Your path climbs from the Alpine Yard to the Pinetum, a conifer grove forming a windbreak to the west of the Main Lawn. Here are pines, redwoods, cedars, larch and Douglas fir. A highlight of this collection is the maidenhair tree Gingko biloba, one of the most ancient of conifers and almost extinct in the wild but flourishing on the lawn.

The Gardens are part of the International Conifer Conservation Programme which aims to conserve the genetic diversity of theses evergreen trees. Recent re-plantings have included Cephalataxus harringtonii var. drupacea from Japan, Wollemia nobilis from Australia and the very beautiful, rare Picea breweriana, all identified as endangered by the IUCN.