Why I Oughta...

Last Fall, I planted a small Oregon Green Austrian Pine tree in our front yard that managed to handle the Winter and is seemingly doing ok this Spring.  When I planted that tree, I also wrote a 'Getting to Know" post about the tree that included this description of part of the tree: ... In the Spring...there is a firework explosion of pearly white candles that come out in clusters. Candles.  That's neat.   I was waiting to see if it would happen on our tree this Spring and watching and watching.  This past week, these white tubes began to grow and 'explode'.  Just like the description said.  See below for the candles on the Austrian Pine Oregon Green tree: Pretty neat to see them - as this is a first for me.   There is something that some folks do called "Candling", where they deliberately REMOVE or SHORTEN the candles in Spring.  Here's more from the Seattle Japanese Garden : April to May is when we begin the spring pruning process, o...

The conifers are starting to show up at the nurseries and big box stores.  There's one orange big box store that always orders in some unique trees - including conifers.  Over the weekend, I popped in there to see what is already in-stock and saw a pair of yellow pine trees.  Hmmm...those are interesting.   Here, below, is a photo showing these yellow pine trees.  They sure stand-out, don't they? What are they?  According to the tag, these are Louie White Pine trees for $99.00. Interesting, right?  Let's get to know the Louie White Pine.  From Conifer Kingdom : Gold decorates this outstanding Pinus strobus ‘Louie’ all year. In the cold of winter, the brilliant golden hue is brightest at the needle tips. In summer, needles change to a wonderful soft golden green, unlike other pines. Globose when young, the medium-sized tree develops a beautiful conical form. "Medium-sized" tree.  I like that.  Not a dwarf, but not going to be a giant...

Just yesterday, I shared the details (and description) of a new (to me) tree:  the Austrian Pine 'Oregon Green'.  This is an upright, narrow and semi-dwarf conifer tree (grows to 10' tall and 6-8' wide at 10 years) that lends a touch of Japanese Gardening to the landscape.    I mentioned at the end of that post that I found a small (young) ball-and-burlap specimen at the end-of-the-year sale at the orange big box nursery.   Ever since I read the statement:  " Conifers Should Come First ", I've been aware of the need to plant (even) more of them - specifically in the front yard.  In January, I mused about adding more conifers to our front yard and highlighted some inspiration photos .  I also posted (earlier this year) about using a hide-and-reveal technique with a front-yard path .  In both of those situations, the ideas call for upright conifers in various spots.   One last data point - back in 2019, I created a post that deta...

All the way back in February of 2020, I posted about a conifer tree as part of a 'tree dreaming' series named the Oregon Green Austrian Pine tree .  At that time, I was busy spending my time during the cold, dark Winter researching some trees that I *could* put in my yard - and learn a little bit about them at the same time.  I was focused on 'columnar' trees - or narrow ones that grow upright and included the Oregon Green Austrian Pine in that set.  At that time, I said that the Oregon Green wasn't strictly-speaking columnar, but it was 'narrow'.   I included this description from Monrovia: That reads:  " Deep, glossy, rich green, stiff needles, densely spaced and curved against the branches give the appearance of large pipe cleaners.  The unique, more open form with asymmetrical branching creates a striking landscape specimen.  In the Spring...there is a firework explosion of pearly white candles that come out in clusters.  Evergreen. " It ...

There comes a time in the Spring when the allure of the big box nursery becomes too strong.  Normally...I can rely on my 'plan' and walk away without buying things that don't have a home.  But, when I came face-to-face with this pallet of (what I'll call) unique evergreen trees (or...at the *very least*...these are unique for big box stores), I was smitten.  There were like five different conifers - each with some unique characteristic.  Upright, golden, columnar, weeping.  Just...*chef's kiss*. They were all priced the same, but the one that I was most drawn-to was this one below: A closer look at the tag reveals what it is (photo below):  Pinus sylvestris - Scotch Pine Columnar. "Columnar".  You have my attention. A little look around the Web reveals the true name for this tree:  Pinus sylvestris 'Fastigiata'.  Utah State has one in their arboretum .  They describe it like this:  "This Scotch Pine is a tall and narrow pine. ...

Earlier this Spring, I received a few comments on a post from last year where I talked about after some hemming-and-hawing, I brought home and planted a special tree: a Japanese White Pine - Pinus Parviflora 'Glauca Nana' .  Below are a couple of them - that are similar:   "I saw this tree and I'm intrigued.  How is your's doing?" I replied back in the comments with my thoughts (more on that below), but I thought this might deserve a full post.  First....about the tree.  It has a siren call.  You can't NOT notice it amongst the pallets upon pallets of Arborvitae and Boxwoods.  And, I have to admit...I saw the exact same thing that the two commentors had - at the Big Box Orange nursery this Spring.  Here's the beauty that was calling me to bring it home from back in May: So, I won't waste time.  My tree didn't make it.  My Japanese White Pine - Glauca Nana - went brown in Winter and got worse as time went on.  When Spring came, ...