Wow...that one is incredible! severnside - yours looks GREAT! It's so nice and full!! Mine is currently heeled in with no home yet. Trying to revamp the yard this year in between working 60 hours a week and it isn't going quickly. UGH. Had a little inner needle die out initially but it is looking thoroughly happy now. I couldn't figure out why the browning, etc and then - duh - realized that it must have actually rooted at the nursery and they had to cut it out., I was panicking but now that it has stabilised I can breathe again. (ahhhhhh!!! scary!)

Fantastic specimens, Frank! There are a good number of Pinus mugo cultivars that turn a brilliant gold color in the winter. If you have any, please share them here! Pinus mugo 'Carstens' has a yellow-gold color that intensifies toward the needle tips. 'Amber Gold' is a similar cultivar that has a deeper golden color which is almost orange. In my opinion, it is more outstanding than that of 'Carstens', although both are excellent winter-gold pines. -Sam

No one can possibly feel your pain as well as those of us in Texas that endured the HELL of this summer where we had 70 days of 100+ degree temps in Dallas. I have been fortunate to grow many things over the last seven years that most won't attempt further south than I-70 let alone I-40. Here I am in Dallas, north of I-30 growing picea, chamaecyparis, cupresses, juniperus, cedrus and pinus cultivars that "aren't supposed to live here." This was the year that proved all my nay-sayers right and allowed them to say "I told you so" the same way I told them last winter after 11" of snow killed their palm trees and banana plants (lol). My losses were high in numbers of plants and thousands of dollars-not to mention the water bills. So yes, this summer took its toll. My most depressing loss was a weeping white spruce, picea glauca pendula, that was about seven feet tall. But all the enjoyment I received over the last seven years was worth it and I will rebuild. So what did survive? For those of you wondering what might be more heat tolerant! picea pungens fat albert, hoopsii and baby blue eyes all things juniper (except for scorching on juniperus horizontalis mother lode all things cedrus all things cupresses (except for scorching on leylandii golconda) thuja occidentalis berkmans gold abies pisapo (species from seedling stock-not a graft) chamaecyparis obtusa (species) but with scorching (a few cultivars did make it with damage but are already flushing new growth now that it's cooled off. chamaecyparis nootkatensis jubilee, green arrow and glauca These all made it. My list of losses was so high it was easier to list what lived. The good news is that I have a nursery that orders material for me from Monrovia and Iseli so I have fresh hoopsi and moerheim on the way to replace the blue spruce that burned up. I have already picked up several internet orders from various sites and feel the depression lifting. Good luck to all of you who are replanting as well... Don

:-O That's me blushing...and all *I* could think of was an arborvitea! :-) Why thank you Dax...that *is* quite a list! I can't *believe* there are so many choices, but I'm so thrilled. Thank you so much for taking the time with your thoughtful list. I see I have lots of homework to I.D. all those conifers...and I can't wait to do so. LOL Greenlarry...I want them all too! Ken you are too funny about "mortgaging my house" (or were you serious?...LOL!) Can you tell me some places in Illinois to see mature specimens of conifers (arboretum or otherwise)? A few years ago I did go to Rich's Fox Willow Pines (on a tour with a group) and saw his nursery and property...I was in total overload though. Actually, seeing all of his beautiful plants is what got me the itch for conifers. I do remember seeing one conifer in particular (forgive me as I have *no* knowledge in this area) that had purple cones....it was so neat. I wrote the name down so I wouldn't forget it, but remembering where I put that list...well that's the tricky part! :-) Anyway, thanks again everyone! Eileen