Another year around the sun, and here to celebrate Hornbaker Gardens 39th year, is our Spring Showcase 2025. Does it sound like a parade? A parade of new Trees & Shrubs!
What could feel more spring-like than the arrival of flowering magnolias, sweet ornamental cherries, and, not to forget, those jewel-toned precious little redbuds? Perfect for the small garden, Cercis canadensis Garden Gems™ ‘Amethyst‘ and ‘Emerald‘ are dwarfs. These compact trees grow only 8-10’ tall and wide. ‘Amethyst’ features burgundy foliage, and ‘Emerald’ is flush with red spring foliage that turns green. Violet-pink flowers, typical of redbuds, appear in spring before the foliage emerges.
Plant these dwarf Garden Gems™ with our new Sarcococca hookeriana, Sweet & Lo™. A small, shiny-leaved, evergreen shrub that shows off pink and white flowers, filling the air with a jasmine-like fragrance and favored by early pollinators. Taxus x media ‘Stonehenge Dark Druid’ is a new introduction, and this little yew grows to only 3-4’ tall and wide, which is the perfect size when adding another layer of year-round interest to your garden or flower border.
Are you planning to stay on the straight and narrow this year? We have just the right evergreens and plants for you! Thuja occidentalis, ‘Emerald Squeeze’ (dwarf arborvitae), is hardy to zone 4 and grows to just 6-8’ tall and 4’ wide. Or, add a twist with Thuja occidentalis ‘Kelsoki Spire’ growing to only a garden size of 10’ tall and 3’ wide. How about the soft evergreen foliage of a hardy, nostalgic white pine? Look at our new Pinus strobus ‘Stowe Pillar,’ which has a stable and compact branching habit. It will reach a height of 25’, but only 6’ wide, and still offers a home to hundreds of insect and bird species.
Beyond the evergreen border stands Acer saccharum ‘Monumentale’, a columnar sugar maple. Talk about skinny! This incredibly slender tree can grow as tall as 50′ but will only spread out to 3′ wide. In autumn, its green foliage turns the typical sugar maple colors of red, orange, and yellow, forming a tremendous vertical accent plant or hedge.
Our enviable 2025 Conifer Collection is worth your time and attention. These specialty conifers are stand-outs in this spring parade! Explore high and low to discover hardy dwarf, low growing Mugo pines, study the popular Asian garden characteristics of Japanese Pinus thunbergii ‘Thunderhead’ or let your imagination soar to the great heights of the towering Picea abies ‘Cupressina.’
Planting fruit-bearing trees and shrubs is a natural part of the country living and pastoral experience at Hornbaker Gardens. Please look closely at some of our recently added fruit-bearing nativars! For example, our eight different varieties of paw paw trees, cultivated by conservation growers Forrest Keeling, include the popular Asimina triloba ‘Pennsylvania Gold’ that delivers a bountiful harvest, or Asimina triloba ‘Prolific’ which produces an abundance of medium-large fruit with a light, tropical taste. Be
sure to investigate all those varieties and more of our fruit-bearing natives.
Now, let’s focus on all the creatures that live with us…both big and small. Planting just one keystone species, such as oaks, maples, elms, beeches, apples, and more, can bea simple way to support a healthy ecosystem. Here at Hornbaker Gardens, we carry a broad selection of trees and shrubs that are home to and host to various wildlife. We
encourage you to check out the website for an early preview or stop by and visit one of our Tree & Shrub staff.
-Pam Horwitz, Tree and Shrub Sales Manager, Hornbaker Gardens