Grey-green to blue is the general colouring. Most of the forms which are available are well worth a place in the garden, particularly if small sentinel specimens are required. Almost certainly the conifer with the greatest distribution range is the wild communis, which is to be found throughout the major part of the Northern Temperate regions. The many named forms are usually ground-hugging or low prostrate and are ideally suited for ground-covering purposes. Happy in any soil, the following are among the best low forms which are to be found in the nursery trade: 'Depressa Aurea', very pretty, particularly in its winter colour; 'Hornibrookii' and the very similar 'Prostra-ta', both truly contour following; and the slightly taller 'Repanda'. There are several forms of communis which are upright rather formal columns, Compressa' for instance, being the diminutive Noah's Ark juniper. A good choice for a rock or sink garden, it will eventually attain 2ft(6ocm) in height. The Irish juniper, communis 'Hibernica', will grow to an eventual height of wft(3m) and is obviously much faster growing than 'Compressa'. There are several other intermediates. For the very best ground-hugging weed suppressors there are no more suitable contenders then the numerous cultivars of the North American J. horizontalis. The foliage colours range from grey-green to excellent blues, and many take on an attractive winter mantle of bronze. No attempt will be made to suggest which are the best cultivars; hunt through the nursery catalogues and garden centres and select the living carpet which has the greatest appeal. Most will cover a square yard(m2) or more in a matter of three or four years. Perhaps the most popular and useful junipers are to be found in the hybrid group J. x media. The range of strong cultivars which grow to a height of 4 to 6ft(i.25 to 2m) with spreading branches extending horn 6 to 2oft(2 to 6m) have many uses. They are obviously of great value architecturally, capable of covering a large unsightly area, or of clothing a difficult bank and they will certainly choke strong weed growth. The grey-blue x media 'Pfitzerana' is the best example; if smaller editions are required, and it must be made clear that 'Pfitzerana' will very rapidly attain the maximum measurements, then a choice should be made from the following: 'Armstrongii' with pale green foliage; 'Gold Coast', 'Old Gold' and 'Pfitzerana Aurea' which are all golden and all comparatively slow-growing; and 'Pfitzerana Compacta', a 3 by 6ft(i by 2m) version of 'Pfitzerana'. Two taller junipers are the graceful recurva coxii, the Chinese coffin tree, which will slowly attain 25(7.5m) in Britain, and is well worth planting in a reasonably sheltered position, and rigida, which is a native of Japan, Korea and north China; this will eventually grow into a most attractive small, open-branched tree. rigida would make an ideal specimen for a lawn where something "different" is required.