad to see it. Gives me hope that my tiny little guy may not be "doomed" after all :0).

Alex

Thanks all for the kind words. Didn't mean to compare gardens really, that probably wasn't fair. I admire all of the work that I see on the forums.

I have a lot to learn and all of your designs have helped me significantly. That and a whole lot of moving things around.

Sorry for the naming on Pinus parvifolora 'Tenysu-kazu'. I did that last year as well. My plant is doing fantastic. Interestingly, it was a closeout in the fall and in the last three years has gone crazy.

I managed to pick up another smaller one a year later. It's on the East side of the house, it does not get as much sun and probably gets a little more wind. It looks well, but not nearly as nice.

There are some generic boxwoods in the front of the hosue by the mailbox. i want to find a new home for those, just not in my yard. I keep them mainly for winter interest, but they are on the list to go now that I have more conifers.

If I can get some decent pics along the fenceline, I'll post those as well.

Thanks again for the encouragement.

Fence berm. Needs mulch and for whatever reason, I just can't get the right lighting for this to look decent. Looking out toward the street.

Second story view.

very nice ...

i would say more.. but i am not dan ...

lol ...

ken

Ken, your garden is on my a-list too. I should have known better, I've been reading for long enough.

Believe me, it's better than decent. That's a great looking bed and it's full of the plants we love the most here - conifers! :)

I love the rocks, the contrast and the angle of the berm which lends itself well to conifer/rock gardens. You've a beautiful piece of land to continue to enjoy/shape.

Thanks for posting.

-Will

Very nice! I bet that people slow as they are driving by to admire it all. How long ago did you start with your transformation and how exactly did you start?

More pictures of the berm please!

Robyn

John you have lots to be proud of. Your gardens are lovely and wherever you got your inspiration it sure paid off on your own designs and plant choices.
Cher

Woaah John, Looks fantastic! Everything seems to work so well.....trees,locations,rocks,bed shapes and sizes...Nice work!
AL

Pinus flexilis 'Cessarini Blue'

It will far exceed the space, but I agree with the school of enjoy it, move it or cut it down. I have room in the backyard that I can't touch until the kids get bigger.

Pinus cembra 'Glauca'

Foreground:
Pinus strobus 'Louie'
Pinus contorta 'Chief Joseph' - new this year (low expectations)
Pinus cembra 'Aurea' - coenosium last fall
Mini-Cham, don't recall name

'Louie' - third spring and starting to look happy, but as with most, not the coloring I hoped for.

Wow....that first picture of you house and yard belong on the cover of a magazine! It's all absolutely beautiful and you've done a lot of hard work over the past four years
More please....

Barbara

Pinus cembra 'Aurea' - can hardly wait for this one to take off.

Sold as Pinus strobus 'Loma Linda' but does not look like others I have seen online.

Thank you all for the kind words. I do have cars stopping by to take a look and ask questions. Mostly my neighbors look at me like I have a problem or two.

The berm was all grass 3 years ago. I brought in 24 yards of topsoil a yard or two at a time and the shape evolved after I looked at it each winter.

All of the stone was gathered locally from friends yards and farms. Some game back from fishing trips as my friends again considered me nuts.

I'm taking advantage of what youth is left to do the heavy lifting. I'm sure I'll have new wants next spring.

really nice yard you have a lot of work.

John,

Your garden looks great. It is kind of like the highway department says when repairing a road- months of work and inconvenience for a lifetime of enjoyment.

Don't be too quick to remove plants from around the 'Tenysu-kazu'. Wait until they are actually crowded. Otherwise you may end up with a hole in the landscape. It has some major survival issues.

Bob

Bob, thanks for the compliments and advice. I don't want to put that plant in jeapardy. So many people have said that it's a weakling and I trust their experiences.

I'm guessing that it's just in the right micro-climate? I've done nothing for it other than slow deep waterings as needed. It now has more protection from wind with what I've added. If anything, I would remove the hydrangea and the globe blue spruce from in front of it. Won't be for a few more years anyway.

I move stuff around, but realize that I need to leave that one be. I hadn't given as much thought to what the surrounding plants may be doing for it.

Looks great! I like the color combinations.