Dwarf Conifers for Suburban Gardens and Patios
Small Conifers to Enhance Patios and Town Gardens
Sep 10, 2008
With ever increasing housing demands, suburban gardens are becoming increasingly smaller and some are reduced to a space no larger than an average patio. This trend, coupled with the ever demanding modern lifestyle, has left some gardeners searching for easy ways to have a pleasant outdoor relaxing area surrounded by trees and greenery. The ideal solution for almost maintenance free gardening is to indulge in conifers and for the patio there is a vast array of dwarf conifers available.
Patio Dwarf Conifers
Using dwarf conifers for the garden is different from using dwarf conifers for the patio. A dwarf conifer for the garden can be expected to reach 15ft. eventually but for patio use dwarf conifers must remain dwarf – 15ft. is not a patio conifer. Dwarf conifers will grow easily in pots, preferably terracotta as they are attractive and make watering easy. Dwarf conifers are fussy about water and do not like to be over-watered. These conifers are practically maintenance free, they require little or no pruning, they are drought tolerant – making trips away from home for the gardener more enjoyable. All these factors make the patio work free, attractive and enjoyable all year round.
Patio Conifer Types
At this point the gardener can be spoiled for choice, both for style and color.
- Sequoia sempervirens "Nana Pendula". This is a slow growing, prostrate conifer. It will eventually reach 1ft’ high and it will spread 6ft. or more but this will take up to ten years. Even this growth can be checked by ‘pinching off’ of the tips of the spreading branches. It is bluish green in hue.
- Picea glauca "Albertiana Conica". This conifer will grow into the perfect conical shape and looks particularly soft and beautiful in spring when the new foliage is lush and freshly green. It will reach about 3ft. in ten years.
- Picea pungens "Saint Mary’s Broom". This is a very dense, extremely slow growing, blue colored conifer. It is very hardy and will grow in U.S. zone 2 but it does best in slightly warmer zones, perhaps 4-6.
- Juniperus squamata, "Blue Star", is a low spreading conifer with a height of about 2ft. It is wind hardy and it does well in a seaside setting. It likes zone 8 type of temperature and it is blue/green in color. It can also be found in gold.
- Picea sitchensis "Papoose" This is a two-tone conifer, green on top and blue underneath. Very slow growing.
- Chamaecyparis lawsoniana "Blue Surprise". Another blue conifer with a tight growing habit and will eventually reach 6ft. This is an ideal conifer for placing as a focal point at the far end of the patio.
- Chamaecyparis lawsoniana "Silver Threads". This is another good focal point conifer. It has very attractive blue/green foliage with soft silver tips.
- One of the best yellow conifers for the patio is Chamaecyparis lawsoniana "Aurea Densa". It will grow to 1ft. in ten years. It is compact and cone shaped.
Dwarf Conifer Compost
When planting patio conifers always chose a good quality well balanced compost/soil. This will give the new plant all the nutrients it requires for the first year or two. After this the plant will require some fertilizer. Even established conifers need a boost every few years. It is a good idea to invest in a soil testing kit as this will point out any deficiencies the plant may be suffering.
Dwarf conifers, like normal garden conifers, are stately plants, adding a sense of maturity to any garden or patio. They are relatively maintenance free and dwarf conifers look very well in containers and pots, producing a good garden focal point.
