Conifers for the small garden # 2

11 years ago

I will do this grouping of three in one photo.

All three are approximately the same age and planted at the same time. 2002. I would guess they are all close to 15 years old.

Left to right: Pinus strobus 'Horstford', Pinus mugo 'Zundert' and Picea pungens 'St. Marys Broom'.

Dave

Pinus strobus 'Horstford'

This nicely shaped bun has wonderful light green needles. It is one of the best of the dwarf, bun-shaped, globose types of White Pine available. It is a selection of Greg Williams of Kate Brook Nursery in Vermont so you know this one is good and hardy to zone 3. The height and width is 2 feet in ten years making this a perfect fit for use in a dwarf garden. This one is 14" high by 40" wide.

Pinus mugo 'Zundert'.

This selection has an exceptionally bright gold winter color and distinctively long needles. Lower and denser growth habit than 'Pumilio'. Grows about 3" per year. Full sun, Zone 4. Growth rate 3-4" a year. This one just beginning its transformation to winter color. 33" high 42" wide.

Picea pungens 'St. Mary's Broom'

An old favorite that still commands attention. A dwarf form with silver-blue foliage that grows in a squat globose to broad conical form. Great blue needle colors and small size make it a nice choice for a rock garden or foundation planting. Zone 3. with a growth rate of 1-2" a year. This one 22" high by 42" wide. It attempted to grow a central leader 4 years ago but I removed it to prevent a conical form from developing.

Comments (6)

coniferjoy
11 years ago
Dave,
That's a nice group of conifers!

Some additional info to these plants:
Pinus strobus 'Horsford'
This is not a selection of Greg Williams.
It was found by William Horsford in a forest of New England.
He moved this plant to his home garden and watched it for several years and later on he shared some scions with Greg Williams who brought it into the trade.

Pinus mugo 'Zundert':
This seedling selection was found at a big Pinus mugo var. mughus seedlings field by Andre van Nijnatten in Zundert, The Netherlands.
He found it in winter time when this one was completely gold while all the others were green in the way this species is normaly growing.

If you wright 'Pumilio' this way, it's a cultivar.
But this isn't a cultivar, it's a natural variety and must be written as Pinus mugo var. pumilio.

Picea pungens 'St. mary's Broom':
It was found about 20 years ago by Layne Ziegenfuss at the Saint Mary's Convent in New Jersey.
alley_cat_gw_7b
11 years ago
Dave Im really enjoying your 'small garden conifers'. This last foto and display are real nice and the info that comes along is an added bonus. Thanks...Well done!
Oh..and of course it opens up some questions about their companions in the backround, but im sure theyll have their day!

AL
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dcsteg
Original Author
11 years ago
Edwin,

It was my understanding that Horstford was the founder. Greg propagated it and selected it to be introduced into the trade correctly using Horstford as the cultivar name.

Yes to the correction on Pinus mugo var. pumilio.

20 years ago 'St. Mary's Broom' new. 20 years later old. Nothing intended. If 20 years ago you were 50 and now 70 you are old. LOL.

Dave
barbaraincalif
11 years ago
Very nice Dave!
Can you tell us about what type of sun exposure these have throughout the day?

Barbara
dcsteg
Original Author
11 years ago
Barbara,

Late Spring to middle August 8 hours. Dwindling down to 4 hours for Winter.

Dave
ladylotus
11 years ago
Dave, I really enjoy seeing photos of your gardens. You have such a wonderful selection of plants with the perfect balance of upright, mound and weeping etc. In addition, you use color so nicely.

Thank you for sharing.