Conifers are usually thought of as plain green blobs used to hide the foundations of homes or occasionally grown as solitary pyramidal accents in an expanse of grass. This lavishly illustrated talk with conifer enthusiast Dr. Richard L. Bitner will introduce the great diversity of shapes, textures and colors in this plant group and promote integrating conifers in the landscape with other woody and herbaceous plants, rather than isolating them. Slow-growing selections for small gardens along with the best choices for larger landscapes will be presented as well as suggestions for difficult sites. The goal is to help the beginning or avid gardener, landscape designer, nursery tradesperson or horticulture student make better plant choices.
Dr. Bitner is a practicing board-certified anesthesiologist and currently teaches at the Penn State School of Medicine/Hershey Medical Center. He studied horticulture at Longwood Gardens where he now teaches. His best selling book, Conifers for Gardens: An Illustrated Encyclopedia was published by Timber Press in 2007 and his Timber Press Pocket Guide to Conifers was issued in June, 2010. A book on designing with conifers will be published in April, 2011. This program is offered in collaboration with Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture. Members of either organization will pay $25, non-members $30. Log on to www.wellesley.edu/WCFH to register.
