and just waiting for the addition of topsoil and compost (to offset the loamy-sand conditions here.)

Loamy sand is the best soil a conifer could ask for. Its also very good for many deciduous species. Hopefully that top soil and compost is free otherwise those funds should be spent on plants!

I like this musing Bob posted on his website. Usually enthusiasm for conifers leads to collecting. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Collecting

That was a great musing! My wish list is already quite long, so I have one step completed.

Re topsoil: The beds are located in areas that need some fill due to excavation and some erosion. Compost is not free, but leftover from an install and already here. I will consider soil condition before adding any or two much, thanks for the reminder!

Have you been to Rich's Foxwillow Pines in Woodstock yet? Not that it would curb your enthusiasm, but just to see what's out there- in real life. And get ideas as to sizes and what looks good with what.

tj

tj, I have been there, but not for long enough. One of our program field studies trips included a stop at RFWP, and we were only there for about an hour. How can you even start to process that place in an hour? I think another trip out there is called for, for sure.

you said you were going to amend..

he told you not to amend..

and then you reply.. you will ... maybe amend ...

DO NOT AMEND ...

there are ways to PROPERLY PLANT.. and they do NOT include amending or fertilizing .. unless a soil test indicates something is missing from the soil ...

as to limiting your collecting.. yeah.. sure.. good luck with that ... lol

ken

"as to limiting your collecting.. yeah.. sure.. good luck with that ... lol"

Ha ha, I know, right? My wish list is already about a hundred plants long, and that is after an hour on RFWP online catalog. :o(

Heard on the amending.

GH, if you are using the soil because of grading I can understand then. I would try hard to get native soil of similar texture if possible.

First off, welcome to the world of conifers, it sounds as if you are well on your way to becoming a fully addicted conehead (this is a good thing). Your starting list of conifers is great (and I wouldn't be surprised if 'Blue Star' is the entry conifer for a lot of people). You have some very nice plants there and I'm confident with your interest and enthusiasm you will enjoy them for many years!

You ask about how do we choose cultivars. A lot of folks probably begin by narrowing their "interest" to plants that will thrive in their USDA Zone. My case, being in the mild Pacific Northwest, allows me not to be too concerned and I simply seek out and collect whatever tickles my fancy. You should essentially do the same thing, just limit yourself to plants that will survive/thrive in your area. If you like it, buy it!

Now, that's easy for me to say since I'm "using someone elses money", but you get the idea. With the amount of area you have, you have few restrictions to your collecting. You mention keeping your enthusiasm in check, WHY? Be enthusiastic! Be excited! Love every minute that you are out in your garden (or online researching new and exciting cultivars). You have a lifetime (or at least some portion of a lifetime) to enjoy this lifestyle, don't be in a hurry, go at whatever pace your body and budget allow. Most of all, have fun!

My interst in conifers began many years ago - late '60s early '70s, but my full-fledged love of conifers emerged in 1980 when I began working at Iseli Nursery. If I had lived in one place all those years, think of the garden I might have now! Alas, I have moved several times, leaving small conifer collections behind and hoping the new owners had some appreciation of the beautiful gardens they inherited. But, here I am again, slowly building a new conifer garden in the place where I hope to remain the rest of my life.

Well, that's probably more than I've ever revealed at this forum. ;^)

Oh, if you haven't already discovered these sites, here are two websites that might feed your enthusiasm...

http://www.iselinursery.com
http://coniferlover.wordpress.com

Here is a link that might be useful: The Amazing World of Conifers

Conifers do great around here (i live right next to the Mississippi) and the soil here is a sandy loam...mostly sand...some loam. U shouldn't have to do anything. Just plant them, give them enough water.

Greenhaven! Yes, welcome! I am only a little ahead of you on the conifer path. I am just discovering the joys and hidden treasures conifers offer. And rcsmith gave you some very good advice on the two websites. Those are the exact websites that first got me hooked, and now that you're here on the conifer forum, you have a great family of experts that share your love and are willing to share their knowledge.

You are lucky to have so much property. If you go back a couple of pages on this forum, you will find some posts by dcsteg and they are worth studying. His landscaping will take your breath away! Good luck, and let yourself fall in love with these beautiful and fascinating plants!

Speaking of dcsteg, he once said or told me that if you come across a plant that you want but aren't ready for, you need to buy it! You'll find that some cultivars and specimens come and go. One year its there and the next its gone and you can't find it anywhere else unless you have the contacts to have some graft it for you.

Oh, you folks are as much enablers at the rosarians over on the roses forum, lol! Thanks for the warm welcomes!

I am familiar with the Iseli site, for sure. Their catalog is beautiful! I am sure I will become familiar with the various great conifer sites. Bob Fincham's book looks marvelous!

rcsmith, we, too, have moved a LOT over the years. Likewise we are also now in the home in which we would love to spend the rest of our lives. I left behind my best gardens when we moved here, but I fully intend to find my 'amazing' again! The websites are all great, but seeing ya'lls gardens in action is WAY better than perusing the catalogs. Great to see what conifer gardening looks like in practice.

I, uhh, well, bought another conifer today. Juniperus communis 'Kalebab.' Stunning. Now I have seven in pots and no beds yet prepared. Where the heck is that tiller???

NO TILLER! If you have sandy loam stick the shovel in the ground and dig!

I'm growing all my hydrangeas and roses in sandy loam....just do it already!lol!

Its not just me either!
The six acres at Rich's Foxwillow Pines lie in the terminal moraine where the kettle is highlighted as a major water feature. A 25-30 year old weeping ginkgo tree majestically reigns over the waterfall and two pools that feed into the pond under the holey boulder bridge. After the Eyre's purchased the property in 1983, they discovered the sandy clay/loam soil type was ideal for growing conifers.

Alright, alright, lol!

But I am still going to have to work the ground a little where I have to backfill topsoil. That is key to getting the "new" stuff to bind up with the "old" stuff.

I'll save the tiller for the garden. Happy now???

Yes, if for the garden you mean the veggie garden.

Well, of course, veggies! I have learned my lesson.

You are embarking on a venture that will be years in the making.

I started out with no idea of what I was getting into. I visited many gardens and ask for a few pointers and help. No one would offer. Now that I look back on that I now can see how difficult that is to do. There to many variables regarding peoples likes/dislikes, money, time and conifer availability just to name a few.

Since you process a degree in Landscape design that is a plus. Do you know what you want your design to be. Do you want to go for the desert look of mulch and focal point conifers. Or do you want a more natural setting of rocks and companion plants in the mix. Either way is acceptable ..a matter of personal preference.

Do a Google over head such as this for your place.

{{gwi:628398}}

Study it for design capabilities. Fit form and flow are your primary goals. Start with foundation and property plantings first. Give no thought as to what you will plant. That will come later. With those two in place you can later lock the interior design in place for flow and balance.

Start your new planting areas with a foal point conifer. Color is important. 'Skylands' 'Hoopsii' Picea paviflora just to name a few. Everything will play off of it. Some areas can use two or three depending upon room.

As you become more familiar with conifers it is almost a given that you will seek more desirable, rare and interesting forms.

I always like to see what I am buying. Fortunately I have a nursery that orders the rare and unusual. I have ordered from them for years. Needles to say it has its benefits. I now have access to about anything I want to order.

Feel free to email me any time if you have further questions. You will...

Dave

I will definitely be going for a more natural look, for while my current highest passion is conifers, I also love the perennials shrubs and dwarf trees that will keep them good company.

I live on the prairie. I LOVE the prairie. I don't think it necessary for every ornamental to honor or mirror the prairie in my yard, but I will strive to keep my design naturalistic in nature. I consider my yard an opportunity to have what I cannot readily find out there on three thousand acres of prairie...kinda like a suburbanite who wishes to bring a bit of the country to a city lot.

Your advice is excellent, thank you. I am sure you will be hearing from me again before long. :o) I am guessing the bulk of my questions will consist of something like this:

"Does (this) thrive where I live?" ;o)

Don't pooh-pooh the plebeian! Not every plant can be a diva; you need a 'chorus', too. Find a few plants that you can use as themes throughout your garden to unify it and give the stars something to play off of. You know that already with your academic background, but it can be hard to remember when it seems like there are so many specimens to collect!

We can't grow grass here in my zone (no summer water) so we have to come up with ground covers that give the eye relief and create negative space. The ground cover junipers work very well in this role. See below for a close up of J. s. 'Blue Star' and also some J. horizontalis 'Blue Chip' that seem to be emulating starfish!

Best of luck with your project. The great thing about woody plants is that they are long-lasting and you will get years of reward from them. Don't forget to take lots of pictures!

Here is a link that might be useful: Form and Foliage - Winter gallery

One more idea - join the American Conifer Society! Their annual meeting is coming up in July in Michigan and they hold a 'conifer college'. Also their Western Regional meeting in October is going to be in the California Wine Country. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: American Conifer Society

Form and Foliage, thank you! "You know that already with your academic background, but it can be hard to remember when it seems like there are so many specimens to collect!"

That is exactly what I have been experiencing. It is nice to have folks help me keep my head out of the clouds when I get too overwrought. :o)

GH - go with your passion! You may also want to find a nurseryman/person that can source your material and be a sounding board for you. This forum has helped me greatly with material selection, lessons learned and placement. My mistake was to bite off more than I could maintain and have lost plants in the first 2 years becuase I could not keep up with watering etc. during the summer. Most importantly, stop when it becomes a chore and enjoy the scenes your work has created!

Bill

One more thing on Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' - it's the cover shot on the American Conifer Society brochure!