BLUE SPRUCE from bluespruce

Stunning shapes, textures and colours. Thanks for sharing these photos.

Lovely, lovely, lovely.
My favourites ...... Snow Cushion, Maigold, Gloria and Haleys Blue, i think they're just gorgeous.

Blue Mist looks like two dancers together, really lovely.

You have immense patience Bs, i'd want the finished mature result 'now', whereas you wait and watch them mature.

Some beauties there BS....wouldn't like to choose a favourite....they are all gorgeous...-:))

an absolutely stunning collection. i particularly like the two tone ones.

I agree - thanks for the Bluespruces, bluespruce! :-)))

I was nearly converted then. lol

Thanks for your comments everyone, I might brainwash one or two of you into really liking conifers if I keep at it !!....what do you think ? :0)

There's a difference between liking them and planting them, Bluespruce. Go on then, keep trying! :-)))

I have a lot of time on my hands right now Wagger, so be careful what you ask for :0))

LOL

Beautiful pics Blue.....and stunning conifers, you look after them very well, my favourites are the Picea pungens Blue Mist and the Pendula, I was looking at a Pendula the other week and couldn't make my mind up about it...Ive a feeling my garden isn't large enough...:
I think we all ought to get together and come and visit your garden Blue....that will keep you busy, all those teas and coffees and scones to plan for...: you'd love it!...:o)

Excellent foresight and rescue job on the picea pungens 'Globosa'. Your picea pungens 'The Blues' looks very promising indeed. Also, very fond of that 'Haley's Blue'. New one to me!

The Blue Spruce has always been a favorite of mine...the Baby Blue eyes is as close to the one that I grew up with. I had no idea there were so many varieties..the Neimitz, Blue Pearl, Haley's Blue and Snow Cushion are my favorites.....thank you !

I didn't know there were so many types. Thanks for showing them. Blue Pearl stands out for me - a lovely shape.

Jane - are you going to organize a coach party then...just for the girls ?

Richard - good luck with the 'Blues'

Catfinch & Hywel - this is just a very small sample to give a bit of an indicator of the different types and form available. There has been an explosion in recent years of new introductions, although the majority of these will never become commercially available.

I love conifers, I wish I could collect as much as you, but some are crazily expensive, but with time, I shall have a good amount. You have an amazing collection there.

Michaella - the majority of the conifers I grow are grafted varieties, like the pines, firs, and many of the spruces, I'm very fortunate that I can exchange material with other collectors and propagate my own .....wonder if that might make a good blog, step by step guide in grafting conifers ? :0)

YES

I agree Cat.....you could do a workshop in your greenhouse Blue...then when we come down we can have a lesson in grafting...:o) X

Thing is Jane, I start grafting anytime now till about the end of March, not sure some of you girls will be hardy enough to put up with the cold at this time of the year... :0) xx

Mmm....will just have to read your blog in the comfort of our warm cosy homes...:o)

Thought you might ..:0)

Wish I were there right now...you would have company and helping hands...would be so interesting and fun too!

Aw...you Blue....I'm quite a hardy type....me and Cat will come and help, I love being in the greenhouse....mine is absolutely stacked I can hardly get in to light the heater...:o)

Thanks Cat & Jane,
Might be a bit of a tight squeeze, with all three of us. At the moment I do all my grafting in an old small lean-to type building at the back of the house, the Polytunnel is where I keep the grafts after propagation....no greenhouse

So the grafting then.....what do you use for your root stock...and why would you graft conifers please?

Don't graft all conifers, just those that will not root from cuttings, e.g. pines (pinus), firs (Abies) Cedar (cedrus) and most of the spruce (picea).
Understocks are any compatible one or two year seedlings.
e.g. Pinus sylvestris is the most widely used understock for all 2 needled pines, Picea abies (Norway spruce,) for all types of spruce...and so on....complicated stuff Jane ....:0)

Very interesting though Blue, sounds really intricate and the layman wouldn't know the difficulty involved in the propogation. Well done and good luck with this year.....X

Back to normal Jane...is that wise...:0)) x

I hope not Bs...:o)

Naughty...:0)

Miss you on here Bluespruce! I recently added my lovely Picea pungens 'Koster' and am thrilled to bits that after all the years of 'longing' I finally bit the bullet and splashed out for one! Hope you'll see this! :)