I added several pines to the garden last year out of a desire to have more interest in the winter garden. Maintenance was also a factor. I spent much of last gardening season fighting off various minor but persistent illnesses and the garden suffered for it. By including some more shrubs and trees I can cut back slowly on the maintenance and still have a garden that looks fabulous all year long. One of the pines I added is Pinus Densiflora or Japanese Red Pine "Golden Ghost."
The variegated needles caught my eye. The green and yellow, spaced at regular intervals along each needle, give "Golden Ghost" its unique glow. It looks especially stunning bathed in sunlight.
"Golden Ghost" should reach 7 feet tall by 4 feet wide in about 10 years time, making it a suitable fit for my small city garden (unlike the fir in the backyard which is about 40 feet tall with no signs of slowing down.)
The colours of "Golden Ghost" are supposed to change with the seasons. I'm looking forward to seeing these changes as I keep telling myself that spring is just around the corner. I am also looking forward to seeing this tree grow into a focal point. Right now it stands at only about 2 feet tall. Even at that modest stature, however, Pinus Densiflora or Japanese Red Pine "Golden Ghost" has turned out to be a stunner in the winter garden.
