a suggestion .. way to many pix in one post.... its just so hard to keep flipping up and down .... yikes. ...

so i will just talk about the front ... starting with the back ....

oh.. whats the budget.. 20 or 30k??? ... lol

the back yard bed .. the undulating one.. is the idea ...as you have done.. start filling it up .. and keep going on that bed until you have circled the yard .... i would add some nice hardwood mulch... natural in color ...

now.. up front .... i think i can see a sidewalk going straight across the front ... yes??? ... build an undulating bed on the side opposite the house.. and start a collections there ...

finally .... who needs lawn .. i think you need to start a tree collection also ... your trees all look like the dreaded norway maples... but you have a lot of grass that could have some very nice trees in it ...

i am not familiar with your zone or your heat.. so i am not willing to make specific recommendations ...

but the best recommendation i can make.. is to join the American Conifer Society .. and get the members directory .... there are 3 pages of names in GA ... so at least 60 people within driving distance.. and it looks like half have the little * next to their name.. meaning they welcome visitors ... this is the best way to meet conifer folk ... to see what grows in your area.. and i bet a buck.. they know where all the good nurseries are ...

good luck

ken

This is always a hard question to answer because of so many unknowns. After asking several informed people to help me get started years ago I found out it was just better to do it myself. In the long run it will be your idea and design. That way you can take credit for your successes and also your failures.

As Ken says: "Join the American conifer Society." Become familiar with the hobby before you commit your resources of time and money. Find a good nursery in your area that sells the hard to find conifers. Some will even order for you when they do their seasonal orders.

I am a firm believer in drawing a to scale plan of the area you want to work on. Stay away from square corners and just let things flow. You will need to add deciduous plants and ground covers complement your conifers.I personally like at least one focal point conifer in a given area that is being created. Fastigiata conifers work real well for this as they don't take up much room width wise. Build brims. Also add rocks and boulders tucked into given areas to create a natural setting as opposed to the flat land setting you have started. Keep it interesting. Colors that flow will be an important consideration. Conifers with color are unlimited. Pick and choose carefully and buy quality plants.

These are just a few ideas that worked for me that I am glad to pass on to you.

Get to know the people on the Conifer Form and ask questions. A wealth of information to be had from knowledgeable people.

Good luck,

Dave

My advice- go back, it's a trap! Seriously, you'll want to listen to Dave and Ken as they have done some dandy planting on their property. You are off to a good start by buying from Girard's, they have a good price to quality ratio. Along with what Dave and Ken already mentioned, you'll also want to look out from inside the house and see what views you want to accentuate (frame) and what views you want to hide and plant accordingly. Do the same from areas outside where you'll be spending most of your time. Join the American Conifer Society so you can take advantage of wholesale prices at Stanley's along with their other benefits.

I know you're anxious, but research really can be half the fun. So have fun with it and keep us posted.

tj

Personally I would first try to "screen in" the back yard with some larger trees (maybe River Birch, Pin Oak, Southern Magnolia, etc.) before you start to create a conifer collection. I would think that far south, you'd want to create some shade first for some protection from the sun. I'm somewhat familiar with gardening in the South- what are you zone 8? People think it is easy because winters are so mild, but it is harder to garden in the South than it is in the "North." The heat, humidity, warm nights, heavy clay soil can take a toll on more temperate plants. I would think some of your best bets that might be readily available would be any of various Cedrus, Cephalotaxus, Chamaecyparis, Cuppressus, Cryptomeria, Juniperus, Metasequoia, Taxodium, some Pine (I don't know what would work in z8?-pinus palustris, thunbergii, virginiana?) I would stay away from the the firs and spruces in Georgia though, I don't know what the heat tolerance of Picea omorika, and Picea abies is like? I think it would be nice to mix in some of the evergreen hollies, japanese maples, crape myrtles, redbud, dogwood, etc. And for some lower growing plants, maybe a mix of some hydrangea, loropetalum, vitex, nandina, camellia, etc for additional color. You have so much space that you have a lot of possibilities. Good Luck!

Scroll back through the pages of this forum and look for threads with pictures from dcsteg and dansgdn.

Find the book "Gardening with conifers" by Adrian Bloom.

KarinL

And I have a lot of photos of mostly individual specimens and certainly sparsely some of large conifer beds in arboreta settings.

Dax (link below)

Here is a link that might be useful: Photo Album

Thanks everyone...

Ken...this was my first time posting pics...got carried away...and this is "pay as you go" operation...the row of 5 trees are Bradford Pears (hate'em) and on the left front of house a Pin Oak....planted last year in the back are 2 riverbirchs bout 8ft now...and a Ginko almost 8ft

Tsuga...yes I, found Girards price/quality ratio to be very good...when you have such large lot to fill price is a HUGE factor...and i am patient

Nikke...i will be adding a privacy fence hopefully within 12 months

I have ordered a Golden Korean Fir Abies koreana 'Aurea'...after speaking with other ATL gardeners who say its done well for them...with a little sun protection. Atlanta is a fairly temperate area....in the winter it gets into the 20s/teens at night and 40s during the day....in the summer well its not called HOTLANTA for nothing....however, and many conifers seem to do well here.

The only thing growing in my backyard when i moved in was Bermuda and crabgrass....not a single shrub, tree or any other plant....so this is truly a work in progress!!! and will take a lot of time and effort since i do all of my own landscaping....i actually find it to be RELAXING!!!

I will also take a look at joining the American Conifer Society as suggested.

p. taeda (loblolly) is a pine reccomended for your area I believe. there is a nice cultivar of p. virginiana called Wates Golden. If virginia pine grows there I would get that one. I had one in a container that mysteriously and quickly died.

Does anyone else in your neighborhood have those Colorado blue spruce growing?

My guess is that abies firma would be better for you than the korean fir.

just to make it easy.. hit the link .. ken

Here is a link that might be useful: ACS

dre-
This fascinates me because I have family in the Charlotte and Raleigh NC area and have spent some (actually too much) time in the American South, always bringing a few things home- don't tell!. I'm assuming Charlotte is about the same as Atlanta- in respect to the climate? Am I Correct? In regards to actual conifers to use here's a few ideas: I saw a few Blue Atlas Cedars, and I would kill to have one up here last more than 5 years. Deodar Cedars are very common plants. I know Cryptomeria's like Sekkan Sugi, Spiralis, Knaptonensis, Yoshino, etc. would make nice choices, though the variegated ones need shade in the South. Bald Cypress is everywhere along with Pond Cypress (Taxodium ascendans) sp??? There are quite a few Thuja orientalis planted down there and the gold ones are really nice and seem sun tolerant. I would look for Ogon or Golden Dawn, Dawn Redwood. I assume any Metasequoia would do well in clay, since they love water. Definitely look for the Pinus virginiana Wates Golden. I actually remember seeing a small grouping of hemlocks mixed with Azaleas in Charlotte. They were almost in complete shade though, but the combo was really nice! I know the Leylands are weeds, but there is a nice blue one called Naylors Blue and a gold one called Gold Rider- there are others along with a variegated one too. On a tour of gardens in Charleston, SC I saw the nicest Cuppressus sempervirens- they were a gold form and very tall 40ft+ and extremely narrow. Korean Gold Cephalotaxus is a nice plant too. I also recall quite a few Chamaecyparis obtusa being sold at local nurseries, though they need shade, I was told. I honestly can't ever remember seeing a "blue spruce" though I've heard the norway's will do fair and I remember reading the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and UGA have a few, but I thought they struggled. If you can really amend your soil and break down the clay, I'm just wondering how something like Abies numidica or abies pinsapo would do down there? Though again I can't remember seeing any "firs." But good luck with the korean fir! If I think of more I'll post them.

I've seen a fir - i think (dont know what type) growing in a yard not too far from my subdivision....looks like a BB xmas tree that was planted about 3 years ago...its about 5ft currently.

Very nice home and lot. Good luck planting! I'm also in Atlanta and have been experimenting with conifers. Coming from the North, I miss the blue spruces, norways, Frazier firs, etc. I have planted 5 blue spruces and they seem to be doing ok, but with much effort. I don't recommend them, however because many things can go wrong in our climate, and the amount of work it takes to plant them is huge - total excavation of the planting area (up to 8 feet wide) and backfill with an exceptionally well drained soil mix is critical. Spraying is needed to prevent pests and disease. Also, if you can keep them out of the afternoon sun they will do better.

One really nice alternative to the large Colorado blue spruce is the Fat Albert variety, which only gets 12-15ft tall. They withstand the heat better. I actually think they look better, too, since they maintain a full, symmetrical shape. Many of the high end home builders / designers are using them now, particularly in the executive ghettos on the north side of town.

Norways on the other hand do fine here if you keep the soil moist throughout summer. I have 3 that are growing nicely. They won't get as large and full as they do up north, but they still look majestic. Mine draw cardinals.

A personal favorite of mine that is perfect for our area is the Carolina cypress - beautiful greenish-blue color that develops a yellow cast in winter. They are fast growers and make a nice dense screen as a backdrop for evergreen shrubs like Carissa Holly or the Montgomery spruce that I see you have. I prefer them to Leyland Cypress and arborvitae. Plus they aren't that expensive. I bought several 5 gallon plants at Home Depot a year and a half ago for $19.95 (and now they are well over 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide).

One last idea is Austrian pine. They do better in a damper area, but I've had no problems with mine since I planted them a year ago.

Anyway, good luck and be careful with your back...

Nice house! I would give the Coastal Redwood a try or three. Perhaps A. grandis aswell.

I live in coastal VA in a climate that is similar to Charleston. Like you, I'm a fair novice when it comes to conifers. I'll give you some general advice, then will include a list of conifers that are succeeding in the heat and humidity of Zones 7 and 8. (The list was posted by another member several months ago).

Preparation and planning are the keys to success. As Dave said, draw a detailed site plan (a good landscaping book will show you how), then develop a preliminary planting plan. Research, research, research. If you skip this step, you are likely to find that you did a lot of work and spent a lot of $$, but the outcome is not what you expected.

Join the ACS! Seek out other conifer lovers.

You need trees and shrubs - deciduous in addition to conifers - to provide structure and interest.

I second Karini's advice about getting "Gardening with Conifers" by Adrian Bloom. I also recommend "Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates" (Timber Press) for reliable information about what grows and thrives in your area. Dirr is a professor of horticulture and expert on woody plants who teaches at the University of Georgia.

Atlanta is famous for clay soil. Get a soil sample(s). Your county extension office will analyze it and tell you what steps you need to take to improve your soil. They can probably give you good advice re: conifers that do well in Atlanta.

This list of conifers was posted by sandyhill. Since he lives on the coast, he has challenges you do not have (wind and salt mist) - the plants on this list are survivors:

3 to 8+ years on these in the open with few problems, NC humid zone 8a:

Cryptomeria japonica

Cupressus macrocarpa
Cupressus glabra
Cupressus arizonica
Cupressus macrocarpa x nootkatensis
Cupressus arizonica x macrocarpa

Taxodium distichum
Taxodium ascendens

Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus silicicola
Juniperus scopulorum
Juniperus chinensis
Juniper communis

Pinus palustris
Pinus taeda
Pinus glabra
Pinus elliottii
Pinus palustris x taeda
Pinus rigida x taeda
Pinus rigida
Pinus virginiana
Pinus thunbergiana (beware of PWN)
Pinus pinaster
Pinus nigra
Pinus heldreichii var. leucodermis
Pinus strobiformis

Some others doing ok in a slightly sheltered area:
Taxus baccata
Taxus cuspidata
T. bacata ? cuspidata
(Taxus x media)
Amentotaxus argotaenia
Podocarpus macrophyllus
Cephalotaxus harringtonia
Cephalotaxus fortunei
Araucaria bidwillii
Araucaria heterophylla (moved inside in cold spells)
Callitris oblonga
Callitris rhomboidea
Chamaecyparis obtusa
Chamaecyparis thyoides

Also have 2+ years outside on some small Taiwania, so far so good, but these have been mild winters.

No luck with any Tsuga or Picea, as our wind and salt mist are killers.

Cunninghamia lanceolata is still alive, but browns pretty bad.

Cedrus deodora has had some salt burn, but comes back, same for some of the pines.

Cryptomeria go bronze in winter, but look great by April... stronger trees than most people think IME.

Others to consider:
any Taxodium (Bald Cypress, Pond Cypress, Montezuma Cypress)
Taiwania cryptomeroides
Fokienia
Sequoia sempervirens (Coastal redwood -- it really likes our climate; Giant Sequoia, by contrast, struggles here)
Glyptostrobus
Araucaria angustofolia
Deodar cedar
Florida Torreya

Good luck,
Pam

Picea wilsonii should be OK. Abies firma I second that.
Abies nephrolepsis
Cedrus deodara
Chamaecyparis funebris
Chamaecyparis obtusa - should do very well I would think.

Thuja occidentalis - very well.
Cephalotaxus (harringtonia) - I would remove from any such list.
Chamaecyparis pisifera
Juniperus chinensis
Juniperus conferta
Juniperus communis
Juniperus horizontalis
Junipers sabina
Juniperus pfitzeriana ("x media")
I would pretty much assume any Juniper will do just fine.

Picea smithiana
Pinus cembra
Pinus strobiformis/flexilis are the same thing -
Pinus henryi (zone 7 I think)
Pinus koraiensis (zone 4-7)
Pinus taiwanensis
Pinus parviflora
Pinus taiwanensis
Sciadopity's verticillata

Tsuga canadensis
Tsuga caroliniana
Tsuga chinensis
Tsuga sieboldii
Thujopsis dolobrata
Platycladus orientalis

I'd give all these a go -

Dax

Cupressus leylandii (chosen cultivars won't overgrow valuable space - 'Gold Rider' etc - (I don't know this Genus or species very well). Check with Cox Arboretum there in Georgia for other suggestions. They are notorious however for leylandii breeding). I think they're just outside of Atlanta for reference. Tom Cox the owner happens to be president of the Conifer Society as well. He could really help you a lot.

If any of the Tsuga's or the Picea's become problematic, you should move them to a more shady spot. Tsuga canadensis you might omit altogether, however the other three should do very well I would think.

Don't forget to check into cultivars of these, just like that Golden Korean Fir for example. Any firs though, you need to diligently check to find plants that have Abies firma as the rootstock. The Abies nephrolepsis will be a seedling on it's own roots - so it will have nothing to do with Abies firma at all. It's worth an effort though.

Best of luck to you,

Dax

You should go here to get more information and a plant list to take home if they provide them, or pen and pencil and camera.

Dax (link below - "dwarf conifer garden")

Here is a link that might be useful: Atlanta Botanical Garden 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE Atlanta, GA 30309