Conifer Garden Ideas

Designing Your Conifer Garden

• Some conifer trees and shrubs can get very large, so you need to make sure they have plenty of room to grow. Conifers can also be expensive, so having a plan means you can start with one or two and add on later as your budget allows. Decide what plants you would like to have and then check how much space, water and sun each will need. A corner of your yard is a good place to start. But even if you have no room in your yard, you can put conifers in containers on your patio.

Planting the Conifers

• The best time to plant conifers is from late fall to early spring. If your plant has been purchased in burlap, the cloth must be removed before planting so the roots can spread. The top of the root ball should sit slightly above ground when planted, so the soil can settle and not be packed around the trunk. You can build a ring with extra soil around the base of the tree to hold water while the tree or shrub is getting established.

Caring for Conifers

• Conifers do not need much fertilizer, but they do prefer a slightly acid soil. You can use a manure compost or grass cuttings in the second spring, but do not allow them to touch the trunk of the tree. The first six months are a critical time for establishing the conifer. Water more frequently during this time. If the soil is dry to a couple of inches down, water deeply. You will notice leaves or needles turning yellow or brown on the inside of the branches if the tree is not getting enough water or air. Mulching is important too, to keep weeds away and keep the soil cool. The mulch should not be more than 2 inches deep and should be at least 2 inches away from the trunk. Prune dead and diseased branches at any time and shape the tree or shrub by pruning lightly in early spring.

Designing Ideas for Large Areas

• Many conifers are very large and should be planted where they will not block the sun from smaller plants. Pick an area where you can plant the larger conifers toward the back and move forward with the smaller ones. You may want to start out with tall spruce, pine or arborvitae. These can also add some blues and golds to your garden. Then go to a medium-size plant like a white cedar or dress the garden up with a weeping blue atlas cedar. In the front you can try a dwarf balsam fir or a groundcover of juniper. Many people use large rocks in their conifer gardens for decoration.

Conifer Gardens for Smaller Areas

• Using dwarf conifers and containers, you can have a small conifer garden, perhaps in a corner of the yard or on your patio. Dwarf conifers grow slowly and no more than 12 feet tall. When using conifers in containers, use several types of containers--round, square, rectangular--to give the garden a distinctive look. Try adding yellow to the garden with false cypress. If you want a colorful tree for the background, plant a Japanese plume cedar, which is a burgundy color. A weeping European larch will grow only as tall as you stake it. In the summer, grow flowers in front of the conifers to give your garden more color.