Ornamental & Patio spruce

The Picea glauca ‘Perfecta’, commonly known as the dwarf white spruce, is a compact, slow-growing conifer prized for its neat, conical shape and silvery-green needles. A cultivar of the white spruce (Picea glauca), this tree is ideal for smaller gardens or as a feature in rockeries, borders, or containers due to its modest size. Typically growing to a height of 1.5 to 2 metres over many years, it maintains a tidy, dense form that requires little maintenance.

The needles of the Picea glauca ‘Perfecta’ are soft to the touch, bluish-green in colour, and create a shimmering effect in sunlight, adding a striking element to the garden landscape. Its branches are short and evenly spaced, enhancing the tree's symmetrical, pyramid-like appearance.

This tree is hardy and well-suited to the UK climate, tolerating cold winters and thriving in a range of soil types, provided the soil is well-drained. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Picea glauca ‘Perfecta’ is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning, and it is also resistant to pests and diseases. Once established, it has moderate drought tolerance but benefits from regular watering during dry spells, especially when young.

One of its most appealing features is its year-round interest. As an evergreen, it provides structure and colour in the garden throughout all seasons, making it a popular choice for those seeking a focal point that doesn’t lose its charm in winter. Whether used as a standalone specimen or as part of a mixed border, the Picea glauca ‘Perfecta’ is an excellent choice for adding texture, form, and seasonal interest to small or medium-sized gardens in the UK.

Picea glauca 'Sander's Blue', commonly known as 'Sander's Blue' White Spruce, is a stunning dwarf conifer prized for its vibrant blue-green needles that add a colorful accent to any garden space. This cultivar exhibits a compact, pyramidal form, making it an excellent choice for smaller landscapes or as a focal point in a larger garden arrangement.

Typically reaching an ultimate height of 10 to 12 feet, with a spread of 4 to 5 feet, 'Sander's Blue' White Spruce grows slowly, which makes it manageable and suitable for residential gardens without the worry of overwhelming the space. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, moist soil. Hardy and adaptable, this spruce tolerates cold climates well, making it a versatile choice for various garden zones.

Gardeners often use 'Sander's Blue' as a specimen plant due to its distinctive color and structured form. It also fits beautifully into rock gardens, urban gardens, and even as part of a conifer collection, where its unique hue can be fully appreciated against contrasting greenery.

The Blue Engelmann Spruce, scientifically named Picea engelmannii 'Glauca', is a captivating evergreen renowned for its blue-green needles that add a unique color contrast to any garden setting. Typically reaching an ultimate height of 50 to 70 feet, this slow-growing, conical tree serves as a striking focal point in larger landscapes or as part of a mixed conifer collection. Its compact and dense growth habit makes it highly suitable for use as a privacy screen or windbreak.

Preferring cooler climates. It adapts well to a range of soil types, provided they are well-draining. Full sun is ideal to encourage the best growth and needle coloration. Regular watering helps young trees establish, but once mature, they are relatively drought-tolerant. This tree is a resilient choice for high-altitude gardens or northern landscapes, embodying both beauty and hardiness in its serene presence.

Picea abies ‘Acrocona’ is an excellent choice for garden landscapes due to its unique form, ornamental features, and manageable size. This dwarf cultivar of Norway spruce typically grows 10–15 feet tall and wide, making it ideal for smaller gardens or as a focal point in larger spaces. Its irregular, somewhat sprawling shape adds a touch of character and visual interest throughout the year. One of its most striking features is the production of abundant, showy, reddish-purple cones at the ends of branches in spring, which mature to brown and persist through the seasons, offering long-lasting decorative appeal.

‘Acrocona’ thrives in full sun and prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. It is hardy and tolerates cold winters and a range of soil types once established. Minimal pruning is required, making it low-maintenance. Due to its moderate growth rate and unique cone display, it is well-suited for rock gardens, specimen plantings, or woodland-themed gardens. Its dense foliage also provides shelter for birds, enhancing biodiversity in the landscape. Overall, Picea abies ‘Acrocona’ combines beauty, hardiness, and versatility, making it a superb addition to many garden styles.

Picea abies 'Little Gem' is a compact, slow-growing dwarf cultivar of the Norway spruce. Popular in rock gardens, borders, and container planting, it is prized for its dense, cushion-like growth habit and tidy, mounded form. Originating as a witch’s broom mutation of the standard Picea abies, ‘Little Gem’ offers a neat, architectural presence without the overwhelming size of its parent species.

This evergreen conifer typically reaches only 30 to 50 cm in height and width after ten years, making it ideal for small gardens or spaces with limited room. Its needles are short, stiff, and dark green, arranged densely around the branches, which helps the plant maintain a lush and compact look throughout the year. With no significant seasonal colour change, the evergreen foliage provides consistent year-round interest.

‘Little Gem’ prefers a position in full sun to partial shade and thrives in moist, well-drained soils. It is adaptable to various soil types but does not tolerate waterlogging. Hardy and low-maintenance once established, it is also resistant to most pests and diseases, although good air circulation is beneficial to prevent needle blight.

This cultivar is often used in alpine and rock gardens, formal borders, and as a low-maintenance feature in container displays. Its slow growth and naturally compact form mean minimal pruning is required, although occasional shaping can help maintain symmetry if desired.

Picea abies 'Little Gem' is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to add evergreen structure and texture to their planting schemes without the commitment of a large conifer. Its compact nature, visual appeal, and resilience make it a favourite among both novice and experienced gardeners seeking a reliable, attractive evergreen feature

Our spruce has been grown in a pot from seed right here at the Arundel Arboretum. 

Picea abies, commonly known as the Norway spruce, is a prominent coniferous tree native to Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe. Recognisable by its tall, symmetrical shape and dense, evergreen foliage, it often reaches heights of 35–55 metres, with some specimens growing even taller under optimal conditions. The Norway spruce is widely planted in Europe and North America, not only for ornamental and landscaping purposes but also for timber production, given its straight grain and versatility. Its wood, known as "whitewood," is prized in the construction industry and is also used in the manufacture of paper and musical instruments.

The tree's bark is brown to reddish and scaly, becoming rougher as it ages. Its branches grow in horizontal layers, with pendulous branchlets giving the tree a slightly weeping appearance. Needles are dark green, pointed, and around 1–2 cm in length. Cones are one of its defining features, typically measuring 10–18 cm, with a cylindrical shape and rounded, overlapping scales that turn brown as they mature.

Picea abies is hardy, thriving in a range of climates and soil types, though it prefers well-drained, acidic soils and benefits from full sun. In colder climates, it is often cultivated as a Christmas tree due to its classic conical form and appealing fragrance. However, it requires ample space for its expansive root system, making it unsuitable for small gardens.

Ecologically, the Norway spruce plays an essential role in forest ecosystems, providing habitat and food for various wildlife species. 

Abies nobilis, commonly known as the noble fir, is a majestic evergreen conifer native to the mountainous regions of the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is admired for its tall, symmetrical form and attractive, upward-curving bluish-green needles. The noble fir is often sought after for its strong, fragrant branches, making it a popular choice for Christmas trees and festive wreaths. This particular specimen was grown from seed at Arundel Arboretum and cultivated in a pot, demonstrating the species’ adaptability and resilience in container growth. Over time, it developed a well-balanced shape and healthy foliage, showcasing the tree’s ornamental value even when not planted in open ground

Abies koreana, commonly known as the Korean fir, is a striking, compact evergreen conifer native to the mountainous regions of South Korea. It is prized for its dense, upward-growing branches, dark green needles with shimmering silvery undersides, and distinctive purple-blue cones that often appear even on young trees, adding year-round ornamental appeal. This slow-growing species typically reaches a mature height of 6 to 12 metres, making it ideal for smaller gardens or as a feature tree in larger landscapes.

At Arundel Arboretum, our Korean firs have been lovingly pot-grown from seed, ensuring strong root development and careful cultivation from the very beginning. This method promotes healthier, more resilient trees that are well-suited for successful transplanting into a variety of garden settings. Grown with expertise and attention to detail, our Abies koreana trees offer not only exceptional beauty but also the assurance of quality and care from seed to sale.

Abies fraseri, commonly known as the Fraser fir, is a small to medium-sized evergreen conifer native to the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States. This tree is highly prized for its symmetrical shape, dense branching, and vibrant green needles with silvery undersides. The needles are short, soft, and emit a pleasant, fresh fragrance that makes the Fraser fir one of the most popular choices for Christmas trees across North America. Typically reaching heights of 30 to 50 feet in the wild, Fraser firs thrive in cool, moist climates and well-drained, acidic soils. They produce upright cones that disintegrate to release seeds while still attached to the branches—a characteristic trait of true firs. In addition to their ornamental value, Fraser firs provide important habitat for wildlife, including the endangered spruce-fir moss spider. Their beauty, scent, and durability make them a cherished tree for both natural landscapes and festive settings.

Picea abies 'Lucky Strike is an eye-catching, slow-growing conifer that belongs to the Norway spruce family. It is a dwarf variety, admired for its compact, rounded form and vibrant, densely packed needles. This cultivar is particularly sought after in gardens and landscapes for its unique foliage colour and manageable size.

The needles of 'Lucky Strike' are bright green when they emerge in spring, later darkening to a rich green as the season progresses. The plant's distinctive feature is its reddish-brown buds, which contrast strikingly against the bright needles, adding visual interest throughout the year, especially in winter. Its short, stiff branches and compact growth habit make it a wonderful option for small gardens, rockeries, or as a focal point in a mixed border.

Reaching a mature height of around 1 to 1.5 metres (3 to 5 feet) over 10 to 20 years, Picea abies 'Lucky Strike' is an excellent choice for those seeking a low-maintenance, evergreen shrub that won't overwhelm its surroundings. It thrives in well-drained soil and is best planted in full sun to partial shade. This spruce is hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures, making it ideal for temperate climates such as those in the UK.

Regular watering is essential during the plant’s early years to establish a healthy root system, but once established, it can tolerate occasional drought. Pruning is rarely required, though light trimming can be done to maintain its shape if desired.

Overall, Picea abies 'Lucky Strike' is a charming, resilient, and visually striking addition to any garden, offering year-round interest with minimal effort. Its compact size, coupled with its attractive foliage, makes it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.