Trees for the landscape: 6 inches high??

October 12, 6:10 PMPittsburgh Gardening ExaminerTC Conner

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Photo courtesy of Iseli Nursery

Martha Stewart inspires me. I hope you don't think I'm silly for saying that. In the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living, November, 2008, there's an article by Susan Heeger about dwarf conifers, little "trees" that Ms. Susan says are "more like shrubs than small trees." Perhaps I should add that it's also who Martha Stewart chooses as contributing writers who inspire me. But it's not your average spireas, burning bush, rhododendron or lilacs that Ms. Susan is talking about when comparing these "Small Wonders" to shrubs.

Conifers can be defined as needle-leaved cone-bearing trees or shrubs such as pines, spruces, and firs. All of which are common evergreens seen in yards and streets from here to Philly. What you should know about Ms. Susan's "small wonders" are that they are just that: Small. The dwarf conifers Susan Heeger mentions in her article are the perfect match for Pittsburghers and their backyard gardens.

Here's a listing of several to consider for your garden:

• Cedrus atlantica 'Saphire Nymph' - This little beauty is a form of miniature cedar with blue foliage, hardy to zone 6. It takes ten years to reach its mature height of 18 inches high and wide.
• Pinus heldreichii (syn. leucodermis) 'Smidti' is a dwarf conifer reaching to 1 foot at maturity. A lovely little evergreen hardy to zone 5, and perfect for a small initmate setting in the garden.
• Picea abies 'Brno' is actually a miniature form of a Norway Spruce and reaches a whopping 6 inhces high and wide in ten years.

From now on there's no excuse for saying, "I just don't have room in my yard for a tree."

Plant Sources:

Porterhowse Farm and Nursery, Sandy, Oregon, (503) 668-5834, Email: don@porterhowse.com

Arrowhead Alpines specializes in dwarf conifers and other rare plants. Contact: Bob & Brigitta Stewart, PO Box 857, Fowlerville, MI. (517) 223-8750

For more information on conifers, visit The American Conifer Society.

And by the way, you'll find all kinds of useful and practical gardening advice and information by visting Robin Wedewer's Philly Garden Examiner Web page. Robin talks about the joy of flower shows in her lastest post. Carol Michel, the Indianapolis Gardening Examiner, lets you know where to see a nice selection of trees suitable for your landscape, and maybe catch a glimpse of a ghost at the same time. Take a virtual trip out west and learn what to do with a pumpkin besides carve it, Jerry and Kristy, Seattle's Gardening Examiner will be glad you stopped in.