Author: Bruce Appeldoorn
-
Unlocking the Genetics of Southern Pines: Six Years of Broom Hunting and Propagation
Scott Anrim of Lake Wylie, SC, is an experienced conifer broomer with an eagle eye and a 45-foot pole pruner. His best find so far has been Pinus pungens ‘Doughton Park,’ the first cultivar of table mountain pine and a highly sought-after plant in the conifer world. Bruce Appeldoorn, a nurseryman from Bostic, NC, has…
-
A Fifty-Year Garden: Reflections at the Close of a Nursery Chapter
After fifty years, the work may be winding down, but the trees and the passion behind them will continue to grow.
-
The Dwarf Conifer Mention
The recent mention from Juniper Level Botanic Garden captures much of what this nursery has become: a small but deeply specialized operation focused on the propagation and preservation of rare dwarf conifers. The recognition is appreciated, and the description of sitting “atop the throne” of Southeastern conifer nurseries is generous—but the real story has always…
-
Cultivating a Legacy: Reflections on the 2021 Harper Award
The Harper Award honors not just years of grafting and propagation, but a lifelong commitment to preserving and sharing the diversity of southeastern conifers.
-
Southern Pines Rising: Cultivating Native Conifers for the Southeast
The recent article in Conifer Quarterly captures much of what makes this work both challenging and rewarding. For years, southeastern conifers have often been overlooked in favor of species more familiar to nurseries and gardeners in the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. Yet here in the Southeast, we have a rich diversity of native pines…