I don't have any recommendations for you, But go to the link below, then select "Conifers" in the side bar, then look for picea pungen. Names in blue have links to images. This will give you some ideas as to what's available, growth habits, shapes, and other info. But be advised, these offerings are just some of what's available - other nurseries have other selections as well.
Marshall

Here is a link that might be useful: Iseli Nursery

can she do better than pungens in what i presume is very hot, humid z7 MD???

i dont know z7.. so i offer the premise ... w/o and answer

and what about that glorious one that failed for me repeatedly in z5 .. blue ice.. arizona something or another???

regardless.. both it and pungens .. plain old ones.. have VAST POTENTIAL .... and you might be better off to search dwarfs ... copy/paste this INTRO TO CONIFERS.. and read up specifically on GROWTH RATES ... for a general primer ...:

http://www.conifersociety.org/cs2/index.php?module=htmlpages&func=display&pid=3

its all about how fast it grows.. and how fast it outgrows the spot ...

but let me be very clear.. i would rather you have something that for 10 years .. makes your toes curl and makes a statement.. rather than some 'plain old' thing the FITS a given space ... you presumably spent good money and effort putting in this pond.. dont plant a cheap piece of carp..

i do not know conifers for z7 .... so i dont know .. if what i suggested is appropriate ...

good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: use the latin name and continue your search

Anything that will top out at 10-12 ft. will be very slow to get there. When it reaches your cut off point for growing any taller it will keep on doing so. They grow till they die.

Most pungens with a pendulous weeping growth habit will not be sprawling. You need to mention how much area is set aside for this conifer. That will narrow down the choices.

Dave

how about a baby blue eyes? (not baby blue, much bigger)

Here is a link that might be useful: some nursery

Thanks guys.

I guess I'm not too worried about final size if they continue to grow into infinity. Ken made a good point. I'd definitely prefer to get something in the 3-5 foot range now and have it look great for the next 10 years rather than wait ten years for it to fill in the spot. The pond is only 14' diameter so I don't want it to overwhelm the waterfeature.

I guess when I wrote 'sprawling' I was referring to the types that could be staked up into a weeping form. I definitely want the weeping habit.

I'm also not set on the picea pungens. If you have a recommendation for another blue weeping conifer that will work better for my area I'd definitely take a look.

check this...

Here is a link that might be useful: nice

Not all Picea pungens but a few alternatives thrown in.

Should be enough to thoroughly confuse you. If not we can do more.

Cupressus nootkatensis 'Green Arrow'

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Picea pungens 'The Blues' Staked for height.

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Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Weeping Blue'. Probably to overwhelming but this thing is 20 + years old.

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Picea pungens 'Glauca Pendula'

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Picea glauca 'Pendula'. Nice layered look and formal.

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Pseudotsuga menziesii 'Graceful Grace'

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Picea abies 'Weeping Blue'

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Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Aurea'

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Picea glauca 'Morton Arboretum Weeping'

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Wow. Those trees are gorgeous. I can tell it is going to be so hard to choose (and I may have picked up a new plant fetish). I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the juniper so that is out. I love picea pungens 'The Blues'. That is actually the cultivar that started me out on this hunt. I also like the Picea pungens 'glauca pendula'. Hopefully I can find some of these at local nurseries.