Gardening with Margaret Matthews
Conifers in their infinite variety
by Margaret Matthews
Flowers are not the only way of bringing colour to the garden in winter. Although many native plants flower in the colder months, and camellias and rhododendrons also make a contribution, there is another group of plants whose colourful foliage is present all through the year. Their foliage is often needle-like, and they come in many different shapes and sizes. They are the conifer family, of 12 genera and approximately 100 species.
Their fossil history dates back three million years. The first book featuring conifers in detail was De Arboribud Coniferi by Pierre Belon, written in Latin in the 16th century. So they have been around for a very long time and have always had a place as forest trees and in gardens.
Few conifers occur in tropical or sub-tropical areas. They are at home in alpine regions, and grow well in our temperate zones.
Conifers are cone-bearing, which is how their name came into being. The cones are seed capsules, varying greatly in size and shape, and often very ornamental.
There are many conifers suitable for suburban gardens. They vary from prostrate to tall trees, and can be used as groundcover, as background shrubs in garden beds and the taller ones make excellent screens to block out unsightly views or buildings. Many are slow growing, but they are virtually maintenance free and require no pruning, although they can be shaped to fit in with a particular site or situation. Greatly prized for topiary, useful as container plants, and dwarf ones can be used in rock gardens. They also make ideal specimens for bonsai. Perhaps you have room in the lawn for a large tree, but the problem would be choosing one from the rich array on offer, as some of our most magnificent trees come from this diverse family. But you will need time on your side!
When planting conifers as a groundcover, use several of the one species rather than one each of several kinds. Check the eventual size of the plants and allow them room to develop fully. They like a slightly acid soil with good drainage.
Conifers come in a wide colour range. The greens are from the palest to the darkest – think of a forest with the fir trees outlined against a snowy mountain. Greys and silvers, blues (of which the lovely blue spruce is but one), pale gold to a deep bronze. Conifers can give life and colour when the rest of the garden is bare of leaves and flowers.
Some names that may be familiar to you (the botanical name follows in brackets): Pine (Pinus); Cypress (Cupressus); Yew (Taxus); Redwood (Sequoia); Larch (Larix); Spruce (Picea); Fir (Abies); Juniper (Juniperus) and Cedar (Cedrus). Each of these has a number of species with specific names.
The Monkey-Puzzle Tree is a conifer, and the beautiful Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) is the sole representative of an ancient order of coniferous trees.
Australia has only a dozen or so conifers, all from the Callitris family. One is the Cypress Pine.
To see the full range of conifers one needs to visit a specialist nursery. Conifer Gardens in Ferny Creek is such a nursery, although some general nurseries will also carry a wide stock.
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