Opened in the spring of 2006, the Conifer Collection surrounds the Gazebo and extends from the paved footpath to the fountain in the upper pond. There are over 200 species in the collection.

Our Conifer Display Garden shows off the myriad colors, shapes, and structures of one of the largest trees on Earth. The Conifer Display Garden surrounds the gazebo and extends from the paved footpath to the fountain in the upper pond. Providing year-round interest with their colors and textures, conifers make a great impact on Southern landscaping. Our collection includes pines, spruces, firs, larches, yews, junipers, cedars, cypresses, and sequoias as well as some deciduous trees (plants that lose their leaves in the winter) and shrubs such as the Bald Cypress and Gingko biloba.

In the spring of 2013, Hatcher Garden’s Conifer Display Garden was named an American Conifer Society Reference Garden, one of only 15 gardens in the Southeast to receive this designation. To qualify as a reference garden, one must have at least 30 conifers and eight genera in its collection. We have 109 specimens planted with 40 species and 16 genera, making the collection unusually interesting and diverse.

About Conifers

Conifer refers to any gymnosperm ("naked seed") tree or shrub of the phylum Coniferophyta. Conifers were one of the first plants to emerge and populate the earth, and fossils of the Gingko specimens dating back to the dinosaur era have been found. Typically having seed bearing cones (the word conifer comes from combining the Greek word "cone" with the Latin word "bearer"), conifers tend to have hard needle-type leaves that stay green throughout the year and can survive freezing temperatures. This evergreen property has made them a favorite at winter holidays. Some members of the conifer family are deciduous and included in our collection.

What You’ll Find

• Arizona Cypress - (Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice')

• Deodar Cedar - (Cedrus deodara 'Cream Puff')

• Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Sander's Blue')

• Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica 'Araucarioides')

• Japanese False Cypress - (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard')