Stock should be of a good healthy colour, well furnished (clothed with branches to ground level) and, where appropriate, have a strong, vigorous leader. Most stock is container-grown; make sure that the container is sufficiently large to accommodate a good root system. If open-ground plants are available, always insist that the chosen specimen is lifted with a large root ball. Many owners of new gardens are impatient and plant large specimens in the hope that an immediate effect will be gained; but caution is necessary for time and money can be wasted if the larger trees are old and tired and they fail to grow satisfactorily. The ideal planting sizes are in the region of 15 to i8in(38 to 45cm) and i8in to 2ft(45 to 60cm). For planting suggestions see the "Conifer Guide" (pp.56 to 64). Methods of propagation have a bearing upon the price of conifers; seed-raised species are less costly than those raised from cuttings and, obviously, those propagated by grafting, which is a highly skilled and time-consuming operation, are considerably more expensive. Another factor affecting costs is speed of growth; a large, well-grown specimen of a really slow-growing dwarf conifer will command a very high price. Remember when planting to give your new conifer the very best start in its new home, for it will provide a considerable return for many years. Prepare a 3ft(im) hole, two spits deep, and mix a generous quantity of well-rotted manure, compost and peat, or leafmould with the soil which will be used to refill the hole. The soil should be well-firmed around the plant's roots, and the plant should be staked if this is necessary. The area around the tree should be kept weed free and be mulched for at least three years. Notable Collections of Conifers It is a good plan, before making a final decision on what to plant, to pay a visit to a pinetum, arboretum or garden of note to assess the garden value of I conifers. Perhaps the most notable and useful such establishment to visit in Britain is the National Pinetum at Bedgebury, near Hawkhurst, Kent, | Bedgebury clearly does not enjoy the favourable climate of the western I seaboard; in fact, the conditions are decidedly hard and the results are of I particular interest to those who garden in areas which are not favoured by I the Gulf Stream. The National Pinetum, as would be expected, contains an I exceptionally fine range of conifers of all sizes, both species and cultivars. Many conifers, both large and small, are grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and, for an even finer collection, Kew's country home, Wakehurst Place, near Haywards Heath, Sussex, should be visited. Other great gardens in the Sussex Weald with important plantings of conifers are Borde Hill, also near Haywards Heath; Leonardslee, near Horsham; Ny-mans, Handcross, and Sheffield Park, near Uckfield (particularly fine). Reference has been made to our favourable western seaboard, and, as would be expected, Devon and Cornwall both have their share of gardens with excellent conifer collections.