Gardening with Conifers - 2nd Edition by Adrian Bloom (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Covers virtually every aspect of conifer use and culture in a format accessible to horticultural students and home gardeners alike ... Magnificently highlighted by more than 250 striking color photographs ... Conifers are showcased in their full glory as richly textured, brilliantly colored, and subtly structured plants deserving of a spot in every garden." -- Booklist

Fifteen years after this review, we present a revised and expanded edition of this highly acclaimed reference. Among the changes is the addition of a foreword by Michael A. Dirr, author of such classics as Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New content and updates are found in "Why Conifers?", "The Magic of Conifers", "A Closer Look at Conifers" and in the detailed practical section, "Growing Conifers in Your Garden".

This edition features the author's comprehensively revised Directory of 600 conifers, so current that it includes Wollemia nobilis, a two million-year-old species only recently found and genetically identified, and available at a select few nurseries. Other new features are "Conifers that Grow on You" and "The Mauergarten Story", which chronicles the author's design of the garden at one of Germany's premiere nurseries.

Comprehensive in scope and lavishly illustrated, the book includes a directory of more than 600 conifers and expert advice on:

• Size and growth rates, Canada/USA hardiness ratings
• Site and soil preferences
• Planting, maintenance and propagation
• Pruning, pests and diseases
• Dwarf conifers and ground covers
• Conifers in containers, moving conifers, and more.

Gardening with Conifers is a thorough and beautiful guide to coniferous trees and shrubs of the world available to North American gardeners. Stunning color photographs show conifers young and old in a variety of environments, from small gardens to many-acred gardens. It reveals the magic that conifers bring to a garden and how they create structure and balance for year-round visual interest and color.

Review Quotes

[Review of previous edition: ] This is an excellent book filled with breathtaking photos taken by the author and his son, Richard. It's so inspiring, it almost makes me want to dig up my hostas and daylilies entirely and plant conifers. But by using the many suggestions given for plant combinations, I could simply add conifers instead.... Introductory chapters deal with the history, naming and growth habits of conifers. A wonderful series of photos depicting a single fir cone's development throughout the year was an eye-opener. Using conifers as specimen plants and in mixed plantings in landscapes is described in detail, and good ideas that will easily translate into the home garden, including growing conifers in containers, are shown. Almost half the book is devoted to plant descriptions that include the height and spread at 10 years, along with the "ultimate" height.... The final section is on caring for your conifers, offering advice on planting, pruning, propagation and pest control.--Trevor Cole "Canadian Gardening" (1/1/2010 12:00:00 AM)

First published 15 years ago... By renowned British plantsman Adrian Bloom is now in its second edition. Along with lavish photography and a fresh look, this iteration features an extensively revised conifer "directory" of 600 different species and cultivars. Plus, it includes a few completely new sections, such as "Conifers that Grow On You," which depicts the 50-year development of the impressive conifer collection in Bloom's own garden.--Mackenzie Nichols "The American Gardener" (4/1/2018 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] A comprehensive guide to the coniferous trees and shrubs available to North American gardeners.-- "Michigan Gardener" (5/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] A fine introductory primer to evergreens... the lovely photographs are sure to educate and inspire you.--Susan Banks "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" (12/13/2003 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] A first-rate introduction to 650 of the best cultivars .. a work of quality deserving a place in the library of any serious gardener.--Steve Whysall "Southam Newspapers" (4/22/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] A labor of obsessive love on the part of Adrian Bloom ... It offers useful advice on the care and propagation of this wide family of evergreens.-- "National Post" (6/8/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] A rich reference on the subject that would inspire most to include more conifers in their own gardens.--Karin E. Guzy "Georgia Perennial Plant Association" (8/12/2004 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Adrian Bloom is well known for extraordinary knowledge and use of conifers in the landscape ... The photography is awe-inspiring and shows what can be done with careful planning.--Joanne S. Carpender "National Gardeners Magazine" (5/1/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] After reading [this book] you will be enthusiastic about using these surprisingly versatile plants.--Kay Hofmeister "Lexington Herald-Leader" (2/8/2003 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Competently written, sensibly organized, and exquisitely photographed book.--Carol Bishop Miller "Horticulture, Gardening at its Best" (9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Covers virtually every aspect of conifer use and culture in a format accessible to horticultural students and home gardeners alike ... Magnificently highlighted by more than 250 striking color photographs ... Conifers are showcased in their full glory as richly textured, brilliantly colored, and subtly structured plants deserving of a spot in every garden.--Carol Haggas "Booklist" (4/15/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Describes [conifers] color, 10-year height and width, ultimate size, hardiness and more. Use the 250 color photos to help picture conifers in your landscape and Bloom's expert cultural information to grow them successfully.-- "Gardening How-To Magazine" (6/15/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Every serious garden book collection should include Gardening with Conifers by Adrian Bloom. The author's fully shared expertise is superbly depicted with hundreds of mesmerizing full-color photos.--Oedipus King "California Garden" (9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] I strongly recommend Adrian and Richard Bloom's book to anyone looking for a useful guide to planting and using conifers in their garden.--Bill Thomas "American Gardener" (10/15/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Manage[s] the delicate task of encouraging gardeners without stupefying them, though it's hard to avoid the feeling that it would take two or three lifetimes to grow all the conifers you want.--Verlyn Klinkenborg "New York Times Book Review" (6/2/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] One of the very few gardening books devoted to conifers in the garden, and it proves quite inspiring.-- "AHA Quarterly (American Herb Association)" (9/1/2003 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] The photos in this book prove that evergreens don't have to be green or boring.--Marianne Binetti "Seattle Post-Intelligencer" (10/3/2002 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] This book is well-written, a pleasure to read and easy to follow.... An excellent addition to any gardener's library.--Ian Munt "The Sudbury Star" (2/6/2007 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] This inspirational, popular book has been reprinted again to met the demands of an admiring public... Gorgeous photographs... capture the full beauty of these evergreens.-- "The National Gardener (National Garden Clubs of the U.S.)" (3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] This is a beautiful, detail-rich guide to the uses of conifers in horticulture, produced by a renowned expert on the subject.--Carol Noll "American Reference Books Annual, Volume 35" (1/1/2004 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of previous edition: ] Useful information on combining conifers with other plants in the garden and using them as topidary, as well as ... illustrated descriptions of some of the best conifers make this a valuable addition to a gardening library.-- "Grand Magazine (Kitchener)" (4/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)

A hands-on knowledge of the subject is evident on every page and the photographs of conifers in his garden are testimony to their innovative use. Many gardeners write off conifers as cumbersome, unruly hedging plants but Bloom's practical advice, paired with enviable results, provides strong evidence to the contrary. The pages on pruning are a real masterclass in managing conifers; blending them with other plants and shaping them into eye-catching features in their own right.-- "English Garden Magazine" (6/1/2017 12:00:00 AM)

Conifers first captured Adrian Bloom's imagination in the '70s while he worked on Foggy Bottom, his experimental garden at Bressingham. In this book he shares his advice on using conifers to create year-round interest in the garden. It also features 600 conifer varieties with information on planting, pruning, propagating and more--all accompanied by stunning photography, taken by Adrian's son, Richard Bloom.--Genevieve Schmidt and The Editors "Garden Design Magazine Holiday Gift Guide" (11/15/2017 12:00:00 AM)

The conifers are showcased in their full glory, as richly textured, brilliantly colored, and subtly structured plants deserving a spot in every garden.--Mark Goven "Florida Gardening Radio Show" (5/26/2019 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Adrian Bloom is a nurseryman, gardener and writer, and chairman of Blooms Nurseries Ltd. in Norfolk, UK, home of Blooms of Bressingham nursery. He has 50 years of experience planting and maintaining the 17-acre "Foggy Bottom" garden, home to over 500 varieties of conifers.

Richard Bloom is an award-winning photographer whose garden images appear regularly in House and Garden, RHS The Gardening Magazine, Fine Gardening and other such publications.