Ok, I got two photos to post. It timed out and I lost my original post. Bear with me...

Much of the garden needs time to fill out. Other areas will clearly become crowded without intervention. That's why I consider it a garden and not landscaping. We move many plants around each season.

We start many plants in the garden knowing they will need to be moved. It's a good way to observe performance and visuals until a permanent location is chosen.

For example, the 'Dandylion' above will likely be chosen as a permanent place. It has done really well here, and retains a nice gold through most of the year. The 'Edelweiss Weeping' to the right has a nice blue color, but unfortunately will grow too large. It has since been moved to a new location.

I'll continue to update this with more photos through the winter.

Please ask if you would like an ID on any of these plants.

R to L: Picea engelmannii 'Jasper', Larix decidua 'Little Bogle', Picea orientalis 'Skylands' x 'Nutans' cross.

Merry Christmas,

Ryan

the lawn ... paths and edging are TO DIE FOR ... that is a season long job in and of itself ...

i also like the lot with its undulating form .... did you pic the lot for that effect??? .. when i moved from flat suburbia to the prairie.. i got some undulation in the garden ... and a whole new world opened up ... gardening in 3D rather than 2D .... 4D i guess if you count the plants themselves ...

oh yeah.. and the conifers ... whatever ... lol ... i guess i am honing in one the labor of love that pulls it all together .....

plz tell me these pix werent taken today .... lol.. remind us where you are ...

thx for the tour.. i look forward to much more ....

ken

Thanks for the comments Ken.

You nailed it, labor of love. I look at it as an enjoyable hobby rather than a pesky chore.

The lot was a happy accident. Wasn't fully appreciated at first. An added bonus is excellent drainage.

I'm not sure what happened to my location info by my username (it used to be there?), but I am in Moline, IL (NW Illinois). We are wedged between the Mississippi and Rock river, and so have many ravines (thus the terrain).

Only spring pics so far, but all form this year.

Sorry snow haters, but I'd love to have a nice insulating blanket of snow like we had last winter:

Ooh wee!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!! Such a stunning garden. One of the best.

I made a photo heavy post a month ago but it failed to upload too. Pretty discouraging. I'll have to retry with only uploading a few photos at a time like you did.

I'm so excited to see that you were one of the few to get one of Bob Fincham's Skylands x Nutans from Larry Stanley. I'm glad I will be able to see it develop in your garden.

Thanks for the photos. Aaah yeah, that's the stuff.

I’ve re-read this post at least 4 times since you posted it. It’s so enjoyable to see all those gorgeous forms, and the way you have placed things. It’s a veritable feast for the eyes, and I notice something different every time. Thanks!

Thanks for the kind words Garen, I'm always thrilled to see new photos of your garden. Sucks about the upload woes.

Larry had some very cool stuff up for grabs during his fall sale last year. I was stoked to receive some. The Skylands x Nutans appears to be more of a tree growing form, but has been virtually burn-free so far in it's full sun location, unlike a typical Skylands. Will be fun to watch it develop.

indianagardengirl, too kind. Inspiration comes from fellow conifer nuts.

Ryan

ps: unlike perennials and annuals ... many conifers have a winter element... if nothing else... they dont die to the ground.. but also. many have a winter color change ...

==>>>

i used to call it my aerobics... and my therapy ...

when i used to get p.o.'d at work ... i would go home and dig a hole ... lol ... and well ... if you got a hole.. you may as well find something to put in it ... lol ...

when i was single... i used to tell peeps ... whats the alternative.. wasting the money in a bar ...

keep up Gods work ...

ken

ps: unlike perennials and annuals ... many conifers have a winter element... if nothing else... they dont die to the ground.. but also .... many have a winter color change ...

Ryan, your posts always stop me dead in my tracks! Positively gorgeous property and gardens! Like others have mentioned, I've always loved how your land rolls and what you've been able to do with it! Beautiful gardens!

Al

When you get a chance...
What can you tell us about 'Edelweiss Weeping' and 'Skylands × Nutans'....
thanks

Ken, you're very
right on the winter element. While perennials and deciduous plants become invisible this time of year, the conifers continue to provide interest.

Al, thanks for chiming in, good to hear from you. The
'Edelweiss Weeping' came from Conifer Kingdom a few years back. It's from
the late Joe Braeu of Edelweiss Nursery in Duluth, MN (unfortunately I wasn't
collecting when they were in business). Found as a seedling. Here's
a link to a picture of an older one from Edwin Smits: Picea mariana 'Edelweiss Weeping'.

The 'Skylands' x
'Nutans' Oriental Spruce was a seedling intentionally crossed by Bob Fincham that
I received from Stanley and Sons. I think it is a unique seedling as I do not notice a visible graft union (but I could be wrong).

Had another batch of photos to upload but houzz in not being cooperative.

Ryan

Definitely a place I could stroll around with a nice IPA.

Thanks for posting the pics. I found you can post roughly 3 pics per post

Ryan ,THANKS for posting .....it's been very dull here lately , but now after christmas , can you believe there is too much to look at ?

we can extend our i.d. questions for a long time

I also took pictures of my neighbor's yard ... will make a post

NICE Whipcord

ron

Thanks Ryan....Edelweiss weeping looks real promising.....looks like conifer kingdom took it down, maybe sold out. BTW What are you growing behind it? is that Po Pendula or Gotelli

Looking forward to your post Ron.

Al, that one is 'Gotelli Weeping'. Love the serbians.

Another attempt at photo uploading, I couldn't even get one to go the last time.

Last year for Picea orientalis 'Aureospicata' in this location. Gotta move it before it gets any larger...gonna eventually interfere with the steps.

Patio containers.

Mostly Stanley starts in this one. Can't beat the price on these little guys. The tags are a bit distracting, I've since replaced them with a single label.

The Taxus is really starting to take off now.

Larix laricina 'Deborah Waxman' in the center, Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring' behind and right of that doing it's spring thing.

Picea glauca 'Humpty Dumpty'

The sprawling Picea glauca 'Pendula'

Pinus parviflora 'Kinpo'

Picea abies 'Häsin' and company. The golden serbian on the left is one of my favorites (Picea omorika 'Golden Midget'). Has varying degrees of yellow coloration throughout the year but still has some of the classic serbian two-tone.

Most of the newer plants are in the miniature category due to space limitations. Picea abies 'Jessy'

More Mini's

Found this one at Gee Farms, Picea abies 'Midland #1' WB seedling.

A really nice specimen of this plant at the Bickelhaupt Arboretum, 25 years old give or take based on the tag info.

Abies balsamea 'Jamie'

Picea abies 'Bella'

MORE PICS ?

my pants are wet

I keep coming back to this. So nice!

'Kinpo' is such a choice little parv.

I probably asked this last time, but has that puddle of a Picea glauca 'Pendula' ever had an inkling of wanting to go up yet? It certainly would be neat if it was propagated and reliably produced the same flat habit.

Thanks Garen, I've been through your thread several times as well. Such a treat to see different garden styles and to see things mature over time.

'Kinpo' is a choice one indeed. Definitely one of my favorites. Something about the parvi's that I can't resist, I'm up to 25 cultivars. I added some weirdos to the bunch this year: 'Jim's Mini Curls' and 'Richard Lee'. They're probably not even attractive to most eyes, but I find them way cool.

The puddle has yet to throw up a leader in the 5 years I've had it. Interesting since the cultivar usually has strong apical dominance. I might graft one or two this winter.

Ryan

Hi Ryan, The 'Skylands' x 'Nutans' was produced by taking pollen from a 'Nutans' and putting it onto a 'Skylands' cone and then collecting the seed. I had six golden seedlings. I kept one and gave the others to Larry. None have been grafted and none were named because they did not show the 'Nutans' habit but they still made nice plants. Now I have about 20 seedlings from that same 'Nutans' that are bright yellow. The 'Skylands' is right beside it and I let nature do its thing. The yellow came from the 'Skylands' so I have a good chance of producing a pendulous 'Skylands'. The seedlings are 2 years old so I won't know for a few more years. The 'Nutans' was at my old place and about 20 years old when it coned. Every other year it only ever had male strobili. It sort of gave me a moving away gift.

Ryan, are you going to the ACS meeting in Iowa next June?

Mr. Fincham, thank you for chiming in. It's always good to have an accurate plant record. I'm honored to have an original in my garden. I agree, pendulous or not, it's a nice tree. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your new batch of seedlings will show the 'Nutans' habit (cool that you didn't even have to pollinate them yourself).

I also wanted to express my gratitude for your contributions to the conifer world. I have many of your introductions in the garden. Your series of books are an invaluable resource, thank you!

We do plan on attending the ACS meeting. It's less than an hour from my house this year. Hope to see you there.

I didn't have a good picture of the 'Skylands' x 'Nutans' above, so here is a closer one.

Ryan

I am also wondering about the glauca 'pendula'

what did it look like when you got it

did the plant tag say anything special ?

remember where you got it ?

ron

Love these pics. What is the globe-shaped (pine?) in the background in pic 1?

And there’s also a mounded/ globe shaped pine in pics 4 and 5. What is it? I would love a few of those.

Pinus strobus 'Horsford', grows about 2-4" per year. There are also some cool varieties of strobus with twisted needles.

Coniferbros - Not sure if it is possible, but is there a Gall Gardens 2020 update coming?

Matt , Gall gardens is on the garden tour for Iowa rendezvous

or midwest meeting of Amer. Conifer Society

ron

PS If I rember correct , you have a collection to show off

DON'T HOLD BACK

Hi Plantkiller_il_5 - Awesome to hear that Gall Gardens is on the ACS midwest tour. I'm in Ohio, so that may be a bit of a stretch for me regarding drive time.

I will get some photos up. It may be a couple weeks as we get through the Spring Push, but I will get an update.

Cheers - Matt

Hi Matt, I will try to get some current photos up sometime. Maybe if we get a rain day or two, otherwise I'll be in the garden haha. I should have done it over winter.

Anyone able to come to the Iowa Rendezvous, there are some terrific gardens on the tour. Lots of coneheads (enablers) around here. Should be a good time.

I second Ron, definitely get some photos of your place posted sometime Matt.

-Ryan