However, if the lead growth is removed when the plant is young and a little occasional pruning is practised, a desirable slow-growing conifer of 6ft by 6ft(2m by 2m) can be produced. The foliage is smaller than that of the type tree and the young tips are prettily marked with creamy-white. A reliable dwarf, S. sempervirens Prostrata' forms an attractive mound 411(1.2501) tall and wide, the leaves being typical of the species but a deeper blue. TAXODIUM (swamp cypress) The swamp cypress, Taxodium distichum, provides, like those other deciduous conifers the larches and the dawn redwood, fine autumn colour. This species demands moisture and will even tolerate water around the base of the tree. It will slowly attain a height of 56 to 6oft(i5 to 18m) and is slim in outline, particularly when young. TAXUS (yew) The yews, Taxus species, have many merits; in particular their ability to tolerate shade, their good hedging qualities and, in the case of several which are low growing, their suitability for ground-cover. The predominant colour of the yews is a sombre black-green, which had a great attraction for the Victorians. It still has a place as a backcloth to lighter plantings, or to add "strength" to a planting. For contrast, there area number of golden-foliaged cultivars. Taxus baccata 'Adpressa' is an attractive, small-leaved, densely branched shrub of which there are several variations, one an excellent gold colour. T.b 'Dovastoniana' is a wide-spreading small tree of 15(4.5m) or so, the branches of which are held horizontally. A well-grown specimen is particularly attractive and again there is a golden form. The Irish yew, T.b. 'Fastigiata' is a familiar large shrub, often seen in churchyards. It has a very real place in the garden where a formal column is required. There are also two golden forms ol similar size, around 10 to i2ft(3 to 3.7m). A third golden form, 'Standishii', of smaller stature, makes a very pretty slim column and is ideal for the small garden. Several low, spreading cultivars have been named. 'Repandens'is most often encountered. THUJA (arbor-vitae) The thujas have already been considered as hedging | subjects (see p. 59). There are also a number of excellent species and j cultivars which are suitable for planting as specimens. They are all similar to the chamaecyparis in general appearance and outline. Thuja koraiensis, the Korean arbor-vitae, is a slow-growing species, ultimately 10 to i5ft(3 to 4.5m) tall with very pretty silver undersides to the branches. An extremely hardy species from the eastern half of North i America is T. occidentalis. The cultivars of this species are numerous and all ' are suitable for the smaller garden. Most of the dwarfs are rounded bun-shaped, domed, or broadly pyramidal and the taller forms are slim, I There are a few golden forms, 'Rneingold' being by far the best known. I 'Lutea Nana' is a recent addition to British nursery catalogues, but not as dwarf as the name suggests for it will attain a height of 8ft(2.