Choosing a right-size conifer

Hardy evergreens can provide welcome year-round color and structure in even the smallest of gardens. But choosing evergreens for small spaces can be tricky. Homeowners often don't realize a baby plant they buy in a pot is destined to grow into a tree 40 or 60 feet tall and 30 or 40 feet wide. In little more than a decade, a cute little spruce can fill the patio or swamp the house.

By Beth Botts, Special to Tribune Newspapers

January 22, 2013