Hi, Alexander,
There are a lot of dwarf varieties to plant in that area.
For this I'll wait for recommendations from our forum friends here.
What they have to keep in mind is that you live in Belgium for which it's possible that some U.S. conifers are not available.
What I can tell you is that Pinus nigra 'Pyramidalis' and Abies koreana will outgrow your space when they're at their beautiest, so you can removed from your list.

Thank you for your answer Edwin.

Can someone please give me some advice on cultivars? :)

words mean things.... setting aside language ...

your title is WRONG....

you could EASILY put 30 to 40 MINI's in your space ...

dwarfs.. maybe 3 ...

refer to link ... and study closely.. the section on SIZES ... trying to retain the info about annual growth rate ....

you are looking for... or should be looking for.. plants in the 1 to 2 inch annual growth rate ... and you will enjoy them for a decade or two.. before you MIGHT get into size issues...

once you key in on annual growth rate... then having a list of names... really isnt necessary ... as you buy what you can get.. rather than searching for names you cant find ...

there is this dude over there ... who should be able to help you select this type of material... should you be able to travel to Dutch-landia ...

i dont know if my pix will show.. as PBucket says i am over using band width .... if not.. they will show up when the acct is reset ...

ken

{{gwi:211254}}

{{gwi:211253}}

Alexander, please check my website for mini and semi mini forms of Abies balsamea, Abies concolor, Abies lasiocarpa, Abies koreana, Abies pinsapo, Abies veitchii, Ginkgo biloba, Picea abies, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Picea omorika, Picea pungens, Pinus banksiana, Pinus mugo, Pinus parviflora, Pinus strobus, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus uncinata, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Sciadopitys verticillata, Taxus baccata and Tsuga canadensis.

Totaly 22 differend one's to look at.
You can create a nice mini conifer garden to pick out the smallest one of each.
I can help you with this if you like...

Here's another good website for suggestions, maybe you've already seen it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Conifers for rock gardens at Coenosium

@Ken:
Thank you for the reply. I certainly want some mini's over time too, but I first thought of having some dwarfs on few locations after which I can gradually fill in space with some mini's.
(To create a bed with plants with different heights.)
I've read that dwarf is between 1 to 6 inches growth rate a year. I don't want one that
grows 6 inches, but there is a big gap in between.

@Edwin:
Thank you for the extensive list. I've already looked up quite a few of them
and many look very suited for my purpose.
Why did you leave out P. nigra, C. deodara and A. procera out though?
Quite a few you listed up are definitely on my wanted list!
(Your site is sadly suddenly down, so I'll resume searching tomorrow. :p ).
How about P. nigra 'Green Tower'? (I would really like to have a small
pillar-like P. nigra.)
And how about Abies koreana 'Gait' (Is suggested on the website Maple_grove gave too.)

@Maple_Grove:
Thank you for the link, it's very informative.

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Wed, Jul 10, 13 at 17:59

I've read that dwarf is between 1 to 6 inches growth rate a year. I don't want one that
grows 6 inches, but there is a big gap in between.

==>>>> if you learn how to look at a plant.. you can SEE its annual growth ... it records its own history in its whorls... its needle retention ... and its bark development ...

if you have a labeled arb.. or collection near you.. and spent some time observing.. you could easily learn ...

ken

Alexander, the Pinus nigra 'Green Tower is possible for a central point, it's the most narrow form so far.

Unfortunately I had to quit with dwarf forms of Cedrus deodara.
This is because of our last four strong winters which were the cause that the mother plants died at my Pinetum.
Because of this I decided to let graft something else instead.

I overlooked Abies procera mini forms.
The cultivar 'Hupp's Dwarf' would be a very nice choice.

Abies koreana 'Gait' is also a good one.
Unfortunately I don't have any in stock at this moment...

Cedrus deodara 'Snow Sprite' is a very pretty little cultivar.

you need to start by IDing two or three seating areas... and then build the seating.. THEN think about plants ...

perhaps that plan is already done.. and you failed to mention such???

but to start with plant selection.. might be going at it from the wrong direction ...

larger specimens could be used to hide one seating area from the other ....

i guess what i am saying is: i dont understand how you are going to USE THE SPACE... other than to dig holes for plants...

ken

Alexander, the 'Snow Sprite will outgrow your space when it's getting mature.
This one is a dwarf, and like Ken said, you need minis for your area.

Cedrus deodara 'Scott' and '' Fall Out' would fit in your space.
Both are realy slow growers and were found as witches' brooms.
But, like said before, I don't have those no longer at my nursery.
There's also a very big chace that they will die in your garden if we get a winter like last years.
You better will skip Cedrus deodara from your list.

Let me help you with the small one's per genus/species what will fit for your space and which one's you can enjoy for a very long time...

Thanks again for all the replies. :)

@ Edwin:
Indeed, you told me that your C. deodara's died because of the cold winters the previous years, but I totally forgot that.
A. procera 'Hupp's Dwarf' is a nice one for sure. Thank you for the suggestion.
What I really like about A. koreana is that it gets beautiful cones quite early.
How about
- Abies koreana 'Knospenkönigin' (I can't find any info on its growth rate)
- Abies koreana 'Silver Show' (I presume this one is grows a bit too fast?)
- Abies koreana 'Blue Emperor'

@ Unprofessional:
Cedrus deodara 'Snow Sprite' is very nice. I have a feeling though that it won't be easy to get here in Europe (or am I wrong?).

@ Ken:
I actually have a plan in mind. I'll try to somehow draw it in a few days so I can show it here.

EDIT:
Edwin, I was writing this post before your new one came up, so I'll add a new reply to your last post. ;)

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 9:53

@ Edwin:
It's a pity that C. deodara is on the edge of being hardy enough for here because it's one of (if not my favourite) species. If I stand where the photo was taken and turn 180 degrees then I can see the upper half of a C. deodara of people in the neighbourhood though. :p
I'll make a list with different mini species on your website that caught my attention; then I can see them on your nursery next month. I'm looking forward to it; hopefully it won't rain like previous time.

Since Pinus nigra 'Green Tower' should fit, are there any other cultivars of other species with a similar growth habit?

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Thu, Jul 11, 13 at 10:33

Alexander, Tree forms of Cedrus deodara didn't suffer much from the last four winters, only at the south side there was frost damage and dry needles which felled off.
The dwarf and minis suffered and died, they couldn't stand the very cold temperatures just above the surface.

Another one that has a pretty simular growing habit like the Pinus nigra 'Green Tower' is my narrow Abies nordmanniana 'Filip's Perfect Column' which will be released for the first time this fall.
{{gwi:662815}}

Abies nordmanniana 'Filip's Perfect Column' is definitely a nice possibility too. I'll note that name down. :)

Those deodara's in my neighbourhood were damaged too two years ago (I think). They looked like larches for a while.
Now they're completely healthy again though.

my PBucket acct finally reset ... and my pics finally appear ... above ....

recall ... its not what i have specifically.. its whats available.. within the annual growth rate you are shooting for...

as such.. your 'plan' will probably become pliable.... one might say.. you didnt really know ahead of time.....what you ended up with.. lol ...

work out the backbones.. the path, seating and structures.. then worry about filling out the canvas .... what usually ends up.. is your 3 foot wide path.. ends up being 8 inches... lol ... yeah yeah.. metrics... one meter.... and 8/36 of a meter.. lol

good luck

ken

Thanks Ken.

In about two weeks I'll be on a trip to the far north (read the Netherlands) where I'll be buying a first 16 conifers from Edwin, to partly fill up the space.

I hope the garden will be presentable in a month or so. Only variable I can't really control is the hedge of the neighbours, I hope it'll recover soon from our devastating bamboo attack. ;)

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Sat, Jul 20, 13 at 14:54

Went to Edwin this Saturday to buy a first batch.
Here is a photo of the plants I bought taken on Edwin's nursery:

(From left to right: )
Abies koreana 'Verdener Dom'
Pinus cembra 'Lilliput'
Juniperus communis 'Goldschatz'
Abies nordmanniana 'Filip's Perfect Column' (Edwin told me I'm the first person ever who bought this beautiful cultivar! :) )
Abies balsamea 'Jamie'
Pinus mugo 'Milkyway'
Pinus parviflora 'Regenhold'
Abies pinsapo 'Ronda Mountain'
Sciadopitys verticillata âÂÂMeckiâÂÂ
Pinus banksiana 'Banská Stiavnica'
Pinus strobus 'Horsford'
Abies alba 'Schwarzwald'
Abies veitchii 'Kramer'
Pinus koraiensis 'Blue Ball'
Pinus heldreichii 'Smidtii'
Picea sitchensis 'Pevé Wiesje'

Not all of them are decently visible on the photo, I've more detailed photo's from all of them but I liked the setting of this photo. If you want any of them more detailed, ask away. ;)

That's a heck of a list of super cultivars. I've been around a while, a long while, you got hooked up!

Edwin, beautifully-grown-plants.

Dax

Thanks Dax. I'm afraid you're correct ... I got infected by the conifer virus; but I don't mind it for sure! ;)

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Tue, Aug 6, 13 at 9:00

Alexander, it was great to have you here at my nursery.
Time flew, we talked hours about conifers :0)

You made a nice selection of conifers to start with.
Good luck with creating your garden!
Please, inform us how your project will progress.

Thanks Edwin.
I enjoyed the visit a lot as well!
I'm looking forward to a next meeting.

I'll definitely keep you all updated on the progress of my garden.

This post was edited by liopleurodon on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 14:13