Their object was to create representations of natural scenes within the confines of their gardens. Today, as lot sizes and houses become smaller, dwarf conifers are often more in scale with our landscapes than their arborescent relatives. This is because dwarfing characteristics alter the plants' growth rates. But keep in mind that 'dwarf' is a relative term and does not necessarily mean miniature. A dwarf spruce will be much shorter than a standard spruce, but some types may still attain a height of 20 feet.
Dwarf plants occur in several ways.
The majority come from seed. These are very stable and rarely revert to standard size. Nurserymen watch for and propagate these kinds of variations in the hope that the dwarf characteristics can be preserved. Dwarfing can also be accomplished by asexually propagating weak side branches or branches exhibiting juvenile characteristics. Dwarf conifers will grow in almost any soil that is well drained and not overly rich in organic matter.