Coniferous in the country beautiful landscapes. Conifers in the landscape design of a summer cottage. Weeping larch with groundcover
unusual shapes the growth of coniferous shrubs and trees, the contrasts of textures and shades of needles - not every gardener wants to arrange such a garden, but he will amaze any viewer. Coniferous plants give the garden a sophisticated look, although this is unlikely to interest lovers of bright flowers. In addition to the color of the needles big role plays - in the composition you need to get harmonious combination different habits.
When choosing conifers, it is important to know and take into account their growth rate and the expected size of an adult specimen. Many conifers cut well, so they are easy to form in the form of pyramids, columns, balls, even spirals.
Composition of coniferous plants in blue tones
The largest plant of this coniferous composition is Scots pine of the Waterery variety, 2-2.5 m in height and diameter, with stiff and short bluish-gray needles. In front of her is a specimen of a slow-growing, very frost-resistant cedar pine Korean variety Silveray pyramidal shape. Its long needles have a silver-blue tint. In the corner of the composition are three junipers of the Cossack variety Tamariscifolia, undersized fast growing shrubs with horizontally arranged branches, with needle-shaped needles of a bluish hue. To the left of them are two slow-growing dwarf hemlock varieties Jeddeloh with spirally arranged branches and a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush.
The composition contains several dwarf thujas of the western two varieties - spherical Globosa with green needles and "egg-shaped" Selena with light green needles. space between coniferous plants covered with a layer of decorative mulch from spruce cones milled in a blender with a thickness of about 10 cm. The coniferous composition does not require any maintenance. If in a few years the Cossack junipers grow excessively, they should be shortened.
1 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), grade Globosa;
2 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Selena;
3 - Korean cedar pine (Pinus koraiensis), cultivar Silveray;
4 — ;
5 - Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), variety Tamariscifolia;
6 - Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), cultivar Waterery
Some gardeners who are not familiar with the modern range of conifers consider them boring, "winter and summer in one color." Behind recent decades there was a real revolution in the selection of conifers, now the variety of varieties in size and shape of the crown, color and texture of the needles is simply amazing. Columns and balls, cones, cushion-shaped, weeping and creeping species and varieties of conifers of different sizes, textures and colors - the choice is incredible.
is a great opportunity to showcase your collection of rarities. The choice of certain coniferous plants depends both on environmental conditions and on the idea of composition. Spruce, fir, microbiota, and some junipers grow well in partial shade. Light-loving coniferous species are perfect for a sunny place, for example, pine varieties, blue spruces and junipers. A properly “designed” garden of conifers will never seem monotonous.
Growing features
Spring. Hemlock branches can sometimes freeze a little or dry out: in the spring they must be carefully removed to the living part of the shoot. If necessary, update or add a layer of decorative mulch, this will have to be done every 2-3 years, in order to avoid dampening, the root neck is never covered with mulch. Spherical conifers retain their shape well at a young age, sometimes with age, some of them shoot separate elongated shoots that break out of a clear geometric shape, they must be cut in early spring.
Pines have a special shoot growth biology. Young shoots-candles appear at the end of May and grow rapidly, at first the shoots are still without needles, it will develop later. If you need to limit the size of the pine or make the crown denser, pinch these candles while they are still soft and green. In this case, the plant will be well formed, the shoots will mature by winter and form a normal growth for the next year.
Summer. At the beginning of summer, cones appear on the cedar pine. Juniper Cossack variety Tamariscifolia grows very quickly, after a few years pruning will be needed to keep it within the framework. At the end of spring or at the beginning of summer, pruning is done with pruning shears of powerful outstretched shoots that have outgrown the area allocated to them.
Autumn. The needles of the thuja Globosa, green in summer, turn brown or acquire a gray-green color. It is advisable to shake off wet and heavy snow from it so that the branches do not break. If there is no such possibility or desire, a harness against snowfall and snowfall is needed, especially where there are snowy winters with heavy snowfalls.
Winter. The silhouettes of many conifers are especially visible in winter. It is conifers that create the structure of the garden in winter and give it color; at this time of the year, their shape and color are especially visible and important.
Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Globosa
Height and diameter 1 m
The shape of the crown is round, green needles in summer, turning brown in autumn.
Decorative all year round
Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh_
Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm
Spiral branches, funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush. Decorative all year round
Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Selena
Height 80, diameter 50 cm
Spherical shape, light green, almost pistachio, needles. Decorative all year round
Korean cedar pine (Pinus koraiensis), grade Silveray
Height 1.5 m
Long silvery blue needles
Decorative all year round
Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), cultivar Tamariscifolia
Height 40-50 cm
Horizontally arranged branches, needle-shaped needles with a bluish tinge. Decorative all year round
Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), cultivar Waterery
Height and diameter 2-2.5 m
Stiff and short bluish-gray needles
Decorative all year round
Prickly Hoopsi spruce has a dense crown of a wide pyramidal shape, it is a very showy and elegant plant with bright bluish-white, stiff and sharp needles. The height of an adult tree is 3-4 m, diameter is 3 m, annual growth is up to 30 cm.
To the left of her planted a beautiful thuja western varieties Smaragdc narrow conical crown. Its shoots are green in summer and winter. Between the Hoopsi spruce and the Smaragd arborvitae, four specimens of slow-growing spherical mountain pine Mops with dark green, very short needles were planted. Mountain pine Winter Gold is another dwarf, slow-growing spherical form with a magnificent color of needles, in the Moscow region it turns yellow during the first frosts in September-October and returns to its green color in the first decade of May. Black spruce Nana is unusually graceful, rounded crown with light bluish-green needles does not exceed 50 cm in height. The extremely slowly growing Nana balsam fir has dense dark green needles. Dwarf hemlock JeddelohT Cwe grow extremely slowly.
1 — ;
2 - prickly spruce (Picea pungens), variety Hoopsi;
3 - mountain pine (Pinus mugo), Winter Gold variety;
4 - balsam fir (Abies balsamea), variety Nana;
5 - Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh:
6 - mountain pine (Pinus mugo), variety Mops;
7 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), grade Smaragd
Any mulch performs many useful functions - it prevents the growth of weeds, creates favorable conditions for the growth of roots, worms quickly settle under it, improving the structure of the soil. Not every mulch is decorative; properly selected mulch will greatly decorate the appearance of coniferous compositions. It is best to use ground bark or wood chips for this purpose, mulch made from crushed spruce and pine cones is especially beautiful. Expressively look as a mulch and whole small cones. Gravel of small fractions looks beautiful as a mulch, if desired, you can use quite exotic materials, for example, glass balls or small fragments.
Growing features
Spring. For some conifers, especially for dwarf pines, regular cleaning of the crown from dry branches, fallen needles is necessary, it is advisable to do this every year or at least every other year. If necessary, they update or add a layer of mulch, this will have to be done every 2-3 years, we do it carefully, without falling asleep the root collars of the plants, which can lead to their decay. At the end of May, numerous young shoots-candles appear near the mountain pines. If you pinch them, the shape of the crown will be even clearer. Some varietal conifers of a clear geometric shape sometimes suddenly give shoots that break out of the crown, this is easy to correct with a pruner or scissors for cutting shrubs. After the end of spring frosts, the needles of the mountain pine of the Winter Gold variety change color and turn into delicate light green tones.
Summer. The composition does not require any care. Just admire!
Autumn. Mountain pine of the Winter Gold variety changes color in late autumn and becomes golden yellow, remaining this way until spring.
Winter. Dwarf coniferous plants are under the snow, rise and delight with bright green western thuja Smaragd 2-3 m high and bluish-white prickly spruce Hoopsi.
Black spruce (Picea nigra), grade Nana
Height 50 cm
Rounded crown with light bluish-green needles
Decorative all year round
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea), grade Nana
Height 50 cm, in an adult plant diameter 2 m
Dense dark green needles
Decorative all year round
Prickly spruce (Picea pungens), grade Hoopsi
The height of an adult tree is 3-4 m, diameter is 3 m, annual growth is up to 30 cm.
Dense crown of a wide pyramidal shape with bluish-white, hard and sharp needles
Decorative all year round
Mountain pine (Pinus mugo), cultivar Winter Gold
Height and diameter 1 m
In the Moscow region, the needles turn yellow during the first frosts in September-October and return to their green color in the first decade of May.
Decorative all year round
Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh
Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm
Spiral branches, funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush.
Decorative all year round
Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo), cultivar Mops
Spherical shape, height and diameter 1-1.2 m.
Dark green, very short needles. Decorative all year round
Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Smaragd
Height 2-3 m
Narrow conical crown, green needles
Decorative all year round
Slow-growing plants are planted along the blind area of the house. dwarf varieties conifers- Canadian hemlock Jeddeloh, having the shape of a hemisphere with a funnel-shaped depression in the center; globular mountain pine Mini Mops and western thuja Danica; round elegant black spruce Nana with light bluish-green needles.
The second row from the blind area planted specimens of horizontal juniper: it is pressed to the ground, creeping shrub with long branches covered with bluish-green needles. Behind him is a variegated periwinkle, a small, evergreen perennial with long creeping shoots. Its glossy bright green leaves have numerous golden yellow spots. Leathery leaves effectively contrast with the foliage of conifers. Ground cover roses are planted along the front edge of the composition along the path, Cordesa Cubana variety with apricot flowers is used, blooming throughout the season
Ground cover roses look very harmonious next to conifers. small needles various shades green color contrasts remarkably in form with the brilliant foliage of periwinkle and roses.
1 - Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh;
2 - mountain pine (Pinus mugo), variety Mini Mops;
3 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Danica;
4 - black spruce (Picea nigra), grade Nana;
5 — periwinkle (Vinca minor), variety Aureovariegata;
6 - juniper horizontal (Juniperus horizontalis);
7 - ground cover rosa, cultivar Cubana
IN last years varieties of ground cover roses appeared with long flowering until frost. These roses are winter-hardy, light cover is enough for them. They have decorative and elegant not only flowers, very nice general impression, many of them form a dense carpet of shiny foliage with numerous flowers. Ground cover roses differ in the type of shoot growth and bush height, they can be from 30 cm to 1 m high, they are sprawling, occupying an area of several square meters, or very compact.
Growing features
Spring. If necessary, update the mulch layer, this will have to be done every 2-3 years. For dwarf conifers, especially for pines, regular cleaning of the crown from dry branches, fallen needles is necessary, it is advisable to do this every year or at least every other year. In mountain pines, young shoots-candles appear in large quantities. In principle, pinching for dwarf pines is not an urgent need, they will do without it, but if you want to make the crown denser and the composition perfect, do not reject this operation. Pinch the pine candles while they are still soft and green, don't worry, the shoots will mature by winter and form a normal growth next year. If you start pinching, then this will need to be done annually.
In May, only after the ground has completely thawed, they remove light cover from ground cover roses and give them nitrogen top dressing. Before planting ground cover roses, perennial weeds must be carefully weeded out, otherwise you will have to weed them out under thorny shoots; to protect plantings from annual weeds, it is advisable to cover the soil under them with black nonwoven fabric. Ground cover roses are unpretentious, but still need care: like all roses, they need top dressing and protection from pests and diseases.
Summer. It may be necessary to limit the growth of shoots of juniper horizontalus and periwinkle. Rosa Cubana is interesting in its variability of color, its flowers are apricot-pink at first, as they bloom, they lighten and become pale pink. The saturation of pink tones changes, there are yellow, pink and orange flowers on the bush at the same time. The bushes are sprawling, branched, the height and width of the bush is 50-60 cm.
It is necessary to feed roses during budding before flowering, this top dressing is carried out with a complex mineral fertilizer or infusion of manure, green fertilizer works well, it is best to make it from fermented nettles. Be sure to feed the roses after the first wave of flowering, this is also done with a complex mineral fertilizer, manure infusion or green manure from fermented nettles.
Autumn. The dense needles of the globular thuja Danica, green and shiny in summer, become brownish-green in late autumn. Feeding roses is important in early September potash fertilizers, potassium sulfate or potassium magnesia, it is made for better ripening of shoots and preparation of bushes for winter. Many varieties of ground cover roses are winter-hardy, but they need to be covered for the winter. Snow is a good protection, but there are so-called "black" frosts while there is no snow yet.
Winter. We are waiting for spring.
Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh
Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm. Spiral branches, funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush
Decorative all year round
Black spruce (Picea nigra), grade Nana
Height 50 cm. Rounded crown with light bluish-green needles. Decorative all year round
Small periwinkle (Vinca minor), cultivar Aureovariegata
Height up to 20 cm. Bright green glossy leaves with numerous golden yellow spots, lavender-blue flowers.
Blooms in May-June for 25-30 days, decorative from snow to snow
Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo), Mini Mops variety
Height 0.5 m, diameter 1 m Dark green short needles (up to 2 cm)
Decorative all year round
Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), variety Danica
Height 0.6 m, crown diameter 1 m Spherical dwarf form
Decorative all year round
Juniper horizontalis (Juniperus horizontalis)
Height 20-30 cm. Pressed to the ground, creeping shrub with long branches densely covered with bluish-green needles. Decorative all year round
Ground cover rose (Ground cover rosa), cultivar Cubana
Bush height 30-40 cm, width 70-90 cm. Dark green glossy foliage; the flowers are apricot-pink at first, then lighten and become pale-pink, on the bush there are yellow, pink and orange flowers at the same time.
Decorative all season
Weeping larch with groundcover
In the center of the composition, which is a square in plan, there is a European weeping larch on a stem 2.5 m high. A species larch is a huge tree up to 20 m tall; its dwarf and grafted forms are most often used in gardens. This plant is perfectly sheared, it can be used to form various geometric figures. Conifers are planted in one corner of the square - three horizontal junipers, low creeping shrubs with long branches pressed to the ground.
The other corner is occupied by purple broom, another creeping shrub with a green spreading crown of ascending branches densely covered with trifoliate leaves. It grows rapidly, reaching adult size in 3-4 years. Surprisingly beautiful during flowering, when the branches are densely covered with purple or purple flowers. In the third corner, a curtain of low-grade Belvederc bergenia is planted with small (4-6 cm) leathery leaves and white flowers. Creeping shoots of cotoneaster horizontal, rapidly growing shrub with dark green small leathery leaves, pressed to the ground.
1 - horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis);
2 - cotoneaster horizontal (Cotoneaster horizontalis);
3 - European weeping larch (Larix decidua), variety Pendula;
4 - heart-leaved bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia), Belveder variety;
5 - purple broom (Chamaecytisus purpureus)
Pine is a bright representative of the forests of the northern hemisphere! Close representatives of the coniferous brotherhood and sisterhood: fir trees, junipers, larch yews, cypresses, sequoias and many others, approximately 560 species. If we take into account flowering plants, this is small, very small, there are significantly more of them, and at the same time, the presence of conifers plays a big role both in nature as a whole and in human life.
The benefits of conifers
During the period of mass industrialization Natural resources paid attention not so much as now, people of our time tend to touch healing properties nature, decorating their available space with conifers of different species. Designers who are engaged in decorating the landscape, amateur gardeners, and simply owners of household plots, you can still take house managers to them, well, these are those strange people who are friends of a person, appreciated them not for beautiful view and healing fragrance. But also for others beneficial features and benefits:
- A huge number of conifers grow well in the shade and partial shade.
- Roots feel great on different soils both on rocks and in sand.
- Perfectly lend themselves to modeling and trimming, haircut.
- They exude useful phytoncides with their aroma.
- Protect from strong winds and strengthen the soil.
- Restrain the reproduction of some viruses, bacteria, and sometimes destroy harmful insects.
Coniferous plants are very popular among landscape designers. However, when choosing a plant, you need to rely not only on personal preferences, but adhere to certain rules. So:
Three groups of conifers
high growing
An example would be:
- - as a hedge, it has proven itself remarkably, it grows up to 5 m.
- Juniper Skyrocket - grows up to three meters, and even in itself has a cone shape.
- Hupsi - prickly spruce. One of the tallest representatives of high-growing, reaches 15 meters in height.
Medium growing
There is a wide variety of conifers in this group. Most often used:
- Thuja is medium-sized - such a ball, the branches of which grow vertically.
- Golden yew - grows well in the shade of other both branched and coniferous plants.
- Yew berry is a fruit-bearing shrub with beautiful needles.
Variety of conifers Low growing shrubs and creeping varieties
Cute plants, while the most affordable, and do not require constant care.
- Lombres is a spruce with emerald needles that spreads along the ground.
- Pug is a miniature species of conifer, which is distinguished by a soft and fluffy “pillow”.
Neighborhood conifers
- Thuja should not be planted near spruce. She will not allow the thuja to develop.
- Cedars and pines do not get along with firs and spruces.
- It is better not to grow larch with conifers of other species. Her relatives don't like it.
- Birch and bird cherry should not be planted next to coniferous plants. Deciduous trees will not tolerate such a neighborhood.
Arm yourself with knowledge in growing conifers. Take into account its height as an adult and the appearance of its flowering crown.
Color variations from coniferous plants also need to be taken into account. For pleasant and beautiful appearance conifers on the site, carefully study what the colors of your plants will be.
Are you going to use three plants (elements)? The color scheme can and should combine two colors: a bright spot is set off by more neutral ones. A composition of several plants? Gamma of three colors. It is worth noting that conifers, which change the color of their needles depending on the season, are best planted separately.
But what if 25 or more elements are planned on the site? There is a wonderful option: distribute the plants into groups of two, three or five and plant conifers of the same shade in each group.
Creation of compositional solutions
When planning the composition of a garden on a personal plot, the landscape designer strives for harmony and, one might say, completeness. You can manage on your own in arranging the garden, following certain rules:
- Planting trees and shrubs is oriented to the east or west, but not to the north or south. This arrangement is desirable for conifers.
- Symmetry and asymmetry are one of the compositional components. When the forms of crowns and the distances between plants are equal or close, symmetry. Natural naturalness, randomness of lines - asymmetry.
- Shrubs and trees look majestic against the backdrop of neat paths made of decorative gravel in the middle of the lawn, on the slopes, near ponds, among flowers and huge stones.
The combination of conifers with other vegetation Render effects
When comparing high and low plants that grow side by side, high ones will seem much higher than they are and vice versa; low plants will be lower than trees. So that the compositional solution does not introduce a sense of disorder, a comparison color solutions and forms is achieved by using combinations of the same type or even species of plants.
Geometry
Landing, decorated in contrast, looks organic. For example, undersized fit well with tall or tall, pyramidal shapes can be perfectly combined with spherical ones.
Ball-shaped coniferous haircut Ephedra are used in the design of mixborders, rockeries, living fences and hedges, etc. Let's dwell on some.
Mixborders
What are mixborders? Translated from English "mixed border" or "mixed borders". Mixborder - a flower garden of plants that are planted in multi-row and multi-tiered. So, to design a mixborder, first of all, prepare a place for the most large plants. This will be your starting point.
Keep in mind that seedlings are planted in descending order of their height in adulthood, so the shortest plants are planted at the foot of the border.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes in geometry. curved lines will only enhance the harmony of the trees and the beauty of the mixborder.
Hedge
With conifers, you can not only divide the site into completely different zones, but also create impenetrable jungle along the boundaries of the site. For this, plants are planted in two or more rows in a tight checkerboard pattern. Varieties for hedges need to choose those that are easy and convenient to cut, give the desired shape to the crown. For each hedge, choose one plant variety.
Tui as a hedge rockery
What is this? This is a kind of garden on a gentle slope, in which stones, shrubs or plants of dwarf species, flowers with tiny inflorescences are used. The most common styles in the design of rockeries are English, European, Japanese. Rockeries in the English style are distinguished from others by restraint in compositional decisions. At their core, they use cereal plants, shrubs, wormwood plants, and, well, small conifers. IN European style planted plants inherent in the middle lane, such as balsam fir, juniper, dwarf spruce, cypress, barberry and boxwood. Japanese rockeries are distinguished by an abundance of stone heaps and minimal plant mass. Famous Japanese garden stones, this is rockery.
A gentle slope is the main criterion for choosing a place for rockeries. A feature of any gently sloping garden is the ability for plants to grow in partial shade. Such a garden will be in harmony with nature, and most importantly, it will look beautiful near a gazebo or a small pond. If your site with pronounced drops is on a slope, and you really want rockeries, in this case, levels are created that even out the drops.
Proper location and planting of conifers
- Plan everything on paper, the size of the paths, the height of the plants, taking into account all the sizes of stones and plants in adult form.
- Select breed coniferous trees
- The most convenient period for planting plants is mid-spring, or even mid-April and early May. During this period, the seedling does not yet begin to actively grow and develop.
- Mark the boundaries of the plot of conifers. Anything is suitable for this: pegs, wood, stones. In the middle of the flower bed, with marking ropes with pegs, indicate the boundaries of each plant and prepare recesses for them, or large pits, at least half a meter deep.
- Prepare the ground. It is advisable to mix the upper layers of the soil with peat and sand. The proportions are approximately a bucket of soil, a bucket of sand and half a bucket of peat. If soil from under non-coniferous trees is available, then mix a bucket of such soil into the resulting mixture. This fertilizer is the best for a newly planted tree.
- Plant out plants. At the bottom of the pit, pebbles or a sand mixture of about 15 centimeters are poured, fertilizers or compost (preferably compost), half a bucket will be enough. If you add fertilizer, monitor the nitrogen content in it, as conifers are contraindicated nitrogen fertilizers. The root of the seedling must necessarily be with a clod of earth in which it began to grow. Do not knock down or throw out the earth from the root, otherwise you will kill the plant ahead of time. After loading the root into the pit, fill up to the surface level with our prepared soil and level it well. It is not worth tamping heavily, the earth itself will sit down as much as it needs, but while it sags, the roots will have time to get used to the new position, they will be saturated with moisture and air.
- Cover the landing site with mulch. Soil mulching in general beneficial process. Anything can be used as mulch: plant bark, small pebbles, cones, sawdust and wood chips, whatever your heart desires and what will look beautiful in your composition. Even ground cover plants such as creeping perennials and flowers are suitable.
- Watering. An important role is played at the initial stages of growth by abundant watering. During a drought, it is doubly useful.
- Feed the seedlings regularly until the plants grow.
Conifers differ from other plants in their durability. They calmly tolerate cold and heat, drought is also not as terrible for them as for other plants, and long downpours only saturate the tree with moisture longer. Unlike other plants, conifers themselves can protect themselves from various diseases. And the microclimate that conifers create near them can significantly reduce the number of insects. The air in the area becomes soft and filled with oxygen.
Conifer care (video)
In general, creating your own garden with the use of conifers gives the overall completeness to the whole composition. You yourself have created something big, lasting and beautiful. In addition, next to you, you yourself landed a large source fresh air, and if there is a gazebo in such a garden, and a recreation area, which can be compared with a trip out of town. By creating coniferous gardens, you have touched the secrets of nature, subject to the strict order of the Creator.
The composition of conifers in the country is becoming an increasingly common element of landscape design. This design of the territories adjacent to the buildings looks original and aesthetically pleasing. But the implementation of design projects using coniferous plantations cannot be called simple, since it requires not only artistic taste and imagination, but also theoretical preparation.
The topic of the article is not accidental, since conifers are popular in landscape design, but not everyone knows the instructions for planting, arranging and combining these plants. In this article we will talk about which plantings to choose and how to use them for their intended purpose in order to simplify the care of conifers in the country.
Plant selection
The science of decorating a summer cottage ornamental plants not easy. Therefore, beginners who decide to join landscape design are forced to combine practice with a permanent search. useful information. Meanwhile, planting conifers in the country can serve as a good start in your passion for landscape design ().
Breeding such plants is not particularly difficult, if you decide in advance on the choice of a suitable species. It would seem that it is not easy to determine which types of conifers are suitable and which are not, but in reality there will be no problems with the choice.
The fact is that all types of coniferous plantations used by domestic designers are derived from three varieties of trees and shrubs:
- juniper,
- pines,
Species bred by breeders are optimally adapted for existence in domestic difficult climatic conditions. It is not advisable to choose something from import catalogs or import it from abroad, since there is a high probability that an exclusive foreign ephedra simply will not take root in our open spaces.
Tip: when choosing the best solution, purchase domestic products, the price of which, by the way, is more affordable.
Properly selected conifers are characterized by a number of advantages, including:
- unpretentiousness in terms of soil on the site;
- no special lighting requirements;
- resistance to sudden temperature changes;
- unpretentiousness in relation to moisture content parameters;
- acceptable cost in comparison with other varieties of ornamental plantings;
- ease of care, which is very important if Vacation home used primarily for seasonal living.
Features of application in landscape design
Coniferous plants are not unreasonably considered one of the most popular plantings for landscape design. Such plants are widely used to create decorative backstage, alleys, hedges and a wide range of different compositions in combination with other plants.
We bring to your attention an overview of the main ways of using conifers in landscape design.
Mixborders
Mixborders in landscape design are usually called variants of mixed and prefabricated flower beds.
Tip: In most cases, coniferous shrubs and small trees are of paramount importance in the formation of a mixborder. The main concept of mixed compositions is the compatibility and compactness of seemingly incompatible plant forms.
When forming mixborders with your own hands, try to apply the following recommendations:
- Do not use tall wild spruces, junipers and arborvitae in the composition.
- The best solution for most ideas are low-growing plants, such as creeping juniper, narrow-pyramidal thuja, dwarf globular spruce, yew, mountain pine.
- Rhododendron, undersized barberry, dwarf spirea, heather, creeping cotoneaster, etc. can advantageously emphasize the aesthetics of coniferous plantations.
- When forming a mixborder using pine needles, it is advisable to use bulbous flowers in combination with ground cover plants . Such combinations are justified from the point of view of aesthetics, and based on agrotechnical aspects.
flowerbeds
It is no secret that coniferous plants are used to create flower beds. Such solutions have been relevant for a long time. But you need to understand that the optimal aesthetic effect will be guaranteed only with the competent implementation of the design project.
- In the flower beds we plant only compact and undersized plants. However, the center of the composition can be distinguished by a shrub or tree, the size of which will be above average.
- At the heart of the composition, in the absence of a central element, you can use the principle different forms and color contrast. For example, vertically arranged cylindrical elements can be emphasized or highlighted using dense creeping shrubs. If desired, within the same flower bed you can combine different plants with needles of different shapes and colors.
- In order to facilitate the subsequent care of the flower bed, slow-growing plantings should be used.
- As the main background, you can use ground cover plants, such as horizontal juniper, cross-pair microbiota, etc.
rock garden
This kind of landscape design is a miniature imitation of mountainous terrain. A feature of such design projects is the use of those plantations that will create the impression of a natural landscape, in the formation of which a person did not take part. It is not difficult to create such an effect with your own hands using coniferous plants in your backyard.
The only recommendation in this case will be the use of those trees and shrubs that grow in the mountains. Of course, you will have to make an adjustment for the size of the plantations, so that the rock garden becomes a miniature likeness of mountains.
A good solution would be to imitate the transition of the forest into alpine meadows. To do this, a hill is formed from dense soil without stony inclusions, on which dwarf trees will coexist with lush grass.
Tip: When forming a rock garden optimal solution will be the use of subalpine fir, Cossack juniper, western arborvitae, drooping arborvitae, pea-bearing cypress, mountain pine, etc.
Conclusion
Now that we have looked at how to apply conifers in the landscape, we can take a fresh approach to shaping the design of the infield ().
If you still have questions, you can find more useful information by watching the video in this article.
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The massive passion for landscape design has contributed to a noticeable transformation country houses, cottages and dachas. Gardens with vegetables and fruits, popular in the recent past, have been replaced by flower beds, and other decorative plant compositions.
A special place in landscape design is occupied by coniferous trees, some species of which have appeared in the vastness of our country relatively recently.
Representatives of the coniferous group of plants gained their popularity thanks to unique properties, allowing them to look great both in single (solitary plantings) and in group plantings all 365 days a year. Coniferous plantations are not demanding on the types of soil, rarely get sick and tolerate any weather changes well.
The value of conifers for the garden
In addition to the aesthetic effect, evergreen conifers can benefit people and nature:
- qualitatively absorb dust and noise;
- stop gusts of wind;
- soften the microclimate around the house or cottage;
- stop the reproduction of certain viruses, bacteria and insects;
- provide the air with a colossal amount of oxygen and phytoncides (the undisputed champion among healing trees is juniper).
Therefore, if you dream of a beautiful, well-groomed garden with a favorable microclimate, turn your attention to compositions of coniferous plants. Their charming appearance, exquisite shape and medium-sized crowns reveal unique possibilities for creating the most daring compositions in landscape design, both in large areas and in small ones.
How to make coniferous compositions in landscape design?
- Spruces, pines, junipers, cypresses, firs, thujas and many other evergreens are usually placed in the very center of the backyard plot, to form coniferous sculptures, or on the borders of the territory.
- The ensemble of pine needles looks very picturesque, surrounded by heather, roses, eric, rhododendrons and deciduous plants. They bring a certain brightness, contrast to the design and allow you to change the design of the garden seasonally. (The exception is bird cherry and birch - they have a bad effect on plants with needles).
- Coniferous pyramidal shapes look great. Landscape designers based on them create complex geometric shapes, spiral columns, tiers and intricate front alleys. Figuratively trimmed conifers divide the space of the site into so-called "rooms", decorate stone hills, small ponds, colorfully complement rock gardens and relief drops.
- In order for landscape design with coniferous plants to please the eye with its three-dimensional structures and coloristic pictures not only in summer, but also in winter, it is necessary to give increased attention combinations in the coniferous group of different shapes, textures and colors.
- As accent trees and shrubs, experts recommend choosing winter-hardy species that are stable all year round. In the background, as a rule, plants with a spreading crown are placed. And the coniferous composition of landscape design is completed by properly creeping, low plants.
- The decorative possibilities of conifers (they are easy to cut) are great for creating hedges and masking unsightly areas in the fence.
Important!
When choosing conifers for backyard compositions, one should not forget that in many plants the color of the needles changes in winter.
Conifers in landscape design: landing rules
- Planting conifers is best done in early autumn.
- In depth, each hole for seedlings should not exceed 85 cm, and the junction of the stem with the root (necessarily with an earthen clod) exactly corresponds to the ground level.
- The distance between neighboring plants ideally ranges from 90 to 160 cm.
- For better growth young plantings, it is necessary to add sand and clay to the ground.
- Within six months after planting conifers, the soil needs to be nourished with mineral fertilizers.
- In dry summers, watering is important for plants. During the season, it is enough to produce 5-6 waterings of 20 liters per plant.
- To make the crown thicker, annual shoots need to be cut by a third every spring.
- Young trees that have not reached a meter in height by winter are recommended to be covered with spruce spruce branches or sack kraft paper to avoid winter burn.
- Regular loosening of the soil around the trunk contributes to rapid growth coniferous plants.
Conifers in landscape design - planting video
Coniferous trees and plants for landscape design - how to choose the right one?
Plants for the garden must be purchased in specialized, proven nurseries, and not in mass supermarkets, long before the start of the planting season. Before you go for seedlings, you need to have on hand a clear plan for the future garden and a list with the necessary plants.Consider what is older plant the more difficult it will be for him to settle down in a new place.
In the case of buying large-sized conifers, trees and shrubs of 5-6 years of age will be the best option.
When choosing coniferous trees and plants, you should consider what shape and form they will take in the near future. Owners of spacious plots can safely plant large trees with a spreading, oval crown shape. Here are the giants small garden will look rather ridiculous, drowning out the rest of the "residents" with their size.
Today, landscape design is gaining more and more popularity. To decorate the area around a private house, not only more and more new technologies are being used, but the decor elements are now so diverse that they make it possible to realize the most daring and unusual design fantasies.
Ephedra
One of fashion trends in decoration adjoining territory is the compilation of a single composition of coniferous trees. Depending on the size of the site, as well as on the basic concept of the project, certain types of conifers are selected for this purpose. It is not advisable to put a spruce 5 meters high in the middle of a plot of 2 acres, but undersized plants in combination, for example, with stone chips, may well become a worthy decoration for your garden. In addition, decoration with conifers will delight the eye at any time of the year, since most of these plants are not picky enough to changeable weather conditions.
Softwood rockery design
Rockery is a gentle slope, decorated with a scattering of decorative stones of various sizes, combined with low coniferous trees and shrubs. The main idea is to place the main cone-shaped seedling in the middle or upper part of the composition and surround it with smaller coniferous counterparts. The stones, ideally, should be some kind of whole picture, and not point-wise lie at different ends of the rockery. Although, with a certain creativity, even this option can look very interesting. In addition, fresh flowers, which are distinguished by their unpretentious nature at any time of the year, may well fit into the overall concept.
Softwood rockery design Decoration of a personal plot with rockeries is exclusively decorative in nature, and, as a rule, functional features does not have. Usually, the installation of benches or other seating places inside the composition is not provided, therefore, if you decide to put a gazebo or just a table for evening gatherings with family and friends, it is better to choose a separate area for this purpose, rather than trying to connect a design element with a place of rest.
Conifer flower bed design
Coniferous flower beds are also an equally popular way to decorate household plot. They can be located both along the borders of your possessions, and inside them, collected in small bright compositions. In the first case, tall pines, larches, and sometimes junipers are suitable. In the second, shrubs and dwarf conifers will fit more, not blocking the general view on land plot. Different shades of needles, such as gray, purple and green, will look good.
Conifer flower bed design In the middle of the plot, if it has the correct geometric shape and has required dimensions, you can place a round or square flower bed. The center of the composition is usually decorated with a taller tree, and lower seedlings surround it. Along the edges, as a rule, low creeping conifers are located. The choice of trees is entirely up to you and the basic idea of the flower bed. Decorating with stones around the perimeter can be a logical finishing touch.
