A few plants from the garden that could use some identification: 1. This dwarf spruce appears to be a Picea abies. However, it can be very difficult to distinguish between the many different cultivars derived from witches brooms. Any guesses? 2. These pine trees were here when the garden was first started. They appear to be either Pinus contorta or Pinus banksiana in my opinion: 3. This juniper has new growth that emerges a goldish color in the early spring. Juniperus chinensis 'Plumosa Aurea'? 4. This yew came up volunteer. Seems to be growing VERY slowly. Any guesses on the species? 5. This Cryptomeria does not have a cultivar label. 6. This Japanese Umbrella Pine is growing in a very narrow shape, quite uncommon for the species. There is a suspicion that it was left in its container too long. Is this what is happening or is it some unknown cultivar? 7. This Mountain Hemlock was purchased under the name Tsuga mertensiana 'Sherwood Dust'. Is this supposed to be 'Sherwood Compact'? It seems to be developing a definite leader... 8. These two dwarf Abies cultivars were purchased under different names, but they both look like Abies nordmanniana to me. One was purchased as Abies nordmanniana 'Broom' (probably should be 'Hunnewell Broom) and the other was purchased as Abies balsamea 'Verkade's Prostrate'. Are they even different plants? "Abies balsamea 'Verkade's Prostrate'"? "Abies nordmanniana 'Broom'"? Thanks so much for all the help! -Sam

It'll be a certain amount of fingers crossed for the rest of this winter and throughout the summer. The mix couldn't be improved to absolute perfection, time & money preclude that. So it's like the best 4 star insurance. I can't stop it raining or cover all the pots so that will have to be; drought is more manageable but the risk of overwatering in the event won't be more dangerous than the rain. Rapid drying out of the top few inches could catch me out, the containers are already mulched well for frost so that will work out. Monitoring the weather for a hot spring (again) will be important. I can water everything in 20 mins before work so no excuse to be caught out. I see no reason to be pessimistic, the possible loss of one or two fussy ones will always make gaps that don't stay gaps long ; )

Taken scions from a stockplant which is growing at a nursery is a complete differend thing, because they are growing in a healthy and fertilized controled situation. Most scions of original witches' brooms are poor growing and are thin like a match wood. For this reason I would take the tip shoot as well, because like I mentioned before, it contains 70% of all the energy and for this reason it produces a thicker scion. The 4th pic is showing us the best tip shoot scion of the whole branch which will develop in the most perfect nursery stockplant for furthur propagation matters. My way of thinking could be strange for you but the difference is that I think like a professional nurserymen and you think like a hobbiest... ;0)

Recently dtd and I visited the Massachusetts Horticultural headquarters at Elm Bank Reservation during the one year anniversary celebration of the "Bressingham garden." The installation of this perennial demonstration garden was one of the largest installations (1.01 acres) accomplished in one day with the help of countless volunteers. The purpose of this garden is to display to the New England community varying plants that could work well in the typically small residential garden. Our visit to Elm Bank was a first for me so my expectations of a perennial garden designed by Adrian Bloom I fully expected to have been limited to perennials with a few annuals filling in some holes, regardless of Mr. Blooms notoriety in the world of conifers. I was however pleasantly surprised to see what I would consider a mixed border with many conifers, and deciduous shrubs, now that I am thinking back I dont recall seeing many evergreen shrubs(perhaps if anyone else remembers they can let us know). Immediately we noticed a different use of low growing plants in the garden, rather than limited to edging between the front of the garden and the path, or encircled around the conifers, low growing plants were used for different purposes and in ways far more creative than I have ever seen. Adrian Blooms affection for Geranium Rozanne was very apparent and might even surpass arbo_retums passion for this flower, but of course this is just one of over one hundred plants he has introduced that are still being sold world wide (Achillea Moonshine , Crocosmia Lucifer, and Astilbe Sprite, ect). Bloom used G Rozanne to tie together the entire 1.01 acre garden by using this plant to create what he called rivers to flow in and around one bed twisting, turning, and spilling into the next. The Elm Bank garden is not the only garden that he has used G. Rozanne to create a river Adrian also completed a garden with a 130 ft run of G . Rozanne in Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. The effect even after just one year of growth caused the visitors eye to follow the river of Rozanne throughout each section of the garden. This path of low growing plants flowing through taller perennials, conifers, and grasses creatively permitted the visitor to appreciate the deep and rolling garden beds much in the same way a garden path cutting through a bed would open the vista. This technique of using low growing plants to open up vistas within the garden bed is certainly a creative way to allow conifers the elbow room (even if only on one side) they might need to shine. Would you consider planting a river in your garden? Sorry about the lousy camera/phone photo but take my word for it "Adrian Bloom" is adorable After one year of growth the garden is beginning to shine I was too busy guzzling down the free wine to snap many photos and unfortunately this section on the garden suffered from irrigation problems but if you take note dry or not the river of G.Rozanne survived and really thrived elsewhere under irrigation.