Peterson's Nursery

3730 Lawrenceville Road
Princeton NJ 08540
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04/26/2006: The Benefit of Using Dwarf Conifers

It seems that any house you go to today will be landscaped with the same type of plants. Just about everyone has at least one Rhododendron, Azalea, Boxwood, or Holly somewhere on their property.

Don’t get me wrong, these are great plants, and we incorporate many of them in the landscapes we do, but there are other options available. We need to learn to break away from the plants we have grown up with and become accustomed to. Gardening is an art form and we should always try new things to express ourselves.

Dwarf conifers are an excellent choice to any landscape. For the most part they are slow growers and require little, if any, pruning. This is an important feature considering the busy schedules that we all have these days. Between work and kids, who has time to spend working in the garden? Just about everyone I talk to wants a beautiful landscape but they either don’t have the time or don’t want to put in the time that many plants need to keep them looking good. Dwarf conifers are the closest choice one will find to fit that low maintenance bill.

One of the first things you will notice about dwarf conifers is their unique shape. Every one of them is full of character and you will have a hard time finding two that are identical. This makes them ideal for use as a specimen planting in any garden.

My favorite aspect of dwarf conifers is the variety of colors and textures to choose from. They are available in a wide range of greens, blues, and yellows. The fascinating part about this is that they keep that color year-round, unlike flowering shrubs that only bloom for 2 weeks out of the year. There are certain varieties where the new growth each year comes out a different color than the rest of the plant and some that change colors for the fall and winter. Both of these give added interest to your garden by having subtle changes throughout the year. Mixing these colors and textures together is a great way to form a focal point in any garden. It’s hard to pass by a group of green plants mixed with reds, blues, and yellows; the eye is naturally attracted to the range of color.

Another benefit to brightly colored foliage over flowering shrubs is the reduction of pollen in the air which may cause many people to suffer from allergies. If you have children you should also keep in mind that many summer flowering shrubs may also attract bees into your yard.

I’m not trying to steer anyone away from traditional flowering shrubs, I just want everyone to be aware that there are many choices for plant material available. Keep in mind the perfect plant for a certain spot in your garden may be something you’ve never heard of. Always remember to think of gardening as an investment, it is an improvement being done on your home. Most importantly, only buy plants that you like, don’t settle for just what’s in stock that particular weekend.