tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post5924385372868388439..comments2023-09-29T10:04:33.858+01:00Comments on Roger Brook - the no dig gardener: A case for conifers, a conifer showcaseRoger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-10299743441643424632016-07-24T16:50:13.837+01:002016-07-24T16:50:13.837+01:00Personally I blow hot and cold when it comes to co...Personally I blow hot and cold when it comes to conifers Roger, like many other plants they have had times of popularity or trendiness but have been less prominent in the last 30 years, some quite rightly so. <br />The native woodland lobbies have always been quick to point out that coniferous forest does not support much in the way of insect life and therefore not much wildlife and in fact I Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-81738274060926259132016-07-22T10:42:09.089+01:002016-07-22T10:42:09.089+01:00'have' was a typo, it should have been ...'have' was a typo, it should have been 'having', as in 'he's just having a sit down' but I like your interpretation!<br />Why don't we agree on 'many Lepidoptera'? Almost the same thing :-)<br />http://ukmoths.org.uk/search/?entry=conifer&fulltext=ySarahStuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08799371703899376033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-31705545476185378042016-07-22T10:04:42.109+01:002016-07-22T10:04:42.109+01:00Thanks as ever for the information Sue
But you won...Thanks as ever for the information Sue<br />But you won't persuade me to (voluntarily) grow nettles. It's not as if they were uncommonRoger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-78728258185956957482016-07-22T09:36:06.177+01:002016-07-22T09:36:06.177+01:00I think red admirals pupate in nettle levels. The ...I think red admirals pupate in nettle levels. The caterpillars feed on nettles and often wrap,themselves in the leaves as protection. One good excuse for letting nettles grow as other butterflies feed off the leaves toolSue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-45602779792220838722016-07-22T05:22:08.827+01:002016-07-22T05:22:08.827+01:00i have never heard the expression 'have a sit ... i have never heard the expression 'have a sit down' Sarah and guess it means 'a pretty but irrelevant illustration'' This would be true in this case - the pretty red admiral picture was taken by Cathi in her mixed conifer/everything else garden. I believe it is sometimes seen in woods!<br />Sorry to confuse you and my readers that I think it pupates in conifer bark<br />As aRoger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-22797601684773356522016-07-20T19:45:00.299+01:002016-07-20T19:45:00.299+01:00Apologies for being a bit blunt, it's a bad tr...Apologies for being a bit blunt, it's a bad trait of mine, I don't even know I'm doing it! <br />Perhaps they were non UK species on google, that is entirely possible. But not the Red Admiral in the photo, that is just have a sit down! SarahStuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08799371703899376033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-5242424416994566242016-07-20T16:49:17.528+01:002016-07-20T16:49:17.528+01:00You always get to incisive and sometimes embarrass...You always get to incisive and sometimes embarrassing queries Sarah.<br />When I was researching my post I had a lovely picture on the net of a butterfly that almost exclusively pupated in conifer bark. But can I find it now….!<br />Actually insect pupation in bark is very common and if you do a google search for images you will find examples of insects pupating, overwintering as larvae or Roger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-67313732803577579302016-07-20T16:38:41.795+01:002016-07-20T16:38:41.795+01:00I think we are both on slightly dodgy ground Pauli...I think we are both on slightly dodgy ground Pauline felling trees without permissions! I just go ahead but then mine are not subject to any preservation orders and I have no neighbours to complain.<br />I am sure that you agree that there are many mature trees in the landscape where it would be criminal - morally and legally - to chop them downRoger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-55102310319619435402016-07-20T16:33:03.619+01:002016-07-20T16:33:03.619+01:00A nice dwarf(ish)conifer is Picea albertiana conic...A nice dwarf(ish)conifer is Picea albertiana conica. In my recent Aysgarth post there is a nice one in the first picture. It must have been planted 15years ago when the garden was restored. Roger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-47723148985223814052016-07-19T23:32:18.006+01:002016-07-19T23:32:18.006+01:00We have a few conifers like you, I love them when ...We have a few conifers like you, I love them when they are growing up but rarely like the full grown versions once they "block" the sky but I quite agree that by then they have passed their sell by date and should make way for newer models. I am always telling people they should get rid of plants that are not performing well. We gardeners are just too soft hearted about plants, would Pauline Littlehttp://www.littlegarden.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-58486380114924132022016-07-19T17:51:27.816+01:002016-07-19T17:51:27.816+01:00"Many butterflies thrive and pupate in conife..."Many butterflies thrive and pupate in coniferous bark"<br />I've got a gap in my knowledge on this, so I can't say that you are wrong, just that I'm not sure that you are right! Which ones? SarahStuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08799371703899376033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-30853523220965784962016-07-19T17:05:53.456+01:002016-07-19T17:05:53.456+01:00Coming from Norway I do of course regard conifers ...Coming from Norway I do of course regard conifers as a natural part of any garden setting – although the huge Christmas type conifers are best left out in the forest. I like small dwarf conifers and those with interesting cones – especially if they are with nice colours. I am looking for a couple of (true) dwarf conifers for my Japanese inspired bed for next year’s plant purchase, still looking HELENEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16112289914239038835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-42757771633113018762016-07-18T14:26:44.228+01:002016-07-18T14:26:44.228+01:00When we moved into Boundary Cottage fifteen years ...When we moved into Boundary Cottage fifteen years ago the removal van could not get up the drive for a wretched Leyland Cypress. Indeed a dozen had to eventually go. You might have seen my earlier post about not removing tree stumps!Roger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-47192581558820725992016-07-18T14:07:29.848+01:002016-07-18T14:07:29.848+01:00When Steve and I first moved into this flat nearly...When Steve and I first moved into this flat nearly 13 years ago, the small bathroom window was always in the shade because a huge conifere in one of the neighbouring gardens. It faces east and when the neigbhours decided the tree was really getting too tall, too big and too dangerous in stormy weather and had it cut down, we suddenly had a bathroom with lovely morning sun, same as the kitchen.<brLibrarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-30598480170737478252016-07-18T11:15:11.981+01:002016-07-18T11:15:11.981+01:00Don't be sorry Sue. I agree with most of what ...Don't be sorry Sue. I agree with most of what you say albeit there are a few exceptions.<br />You could perhaps grow them as bonzais. Just kidding!Roger Brook - No Dig Gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16210160273591839142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2571100417242238211.post-90203293170976644992016-07-18T10:54:03.611+01:002016-07-18T10:54:03.611+01:00I've been caught out with so called dwarf conf...I've been caught out with so called dwarf confers in the past. Re wildlife though - it's the large conifers that support wildlife and not everyone is fortunate to have a large enough to grow them. Then the ubiquitous Leylandii left to its own devices and grown along a garden boundary may provide a haven for some wildlife but can render a neighbouring garden incapable of cultivation by Sue Garretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164518448098182276noreply@blogger.com