Wow Stephen, some major changes going on. I hope you decide to keep the Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta'. It would be a real shame to remove such a beautiful conifer. I'm a bit biased though, it's one of my favorites. I would think keeping a few larger anchor plants would be benificial to the overall look of the garden. Good luck with the new changes in the evolution of your garden.

Dan

P.S. Gorgeous photos as always :)

Hi Stephen-

Pity about the C. l. 'Rijnhof'. That plant was one of the ones that caught my eye back when you were contributing pics to the BCS website.

One possible alternative- one large bed. Complete removal of all lawn grass would open up a bit more space and cut down on some of the bed edging work.(?)

wow you are a brave soul. I am tempted to to fly over and come get the rejects! I am glad you are keeping the Cedrus deodara Feeling Blue it is one of my favorites,. After seeing some of your pictures I made an effort to find one and I am loving it. In pictures # 4 & 5 is that the same plant, they look very different. I like Redwing's idea of getting rid of the grass. Less time mowing and edging more time for gardening. Do you find it difficult to move established conifers? Which conifers move the easiest?

Thanks, Blue, for the insight into your design process. Man, those are some nice specimens tagged for removal. I would have a very hard time removing what appear to be very healthy plants, but, I suppose, if they "don't curl your toes" (who said that, anyway? lol, rothflmbo). Any of the culled plants finding homes elsewhere?

tj

Dan - I know what you mean, Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta' has always been one of my favorites for many years, but this plant might be just a bit too overpowering and is not quite in the right place once the replanting is completed.

shannon - not much chance of my removing the grass paths, I think it would destroy the overall look and design of the garden which has always been something I want to keep at all costs.(even conifers)

beige - picture 4 is Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Rijnhof' and picture 5 is cedrus deodara 'Feelin' Blue'
It's a bit hit and miss in moving established conifers especially in my very sandy soil, can never retain a root ball. The hardest to move are the pines, and probably the easiest for me are the spruces.

tj - nothing really wrong with the plants to go, the bed has just gotten a bit too overcrowded, and I always have what I consider so many better plants waiting to take their places. I doubt any of the culled plants will be going to new homes, too much time and effort.

Another two for the scrapheap.

Abies alba 'Hockstucki'
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Larix kaempferi 'Cupido'
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bluespruce,

Reminds me of the saying: to make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs.

The completed bed looks great.

Reading this I was distinctly given a clear vision that my gardens will have the same issues down the road. Perhaps sooner then I expect I'll have to cut out some beautiful trees.

It's too bad their roots systems were so large - people would LOVE to have huge, wonderful conifers at that size transplanted into their garden.

Best of luck Stephen!

Wow, very impressive garden.

Bluespruce

I guess I'm a little dismayed and confused on your decision. I think it's because I have always worked to get my garden to eventually get the "flow together" look that your garden has acheived. In fact as I have stated before in other postings...I loooove the look of your maturing gardens......the mixed colors and textures.

To get an insight into your gardening style, is it mostly a desire to change out specimens to new ones, or do you actually like the spreadout thinner look of the beds? In most of the cases you have pointed out, they haven't grown so close together that it would impact their health.

mark

tex cracks me up.. lol ...

the next heroin high.. is always better than the last ... the future is where the buzz is ... lol

as for the Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta' .. it might make a great xmas tree for the village or something ...

i dread the day i have to do this...

you are lucky,.... because you could graft up a few Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta' .. and put one somewhere else.. and theoretically.. still have this tree ...

i dont have that option and i dont have a replacement budget ..

all my small treasured babes.. are growing up.. and i am depressed ... what was i thinking.. when i planted them where i did.. lol

live and learn..

keep us posted on your project.. and thanks for the pix .... and glad you popped back in.. havent seen much from you lately ..

ken

Hi Blue. I hope you will propagate at least some of those plants like 'Rijnhof' and 'Trompenburg'. Those cv's (and many others) are never offered for sale around here!
PS. Sit back and relax from time to time...that's what gardening's supposed to be all about! T.

mark - nothing to do with the 'spread out thinner look of the beds', it's just a desire to keep on collecting dwarf conifers and acquiring those that you think are better than the ones you already have. When the garden becomes full then something has to give, so removing those plants that seem less exciting now than when you got them is the only way to go to make the extra room for new acquisitions. Also I have never been really happy the way this particular bed has turned out, so a good clear out for me is the only way to go.

ken - yes i do have new propagations of the A. lasiocarpa 'Compacta' and may well plant one back into the bed or at least somewhere else.

tunilla - The 'Rijnhof' will be propagated, but I doubt the 'Trompenburg', not a lot of demand for conifers in the UK. No time to sit back and relax, too much to do!

Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' another firm favorite will definitely stay, not so sure about the Pinus nigra 'Green Tower' to its right, it's too close to the 'Golden Spreader' and is becoming a bit sparse on the shady side, I may decide to try and relocate it somewhere else within the bed.
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The larix decidua 'Puli' is one that will stay , but the Thuja occidentalis 'Variegated' to the left will go for sure.
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Speaking of the Compacta....would you confirm for me what the pink mounding flower is in front of the Compact? I think it is the same flower in purple I see in front of the Berrima Gold. I love its texture.

mark

mark - the purple and pink flowering plants are heathers, Culluna vulgaris cultivars.

Just drink a bunch of Guiness and put one of those headband flashlights on and grab a chainsaw some evening.

Best Regards,

Dax

I guess the good news here is that now ALL of us will have the opportunity to watch this new bed of yours grow into maturity! I look forward to that. I'm sure your whole garden is an inspiration to the world of conifer lovers.

I assumed they were heathers but wanted to make sure. Unfortunately here in Oklahoma we are much too humid and hot for heather. But they sure are a great answer for color splashes around the garden.

mark

I like your specimen of Pinus nigra 'Green Tower' and would be good to retain in some form maybe. What are the main difficulties of trying to transplant something so established and what would the procedure be? How old is it and how old is the 'Golden Spreader'?

Not to sound ignorant, but I would assume that you would have tree spades that fit on the front of a Bobcat (or like machine) on your side of the pond that you could bring in to transplant some of the larger specimens.

I've said it before, that I always enjoy seeing pictures of your plantings (and am always watching for new pic post from you) and use them often for inspiration in my own gardens. What I would give to have plants that are as beautiful and well developed as yours.

Do you think that I could smuggle the Berrima Gold and Rijnhof into a suitcase and bring them home? Both are beautiful specimens.

Can't wait to see what you come up with over the ensuing months. Keep us updated often. Thanks for the effort.

Eliot

Richard - Can't remember exactly how old the 'Green Tower is, and can't even remember where I got it, but I would guess about 10yrs old. The main difficulties for me in moving established conifers is that I have no chance in retaining a root-ball in my extremely sandy soil, which is more or less essential when trying to move a pine, so perhaps you can see that sometimes it's just not worth the effort.
My Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader is about 22-23yrs old.
Eliot - With regards to Bobcats and tree spades, again not wort the expense or the effort involved, not to mention i would still need somewhere to replant them.
yes, you can have the 'Berrima Gold' and the 'Rijnhof' if you think you can smuggle them back over, but don't tell Resin, he seems to get a bit uptight about such things :0)

Just for interest, here is a pre digital pic of the 'Berrima Gold' taken several years ago.

Very nice Steve.

Bill

Thanks Bill.

All this talk of replanting has already started me off pulling a few plants to pieces, can't seem to wait till late autumn. Anyway something that tunilla might be interested in, started to lift the lower branches of the 'Rijnhof' and found that many have rooted into the ground, so cut a few away and have instant plants potted up...cheating I know!

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hey presto! - instant plant.
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What's you put them all in the same pot for silly?

It's just one piece Dax. Or am I missing your American humour :0)

Hi Stephen,
Indeed you have to make some room for the nice dwarf and miniature one's you had grafted last Winter.

You mentioned Thuja occidentalis 'Variegated'.
Is this a white variegated 'Smaragd'.
It lookes very simular to 'Spotty Smaragd' and 'Starstruck'.

Edwin,
It's the plant Haddow had listed under this name for some years, and I think it could well be 'Spotty Smaragd'

Hi Blue. Definitely interested. If you're doing mail-order, you could add it to a P. omorika 'Pendula Bruns' when that becomes available. But maybe we shouldn't have these discussions on the forum as they might be considered commercial?
You can contact me on yellowspineboy@yahoo.com for any other propositions you may have. Thanks in advance! T.

Never mind dude.

Later,

Dax