Inside a Collector’s Garden of Conifers and Japanese Maples

By: Sherri Ribbey

With a fascinating collection of plants including dwarf and miniature conifers and Japanese maples, this Oregon gardener has created a four-season oasis.

A Collector’s Garden in Portland, Oregon

When Gene Rozenboom bought this Portland, Oregon, property 14 years ago, soil from the unstable backyard slope was sitting against the siding, and the rest of the yard was overgrown with weeds and scraggly trees. But with a lot of hard work and creativity, Gene turned an unsightly yard into this amazing garden filled with dwarf conifers and Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). Watch the Talk & Tour video above for a look at the garden from our visit a couple of years ago.

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rozenboom-entry-collage: Big project, beautiful results. Gene’s house sits midway up a slope and is accessed by the steep driveway at left. Just past the garage, you reach the breezeway that connects to the backyard at right, where the stone retaining wall holds the slope and features more plants.

Add specimens to an entry

A steep driveway leads to Gene’s contemporary home in the photo above left. After clearing dead, diseased and otherwise problematic trees and shrubs (including loads of thorny hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)), Gene planted choice specimens to provide seasonal interest and highlight the home’s breezeway entry above right, which frames a view of the backyard’s beautiful stone wall in the photo below.

GG188 FG 03 gamp0433 256805: Built by local craftsmen, this 4-foot-tall dry-stacked stone wall does the practical work of securing the slope. But it’s also the focal point of the backyard and provides a lovely backdrop for shade-loving ferns and ground covers at its base.

Hardscaping for structure

Though it was tempting to jump in and start planting right away, Gene knew it was important to get the hardscape in place first. So after moving the soil away from the house and making the needed home repairs, he planned where the retaining wall, deck and sidewalks, such as the one in the photo below, would go.

GG188 FG 04 gamp0454 256826: Even though it’s just 6 feet wide, this narrow backyard doesn’t feel cramped. Gene positioned most of the tall varieties higher on the slope and the dwarf ones farther down, so you can still see a good bit of sky and the view along the sidewalk is clear.

Plant what you love

When it was time to start planting, Gene didn’t follow a plan on paper, but he did know the focus would be the plants he was passionate about: dwarf conifers and Japanese maples.

Conifer know-how

Because the slope is steep enough to make working on it a challenge, Gene placed most of his conifers there — they stay neat and tidy with minimal effort. Plus, growing them at eye level makes it easy to see their cones, the subtle needle patterns and colors. Walking down the sidewalk, you can run your hands through the soft needles of upright ‘Palouse’ mugo pine (Pinus mugo). But its companion across the walkway, a dwarf mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), has dense, almost prickly needles.

A collection of dwarf and miniature conifers

Gene collects dwarf and miniature varieties and says that while they’re small and cute when you first buy them, you do need to check the mature size. This dimension is usually based on the height and width of the tree at 10 years. But conifers continue to grow over the course of their lifespan — 30 to 50 years on average. And while dwarf conifers grow 1 to 6 inches annually and miniatures grow less than an inch each year, even these slow-growers can become a problem in the wrong spot.

GG188 FG 05 gamp0520 256892: Some of the excess soil dug out to install the stone retaining wall was hauled up here to create more level, usable garden space.

Adding more space

After the stone wall and sidewalk were installed, Gene added a path up the slope and leveled out the area in photo above for even more garden space. As one of the sunniest spots in the yard, it’s been the go-to place for growing vegetables, especially tomatoes and cut flowers, over the years.

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Gene Rozenboom Japanese Maples: ‘Tobiosho’ Japanese maple (left) makes a statement, especially in fall when the leaves change to gold, orange and red. Without staking, 'Ryusen' Japanese maple is a fast-growing and unique variety that grows just a few inches tall.

Add color to the garden with Japanese maples

Japanese maples also play a key role in the garden, and Gene has found lots of ways to put them to good design use. ‘Tobiosho’ in the photo above left was one of the first maples he planted and is also one of the largest, growing up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Gene placed it in the front yard to balance out and soften the modern two-story home, making it less overwhelming as visitors approach. Walk through the breezeway, turn around, and this elegant tree at the end of the path becomes an instant focal point.

Weeping ‘Ryusen’ in the photo above right sits near the top of the slope where its draping habit acts like a ground cover, hiding the low stump of a tree that had to be removed.

“There was not a plan per se, but I had ideas of where plants could be concentrated. Basically, I purchased plants I liked and found a home for them.” — Gene Rozenboom

'Arakawa' Japanese maple in Gene Rozenboom's garden Oregon: Showy ‘Arakawa’ is right next to the front door, and has lacy green leaves in spring and summer. In fall they positively glow in yellow-gold and red — you can see them just starting to change here.

Plant Japanese maples for multiseason interest

When it comes to multiseason appeal, it’s hard to beat Japanese maples. Showy ‘Arakawa’, above, is right next to the front door, and has lacy green leaves in spring and summer. In fall they positively glow in yellow-gold and red — you can see them just starting to change in the photo. In addition, this species has highly textured, cork-like bark that steals the show in winter.

Japanese maples with colorful spring foliage

While Japanese maples are colorful in fall, Gene’s favorite time for them is in spring. Here are a few of his favorites:

‘Shirazz’ has purple-red spring leaves with a pink edge that later turns to gray-green with a cream edge.
‘Amber Ghost’ has amazing pink-peach leaves for up to six weeks before maturing to green.
Heirloom ‘Iijima sunago’ leafs out pink-red and matures to brick red.
‘Autumn Moon’ full moon maple (Acer shirasawanum) is orange-red from spring to frost.

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GG188 FG 11 gamp0451 256823: Sun-tolerant coleus grab your attention and lead you around the corner. Just above is ‘Amber Ghost’ Japanese maple, which has deep red seedpods now, and by late fall the foliage will turn brilliant red.

Create more space for outdoor living

Follow the sidewalk along the back of the house, and you’ll reach the spot in the photo above where it arches around the deck. Its cable railing makes the newest side yard garden shown in the photos below easy to see.

GG188 FG 13 gamp0458 256830: Gene made this easy but elegant table from a 7-foot-long by 3-foot-wide piece of terrazzo marble and four concrete block legs on either end.

A patio for entertaining

The photo above gives you an idea of how spacious the deck is, with room for both dining and a fire pit seating area. There’s plenty of room to entertain friends and family or just sit outdoors, enjoy a cup of coffee and listen to the birds.

Containers filled with Japanese maples and annuals provide colorful accents, and the Corten steel planters create a subtle division between the different “rooms.” By keeping the plantings low, guests can still see and visit with each other.

GG188 FG 15 82A5097: Gently curving paths take you through this part of the yard and make it easy to expand the borders. After a storm rolled through this area of the garden, Gene has experimented with perennials and grasses.

Embracing a changing garden

The side yard used to be filled with trees until a big storm swept through several years ago and knocked most of them down. Gene saw this as an opportunity to try something new and has curated a collection of sun-loving annuals, perennials and ornamental grasses. His goal is to create a more natural appearance in these borders but still maintain some order and structure.

GG188 FG 12 gamp0558 256930: While the bright zinnias will die to the ground after a hard frost, the big bluestems and nearby conifers will provide plenty of winter interest.

Playing with a new plant palette

He’s enjoyed working with a different palette of plants and is experimenting a bit to see which ones will work best. ‘Blackhawks’ big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) in the photo above is one variety that has done really well, keeping its upright habit all season without flopping. Colorful annuals, such as the Profusion^™ Orange zinnias (Zinnia hybrid), coleus (Coleus scutellarioides), spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) and others provide bright accents and help fill the gaps when he’s changing up plantings or has a lot of new perennials in a border.

And of course, any garden that Gene creates wouldn’t be complete without dwarf conifers to provide structure and all-season color, and some amazing seasonal shows from a few beautiful Japanese maples.

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Inside a Collector’s Garden of Conifers and Japanese Maples

By: Sherri Ribbey