nicely done pics, Will. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet you today. Sorry that you missed the fun at the auction last night, although it would have probably been daunting bidding against you. Here are a few of the gems I picked up over the weekend.

left to right:
Pinus nigra 'Pipouniou', Abies koreana 'Ice Breaker', Picea abies 'Wichtel'

left to right:
Picea glauca 'Goldilocks' and Pinus parviflora 'Richard Lee'

as a side note, this was Bob's first release of Ice Breaker. The plants offered were burly and well grown, much as what I'm accustomed to from Coenosium Gardens. Had a blast this weekend. We alway enjoy the ACS get-togethers.

Thanks guys, nice to see some good photos of conifers at Coenosium, please post more if you have them.
Will, your photo of 'Smidt' or 'Smidti' seems not to be the correct plant, or have you put the wrong caption on ?

Nope, it's listed as 'Smidt'. I'm guessing you're expecting more of a fat mound that an upright - I have seen pics of both forms.

Very nice photo's indeed!
I also visited Bob and Diane 5 years ago together with other members of the Dutch Conifer Society.
That barbecue place looks familiar, we also had a great time then!

Great - thanks for posting!
I like the picea omorika in the last of your unlabelled photos in particular.
Richard

Will...you should be so lucky to be so close to all those wonderful plants and very nice people.

I was advised by Dianne to plant the Picea glauca 'Goldilocks' pot and all in the ground in partial shade the first year. I am on my second one...so far so good. Sounds like the good advice paid off this time around.

Also is the 'Pendula Bruns' propped up? It would seem necessary growing on that 45 degree angle.

Dave

Keep em coming Will! I hope you took a lot more pictures.

It must be fantastic to have lived a life like Bob and Dianne have. To see a 'Gold Drift' go from a sport to being large plants in their garden. How enjoyable.

--------
Will, what do you think of the color of pungens 'Edith' versus the other blue spruces that you have seen? I appreciate your opinion. It's one I am thinking of mass producing. Very serious question actually.

Kindest Regards,

Dax

p.s. sprucebud, that picea omorika could be 'Berliner's Weeping' Bob's Plant of the Month

Dave, I took have a Picea glauca 'Goldilocks' in part shade in the ground. It's growing quite well and I am hopeful as well. If I can get away with it I prefer golden/bright conifers in part shade so they light up those usually drab areas. Also, I am indeed lucky to be so close(and befriended) by some of the 'heavy hitters' in this hobby. I hope to meet more in the years to come as well as the next generation of master conifer collectors - yourself included.

Bob said the 'Pendula Bruns' started off growing at a wierd angle and when it got older, he propped it up with that metal arbor. Now(if you look closely), you can see it is forming a new main leader. That plant to me is priceless. Just an amazing testament to how neat and unique conifers can be. Like people, many have their own personalities.

Personally I'd like to see Bob and Diane write a book(with LOTS of pictures of course). I think the information they have to share as well as the specimen sized conifers would be invaluable to the community.

Dax, I think there are people in life who are fortunate and then there are people who work hard like Bob and Diane. They are living testimony to the values and benefits of hard work. What a great life they have indeed.

On Edith, I would give it a very high rating just based on what little I have seen. I gave it a special spot - near the base(trunk) of one of my most red acer palmatums - hopefully over the years the *superb* blue color of Edith can contrast wonderfully with 'Trombley's Red Sentinal'.

I'm pretty sure this plant's color sits comfortable in the top 5-10 of blue spruce varietie. It's an amazing tone and very very bright.

Will

A shot Don House captured of me standing next to one of the original Picea abies 'Gold Drift' plants.

a buck and a digital camera .. and a thousand days.. and that is not how i pictured you ... rotflmbo ...

on the other hand.. yep thats you .... now that i put it all together ...

i can actually be found in a post in the hosta garden.. if you care to go look ...

anyway.. thanks for he pix ...

first pic... is that the biggest taylors sunburst in the world.. if not.. what has those yellow shoots on the right side of the pic

thanks again for all the pix... and especially for the effort to post them all ...

ken

Will,
I have received several plants from Bob and Diane and it is unlikely that I will ever see their wonderful garden in person. Thanks so much for taking the time posting all of the pictures.
Gary

Awesome pics of a fantastic garden. Thanks much for posting. That Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns' is a work of art.

Will thanks. I appreciate the information on Edith. You're a nice guy it's plain to read. It's always fun to see what someone looks like too. Hell, I've only met a few people from here in the over the seven to eight years I've been on this forum. You look like Rocky Balboa.

Cheers my brother,

Dax

It's Don Howse...

Later on,

Dax

Where can I pick up a Picea glauca 'Goldilocks' Abies koreana 'Ice Breaker'?

Grancru

Grancru, Bob Fincham usually offers both of these plants but I believe he is currently sold out of both. It's best to check his website about January/February when he releases his new availability lists. I believe Dennis Dodge has Ice Breaker, though I have yet to receive plants from him myself. Pretty sure he's Bethleham nursery, somewhere in NJ?

Goodluck on your search - they are both wonderful plants.

-Will

Will and crypper- thank you both for the pix. Great to see older specimens.

As for the unnamed omorika, if you look at the link Dax posted it is the same plant Bob had listed as a 'Pendula Bruns' (the second 'Pendula Bruns' at the link). I would have guessed 'Gotelli's Weeping'.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Go figure