Hilliers - odds & sods

15 years ago

Just a few bits and pieces taken at Hilliers Arboretum a few years ago, now called Hilliers Gardens since they had the swanky Visitors Centre built and doubled their Admission fees.

Picea abies 'Tabuliformis' - old specimen on the rock garden opposite Jermyns House.

Picea omorika 'Nana' - again an old specimen on the Rock garden.

Picea orientalis 'Atrovirens' - out in the Arboretum.

Cupressus lusitanica 'Brice's Weeping' - extremely pendulous plant, would be better staked a lot higher which is not easy as I have found out with my own plant, difficult to stake a leader once the wood hardens

Labeled as Picea abies 'Pygmaea' but not the right plant IMO. a very nice compact slow growing spruce, I wish I knew the correct name.

Picea abies 'Echiniformis' correct plant IMO, but often confused with 'Gregoryana' and 'Veitchii'.

Comments (7)

kim_dirtdigger
15 years ago
Beautiful old specimens! That Tabuliformis has so much character. Looks like a little path is worn into it where some critters (or ferries and gnomes) travel frequently. Can you venture a guess on the age of that one, and the Picea omorika 'Nana'? I think the orientalis are the most graceful trees, and that is a beautiful specimen.
bluespruce53
Original Author
15 years ago
Kim - I would guess the Picea abies 'Tabuliformis' to be around fifty years and the Picea omorika 'Nana probably not a great deal less, The omorika pictured must be approaching 15 feet high.
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firefightergardener
15 years ago
GIves some perspective to a garden like mine!

I'd have no driveway anymore, just gigatic 'dwarf' and 'mini' conifers growing all over the place.

That 'Pgymaea looks a bit like 'Clanbrassiliana' but I'm sure it's just coincidence since that is a pretty famous plant.
Embothrium
15 years ago
A P. omorika 'Nana' planted on Vancouver Island around 1962 had reached 24' tall by 1994.
sprucebud
15 years ago
I like the picea abies Echiniformis. I was there in early September and snapped the following.

I also bought this Picea smithiana Sunray in the shop. It was hidden behind some other plants. I do not know much about this one.
Embothrium
15 years ago
What's the one in the photo above the picture of 'Sunray'?
sprucebud
15 years ago
I think it is picea abies Virgata although I am not one hundred percent certain.