I’m not much of a gardener. I don’t want to spend lots of time on maintenance. Will conifers create a lot of work for me?

Conifers are ideal for you. Unless you are planting a fast growing hedging conifer, they need very little maintenance. Just remember to keep an eye on the base of the plant so it is not getting strangled by weeds, bedding or such like.

All conifers like free draining soil, so dig the area over, remove any weeds and add growbark or organic matter if your soil is a heavy clay type. Give the conifer a water before you plant it, just so that the root ball is moist. Once you’ve planted it, firm about the bottom and water it in. Container conifers can be planted anytime of year, root ball conifers are best planted in the spring or autumn. Water appropriately, depending on the weather conditions, until the tree is established.

Cover the area with a woven ground cover material (available from garden centres, this material allows rain through but keeps weeds down). Cover this material with your choice of gravel or bark. A range of conifer heights and colours will make an eye-catching display. Click here to view suggested varieties. Rocks could also be mixed in to compliment the conifers. Remember to think about the growth rate and make sure you are giving your conifers enough room to grow. It might look a bit sparse to begin with but with each season’s growth to the sides and height, it will soon fill out.

Yes, most definitely. Providing winter colour for your garden is one of a conifer’s strong points. All conifers have a spring, summer and winter colour; some more noticeably than others. Some varieties turn from green to shades of mauve or yellow.

No, not at all. Planted in the right place they can be invaluable for shelter. Initial staking and regular trimming once a year when they have reached your required height and width is important. If you have neighbours, make sure you are keeping to the regulations. There is a choice of colours and varieties, including Leylandii, that would be a perfect solution to your problem. See our hedging section for more information. I want a hedge but don’t want anything that grows too quickly or needs trimming. What do you suggest? There are a wide variety of suitable plants available. See our hegding section for more information.

Some people trim their hedge too much. It is only necessary to trim the sides and height once a year. July is best. This gives the foliage time to grow back before winter. The hedge needs loose foliage to protect itself during the winter.

Conical shaped conifers in a 9cm pot would give added interest to your display and provide all season colour. They might need replacing after about 3 years if they get too big but as they are relatively inexpensive, they are good value. You could transfer them into a large container or plant them in the garden afterwards during the autumn.