Conifer: 10 varieties for pots and terraces

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Baby Blue'

Chamaecyparis ‘Baby Blue’ is a superb cypress with a pyramidal habit and bluish foliage that takes on beautiful silvery highlights in light! Its foliage, made up of small needles, is rather soft to the touch. Needles are borne on horizontal, tiered branches. In late winter–early spring, it produces small ovoid cones, which can be male or female. It has the look of a small Christmas fir but is distinguished by its unique silver-blue colour. Its graphic appeal and elegance are much admired! Over time, it can reach up to 1.80 m in height with a spread of 1.20 m. Position in sun or partial shade, in ordinary, light, slightly acidic soil that remains relatively cool. Showcase it by pairing with plants with darker foliage, black or purplish… or stick to similar tones with silver foliage!

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Blue Rock'

Chamaecyparis ‘Blue Rock’ is a recent variety that offers attractive bluish-green, almost grey foliage, taking on purplish-violet hues in winter. It forms a globular, rounded clump with fine, dense foliage. Its stems are short and bear tight needles, almost imbricate. They resemble scales and measure 5 mm in length. Its growth is very slow, as it grows by about 5 cm per year. After about ten years it will reach around 50 cm in height, and at ripeness it can reach up to 1.50 m in height and spread. It is also found under variety name ‘Versent’.

We recommend planting in sun or partial shade, in rather acidic, rich, light and well-draining soil. Remember to water regularly to keep soil moist.

Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone'

Common juniper ‘Gold Cone’ is a conifer with a columnar, narrow habit and light green – golden-yellow foliage. It bears pointed needles that give off a resinous scent when rubbed. Young shoots are light green – yellow, then darken slightly and take on a bluish-green tint in autumn–winter. It reaches up to 2.50 m in height at most. It is well suited to topiary, for example to form spiralled shapes, and can also be trained as a bonsai. Placed in a large pot on a terrace, it will bring structure and verticality. Place in full sun, in ordinary, free-draining soil. It tolerates poor soils and occasional drought.

Pinus mugo 'Mops'

Pinus mugo ‘Mops’ is a small pine with a compact, rounded cushion habit. It forms a spreading mass, wider than tall, with a mounded, sheep-like appearance. It has short, erect branches bearing numerous long, fine thorns, 5–6 cm long. Foliage is green and very dense. It grows very slowly and does not need to be pruned. It rarely exceeds 80 cm in height. Its many qualities earned it the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is often grown in a rockery, but is also perfect in a pot on a sunny terrace.

Pinus nigra 'Pierrick Bregeon'

Pinus nigra ‘Pierrick Bregeon’ is a small conifer with a dense, rounded habit. It bears many soft needles, pale green in spring, later turning dark green. They are inserted on short, ascending shoots, forming a very dense tuft of foliage. Evergreen needles remain attached for 2 to 3 years and are gradually renewed. Tips of these shoots bear small, conspicuous white buds, quite decorative. It grows slowly and remains fairly compact: after 10 years it will not exceed 1 metre in any direction. With its naturally harmonious habit, it does not need pruning. Over time it develops a short trunk, giving it the appearance of a miniature tree and conferring great elegance. Plant in full sun, in rather free-draining soil. It is fairly resistant to drought and cold.

Picea abies 'Little Gem'

Dwarf spruce ‘Little Gem’ forms a small, dense, spreading cushion with soft contours. It looks like a true cloud of greenery! Its short shoots bear small light-green needles when young, then becoming dark green later. It forms a spreading mass and stays close to soil: at ripeness it does not exceed 50 cm in height! Very short needles are inserted close to each other, producing a very dense effect. Thanks to many ornamental qualities, it was awarded the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). We recommend placing it alongside taller conifers of columnar or pyramidal habit. It thrives in sun or semi-shade, in ordinary, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic. Nevertheless, it is undemanding and tolerates pollution fairly well.

Picea glauca 'Conica'

As its name suggests, Picea glauca ‘Conica’ has a conical, pyramidal form. Its vegetation is dense and regular, due to a large number of short branches packed closely together. Its young spring shoots are pale green, then darken to deep green, sometimes with bluish tints. Its needles are short, pointed and aromatic. It grows slowly and, after about thirty years, can reach up to two metres in height.

Easy and low-maintenance, it does not need pruning and requires almost no upkeep. Its conical, regular habit naturally gives the impression of a conifer pruned into a topiary. It is an elegant, very architectural conifer! For example, place two large pots containing this bush on either side of a path or an entrance.

Thuya occidentalis 'Golden Globe'

Thuya ‘Golden Globe’ forms a regular, harmonious sphere, appreciated for its anise‑green, almost yellow colour. It provides plenty of brightness! Its foliage is made up of imbricate scales inserted on flat, ramified shoots. It is aromatic when crushed. In nature, Thuya occidentalis can reach 15 to 20 m in height, but variety ‘Golden Globe’ is much more compact (no more than 1.20 m tall)… even more so when grown in a pot! A plant easy to grow, very resistant to cold and pollution. Place in sun, in ordinary, well‑draining soil. You can showcase it by pairing it with other conifers with spreading or columnar habit, or by playing with colours, using conifers with green or bluish leaves.

Abies koreana 'Kohout's Icebreaker'

Korean fir ‘Kohout’s Icebreaker’ is a very distinctive conifer! It has curved, bicoloured needles, green on the upper side and silvery white beneath. This small conifer thus appears covered in frost! Foliage is very dense. Initially it has a rounded, globose habit, but over time it will take on a conical shape, taller than wide. However, it grows very slowly: after 10 years it will reach only 60 cm in all directions, and ultimately can reach up to 2 m high with a 1 m spread. It will easily find a place in a contemporary or Asian-style garden. Preferably position it in partial shade or in non-scorching sun.

Thuja plicata 'Whipcord'

Thuya ‘Whipcord’ is the most original conifer in this selection! Truly surprising, it bears small scaly leaves grouped along long, thin, flexible, green, thread-like shoots. These are arched and trailing, giving this Thuya a weeping habit. They take on a bronze tint in winter. Its shoots will drape nicely over the outside of the pot, creating a fine curtain of foliage. Its qualities have earned it the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Fairly easy to grow and quite adaptable, it does not like drought, so make sure to water it regularly. Original and architectural, it is an ideal conifer for a modern garden! Plant other architectural specimens beside it, also grown in pots or containers: Japanese maples, ferns, bamboos, ophiopogon…