Conifer confidence
2024-06-06T09:08:34+10:00
Conifers come in a range of shapes and sizes, providing colour, texture and structure to gardens in all climates. Our horticultural editor, AB Bishop, shares some garden-friendly varieties to try.
There are several hundred different tree conifers – including the iconic Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla), the plantation timber Pinus radiata and the classic Christmas tree – but there is also a plethora of garden-friendly ‘pencil pines’, shrubs and groundcovers within the conifer class. They’re a huge group of non-flowering plants with scale- or needle-like foliage that’s often aromatic, and their sculptural forms add a unique element to any garden.
Columns are a good option for narrow spaces. They’re stately lining a drive, framing an entrance, or as a vertical accent. Their fastigiate (upward-facing) branches are almost parallel to the trunk. Many grow to 3m or more high, and 50cm–1m wide. Here are a few to try:
Juniperus chinensis
‘Spartan’ is naturally dense and self-shaping. It can grow to 9m (but usually less), and is a popular topiary plant. It is suitable for all climates.
Cupressus sempervirens
‘Glauca’ and ‘Swanes Golden’ are pencil pine forms of the Mediterranean cypress. They grow about 15m high and 1m wide and are suitable for all climates except the tropics.
Thuja occidentalis
‘Degroot’s Spire’ has a narrow spire with textural, scaly foliage. It grows 5–9m high and 50cm wide. It is suitable for subtropical, warm temperate and cold temperate climates.
Header image credit: iStock
