If you are keen to grow native plantsthere are three conifers native to the British Isles - common juniper ( Juniperus communis), Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) and yew ( Taxus baccata) Root-balled and bare-root conifers are available in late-autumn and winter and should be planted as soon as possible after they arrive Highly decorative, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwoodii’ (Lawson Cypress) is an upright, evergreen shrub of dense columnar habit with short sprays of soft feathery, silver-blue foliage, turning steel-blue in winter. Slow-growing, 1-6 in. (2.5-15 cm) per year. Very versatile, it is a popular choice in a number of gardens. Adding year-round structure, it makes a wonderful specimen plant, adds vertical accent lines to the landscape, and is perfect for hedges and screens. Conifers also need decent draining, so do not plant them in very heavy clay soil or else you will risk drowning the plant.

Conifers are characterised by their foliage, which is either scale-like for example in pines or short, spiky and needle-like as in junipers. The foliage comes in various shades of green, gold, silver or blue and variegated combinations; some such as Cryptomeria japonica take on reddish hues in winter. Plants can suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Overly acidic or alkaline conditions, dry spells and waterlogging can make it very difficult for plants to extract the right nutrients, and sometimes the soil doesn’t have the right nutrients to start with. Fill both holes with soil the same way. Never amend with less than half original soil. Recent studies show that if your soil is loose enough, you are better off adding little or no soil amendments. Dwarf conifers are not actually dwarf, but are just slower growing. They will eventually become larger and could outgrow their space. This is fairly common with most conifers as they grow, and they can be replaced when it happens. However, their size can be controlled to some extent by pruning and trimming them. Evergreen refers to plants that hold onto their leaves or needles for more than one growing season, shedding them over time. Some plants such as live oaks are evergreen, but commonly shed the majority of their older leaves around the end of January.Root rot can occur when the plant is getting too much water. To remedy this, increase drainage around the plant. REQUIRES A SINGLE APPLICATION - Rootgrow only needs to be applied once, a single treatment will generally last the entire lifespan of your plants. Whilst working on the new tree shape remove any obvious dead branches or brown bits which will not only make the tree look nicer but it will let more light in to reach the foliage and encourage new growth. Towards the end of the tree shaping process a slightly ugly gap remains but we sometimes find this can be improved by using a non damaging rope or cable, in an as aesthetic way as possible (we use a dark colour rope of cable) to internally pull a branch to close the gap. From the aesthetic point of view we sometimes use a brown paint to disguise any excessively visual cuts on the branches) This is a medium to large shrub but it has a slow-growing habit: in a period of 10 years, Lawson’s Cypress Ellwoodii will achieve a height of up to 1.5 metres, with an eventual maximum height of 6 metres.

Container-grown conifers can be planted at any time of year, but avoid planting during hot or dry weather unless you are prepared to water well If the soil in the planting area is compacted, dig it over to loosen it – this will encourage the conifers’s roots to spread out. With heavy or sandy soils, dig in organic matter, such as garden compost, over a larger area (rather than in the planting hole) to improve the soil structure. The variety Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Ellwoodii is a slow-growing, large to medium evergreen shrub with a conical habit. It boasts beautiful bluish-green young foliage borne in short, soft sprays. The foliage matures to a grey-green hue and takes on a steely blue shade in the winter. This stunning conifer variety was found in 1915 by G. Ellwood of Swanmore Park UK. Its still popular today, a testament to its many qualities. Holder of the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by Royal Horticultural Society. Unlike other hardwood plants, conifers need very little pruning. However, if green branches appear in trees with coloured or variegated foliage, these should be pruned more often. Full sunlight is needed for many plants to assume their full potential. Many of these plants will do fine with a little less sunlight, although they may not flower as heavily or their foliage as vibrant. Areas on the southern and western sides of buildings usually are the sunniest. The only exception is when houses or buildings are so close together, shadows are cast from neighboring properties. Full sun usually means 6 or more hours of direct unobstructed sunlight on a sunny day. Partial sun receives less than 6 hours of sun, but more than 3 hours. Plants able to take full sun in some climates may only be able to tolerate part sun in other climates. Know the culture of the plant before you buy and plant it!

Brown patches may occur on conifers. There are a number of causes; pests such as the cypress aphid and scale insects can be treated with sprays and foliage removal. Parasitic wasps can also be brought into greenhouses as a biological control for removal of scale insects.