Everybody has his own definition for miniature conifers, dwarf conifers, and semi-dwarf conifers. So rather than merely throw these terms around or adopt someone else’s random definition, I will define these terms as I use them. Do not assume these definitions will be the same everywhere.

I consider a miniature conifer to be a conifer that will measure less than three feet (one meter) in any one direction after fifteen years of average growth. A dwarf conifer will measure less than six feet (two meters) in any one direction after fifteen years of average growth. A semi-dwarf conifer will measure less than nine feet (three meters) in any one direction after fifteen years of average growth. Under optimum conditions, a conifer may grow faster than is expected so I am considering averages when I classify conifers according to these measurements.

Miniature conifers are very hard to find in garden centers and are almost impossible to find in chain stores. There is a good reason for this. Most people associate price with size and want to get a large plant for their money. Thus faster growing plants are the ones most readily available. When the bargain conscious consumer purchases such a plant and treats it as if it were not going to grow much more than it already has, he makes a costly mistake. He now has a plant with a short useful life span.

A miniature conifer has the potential for a very long useful life in any landscape. It will grow less than three inches per year at its maximum growth rate. Such a plant must be grown several years in the wholesale plant nursery in order to attain a saleable size. The extra years of care require a higher selling price, but remember the old adage "You get what you pay for."

I have always been fascinated with miniature conifers. They are true freaks of nature that have almost no chance of survival without human intervention. When miniature conifers appear in the wild as seedlings, they are quickly strangled by any larger plants growing near them. Any witch’s-brooms that develop have short life spans since they are rapidly shaded by normally growing branches higher in the tree. However, when used in a landscape, miniatures have a longer life expectancy than most of their companion plants, provided the companion plants are not allowed to overgrow them.

I have seen many different forms of miniature conifers. Some selections grow into tight little cushions while others become miniature trees. Others become little globes while some are even shaped like Hershey’s Kisses, and some are tight little spires. No matter what the final shape, these plants add variety to the landscape and require very little maintenance.

Miniature conifers are perfect for narrow borders, foundation plantings, rock gardens, garden railroads, and as a complement to heather or dwarf perennial gardens. Miniature conifers are often planted in dwarf conifer gardens with a few accent plants and a scattering of rocks. No matter how miniature conifers are used in the landscape, they will not outgrow their location and seldom need replacement.

The first step in using miniature conifers in a landscape is to decide where they may be most effective. Obviously they cannot be used as individual specimens or among any plants that become large and/or bushy. Also since they will usually be more costly than other conifers, they should be planted where they can be enjoyed on a daily basis. Since they are small, a raised bed will bring them closer to eye level where they may be more readily appreciated.

A raised bed may be created in a number of ways. The simplest raised bed is made with topsoil positioned so that it appears natural. It is nicest if it can be developed at the base of a slope, where the topsoil can be graded to appear like a flat, raised projection of the slope itself. The slope can be very slight or more pronounced and still serve nicely to tie the raised bed into the landscape. Walls of native stone can be utilized along portions of the raised areas to allow the visitor closer viewing of the plants by providing definite boundaries and still keep the natural appearance.

If a slope is not available, then several tapered mounds that give the impression of natural hummocks can prevent an artificial appearance. They need not be large and can be suited for any size garden. Merely construct them to scale. There are many areas in the world where the ground is naturally rolling. Since these artificial hummocks are to be planted with dwarf conifers, even the small garden will have a natural appearance.

In the more formal garden, a raised bed can be created with cottage stones, cut stones, bricks, or treated timbers. Sometimes this raised bed will stand alone while other times it may be built along a raised patio or a high house foundation. It might also be built around the border of the ground-level patio to provide a walled border between the patio and the lawn area. If an alpine house is part of the garden, a raised bed might be constructed around it to provide extra thickness to the masonry walls so the house need not be built like a pit house. The height of the raised bed will be determined by its other possible functions. It might be knee high when it stands alone while around the patio or the alpine house it could be waist high.

A raised bed can also be constructed by terracing one or more parts of a steep slope. Each terrace needs a wall at the base to retain the soil. The wall may be of any height from one foot to more than three feet (ten centimeters to one meter), depending upon the steepness of the slope.

A walkway along a raised bed should always reflect the nature of the raised bed. The raised areas that are intended to be informal may have walkways of grass, gravel, or bark while the formal raised beds will tend to have walkways of flagstone, gravel, or concrete.

Miniature conifers also work nicely as part of a border garden around a lawn. When the conifers are mixed with heather and rhododendrons, an interesting variety of colors and textures results. I like to use dwarf and slow growing rhododendrons, especially species selections with interesting foliage. The hybrids tend to be a bit too gaudy for my taste. Besides, they are selected for flower color rather than foliage attributes and are not all that interesting nine months out of the year.

By blending heather throughout the border, the conifers are mixed with flowering plants that do not overpower the conifers while providing additional color throughout the year. Using both Ericas and Callunas will provide flowers through the summer and winter in milder climates. When they are not blooming, the foliage can continue to provide color interest. Meanwhile, the conifers give a feeling of permanence while toning down the variety of bright colors creating an overall pleasing landscape scene.

A few perennials among the heather, rhododendrons, and conifers would not necessarily be out of place. They should not be large growing selections so they do not become the focal points. The whole idea is to create a planting scheme that blends everything without focusing on any particular plant or plant species. Dwarf perennials mixed among the plants will add diversity and variety to the garden. If the flowers are not too gaudy, they will complement the flowers on the heather plantings as well.

The idea of the border planting can be extended to include the foundation of the house. Most houses are constructed with a concrete foundation showing between the soil line and the material that forms the house’s outer walls. The foundation is unsightly if not properly treated in the overall landscape plan. The idea is not to completely hide the foundation, but rather to soften and blend it so that it becomes a gradual transition zone between the house and the soil. Miniature conifers are a very important part of this planting. They will never grow into the house nor affect the foundation of the house with their roots. They should be used to complement the faster growing conifers and broad-leafed plants that are also part of this design.

Miniature conifers can be used to create small mounds in the foundation planting. They can also be used where miniature spires or naturally dwarf trees are wanted as part of the scheme.

When the border is around a patio or pool, it has to be developed with the idea that it will be viewed from all sides, unlike the foundation planting which has one side toward the house. Miniature conifers will add a permanent aspect to the border that will not outgrow its location nor block the views in either direction. Generally the plants towards the ends and centers of the borders should be tall with those near the ends being the taller. Other plants need to be lower, providing an overall "W" outline. This scheme also works well for the foundation planting along a house with the more upright plants being located between windows and/or doors.

Miniature conifers also work exceptionally well in a planting along the top of a low retaining wall. Miniatures do not overpower the wall and are nicely viewed by anyone walking along the wall itself. These conifers need some elevation to bring them closer to eye level for their full appreciation. If the wall is constructed of cottage stones or fieldstones, the conifers can be placed more randomly. The cultivars selected can easily be the ones without formal outlines. If the stones are set in mortar or if the wall is built of brick, a more formal plan needs to be followed. These conifers should have more regular outlines. If a weeping plant is used above a wall, it can be quite attractive when allowed to grow down the face of the wall. The mound it creates above the wall will break up the straight lines of the wall itself and create a different appearance than a prostrate conifer, which would hug the wall much more tightly.

Usually the wall is part of a system for terracing a slope. In the more formal setting, the landscaped portion may only be a narrow band along the top of the wall while the informal setting will often see the slope continued up from the wall and completely incorporated into the garden. No matter which type of landscape is being developed, miniature conifers play an important part.

Slopes erode and must be planted accordingly. Walls will help prevent erosion but are not always feasible, nor always desired. Covering a slope with a ground cover can prevent erosion but can be unexciting. Turning the slope into a garden is much more interesting. The size of the slope will determine the type of garden. Most often a variation of a rock garden works best on a slope. The rocks not only provide interest, but they also help anchor the soil.

Mention the term "rock garden" to someone and a picture will invariably pop into his head. That picture may be anything from a pile of rocks with a few plants to a scattering of rocks with many plants. Actually a rock garden is a mixture of plants and rocks arranged in such a way as to please the owner and allow the plants to do well.

The rocks utilized in a rock garden need not be native to the gardener’s locale but should be the kinds that are found together in nature. Do not intermingle native rock such as granite or basalt with limestone. If different kinds of rocks are used, they should be used in different areas of the garden. Once the rocks have been chosen, their placement can begin.

There are no great secrets to the placing of rocks in a rock garden. Merely follow nature. Good pictures of mountain scenery will show the rock structures and give many ideas. Flat rocks naturally appear in layers while glacial rocks are a diverse mixture of many different sizes. Flat rocks can be used in horizontal layers or tilted into vertical, layered structures while round rocks in a wide range of sizes and compositions may be scattered throughout the gardens. Do not use flat rocks and round rocks in the same garden, unless the round rocks are used as part of a streambed, either dry or with flowing water.

Rocks should not sit on the surface of the ground. Large individual rocks need to be two-thirds buried as to give the impression of being part of a formation. Have all of the long axes of the rocks aligned in the same direction or in a sweeping curve. The quantity of rock is up to the gardener. I have seen rock gardens that were 90% rock and others that were only 10% rock.

Rock garden soil needs to be very well drained and not rich in humus. Poorer soils mimic the alpine soils of the mountains and will naturally stunt the growth of conifers keeping them even more dwarf than normal without affecting their health. In my own rock garden, the conifers are healthy in color and appearance while growing at about three-fourths their normal rate due to being planted in glacial subsoil. Since many conifers thrive in organically poor alpine soils throughout the world, such a growth rate is not unexpected.

Careful selection and placement of dwarf and miniature conifers in any rock garden will create a feeling of age and permanence. There are a number of ways to site conifers in a typical rock garden that will work in both a newly constructed rock garden and the established rock garden. These plants need to be carefully positioned since in most cases they will outlive the other plants in the garden. Unlike the species, dwarf and miniature cultivars will not outgrow their sites and take over the garden.

Small, upright conifers can be used in a wide range of settings throughout a rock garden. These upright plants add variety to a landscape that could easily be very uninteresting throughout much of the year. Large rocks make excellent backdrops for the dwarf, upright plants. Upright plants will soften the border between the rock and the garden and balance the height of the rock(s) behind it. As long as the plant is miniature, it will always accent the rocks rather than hide them. Miniature, upright conifers will also add variety to an area of low alpine plants. Miniatures offer colors and textures that differ from the alpines and have year round foliage. They will not overgrow the alpines and will stay in scale with the garden.

Alpine meadows will often have a scattering of stunted upright plants as well as plants that have developed into tight, stunted little mounds, usually due to a combination of climate and grazing by herbivores.

In the rock garden, these little mounds can be duplicated without the need to import an animal to do the grazing. There are many dwarf plants that never develop any strong shoots and become cushions and buns. These plants may be scattered through the open areas of the rock garden as a complement to the rocks. Their rounded shapes will either mimic round rocks in a garden or add a different aspect to the garden that has all angular rocks and needs a little softening.

Even a small stream will appear larger if miniature conifers are used. The impression is even greater if a garden railroad is part of the landscape. Miniature conifers are a must for the owner of a garden railroad because they provide the right scale.

Miniature conifers are also perfect for container gardens. A container garden is essentially a miniaturized landscape in a trough, pot, barrel, or other artificially constructed container. While other conifers will outgrow their site, the miniatures will stay in scale and allow the artificial landscape to function for many years.

Alpine houses are much more common in Europe than America, but they are becoming more popular every year. Miniature conifers may be planted in the alpine house along with alpine plants to create a more natural landscape and to provide year round enjoyment. An alpine house is basically a small green house built below the soil line, either by digging a hole or piling soil around its lower walls. Raised beds of soil are constructed in the house. The house is then used to grow tender alpine plants in a controlled environment that may or may not be heated depending upon the climate. The plants are often kept containerized and plunged into the soil. Sometimes they are planted directly into the soil. Mixing a few conifers with the alpine plants adds interest to the plantings. The conifers have to be miniature selections. Additional plantings are used around the alpine house to make it part of the landscape, especially if it stands at ground level and has raised beds constructed around its walls for insulation. These raised beds provide additional places to utilize miniature conifers, since they will never shade the interior of the alpine house.

Miniature conifers do need some special considerations when they are placed into a landscape. First, miniature conifers need to be used in a landscape or as part of a landscape that does not overpower them. Second, they are best displayed in a raised planting for close viewing and protection from physical damage by large or small feet. Third, they need protection from wildlife for many years due to their small size. Fourth, they must have good air circulation to prevent the spread of disease in their typically dense foliage.

Even though many of the miniature conifers develop into tight little balls, they can offer an extensive variety of colors and textures as shown here by six miniature conifers.

Left to Right Rear: Picea glauca ‘Echiniformis’, Picea jezoensis ‘Nana Kalous’, Abies koreana ‘Silberperle’ Front: Abies koreana ‘Silberkugel’, Picea abies ‘Brno’, Pinus uncinata ‘Etschtal’

Picea orientalis ‘Tom Thumb Gold’ was discovered as a witches’-broom on a specimen of Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’ growing in a front yard in northern New Jersey. It is a miniature bun with bright gold foliage that works well in a variety of landscape settings. Here it is shown with a dwarf Dianthus near a number of small boulders along a walkway.

A flowing stream in a bed lined with rocks provides a very natural setting for conifers. In this particular instance a low spreading selection of Abies veitchii ‘Hedergott’ is positioned between the stream and a low mounding specimen of Pinus parviflora ‘Hagaromo’. To the right rear is an older plant of Pinus leucodermis ‘Smidt’ and in the farthest corner is a Tsuga canadensis ‘Everitt’s Golden’. All of these conifers provide a variety of colors and textures that contrast nicely with the light colored rocks of the stream bed.

An island bed can be created using an assortment of conifers, flowers, and dwarf deciduous shrubs. The conifers will provide color and life throughout the seasons. When miniature conifers are used, they will never outgrow the bed, allowing the whole planting to remain in scale.

Miniature conifers and dwarf conifers work together nicely in a garden. Everything will remain in scale for many years. When water and stones are added to the scene, the resulting composition is very pleasing to the eye. The golden conifers here have a healthy color and are not so bright as to make the scene appear artificial. There are many shades of green and some blues as well as a nice variety of shapes and textures. A few red flowers complete the overall picture

Many miniature conifers are planted among an assortment of compact conifers and an impressive specimen of Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’. The miniature cushions and small cones give color and texture to a garden that needs surprisingly minimal maintenance due to the careful selection of plant material. This small, private garden has border areas around the central lawn as well as a rock garden with flowing water that adjoins a water feature. The majority of the plants used in this garden are Chamaecyparis obtusa cultivars, a species with many miniature selections. Most of these cultivars are seedling selections and provide an extensive range of different shades of green and yellow, many of which can be seen in this photograph.

Picea glauca ‘Albertiana Conica’, the dwarf Alberta spruce, has been extensively used in landscapes throughout the world since its discovery in 1933. It is commonly advertised as a dwarf conifer, but I consider it to be merely a compact selection since it will grow in excess of 3 meters (10 feet) in height. However, a number of miniature sports have been found as bud mutations on plants in nurseries, probably because over 1,000,000 plants are propagated every year in America alone. Picea glauca ‘Globe’ is a miniature selection that grows almost as wide as high. Here it is planted among some low growing heathers and dwarf grasses which provide a light tan to white color contrast for the darker green of the spruce.

Picea glauca ‘Pixie’ is a miniature spire that was discovered as a sport from Picea glauca ‘Albertiana Conica’, the dwarf Alberta spruce. It is exceptionally dense with miniature foliage. Here a single specimen is planted with sempervivems, sedums, and other dwarf conifers. It will never crowd its neighbors and can remain in this location for many years.

A grouping of Picea glauca ‘Pixie’ with a carpet of wooley thyme provides a focal point of interest for any garden. The ‘Pixie’s have been planted in a group among moderately sized, flat rocks, giving the overall scene the atmosphere of an alpine setting. The grasses, hydrangea, and conifers in the background provide a nice contrast as well as a feeling of isolation.

The dwarf pine in this garden is Pinus leucodermis ‘Compact Gem’. The silvery miniature spruce in front of it is Picea jezoensis ‘Nana Kalous’ and the miniature green spruce is Picea abies ‘Zahradka’. These three plants form a nice grouping at the edge of a rockery with other miniature and dwarf spruces in the background. When odd numbers of plants are used in groupings, the effect is more natural. Formal plantings tend to work with even numbers of plants. In this instance, the shape and texture of the pine add variety to the grouping while its dwarfness will permit it to remain in this location for many years.

In this instance, a few miniature conifers are used among an assortment of hebes, cotoneasters, alpines, and dwarf, broadleafed shrubs in a very dry setting. Since most conifers appreciate good drainage and can tolerate long dry spells when established, they work nicely in this kind of setting. Here Picea pungens ‘Gloria’ is a cushion while the small, conical conifer behind it is Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Rubicon’, a species that is native to wet locales but can obviously tolerate dry ones as well.

This scene could have been photographed in a part of the Alps, but it wasn’t. Here a number of miniature pines have been used among rocks to represent a very natural, sub alpine setting. Pinus leucodermis ‘Smidt’ is the dark green pine in the center of the photograph. This specimen is growing much like the mother plant at Pruhonice Arboretum near Prague, Czech Republic. It is a low mound that tends to follow the shape of the surface beneath it. The plant just behind it is a selection of mugo pine called Pinus mugo ‘Hvozdany’. To the right is Pinus uncinata ‘Berans Sport’. Their different shapes, colors, and growth rates provide variety while their similarities help the observer to imagine this as a location far from any formal garden setting.

Anyone who has visited the Hiller Arboretum in England will recognize this picture as being taken in the dwarf conifer collection near the main house. The white gravel mulch appears harsh next to the dwarf conifers but was used to complement the large rocks in a way not accomplished with beauty bark or bare soil. The two plants tucked against the rock in the center of this photograph are very old specimens of Tsuga canadensis ‘Minuta’. Their dark green foliage works nicely with the lighter shades of green, gray, and blue of the nearby dwarf perennials and the squat Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’ in the background.

The corner of a raised bed provides a perfect setting for a cushion-shaped conifer. In this particular instance a wall of old cobblestones provides shades of gray and gray-brown which work nicely with the blue of the Abies procera ‘Blaue Hexe’, a miniature conifer that originated as a witches’-broom on a blue selection of Nobel fir. Another plant selection for this setting might be Picea pungens ‘St. Mary’, which also develops into a cushion-shaped plant.

A rockery in front of a tall cobblestone wall provides a nice setting for an assortment of conifers. Most of the conifers are miniatures that develop into buns and cushions. The taller conifers are dwarf and compact selections. The horizontal junipers to the left side are becoming too large and need trimming or replacement. Otherwise the conifers provide a palette of color and textures that complement the rocks and create an overall pleasing effect in front of what could have been a rather harsh setting.

A brick walkway and steps tend to generate a feeling of formality in the garden. However, in this instance they provide an opportunity to create a nice little setting where a naturalized retaining wall of round stones interplanted with alpines and topped with the informal shape of the miniature Atlas cedar, Cedrus atlantica ‘St. Catherine’ becomes a garden focal point.

This garden walkway has two different borders. The border to the left is heavily planted with miniature and dwarf conifers providing a definite barrier of many colors and textures while the border to the right is a type of linear rock garden with a wide range of miniature alpine plants and a light scattering of miniature conifers. The overall effect is almost that of a boundary between a coniferous forest and the higher alpine regions just above it.

Miniature conifers can add interest to what otherwise might just be a dull, utility area at the corner of a garage. The two vertical conifers to the center are Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’ and Picea glauca ‘Laurin’ to its right. The foreground cushion could be Pinus mugo ‘Mitsch Mini’. A miniature golden Chamaecyparis obtusa at the corner of the building and a miniature Picea sitchensis , possibly ‘Strypemonde’, to its right add color . Rocks scattered among the plants and a low, broadleafed ground cover provide contrast.

This border planting of maples, conifers, cacti, and alpines draws the interest of every visitor to this particular garden. The largest conifers are the Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’ to the right and the Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’ in the upper center of the photograph. They are very old and do not crowd the miniature conifers in the planting. A number of miniature selections of Chamaecyparis obtusa similar to ‘Bess’, ‘Meroke’, and ‘Snowkist’ are used to provide a more vertical element to the planting in different shades of green and gold. The blue cushions are plants like Abies procera ‘Blaue Hexe’ to the right rear and Picea glauca ‘Cecilia’ to the lower center next to the dark green Pinus leucodermis ‘Smidt’. The creamy white cushion to the left of the ‘Blaua Hexe’ is Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Mikko’ (‘Snow’), which must be kept sheared to maintain the small size. The red is provided by an Acer palmatum dissectum cultivar like ‘Everred’ or ‘Crimson Queen’ or ‘Red Dragon’, to name a few.

Pinus banksiana ‘Chippewa’ is a miniature conifer with an irregular outline that works nicely in a narrow space between a walk and the foundation of a house. Here it is used with several different sempervirens and sedums among a few stones of assorted sizes.

Pinus mugo ‘Fructata’ eventually becomes a large, dense cushion. It was named for its tendency to develop many small cones on its shoots. Here it is the only pine among a variety of conifers and broadleaf shrubs. Putting it next to an informal rock pile along a walkway with some nearby grasses creates a naturalized setting. The miniature spruce to the right rear of this photograph sits very naturally between a pair of rocks. Picea abies ‘Little Gem’ or ‘Dumpy’ works well in this type of setting.

Pinus mugo ‘Mitsch Mini’ is a trouble free, miniature selection of mugo pine that grows fast enough to be used in a variety of ways in the landscape. Here it is planted to soften the corner of a stairway while wooley thyme covers much of the lowest stair tread and the side board.

Instead of having lawn make the border for an entrance walkway, a mixed planting of miniature conifers and alpines among a variety of rocks adds interest to the landscape. The bright gold conifer Picea orientalis ‘Tom Thumb Gold’, is planted next to a dwarf Dianthus, probably simulans. Cotoneaster ‘Tom Thumb’ makes a slow, broadleaf ground cover next to the Picea glauca ‘Pixie’. The red maple at the end of the bed is Acer palmatum ‘Shaina’.

A very old specimen of Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ breaks up the flat surfaces and straight lines of this area of the rock garden at Wisley. To its right, tucked against a low wall, a specimen of Picea glauca ‘Echiniformis’ serves the same purpose on a smaller scale. Much of this rock garden is constructed terrace-like with miniature and dwarf conifers used to break up the horizontal lines, while prostrate and weeping conifers are used to cascade over several of the low walls.

The reddish rocks in this garden scene are partially covered with moss and blend nicely with the Abies procera ‘Blaue Hexe’ on the left and the Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Verkade’s Green Cushion’ on the right. Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’ has foliage and a growth habit very similar to the plant pictured here. However, it is difficult to purchase ‘Nana’ at garden centers since the plants most often sold under this name are the faster growing ‘Nana Gracilis’. Here, these two plants will be at home for many years since they are both true miniatures.

Miniature conifers may be grown in small containers for many years. Here a number of them are used to provide a border between a garden and two flights of steps.

A rocky mound with a cascading stream is a perfect setting for miniature conifers. The golden plant in the center is Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Golden Ceramic’ . Flowing around it is a hemlock, possibly Tsuga canadensis ‘Cole’s Prostrate’ or Tsuga heterophylla ‘Thorson’s Weeping’. Either one is completely prostrate with ‘Thorson’s Weeping’ better able to tolerate full sun and slower growing. The blue foliage to the left is from a large growing conifer named Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’.

Juniperus communis ‘Echiniformis’ is a miniature juniper that can be used to create some unique effects. Here a specimen is planted at the top of a special rock, giving the appearance of a broad bush perched atop a miniature cliff.

The four specimen conifers that cross this photograph create an appealing image, especially among these rocks that possess a hint of red. The Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis Aurea’ to the left is not a miniature plant but does grow slowly enough to be useful for many years in this setting. Next to it is Picea glauca ‘Cecilia’, a miniature spruce that is hard to locate in its true form. The Pinus leucodermis ‘Smidt’ to its right is a very popular miniature pine. It does not show accelerated growth and always has attractive, dark green foliage. To the far right is Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Spiralis’ exhibiting its typical twisted growth habit and very dense foliage. The assorted specimens of Chamaecyparis obtusa cultivars to the rear of these four plants provide a nice backdrop of various shades of green foliage.

This garden scene gives the appearance of an open rocky area beside a path entering a forested area. The rocky area is extensively planted with miniature conifers in a variety of colors with yellow predominating. Most of the plants used here are selections of Chamaecyparis obtusa with a scattering of other conifers providing shades of blue and dark green foliages.

A steep slope provides a perfect setting for a rock garden that utilizes large pieces of white and tan quartzite. The alpine plants cascade down among the rocks, and several miniature pines are tucked into some of the crevasses along with a number of dwarf shrubs and taller alpines.

Cedrus deodara ‘Pygmaea’ is a good choice for a miniature conifer to plant in this raised bed in an English alpine house. It provides a nice contrast to the broadleaf alpines while not requiring much more space than a small rock.

Picea pungens ‘St. Mary’ has been in the nursery trade for over thirty years and is still not easy to locate in garden centers. It is possibly still the best miniature Picea pungens for use in a garden. Here it is at the top of a mound that is covered with Genista pilosa ‘Vancouver Gold’. When the Genista flowers, the green and yellow are striking against the blue of the ‘St. Mary’.

Garden railroads are becoming very popular throughout the world. This railroad in a Dutch garden uses extensive plantings of miniature conifers to create a scale setting with great variety of colors and textures without diminishing the effect of the train itself.

A church yard scene can be created in miniature when a scale model of a church is combined with miniature conifers providing the effects of large shrubs and trees.

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