My Expanding Pinetum

September 17, 2025

There is always so much to see and learn about at my farm.

Over the years I have designed many gardens. One area that is constantly evolving is my pinetum - an arboretum of pine trees and other conifers I planted in a field behind my large Equipment Barn and near my weeping willow grove. This collection has grown extremely well and I continue to add additional specimens every year.

Here are some photos, enjoy.

: When I first bought my farm, I knew I wanted to plant many trees. This pinetum collection includes pine trees, but I have also included many spruces, firs, and other interesting evergreens.

: Once trees are mature, they need little maintenance except for regular mulching and removal of dead or diseased branches. I keep the ground well-mulched using material made right here at the farm.

: On one side of this pinetum are the tall weeping willows. Weeping willows are wide with beautiful curtains of drooping branches that sweep the ground. I have several groves of weeping willow trees here at my property.

: The leaves are long and narrow with a light green color and a finely toothed margin.

: Callitropsis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ or weeping Alaskan cedar, is a slender, strongly weeping form that grows to as much as 35-feet tall.

: It has widely spaced ascending to horizontal branches with flattened sprays of blue-green leaves that hang downward.

: And this is a young Picea orientalis ‘Aurea,’ a Golden Oriental Spruce. It shows off dense, dark green foliage.

: New growth emerges bright yellow, fading to rich gold with dark green in the plant’s interior.

: Perhaps you recognize this one – a dawn redwood, Metasequoia Glyptostroboides. I have planted plenty of these trees around my farm. This one was just planted here earlier this year.

: The dawn redwood has feathery, fine-textured needles that are opposite each other and approximately a half-inch long. Don’t confuse them with the bald cypress needles, which grow alternately. These dawn redwood needles will turn shades of red and brown before falling – it is one of the few deciduous conifers.

: Other trees growing here include this dwarf white pine tree. If you’re not sure how to tell some of these popular trees apart, here are some key tips: pines have needles that are arranged and attached to the branches in clusters of two, three or five. Spruce and fir trees have needles attached individually to the branches.

: This is a baby blue spruce, Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue.’ This dwarf blue spruce tree stays under 25 feet.

: Picea abies ‘Pendula’ describes the weeping forms of Norway spruce. The Norway spruce or European spruce is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe. Its uniquely trained form adds so much interest in this pinetum.

: These are the branches of a Japanese Yew, Emerald Spreader, a cold hardy, evergreen shrub that is strong, sturdy, and retains its green color even in winter.

: These branches are from a Cedrus deodara ‘Wells Golden’ – a true cedar with rich, golden color, which is beautiful in winter.

: I add more specimens to this collection every year – some are very rare and slow growing, but I love the variety of plantings I’ve amassed. This past spring I began developing this area of the pinetum, adding more interesting specimens.