FOXHOLLOW IN THE FALL - 2009

An amazing garden there Blue! I love the different colours and shapes. ;~))

As always STUNNING! Stephen, i really love that Miscanthus,,, how did you get it to make such a lovely rounded shape like this? I love the Ginkgo's i have never seen these plants before - they must be very hard to come by??? are they hardy? What conditions etc... more info please :D

Thanks for the very informative walk around your beautiful garden

You've got some gorgeous autumn colours, Bs :-)

Lovely pics.... I especially like the final photo :o)

Lovely formal garden but dont you ever get the urge to break out and change it as the seasons change?

Looking good. The Gingkos are amazing. What's the weeping conifer to the right of the Liquidamber?

What a wise decision to take these photos on Saturday (wet and miserable today here, at least). Looking great. Nice to see round the different autumn tones. Interesting your comment about 'only concession to a species conifer' - I rate picea omorika as probably my favourite. In fact, just planted one about 4 feet tall. Hope it settles in!

Angie - Ginkgos are hardy and very easy to please, and should IMO be used more in gardens. Until recently the choice was limited to a few larger forms. But there are now many new dwarfer varieties coming from central Europe and the US, although most of these are only circulating in private collections at the moment.

Drc726 - the main structure of the garden doesn't alter. But I have ever changing colours, forms and textures for 12 months of the year. As the garden is foremost a conifer collection, which is my passion, that's just the way I like it.

Pipsqueak - the weeping conifer is Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Imbricata Pendula'

Great blog & photos

Thanks Stephen will be looking out for some of thoughs when they become more readily available, obviously would need the dwarf sizes for my garden, but i am sure i could make room for at least one of them...

Angie, I would recommend Ginkgo biloba 'Saratoga', this one makes a slow growing small tree, with the leaves more narrower and elongated than the species. Also Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken' which eventually makes a very compact small shrub, leaves the same as the species but smaller. Both these plants are available in the UK, look them up in Plantfinder. others worth looking for are, 'Anny's Dwarf', 'Chase Manhatten', 'Jade Butterflies', and 'Troll', If your want anything really rare you're need to contact me :0)

Thanks Stephen, i shall have a google and see what one takes my fancy... I may well PM you about getting one if ok? prob be after Christmas though ...

look forward to it Angie :0)

... you might not though...i can be a really difficult customer you know! lol ;-)

a beautiful garden. such lovely colours.

I'm sure I can handle you Angie :0)

lol mm is that a challenge ?

could be ?

lol :D

By the way Angie - forgot about your question on Miscanthus sinensis 'Yakushima Dwarf'.
Most cultivars will develop a rounded habit/appearance given some time and a little space.

ooohhh it looks lovely Stephen, how tall is this variety?, mine is as tall as me... and i can give it some room to spread but not enough if it is going to get as wide as it is tall... lol... i believe you can divide them though can't you... mine is only in its second year...

Angie, 'Yakushima Dwarf' is a fairly short variety, I would guess about 5 feet (150cms) tall, can be divided in early spring, mid Feb to mid March is best

not that much shorter than mine then... but then i supose mine is still a baby so could get a bit taller... i really love it though... thanks for the info, i don't think i'll need to do it just yet, let it get going a bit first...i will set myself a reminder on my garden pages...

Very likely to grow taller from young plants Angie.

:D oh goodie... i was hoping it was going to get taller and block out the view of ugly conifers next door ;-) lol

Very good Ang, but don't forget you're have to cut it back in Feb-March...then what will you do ?

take the flying weed killer approch... ooohhhpppsss did i really type that out loud? lol

Naughty !

lol.... but nice ;-)

I meant to tell you, Bs - at an open garden this summer, the owner had a collection of weeping trees - lots were conifers - and he had bamboo poles wired up horizontally on most of them, to hold the branches outwards - why would he do this? To me, it spoilt the natural form of them.

The one variety that comes to mind is Cedrus libani (atlantica) 'Glauca Pendula'. which has to be trained otherwise it will just sprawl all over the place. many growers and collectors like to grow this along horizontal supports so the foliage hangs down like one long curtain. The main limbs have to be supported in this way otherwise they would break under the weight.

I haven't seen this practice in your garden - do you do it, then? I didn't think it showed the trees off well at all. I suppose if it's necessary that explains it, though.

I don't have the room for it Barbara.

What a gorgeous garden BS. Well done. It is very peaceful looking and very interesting with all the different shades and textures.

Loved the blog Bs, it's odd but I never thought I would love a garden that's mainly conifers yet you have so many different shapes, shades, sizes and textures. I'm not overfond of erica either, but loved your darleyensis. in fact I think I may just have room for one:-) I also didn't know there were dwarf ginkgos, so I've learned a lot and very pretty they are too, especially everton broom:-)

Gilli - not so peaceful as it may appear, the garden fronts the main A350 Poole to Blandford...an extremely busy road.

Bornagain - Always try to do my bit for conifers, and if I have succeeded in altering your opinion on them just a little - I'm satisfied.

Reminds me of Candyland with gumdrops & lollipop trees. Are you Lord Licorice? or Mr. Mint? Nummy Gingkos. Have you seen Acer pseudoplatanus "Eskimo Sunset"? I don't usually like variegated things but this Sycamore Maple is a knockout, with no spiny urchin seeds.

Have you been drinking the tea again Orgratis ? :0)
Also not familiar with Acer pseudoplatanus "Eskimo Sunset" - do you have it ?

I'm always drinking tea, but only Earl Gray! It's just your collection looks like a confectioner's display: delectable. What I have right now is two gardens abandoned in other states and a list, a growing but discerning list, oh, and some potS. But I worked briefly up at Forest Farm, Williams, OR & Ray has an extensive acer offering. He'd planted one out & it was very eye-catching. His online photo is not as good as others you can research.