Choosing a conifer, when and where to plant

Choosing the right conifer for your garden

• Finding the right conifer for the right place is key.
• Consider the eventual height and spread of different varieties very carefully. Taller growing varieties won't just stop growing when they reach a sensible height.
• If you're looking to plant fast-growing varieties and want to control their height, make sure you can definitely commit to pruning at least once a year. If you're looking to choose a tall-growing variety make sure you can commit to clipping it at least once per year.

Planting a conifer near Jackson's Nurseries, Staffordshire

• Limit your selection to dwarf conifers for rockeries. Anything larger will end up requiring you to lift the stones to remove it at a later date. Rockery conifers combine well with shrubs like Daphne and miniature bulbs. Their foliage offers year-round colour, texture and form.
• Juniper Blue Carpet makes a great choice for ground cover on slopes whilst common yew (Taxus baccata) is a great alternative to box for formal hedges.
• Growing conifers in containers can be a great way to control excessive growth in smaller gardens.

Juniper Blue Carpet is a great choice for groundcover

When to Plant

• Conifers grown in containers can be planted at any time of the year, providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged and it's not excessively windy. If you have the choice, early autumn planting works best for most conifers so their roots can establish whilst the soil is still warm, leaving them best equipped to cope with the winter cold and grow strongly in spring.
• Frost-proof conifers such as Cedrus deodara 'Feelin' Blue' are best planted in early spring.
• Root ball conifers can be planted from the beginning of October to mid-April.
• If you're not able to plant immediately, leave your conifers in a cool, light, frost-free place, out of the sun. Containerised conifers can be left in their pots. If they're at risk of drying out, dunk in a bucket of water.

If you can't plant immediately, leave your conifer in a cool, light, frost-free place

Where to Plant

• Aspect. Most conifers grow best in full sun, but a bit of afternoon shade is best for dwarf conifers in warmer southern parts of the UK.
• Shelter. Choose a sheltered location - avoid planting in areas exposed to cold winds as the foliage will get scorched and turn brown.
• Soil Type. Conifers prefer an acidic soil, ideally a loam that's well-drained. If you have a heavy or poor soil, consider incorporating some ericaceous compost or organic matter such as well-rotted pine needles into the planting hole. If drainage is a problem, a raised bed can work well.