My Thriving Pinetum
Planting evergreens in the garden provides year-round lush foliage of color and texture.
Here at my farm, I have an area I call my pinetum, an arboretum of evergreens and other conifers located behind my giant Equipment shed. Earlier this year, I expanded the pinetum under my grove of weeping willows and planted a number of interesting pines, junipers, and Oriental spruce. As the garden develops, I check to see what areas need more filling and plant accordingly. It takes lots of patience and time to create a garden. This one is looking better and better every season.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Early last spring, I decided to expand my pinetum. The bed was cleared, cleaned, and prepared for planting.
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- Over several weeks, I planted a variety of different evergreens with interesting growth habits, foliage, and texture.
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- After the area was recently groomed, I noticed more plants were needed to fill in various empty spaces.
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- I worked with my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, to plan what specimens would make nice additions. These are potted Eastern red cedars.
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- Here’s Ryan also positioning some potted pines – the varying colors of the trees and shrubs will look so beautiful together.
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- More plant were placed strategically around the giant garden bed. As gardens develop, it’s important to watch what does well, note where plants are still needed, and then thoughtfully decide what should be added next.
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- I always encourage my team to use the right tools for the right jobs. Do you know the difference between a shovel and a spade? A shovel is longer, angled, and its blade is curved into more of a scoop with a pointed tip. Shovels are better for digging up, breaking apart, and lifting soil as well as for scooping and moving loose materials. A spade has a relatively flat blade with straight edges and the blade tends to be in line with the shaft, rather than angled forward. Spades are good for edging and cutting.
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- Norman uses the spade to cut through the soil and outline the hole which should be at least twice the size of the plant.
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- Then he uses the shovel to lift the soil out.
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- Now this hole and its surrounding soil are ready for a sprinkling of fertilizer.
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- I use the appropriate Scotts fertilizer for evergreens and flowering trees and shrubs.
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- Norman removes the plant from its pot and teases the roots on the bottom. The root ball is in good condition, so this can easily be done with one’s hand. Scarifying the roots helps with nutrient absorption by loosening them and allowing them to expand into the new soil.
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- Norman places it in the hole and checks to be sure that it is planted at the right depth. It should be at the same level as it was in the pot.
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- Finally, he backfills and tamps down lightly to create a good connection between the root ball and the existing soil.
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- These weeping willow trees, which I planted here years ago, have done so well. Weeping willows are wide and tall with curtains of drooping branches that sweep the ground.
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- It takes a full day to get all the plants in, but they fill the areas nicely. When adding plants to any garden, always consider the planting environment, the plant’s growth habit and space needs, and its light requirements.
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- Norman plants a cypress nearby.
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- I always look for interesting and hardy specimens to add to the gardens. Many are slow growing, but in time these will fill the spaces nicely.
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- Everything thrives here in part because of the excellent soil which I amend often with nutrient rich compost and organic fertilizer. I am very proud of how it is developing. I’ll be sure to share more photos of the pinetum as the newest trees and shrubs grow.
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