CONIFERS are an enormously broad ranging group of plants, writes TOM ATTWOOD. So broad that at times it’s a little overwhelming. Conifers are as varied as any other general grouping in the plant world such as grasses or bulbs.

Ground hugging junipers such as our native Juniperus communis lying prostrate against rough limestone pavement to the magnificence of giant redwoods (Sequoiadendron giganteum) - they are both conifers. The greatest problem (if you’d call it that) are the countless situations I’ve encountered where conifers have outgrown the confines of their original location. This is often not the fault of the purchaser as the labelling can be vague and rather lacking in detail when it comes to how large some of the plants will truly become. Last week I spotted an attractive, yet spreading species of golden bamboo being sold outside a large DIY store which was labelled with no botanical name and as having a spread of up to 2.5 metres, irritatingly misleading, the truth is more like four to six metres. 'Dwarf’ conifers can also in time become larger than expected so find out which ones truly stay compact if it’s important that they do so.

Conifers can be very thirsty in the summer so mulching around them generously is essential to establish other plants nearby. The appeal of many conifers is their speed of growth, just ensure that growth is manageable to avoid unintended regular pruning.

I’m a big fan of the pines (Pinus): small and large they work on so many levels. The dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo) is a multi-stemmed miniature pine that 'cones' well with a slow growth rate making it ideal for the smaller garden or container. Keep an eye out for other compact conifers like Picea orientalis, Chaemaecyparis pisifera, Thuja and Picea. If autumn colour is important then Cryptomeria japonica can be pruned hard, reigning it in regularly promotes new growth which looks stunning in early autumn.

Next week: looking at some excellent conifers for the larger garden