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Gardens with only a single genus?

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Has anyone ever done this or seen it done? What are your thoughts on how it might look? For instance, on the side section of your yard you only plant Thujas, maybe 15-20 of all shapes and sizes. Or make a screen with 15 different columnar Thujas side by side. Then in the back yard you might have a Cryptomeria-only section and include Japanese themes or what not. Both sections completely separated from one another. Think Disney World for conifers. LOL. Thoughts?

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Embothrium

7 years ago

Sounds like what might be called a study garden approach. Should work fine if you have the room for that many kinds and it is something you would like to see.

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Comments (8)

User
7 years ago
I like the idea of broader themes...., Japanese, paleobotanical, coniferous, native, but, all one genus sounds a bit boring, though my Magnolia collection approaches this.
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Thanks https://www.houzz.co.uk/user/gardengal48 I was trying to find this sort of information on the web when this 'article' (which appears not really as a post but as if Houzz had had it authored) came up. Something like 3rd in my organic search and one of very few which actually addressed the topic. I would think that the Taxonomists removed plants and gave them new new names to imply that they are more closely related to each other than the rest of the Dicentra. What upsets a lot of amateurs and even professional Gardeners and Horticulturists is that the only plant they knew as Dicentra was amongst those removed. I wonder how it would have been if they had removed all but Dicentra spectabilis and re-named those instead? Dicentra formosa is in fact a more garden worthy plant in my opinion because it flowers much longer and does not need support.
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sc77 (6b MA)
7 years ago
One of the nicest conifer gardens ever presented on here did that. Pretty cool idea:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1855892/spruce-island-riot
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
7 years ago
Often an arboretum is set up with groupings of plants from the same genus nearby so folks can compare them in one spot. You could visit one near you to see how you feel about the effect. I personally like the range of textures that a mixed garden provides, but that may not suit your aesthetic.
maackia
7 years ago
It's an interesting idea and I've thought about how I might do it. I like pines, which would be the obvious choice for me -- they do well on our acid sands, large genus with numerous z4 hardy species, and abundance of cultivars to provide additional interest. Heck, I could fill my lot with just P. strobus. Still, I'd miss flowering deciduous trees immensely and this is not something I'd seriously consider.
Embothrium
7 years ago
It would have to contain only dwarf forms if it was not to occupy acres.
Sven Mcgee
7 years ago
Only caution would be that you essentially have a monoculture, therefore if you are hit with pest, pathogen, climate influences, etc that attacks that species specifically, you could lose the entire garden. Diversity is always more robust against that...but otherwise, could be a very unique/cool looking concept if implemented well.
Sara Malone (Zone 9b)
7 years ago
And be flexible when the powers that be change nomenclature, which usually doesn't involve genera but certainly can (Chamycyparis to Cupressus, for example).

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