Bald Cypress - a Great Tree for the Home Landscape

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• ‘Monarch of Illinois’, a wide-spreading and leaderless tree which would be effec­tive in a large landscape. Another similar cultivar having a similar height and breadth is ‘Nelson’, which does have a central leader, coupled with a horizontal branching habit. An extra attraction is that it cones heavily every other year.

• Shawnee BraveTM is a chance seedling that was propagated and distributed by Earl Cully. The limbs are branched up­ward at about 45-50 degrees and it has formerly attained a height of 75 feet (23 m) and a width of 18 feet (6 m). It has never formed cones and propagation is via chip budding onto seedlings grown using a northern seed source to ensure maximum hardiness.

 

 

 

• ‘Cascade Falls’ bald cypress is now widely distributed in the USA. It can be high grafted or grafted low and trained high to obtain the weeping effect. In either case the multiple branches weep from the crown providing an open feath­ery habit that is distinctive from the ever­green weeping conifers. It is normally seen in the nursery in a form many times higher than wide and can be kept more narrow and shorter by pruning in win­ter. The leaves turn the typical orange­-brown in late autumn and the weeping branch structure itself is a marvelous win­ter landscape feature.

 

• ‘Peve Minaret’ is dwarf conical tree seedling derived from a freely pollinated bald cypress. It is described by Job Vergeldt as follows: “The dark green nee­dles are smaller than those of the species and somewhat variable in length. Espe­cially the tips of the needles are densely congested. An eight year old tree reaches only one meter (3 ft).”
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• ‘Morris’ (DebonairTM). Quoting Tony Aiello of the Morris Arboretum on the history of the pond cy­press cultivar ‘Morris’: “The original plant is from the (John and Lydia) Morris Estate. It was planted hardy.” ‘Morris’ is an extremely narrow columnar tree; the branches of the still existing original tree at Morris Arboretum (pictured above) sweep strongly up­ward, in the area of 70-80 de­grees.

• ‘Nutans’ Another commonly available pond­ cypress is Taxodium ascendens ‘Nutans’. The foliage is delicate and strap-like and the tree is narrow and slow growing. The leaves have the same rusty orange color in the fall as the species. This cultivar, as well as ‘Morris’, has wonderfully tall narrow silhouettes in winter.

Learn about the conifers in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

 

A wide shot of the conifer, Pinus vallartensis (Vallarta pine)

A recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, afforded me the honor to spend a day with the leading pine expert in that country, Dr. Jorge Alberto Pérez de la Rosa. As a prelude to the narrative concerning this important meeting, I offer the following background, in order to provide context.

When I first developed an interest in conifers, my assumption was that conifers from Mexico, Central America, and South America were not suitable for the USDA zone 7b climate in north central Georgia, where my home and arboretum are.

My previous focuses had been North America, Central Europe, Asia Minor (Turkey), and Temperate Asia (Far-eastern Russia, Mongolia, Eastern and Inner China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan). In part and as a result of my extensive travels throughout the world, plus good connections, I have enjoyed access to numerous genera to evaluate.

A canopy shot of the conifer, Pinus vallartensis (Vallarta pine)

Growing through my Conifer Journey
After over 25 years of trial and error, I had begun to develop a fair understanding of the areas from which I could select specimens. As an example, Abies (fir) from the West Coast of the United States are not suitable for our growing conditions in Georgia and the Southeast.

The same is true for a number of conifers that are native to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada range. My specific geographic area is too wet. I have trialed and have lost almost all conifers that are native to Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. The conifers of these countries do not adapt well to my soil, moisture regime, and hot nighttime temperatures.

Approximately 10 years ago, I was introduced to Jeff Bisbee, who lives in Gardnerville, NV. Jeff is an expert on the conifers of his region and has also collected specimens extensively in Mexico. On one of my trips to visit him, he shared several species for trial. After meeting Jeff, I then met Dr. Jason Smith, who is a plant pathologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. Dr. Smith is credited with discovering Fusarium torreya, the fungus responsible for the decline of Torreya taxifolia (Florida torreya), the most endangered conifer species in North America.

 

Another shot of the conifer, Pinus vallartensis (Vallarta pine)

Consulting with the Conifer Experts of North America
Dr. Smith also has assembled a significant collection of Mexican conifers at his research station in Gainesville and was happy to share plants with me for evaluation. In my zone, I can now successfully grow 7 Pinus (pine), 3 Juniperus (juniper), 3 Abies (fir), 1 Pseudotsuga (Douglas-fir), 2 Cupressus (cypress), and 3 Picea (spruce). All have been in the ground at my arboretum long enough for me to be comfortable with their adaptability.

Whenever I thought of Mexico, I thought of a hot, dry, and flat place; a result, no doubt, of watching too many Clint Eastwood Westerns. However, I learned several facts about Mexico. Although the highest point in eastern North America is Mt. Mitchell, NC, at 6,683 feet (2,000 meters), there are several mountains in Mexico in the 17,000- to 18,000-feet (5,100- to 5,182-meters) range!

Due to cold tolerance, many conifers will adapt to our north central Georgia zone 7b and elsewhere, even zone
6. The higher elevation species, such as Pinus cembroides (Mexican pinyon pine), are too alpine for our heat. Likewise, species such as the most beautiful Pinus lumholtzii (Lumholtz’s pine) are too tender.

 

The conifer, Pinus maximinoi (Maximo’s pine) in the mountains of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Meeting Dr. Pérez de la Rosa, University of Guadalajara
In early April 2019, my wife, Evelyn, and I found ourselves in Puerto Vallarta with an open day to do non-touristy things. In advance of our trip, I had reached out to Neil Gerlowski, the Executive Director of Jardín Botánico de Vallarta (Vallarta Botanical Garden). He kindly arranged an email exchange between me and Dr. Pérez de la Rosa, mentioned above, who had to drive almost 5 hours from his home to meet us.

He is a researcher and professor in the Department of Botany and Zoology at the University of Guadalajara. He is also co-author with Aljos Farjon and Brian Styles of the book, A Field Guide to the Pines of Mexico and Central Mexico.

Although our bilingual skills were limited, our love of plants and knowledge of botanical nomenclature transcended the language barriers Dr. Pérez de la Rosa and I had. Neil Gerlowski had also accompanied Dr. Pérez de la Rosa. After a one hour drive out of the city, we were in the mountains, where the lush scenery mirrored the images from books that I had read.

The countryside was replete with Quercus (oak) and numerous species of Magnoliaceae (magnolia family). In the distant mountains, we would see cloud forest, and I found myself wishing I were able to explore the area on foot.

 

The cone of Pinus oocarpa (Mexican yellow pine) in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

 

The Recently-Discovered Conifer in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Dr. Pérez de la Rosa pointed to a remote spot high in the mountains where he had discovered a recently described species of pine from the western state of Jalisco. Pinus vallartensis (Vallarta pine) occurs near the southern limit of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range in northwestern and western Mexico.

It is known from only one location where individual trees grow scattered on a northern exposed hillside with grassland and open forest of pine and oak. Estimates are that its area of distribution extends only a few square kilometers, and the number of mature specimens is fewer than 2,500 trees.

Dr. Pérez de la Rosa reports that the habitat generally is open grassland, making the area vulnerable to frequent fires, both natural and intentionally set to promote cattle grazing. Since a part of our mission at the Cox Arboretum and Gardens in Canton, GA, is the conservation of endangered conifer species, I was hoping to obtain seed.

With our median temperature of 78°F (26°C), this pine would not survive in Georgia. However, the request for seed was not in vain, as Dr. Pérez de la Rosa promised to send me seed from a high elevation population of Pinus lumholtzii (Lumholtz’s pine), which I consider the most unusual of all Mexican pines.

 

The conifer cones of Pinus miximinoi (Maximo’s pine) from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Pine Tree Variety in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
The other three pines in the area are Pinus oocarpa (Mexican yellow pine), P. jaliscana (Jalisco pine), and the more distantly-related P. maximinoi (Maximo’s pine). We drove to an area where I was able to photograph and collect cones of P. oocarpa and P. maximinoi. Regrettably, I passed on looking for P. jaliscana, the rarest of the three. I was advised that the area where P. vallartensis could be seen was too rugged for me to attempt.

As a consolation, Dr. Pérez de la Rosa kindly presented me with cones and an article he had written describing the species. It is significant to mention that Mexico contains more species of pine than any other country and, within the state of Jalisco, where we traveled, there are 20 conifer species.

Like its neighbor to the north, Mexico is ecologically quite diverse. At the driest extremes live Pinus monophylla (single-needled pinyon pine) and some of the related species, which co-exist in semi-desert and desert conditions. In contrast, some pines occur in extremely wet and cool high-altitude forests, often with conifers such as Abies (fir), Pseudotsuga (Douglas-fir), and Cupressus lusitanica (Mexican cypress).

In my opinion, Mexico is an under-explored area for conifers, as well as home to beautiful broad-leaf taxa.

 

The Vallarta Botanical Garden in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

 

Mexico's Vallarta Botanical Garden near Puerto Vallarta
At the conclusion of our field visit, we were driven to Vallarta Botanical Garden, where we were again welcomed by Neil Gerlowski. Neil is an expatriate from the United States, who appears to be at home here. This internationally acclaimed garden is recognized as one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, and for good reason. The property encompasses 64 acres at an elevation of 1,300 feet (400 meters) and is situated on the side of a large mountain.

In 2013, VBG was selected as one of the Top 10 North American Gardens Worth Traveling For by the North American Garden Tourism Conference’s International Tourism Award Jury. Reader’s Choice of USA Today rates it as the number 4 Botanical Garden in North America. TripAdvisor® rates it as the number 1 Garden in Mexico (2018).

My only disappointment was not being able to see much of the garden. Its topography is not conducive to those with physical handicaps like mine. The portion we were able to traverse was outfitted with paths set in the lush tropical forest. I have never visited a garden with a more beautiful setting, or seen such a dizzying array of plants.

A Fruitful End to a Journey
While there, we dined in their award-winning restaurant and sipped on complimentary hibiscus tea as we watched tropical birds fluttering about. A magical setting! This is a must-see garden for those visiting the area.

I wish to thank Dr. Pérez de la Rosa and Neil Gerlowski for their time and generous hospitality. As I concluded what will regrettably be my last overseas adventure, due to increasing physical limitations, I can think of no better a way to bring these kinds of travels to a close than to spend them with true professionals. A day with the top pine expert in Mexico exceeded all of my expectations.

Photographs by Tom Cox and Dr. Jorge Alberto Pérez de la Rosa.

Tom Cox is past president of the American Conifer Society and the founder and owner of Cox Arboretum and Gardens in Canton, Georgia, where he focuses on evaluating, selecting, and displaying plants from around the world that are hardy in USDA Zone 7b. He is also concerned with preserving critically-endangered plants.

By Tom Cox
November 13, 2019

Discover the memorable conifers of Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart.

The conifer, Bhutan cypress (Cupressus torulosa) behind the bench at Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne

Evelyn has always been keen to attend the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam in Melbourne, Australia, and I have wanted to visit some of the gardens in and around Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart, Tasmania.

This would require some delicate balancing of competing interests. For starters, I am a member of the International Dendrology Society, and one of the Australian members put me in touch with a fine gentleman named Alistair Watt. Alistair is noted as having the best conifer collection in Australia. After a brief introductory email exchange, we were invited to spend our first night in the country with him and his wife Julie.

After our arrival in Melbourne, we picked up a car and headed south on the Great Ocean Road to a small town where they live, named Lavers Hill. The scenic drive along the coast through the picturesque towns of Lorne and Apollo Bay took over 4 hours. This drive was highly recommended by fellow ACS members Joe and Jan Hallal, and did not disappoint. Along the way, we would spot our first Koala bears and several colorful bird species.

Landing in Lavers Hill
Upon our arrival, both Julie and Alistair warmly greeted us in their driveway. Any concerns about intruding were quickly vanquished. These were down-to-earth people who appeared genuinely happy we were visiting them. All around us were conifers from the four corners, and most were mature; suggesting Alistair had been at it for a number of years.

Outside of Bedgebury, their garden represented one of the best conifer species collections I had ever seen. While many were familiar, there were some from areas such as New Caledonia and Fiji which had never crossed my path, except as conservatory plants in places such as Edinburgh, Scotland, and Atlanta Botanical Garden. I am guessing he was Zone 8b and in some pockets Zone 9.

The conifer, Cathay silver fir (Cathaya argyrophylla)

Meeting the President (of the Australian Conifer Society)
Alistair related that most all the material in his collection was wild, collected with a specific focus on species from the Southern Hemisphere; having made many collecting expeditions to New Caledonia, Chile, and Fiji. He also cultivates a large number of non-coniferous genera including rhododendrons from China. I was particularly impressed that he was the founding President of the Australian Conifer Society and served in that capacity for many years.

He has freely shared material with other botanical institutions within Australia. Significant in his plantings were large specimens of Araucaria laubenfelsii, A. montana, and Agathis ovata, as well as a large collection of Mexican pines such as Pinus patula. On the very rare side, were conifers such as Dacrydium guillauminnii, Acmopyle sahniana, and Neocallitropsis pancheri. For me this was rarefied air, and I felt fortunate to be in the midst of a conifer giant in a one-on-one environment.

All too soon the sun disappeared, and we were being summoned to an Australian family home cooked dinner. This was so much nicer than eating in a restaurant. Conversation ran the gamut from plant collecting, to history of Australia and everything in between. It became obvious that Alistair and Julie were well read.

A Farewell to Victoria
The next morning, after a delicious breakfast, the Watts drove us to a rain forest where we were surrounded by huge ferns and other angiosperms. It was here we encountered our first glimpse of wallaby which remotely resemble kangaroos. Mid-morning we returned to their home for a quick good-bye to this splendid place. They invited us to extend for two more nights, but holding to the commitment I promised for balance, we regrettably headed for Melbourne.

On a final note, Alistair is writing a book on the great plant explorer Robert Fortune, for which I hope to offer a review. For those interested in further world exploration, here is an excerpt from my most recent e-mail from him regarding travel in China.

The highlight at the end of our trip was a visit to the fabulous Tianmushan to the southwest of Shanghai. Here at 1,100 meters there are huge Ginkgo growing wild in a superb forest also with gigantic 1,000-year old Cryptomeria with Torreya, Emmenopterys henryi, Liriodendron chinensis, and evergreen oaks.

However, I must confess that the best for me was seeing the wild Pseudolarix amabilis at 45meters in height. The best bit is that we did not have to walk up to 1,100 meters – there is a tourist road and tourist shuttle buses up to that altitude, made of slab paths through the forest! However, we did decline to hire the mountain sedan chairs.

The Chinese coffin tree (Taiwania cryptomerioides)

Touring the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Our next stop was Melbourne, where we spent four exciting days. Significant among the activities was attending the 2015 Australian Open Grand Slam tennis event. This is a well-organized venue, and transportation to and from the stadium was easy via a train near our hotel.

No visit to Melbourne would be complete without a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG). Upon our arrival, we were met by Ms. Jenny Happell, who works as a guide, and Dr. Roger Spencer, Senior Horticultural Botanist, who happily had arranged for a motorized cart. The grounds are vast, and the cart afforded the opportunity to see the entire property.

Knowing that we had a special interest in conifers, great care was given to make sure we saw the extant specimens. This is a species garden with the largest examples of Keteleeria fortunei (China), Cupressus torulosa (India, Bhutan and China) and Pinus patula (Mexico) I had ever encountered.

These were trees, the size of which one only reads about in plant books. The garden offers the visitor an opportunity to see a number of rare conifers as well as flowering trees and shrubs. Like all gardens we visited, RBG Melbourne is well maintained, the plants are well labeled, and the setting is stunning.

Heading Sydney-Side
After a brief plane ride, our next stop was the beautiful city of Sydney. I tend not to be too excited these days by large cities, but Sydney was an exception–great restaurants, hotels, friendly people, and always a sense of feeling safe.

Upon arrival, we were met at our hotel by Stuart Read (also a member of the International Dendrology Society), who is in charge of city planning for Sydney. This turned out to be a most fortunate contact, as Stuart approves all tree selections and planting as well as all architectural designs. As such, he has a unique view of all things horticultural.

After arranging a harbor tour on one of the ferries, we took a casual stroll through beautiful tree-lined neighborhoods where he pointed out significant trees and buildings. Later we went to dinner in some obscure back alley with hundreds of decorative birdcages strung across the street–which one would only find were one in the know. At the conclusion of dinner, Stuart presented me with a handwritten list of conifers we should see the next day during our visit to RBG Sydney.

The conifer, wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Melbourne

A Conifer Garden in the Heart of the City
It is funny how, if you’ve been at something for a long time, people re-appear in the most unusual settings. Way back in the late 1990’s I visited the Dallas arboretum and established a relationship with their senior director, Jimmy Turner.

Jimmy is now the Director of Horticulture at RBG Sydney. The Royal Botanic Gardens is a major botanical garden located right in the heart of Sydney. Opened in 1816, the garden is the oldest scientific institution in Australia and one of the most important historic, botanical institutions in the world. Its stunning position is on Sydney Harbor, overlooking the Sydney Opera House and a vast expanse of large public parklands.

While Evelyn toured the Sydney Opera House, I was escorted around the gardens; taking great care to see their magnificent collection of conifers. This was the equivalent of a hop-on/hop-off tourist bus, except better. Like the other Royal Botanic Gardens of Australia, this is a species collection which is comprised of conifers from around the globe. Of particular note was a well-formed specimen of Glyptostrobus pensilis, which is native to subtropical southeastern China and northern Vietnam.

Conifers on the (Bondi) Beach
The species is listed as critically endangered and is nearly extinct in the wild due to overcutting for its valuable decay-resistant, scented wood. Most specimens I have observed (even in China) tend to be rangy and not particularly garden-worthy. The lone exception are trees growing at the Lovett Pinetum in Angelina, Texas, which was started by ACS member, Dr. Bob Lovett.

As an aside, if you ever find yourself in east Texas, this is well worth a visit. We also grow several specimens here at the Cox Arboretum, to include one which is getting on nicely after a bear climbed it and broke off the top 6’. Many of the extant conifers at RBG Sydney are clustered in an area very near the café where Evelyn and I enjoyed coffee with several of the arboretum’s staff. It was then on for my tour with their top conifer expert, Peter Sweedman. As he whisked me from plant to plant in a motorized cart, it was–Conifer overload!!!

We spent a total of 4 days in Sydney and, thanks to a great transportation system to include the hop-on/hop-off sightseeing bus, we covered much of this leafy city. It was a thrill to visit the famous surfing area on Bondi Beach, which was heavily planted with Araucaria columnaris (Cook pine) and A. heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine).

The conifer, Kashmir cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana)

Tuesdays in Tasmania
Our final stop in Australia was on the island of Tasmania and the capital, Hobart. Regrettably, we only scheduled 3 days here, which was not nearly enough time to explore. As was the case in previous cities, the highlight was our day at the Royal Tasmania Botanical Gardens. While this is the second oldest garden in Australia, it seemed much older than Sydney. As I reflect back, Sydney had more modern structures where this garden oozed with old-world charm.

For starters, there are the Historic Walls, which were constructed in 1829 as a measure to shelter more frost tender plants. Constructed by convicts, the walls provide structure and unique heritage value to the Gardens. Other significant structures include the Anniversary Arch built in 1913, and the cast iron entrance gates constructed in 1878.

The garden is widely known for its collection of conifers that was started around 1859, with certain conifers arriving almost at the same time as they were introduced into England (for example Sequoiadendron giganteum). It was a special moment to see ancients such as Wollemi pines (Wollemi nobilis) flourishing alongside Metasequoia.

A Stunning View at Journey's End
If you travel to Hobart, be sure and allot time for a drive up to the top of Mount Wellington for a spectacular view of the city. Rising 4,163 feet, there is a narrow road (Pinnacle Road) you take to the summit. The day we went, the weather was cool and windy, and we were the only visitors. The flora and terrain were quite varied as we made our way to the top.

At some point, we climbed past the tree line and into a dense fog, punctuated by a rocky, tundra-like landscape. Reminding us of nothing, this place is definitely unique and worth the time. On the way back, we stopped at the Cascade Brewery which was established in 1832, and is the oldest continually operating brewery in Australia.

Photographs by Tom Cox.

Tom Cox is past president of the American Conifer Society and the founder and owner of Cox Arboretum and Gardens in Canton, Georgia, where he focuses on evaluating, selecting, and displaying plants from around the world that are hardy in USDA Zone 7b. He is also concerned with preserving critically-endangered plants.

By Edward Weiss
February 29, 2020

Redesigning your conifer garden? Be inspired by a modernist architecture and industrial design, “Form follows function.”

A view of the conifer garden's top of berm, in the West end

“Form follows function” is a principle associated with 20th century modernist architecture and industrial design, which says that the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose.

The term easily fits for designing a conifer garden, or any garden for that matter. You need only ask yourself what you want to accomplish before starting your project.

Before we begin on how our garden came together, a few background notes are in order. It has been approximately seven years since we started this project. We moved to Ann Arbor from Detroit, bought a house, gutted it and put it back together; an almost two year effort which allowed landscaping ideas to present themselves.

Our lot is a non-uniform shaped, subdivision plot on a cul-de-sac. The lot size is a little less than 14,000 square feet with a 4-6 foot high berm along the 130-foot length of the property.

Take away footage for the house, garage, driveway, patio and potting shed, and there isn’t a lot of land left for a conifer collection, yet we soldiered on. To date, we have over 100 different varieties of conifers for a total of approximately 150 trees and brooms.

The view to potting shed from top of berm of the conifer garden

Some of the principal design functions were:
1. Provide a screen to road activity along the 130-foot south side length of the house, where the berm is located. In addition, on the north side of property, our goal was to develop an attractive privacy screen to other neighborhood houses.

2. Install a closed loop geothermal system.

3. Allow access to the city bus stop without having to climb over the berm.

Modest wishes!!

How and what was accomplished:
1. It didn’t take much thought to decide that conifers were the best choice for screening road activity, especially in the winter when deciduous have lost their leaves. We used the same concept for establishing a pleasing privacy screen from other houses in the subdivision.

With that basic function defined, one would think it would be a simple task to go ahead and plant. Unfortunately, to a novice, it opened a vast array of options as to which conifers to select and purchase...thus began the journey.

2. The geothermal heating/cooling system was a straightforward process to install. It was necessary to cut back the berm along the entire length of house so that a large drilling rig could be brought in to drill the geothermal vertical lines.

That accomplished, it left us with a dramatic cut along the entire length of the berm. To maintain the effect, it was necessary to do something to retain the dirt. A boulder wall seemed a sensible answer.

Berm before rock wall installation in the conifer garden

After doing the math, it became apparent that it would take a lot of stone to complete this task. Researching stone sources and cost, we found we could purchase the stone directly from the source instead of going through a middleman and at quite a reasonable cost because we were buying over 200 tons of boulders.

In fact, we were able to go out into the fields where they were excavating the boulders and choose the actual stones we wanted. Over several weeks, as new boulders were dug up, we would go out again and again to select our stone. In choosing the rocks, we didn’t want a wall with stacked round boulders and opted for flat and broken faces.

3. Getting to the city bus system on the other side of the berm without climbing 6 ft. up and down, was accomplished by cutting a 5 ft. wide snaking path through the berm. Both sides of the path were reinforced with more large boulders to hold the two sides of berm in place. The snaking path was also designed to avoid a straight line view into the yard from the street.

Berm after rock wall installation in the conifer garden

Beginning the design and our process:
1. Look, read, and look some more!! We had to develop some sense of the types of landscape designs that appealed to us. We searched online for garden pictures, borrowed books from the library, and, when we were out driving, keeping our eyes open for landscape ideas, both residential and commercial.

We also visited nurseries and surveyed what was available. We understood that this was not going to be a one season event, so we developed a "don’t panic” attitude.

2. We took photos from different locations inside the house, looking out the widows in order to locate key views. From the photos, we set up markers for planting sites. If we were to ever advise others, it would be to take your time establishing your views because you will be looking out those windows for many years to come. This is doubly important for us in the north who spend so much time during the winter indoors.

3. Selecting trees overview: Our approach to tree selection encompassed very basic concerns: color, texture size and shape.

The conifer garden's walkway to the bus stop

Color and texture
To any beginner, collecting conifers is a fascinating discovery that conifers come in a large variety of colors. Once you can get over the presumption that yellow-needled trees aren’t sick or dying, you can begin playing with the many shades of blues, greens, and yellows.

Everybody loves conifer cones, and a unique aspect of some conifer trees are the cone colors which can equal the excitement of any flower in bloom, for example -- Picea abies ‘Acrocona’, Picea abies ‘Pusch’, Abies koreana ‘Cis’, Abies koreana × lasiocarpa.

The view of the conifer garden from inside the house

Size and Shape
Because of our limited space we approached the aesthetics of size in three ways. First, we concerned ourselves with the shield/barrier to the road on the back side of the berm. Our choices emphasized, for the most part, full/dense evergreens. Included in this group were: three Cupressus nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ and three Tsuga canadensis, Picea abies, Picea pungens 'Moerheim', and Juniperus chinensis ‘Mountbatten’.

Second, we wanted to continue with tall trees, but cut down on the width. We maximized the tall and narrow with mixed conifers and deciduous trees: Cupressus nootkatensis 'Green Arrow', Thuja occidentalis 'DeGroot's Spire', Juniperis communis 'Lemon Spire', Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’, Acer saccharum 'Newton Sentry', and Quercus robur 'Crimson Spire'.

Third, brooms and conifer miniatures worked well for maximum use of ground space. Some of our favorites are: Abies concolor 'Hosta la Vista', Taxodium distichum ‘Gee Wizz’, Pinus Strobus ‘Squiggles’ and ‘Wiggles’, Pinus mugo ‘Mops Top South’ and ‘Mops Top North’, Pinus mugo subsp. rotundata ‘Maja' [SS #26], Picea abies ‘Chub’, Abies cephalonica ‘Meyer's Dwarf‘, Larix kaempferi ‘Nana’.

The front of house area of the conifer garden, next to the driveway

Final Thoughts
Once you start collecting different conifers, they all become special, though some do seem a little more special for no particular reason. For us it’s Picea pungens 'Ferrance Skirt', Pinus heldreichii 'Green Bun’ and Picea schrenkiana 'Nana'.

In summary, “Form Follows Function” can be simply viewed as: what do you want your garden to do? Is there a necessity or problem to solve such as water control, privacy, views from windows or an outside patio?

List your wants and issues, do your homework by visiting other gardens, review garden books and talk to experts. Then have fun designing your garden.

The conifer garden's walkway to bus stop in the winter

Ed & Colleen Weiss’ Garden is open to Conifer members. Check the ACS member directory for contact information.

Learn how to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your conifers through the art and craft of pruning.

The conifer, Pinus monticola ‘Crawford’ (Crawford Western White Pine) before pruning

“Aesthetic Pruning embraces the creative interpretation of small trees and shrubs in the urban context. The living art form combines the artistic skills of the pruner, the essence of a tree, the science of horticulture and the needs of the clients and the surroundings.” — Dennis Makishima

The diverse, often sculptural, attributes of conifers, the myriad of forms, textures and colors, add interest to any garden, and appeal to our sense of the beautiful, our aesthetic sense. In this article I would like to emphasize how the aesthetic appeal of conifers can be enhanced through the art and craft of pruning, specifically, through the principles of aesthetic pruning as developed by Dennis Makishima and promoted by the Aesthetic Pruners Association.

Let’s break down the definition of aesthetic pruning as it relates to conifers, and you can make up your own mind!

 

The conifer, Pinus monticola 'Crawford' (Crawford Western White Pine) after pruning

“Aesthetic Pruning embraces the creative interpretation of small trees and shrubs in the urban context.”
Gardening is all about creative interpretation, and the woody plants that reside in gardens are no exception; indeed, they are often a garden’s focal point. Woody plants have the ability to provide a story year-round. The bright yellows and blues of the conifers are stunning with a dark winter sky as a background. The new growth and cones in the spring, the steady background and structure in the summer and fall are only a few features to get us started. In both dramatic and subtle ways, conifers can express the wind, direct visitors to the front door, or lead your gaze towards the view of a water feature.

Do not be discouraged by reading “urban context” in the definition. We all know of collections that rival the Manhattan skyline in their density! Any garden where people interact on a personal level and scale matters (both practical and in design) should include aesthetics in the formula for long-lasting stewardship. For more on the importance of aesthetics in our lives, read a collection of essays edited by Ritu Bhatt called Rethinking Aesthetics, The Role of the Body in Design. This collection of essays is from a diverse field of professionals who make the argument “that aesthetic experiences can be nurtured at any moment in everyday life.”

The conifer, Limerick Hinoki False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Limerick’) before
pruning. The tree is growing into the eave of the house and the pathway. The scale of
this tree needs to be both practical and aesthetic

“The living art form combines the artistic skills of the pruner.”
I can honestly say that each of my clients has a great “eye”; meaning, they see creativity, look for beauty, proportion, balance, movement and all of the artistic terms, with which we are familiar. (Even if they don’t admit it to themselves!) To achieve those artistic elements successfully, one must develop skill. One must learn the growth habit of a tree, the reactions to pruning cuts in order to prune with design intent. Among my peers, we refer to this as developing our “craft."

How did I do it? Over many years, I completed all of the pruning classes offered at Merritt College and a 20-week, hands-on pruning class which was then offered by senior members Michael Alliger and Yuki Nara; as well as participating in the many volunteer events organized by the Merritt College Pruning Club, where more experienced pruners mentored the group. The most important aspect of this training was receiving feedback about goals, challenges, and execution. This was just the start of my craft development. For me, it will be a lifelong endeavor, and that is the beauty of it! Take all the classes you can find.

Experiment on your own trees. Get feedback.

 

The conifer, Limerick Hinoki False Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Limerick’) after
pruning. The tree maintains it form and is open enough to encourage new growth on
the interior for future pruning as well as let sun through for balanced foliage

“The essence of the tree”
Defining the essence of a tree is something conifer lovers do on a regular basis. It is one of the reasons why I think so many coneheads appreciate aesthetic pruning. The essence of a tree is found among the many characteristics we love in our favorite cultivars, which include movement, age, grace, silhouettes, foliage, cones and bark. Conifers also offer an endless supply of surprises and reveals.

While the Pinus monticola ‘Crawford’ could be identified by its growth habit, needles, and bark; also, what happens when it grows out of its location, and the context of the garden changes around it? One option would be to tear it out and replace it. This is usually not a problem for conifer lovers who have too many trees in pots waiting to get planted, but another option is to see if the tree has potential character that can be revealed with pruning.

Not all trees have this potential. This one has subtle movement within the trunk. Nothing too dramatic, but then, for the location, it doesn’t need to be. It will take a few years to work with the tree’s natural growth habit to develop the branches, and get the proportion of the trunk and scaffold branches right with a balanced amount of foliage. The trunk is not fabulous, but with a little bit hidden and a little bit revealed, our imagination can take over and improve the trunk beyond its original potential. A living, growing tree is always changing. An aspect of the art and craft of aesthetic pruning which I particularly love is balancing the beauty that can be achieved in the present while imagining and planning for the possibilities of the future.

The conifer, Hakuho Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii forma corticosa ‘Hakuho’)
bud production after de-candling

“The science and horticulture”
Understanding a tree’s horticultural needs is paramount to aesthetic pruning. Understanding how a tree will respond to your pruning is critical to maintaining the health of a tree and to maintaining the integrity of the tree’s design. Horticultural knowledge is essential and available through university extension programs, college courses, books and the Internet. In addition to learning from horticultural experts, aesthetic pruners are constantly using personal observations to assess growth, development and environmental conditions in the garden.

The example at right compares the bud growth from a Pinus thunbergii forma corticosa ‘Hakuho’ and a Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’. The ‘Thunderhead’ has grown in popularity in Japanese-style gardens because it is vigorous and can handle conditions that would stress a species tree or other cultivars. It produces a thicker and more brittle branch and a copious amount of buds when candled. ‘Thunderhead’ responds well to autumn thinning cuts in order to keep its size under control while making room for next year’s beautiful, fuzzy candles and long dark green needles.

Coneheads, hone your observations skills; trust what you see and what you know about your region and climate. Pruning tips you read may need to be adjusted to your region and cultivar, even if you are talking about the same tree.

 

The conifer, Thunderhead Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’) bud
production after candling

 

“The needs of the clients and [the] surroundings”
If you do not work in the field of pruning, you are your own client, and your garden, property and neighborhood constitute the local surroundings, within which your pruning takes place. Many questions can arise such as: do you have need for space, does your garden design require specific pruning, did you purchase a tree full of character, and, now that it is planted, is growing out of scale and losing its character, is it cascading to the left, but south is in the opposite direction, should you embrace asymmetry when the perennials have shaded out the bottom corner of your conical Picea.

Look thoughtfully at your surroundings and garden context. Learn to assess your garden, and your pruning will be balanced and unified. Even if you consider your plants a collection rather than a garden, your trees relate to each other, they relate to sun, wind, viewpoints and scale. If your tree is a focal point in the garden, it relates to the context around it.

Aesthetic pruning as outlined above is a technique with universal application. Unlike very specialized topiary or Niwaki pruning, its principals apply to any woody plant, in any horticultural setting and garden style. I was recently reminded by Michael Alliger in a keynote speech he gave at the APA’s 2016 pruning intensive workshop in Oakland CA, that fine art such as bonsai and Japanese garden design have been around for centuries, and that aesthetic pruning is in its infancy. The direction and development of Aesthetic Pruning as an art and craft is evolving and has an exciting future. I think conifers will lead the way!

Useful references

Books: An Illustrated Guide to Pruning, 3rd Edition, by Edward F. Gilman, and Rethinking Aesthetics: The Role of the Body in Design, Edited by Ritu Bhatt.

Video: www.Gardentribe.com “Pruning Japanese Maples” with Michael Alliger. (This may be about maples but the aesthetic pruning principles apply to any woody plant.)

Websites: maryannlewis.com, aestheticprunersassociation.org, aestheticpruning.org, crataegus.com/blog/, bonsaitonight.com/bonsai-blog/

Photographs by Maryann Lewis.

Maryann Lewis is a registered architect and APA certified aesthetic pruner. She co-founded the Aesthetic Pruners Association in 2010, gives presentations and workshops on aesthetic pruning and owns an aesthetic pruning business in Portland, Oregon. She can be reached at [email protected].