The use of coniferous plants in landscape design. Thuja in landscape design: options for use and combinations with other plants Decorative conifers in landscape design

Evergreens provide many advantages in landscaping. Depending on the season, weather conditions change, and with them the panorama of the landscape. The use of evergreen plantings enlivens the space even in winter period, giving personal plot majestic and rich appearance. These types of plants go well with deciduous shrubs, for example, with barberries, hydrangeas or rhododendrons.

How to use evergreen plantings in the landscape design of the yard and what their advantages are, we will consider in this material.

Advantages of conifers

Planting evergreens on a site provides great advantages over other plants.

  1. Aesthetics. Conifers retain their decorative appearance throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions.
  2. Variety. Numerous varieties will help you create living compositions of different shapes and colors.
  3. Unpretentiousness. Such green spaces do not require constant maintenance. They grow in all types of soil and do not require a lot of sunlight or regular watering, so any area of ​​the yard is suitable for planting.
  4. Environmental friendliness. Conifers secrete essential oils, enriching the surrounding air with the rich scent of the forest.


We take into account shapes and sizes

When using evergreens in the landscape design of a summer cottage, their spatial characteristics are taken into account. It is important to take into account the shape, as well as the size that the plants will reach after a certain period of time.

The use of one or another type of evergreen depends on the correct combination of geometric proportions. For example, it’s a good idea to combine straight paths with squat and voluminous plantings, and a pond with low, fluffy trees.

The overall dimensions of the site must also be taken into account. Large areas are decorated with large plants, and small ones are decorated using dwarf varieties.

What types of conifers to choose

If the dimensions of the site allow, the following evergreens are planted:

  • Thuja occidentalis. The height of the tree reaches 5 meters. To give it an arrow-shaped shape, the branches are trimmed. Thuja is used to create hedges. The only requirement is that the planting site be shaded.
  • Juniper Skyrocket. Reaches a height of up to 3 meters. The shrub is popular due to the unusual color of its needles with a bluish tint.
  • El Khupsi. Grows up to 15 meters tall. Suitable for single and group planting. Thanks to the silvery color with a bluish tint, it gives the composition an incredible look.

The plants listed above belong to the category of large plantings and are used in spacious areas. But for small plots Low-growing varieties with crowns of different shapes are suitable.


Of course, this is an incomplete list of conifers that are used in landscape design. Among the numerous species and varieties of evergreens, it will not be difficult to choose plants for decorating your summer cottage.






Design options

With the help of conifers, various compositions are created that perform aesthetic and practical functions.

  1. Living hedges.
  2. Lawn decor.
  3. Group plantings.
  4. Mixborders with elements of conifers.
  5. Evergreens in a rock garden.
  6. Container garden and bonsai.

Hedges

Such coniferous plantings serve throughout the year, and not just in the warm season. They are used both for fencing a site and for zoning individual parts of space.

Conifers with a spherical, pyramidal or columnar crown, which tolerate cutting their branches well, are best suited for hedges.

Varieties of evergreen plants are selected depending on the purpose of the fence. Spruce, pine and fir trees are suitable for fencing the site. If you need a fence of medium height for zoning, then use different varieties thuja, juniper, yew or cypress. To create low green borders, dwarf species are chosen.

Thematic material:

Varieties of silver or bluish tones will help to distinguish the hedge from other plantings. The main requirement when creating a living fence is the use of fast-growing conifers of the same species.

Lawn elements

If there are green lawns on the site, then they can be supplemented with coniferous crops. In this case, tall-growing or medium-height varieties with expressive crown shapes are selected. Pyramidal and arrow-shaped, as well as spherical varieties of conifers are suitable for planting on the lawn.

These plants look great alone. A neatly trimmed lawn will serve as a decorative frame and background for separately growing trees and shrubs.

Group plantings

Instead of a banal round flower bed with roses, group planting of conifers is often used, where the plants are combined in the shapes and colors of the crown. Ensembles based on the contrast of shades and configurations are expressive. For example, columnar varieties of evergreens are combined with spherical and creeping ones. Good option– a combination of thuja, silver spruce and juniper in one composition.

An expressive effect is achieved by combining deciduous species with coniferous ones. Hydrangea bushes go well with them.

Group plantings that combine coniferous plants with needle-like and scaly leaves are also original.

When planning such compositions, the size of mature trees and shrubs is taken into account. After all, many evergreens can reach large dimensions.

Mixborders with elements of conifers

Mixborders are compositions using different types of plants, including evergreens. At the same time, coniferous inclusions often occupy the central place of a prefabricated flower bed or act as a background for perennial flowers.

A win-win option is to combine conifers in one mix with deciduous shrubs, for example, hydrangea, barberry, cotoneaster and others.

When creating a mixborder, it is important to consider plant compatibility. Fallen needles change the acidity of the soil, and some deciduous plantings may simply not be suitable for such a neighborhood.

But hydrangea gets along with spruce and juniper trees without any problems. Upon landing this decorative flower It is even recommended to add coniferous soil. Hydrangeas love shaded areas with acidic soils.- exactly the conditions that coniferous plantings create.

Evergreens in rocky gardens

Today, rock gardens and rock gardens are often used in landscape design, which require the mandatory presence of conifers.

Which plants to choose depends on the size rocky garden. In small rockeries, creeping varieties are used, and if space allows, dwarf pines and spruces are included.

Arborvitae, junipers, firs and other low-growing conifers truly adorn rocky gardens.

Evergreens that can easily tolerate pruning are excellent for topiary. After all, it is here that decorative figures of bizarre shapes are created from trees and bushes, including images of people and animals.

The popularity of evergreens in topiary art is also explained by the fact that dense and dense needles make it possible to form objects of complex configuration without any problems. At the same time, you can create masterpieces all year round.

Container gardens and bonsais

Our climatic conditions do not always allow the use of some varieties coniferous plants. Trees growing in the southern regions are sensitive to temperature changes, and even a temperature of zero degrees leads to their death.

The way out of this situation is to plant plants in containers, which are placed on the site during the warm season and put away in an unheated room for the winter. The same rule applies to coniferous bonsai.

Each plant variety requires a certain volume of soil, which must be taken into account when planting in containers. Dwarf and creeping species of conifers feel good in a limited space. Moreover, the larger the plant, the more spacious the container is chosen.

The advantage of such gardens is that the design can be updated over time simply by changing the arrangement.

For landscape design, the use of coniferous plants will be an excellent option to diversify the design. In addition, such plantings are easy to care for and pleasing to the eye all year round. One or more types of evergreen plantings will transform a summer cottage, turning it into cozy place for relaxation.






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Compositions made of voluminous dark stone against the background of fragile trees, for example, cypress or thuja, look very impressive:

  • ​Many types of conifers are used in the design of a garden plot - thuja, juniper, spruce, cypress, pine, cedar. The conifers themselves, as mentioned above, are quite unpretentious plants. But when planting, you should pay attention to nearby trees and plants, as there are some that do not fit well with conifers. For example, if a bird cherry bush or a birch tree grows nearby, then this combination will not be very successful. In order for all plants to feel comfortable, the following rules of the neighborhood must be observed:
  • Conifers in summer cottages are very popular because of their unique features: they are unpretentious to various types of soil, tolerate different weather and climatic conditions, look great in single groups and are practically not susceptible to diseases when used in compositions. In addition to the chic appearance, coniferous decorations also have the following advantages:
  • The trunk of the plant has a straight shape, similar to a column.
  • The needles of this plant are blue in color;
  • ​Compliance with the rules described above helps to create an original ensemble of plants that will delight your eye. At the same time, harmony and integrity in the landscape design will be maintained.​
  • ​Lawns are the preferred backdrop for conifer-type plants.​

​. Its peculiarity is the mandatory requirement of a flat, flat surface for planting. In its creation, 3-4 types of junipers are used, for example, molded Virginia, Prince of Wales, Andorra Compact;​

​The bark is chosen as decor for a flowerbed of coniferous trees.​

  • ​Selection of coniferous plants;​
  • ​Coniferous plants are used as landscaping for alleys, backstage, personal plots. Conifers have a number of advantages over other plants.​
  • ​With the help of coniferous plants on a small landscape area you can create a mini-park in English or French styles. To do this, it is important to create different geometric shapes of plants that would harmoniously combine in the landscape. The spherical shapes of shrubs in combination with conical or columnar shapes of cypress or thuja in landscape design will create the atmosphere of English or French parks:​
  • ​you need to take into account climatic features: cypress will not grow in cold climates;​
  • ​Fill the surrounding air with phytoncides and oxygen​

This coniferous tree is considered absolutely not whimsical. This fact explains its enormous popularity. This pine can be pinched every year to prevent such rapid growth.​

​This representative of the coniferous flora can grow up to 3 meters in height.​

  • ​If there are many shades and colors, then you need to take care of their compatibility in advance.​
  • ​An original composition can be achieved if you plant coniferous plants near weeping deciduous flora near a pond.​
  • ​Forest style flowerbed​
  • ​By following these principles, you can avoid many common mistakes made by amateur gardeners. For example, plants are planted without taking into account their ability to grow further and at too close a distance from each other. In the future, this leads to the fact that some of them grow quite quickly, blocking access sunlight other plants and even the residential building itself. As a result, disharmony in the size of plants becomes noticeable, and general view flower beds lose their original charm.​
  • ​Design of a flowerbed of coniferous plants;​
  • ​Advantages of a flower bed made of coniferous plants:​

​They will look very original flowering shrubs, alternating with evergreen plantings, which will help maintain the attractive appearance of the site in different seasons, even when the inflorescences and leaves fall:​

Almost all conifers cannot tolerate proximity to larch;

​Perform a windproof function​

​If you prefer medium-sized plants for your garden, then pay attention to Konica spruce. This is a slow growing tree extraordinary beauty. It is quite branchy. This spruce is especially popular among landscape designers.​

​This type of conifer is very popular in landscape design.​

  1. ​When creating a composition of coniferous plants, it is also important to take into account the growth of the plant in adulthood so that the harmony of the garden design is not disturbed. At the same time, it is necessary to predict the state of the plant crown. To protect yourself from the possibility of getting wild thickets of conifers in the future, you need to pay attention to the recommendations of specialists and nurseries regarding the growth characteristics of the plant and the shape of its crown, as in the photo. Landscape design experts recommend planting conifers oriented to the west or east , this solution is considered very effective by designers.​
  2. ​. Allows you to create the impression of a natural landscape. Ideal for such a natural flower bed rock juniper and mountain pine, as well as Canadian and common spruce.​ ​Pine, spruce, fir or juniper are chosen as the basis of a conifer flower bed. Shrubs combined with conifers are rhododendrons, barberries, heather, spirea, erica, and boxwood. Perennial herbaceous plants such as cereals and ferns are also suitable for the composition. As ground cover plants, forming the background of the flower bed, choose phlox, thyme, bryozoan, creeping tenacious, sedum. The photo illustrates the combination of plants in flower beds with conifers better than any descriptions.​
  3. ​Preparation of soil for a flower bed;​ The main advantage of a flower bed with conifers is its evergreen appearance at any time of the year. Just look at the photo of a flower bed of coniferous plants to be convinced of the correctness of this postulate;​
  4. ​A miniature forest, where conifers get along well with plants of other species, is another extraordinary way of landscape design. In this case, it is better to plant evergreen plants in tiers, alternating light and dark shades of needles, round and pyramidal crowns. -this will emphasize the peculiar rhythm of the design: Thuja “loves” to grow next to the spruce;

Video: coniferous plants for alpine slides

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Conifers in landscape design: photos

The use of conifers in site design

​Good noise absorption and protection from dust​

​You can add a compact yew berry to your garden. It has thick needles, and therefore it will blend perfectly with the green lawn.​

​The huge Hoopsie spruce grows up to 15 meters in height;​

​Let's start reviewing possible options coniferous plants for use in landscape design.​

  • ​It’s great to combine coniferous plants with cereals or foliage plants. Lilies are also ideal for the composition.​

Coniferous plants: how to grow them correctly in your garden?

​The only fact that can undoubtedly be upsetting when looking at an autumn or winter garden is the lack of green leaves. Green color inspires, pleases, gives a feeling of calm and fullness of life. If you want to enjoy a green garden all year round, consider coniferous evergreens. They will be a salvation from the gray everyday life in a garden without leaves on the trees.​

​When preparing the soil for a flower bed, it should be taken into account that the peculiarity of coniferous plants is their unpretentiousness and ability to take root in any soil. Still, it would be wiser to take care of the soil in advance and mix the leaf or ground turf, adding peat and sand. Special mixtures for coniferous trees, sold in gardening stores, are also useful.​

  1. ​Planting of coniferous plants themselves.​
  2. ​Availability of developing a flowerbed design and subsequent preparation for planting;​
  3. ​Tall coniferous trees (spruce, larch, cedar) with spreading crowns create good shade. Therefore, if the site has small area, it is better to plant them near fences:
  4. ​It is undesirable to plant cedars and pines, fir and spruce trees nearby.​
  5. ​Create a unique microclimate around the house​
  6. There are also varieties of low-growing and creeping conifers that can also complement the harmony of your garden. If you have chosen creeping plant, you must carefully measure the place for planting it, since it needs a lot of space to develop and grow. Unusually beautiful Spruce Lombers. This plant is short and has thick needles of an emerald hue, as in the photo.​

​This coniferous plant has dense silver-blue needles.​

​Do you want large coniferous trees that will enhance the design of your garden? Then pay attention to the western thuja.​

When combining conifers and rose bushes, care must be taken: thuja and other conifers tend to acidify the soil, which is undoubtedly bad for roses. For an example of a composition of conifers, see the photo.​

  1. ​Conifers in landscape design​
  2. ​Pits for plants are dug approximately 60-70 cm deep and lined with prepared soil mixtures. Pebbles are used as drainage. After planting coniferous plants, it is necessary to compact the soil and mulch. If necessary, you can add an additional layer of soil.​
  3. ​Despite the rich selection of coniferous plants, in landscape design there are common principles for forming a flower bed from conifers.​

​Ease and simplicity in caring for a flower bed with conifers;​

​Many varieties of thuja and cypress, due to their shape and fairly dense crown, can serve as a hedge:​

​The right combination of species is the key to the health and long-term beauty of plants.​

What conifers can be placed in the garden?

​Humidify the air and fill it with pine aroma​

Thuja occidentalis

​K low-growing conifers This also applies to the western thuja Tiny Tim, which loves illuminated places. She does not need abundant watering. This plant is similar in shape to a ball.​

  1. ​The Mediterranean representative of coniferous plants has a spherical, slightly twisted shape.​
  2. ​Such a plant can be about 5 meters in height.​
  3. Coniferous plants in the design of a gravel garden
  4. The use of coniferous plants in landscape design is associated with some peculiarities of the life activity of these plants. In this article we will try to figure out what needs to be done in order to add an evergreen palette to your landscape.​

​The design of a flower bed of coniferous plants usually involves 12 design options. Every gardener, whether amateur or professional, can develop his own composition. But before starting this, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with their main types.​

​Principles of coniferous flowerbed design:​

  • Possibility of preserving plantings in a flower bed for several years. Coniferous plants are predominantly perennial plants and do not require annual updating;​
  • ​or serve as a frame for park alleys:​

El Hupsi

​It is best to start planting conifers in late spring, from the third ten days of April to the first ten days of May. The plant is still “sleeping”, active growth has not yet begun, and this means that the plant will tolerate transportation and planting to a new location well. You should dig a hole of a suitable size for the root system of the plant, then pour a layer of fertile soil and compact it well. Next, you need to place the seedling no deeper than the root and cover it with earth. After this, you need to ensure a regular and thorough watering regime, preventing the soil from drying out.​

  • In order for coniferous compositions to fit harmoniously into the landscape of the site, you need to follow certain rules for planting them. You can save a decent amount of money for the services of a specialist and plant the plants yourself, observing some important points:​
  • ​There are more interesting option coniferous plant that will harmoniously fit into the design alpine slide. This is a Hampi mountain pine, the peculiarity of which is its growth to the sides.​

Scots pine Watereri

​this plant is the Scots pine Watereri, which grows up to 4 meters in height;​

  • ​To make the thuja feel comfortable being part of your design, choose a shaded area for it.​
  • ​Coniferous representatives of the flora have a wide range of colors. If you need to combine plants into a single element in landscape design, then pay attention to the color of the needles in order to maintain the originality of the color scheme.​

Pine Pincus Sylvestris

​Compact​

  • ​Priority is given to low-growing and compact plants;​
  • ​Saving material costs for creating a flower bed and caring for it;​

​If the site is located on a slope, the most practical and original solution It will be designed in the form of a cascade of terraces arranged in tiers. At the lower level you can place juniper bushes or dwarf pine trees. Neatly trimmed bushes in combination with other plants will become an excellent decoration for terraces.​

El Konika

Thujas ready for planting in the ground

Berry yew

​Against the backdrop of a neat lawn, conifers look best.​

Spruce Lumbers

​The low-growing coniferous representatives of your design must be properly cared for. Such plants will become great addition to design a garden in Japanese style. To do this, designers often combine low and medium-sized plants in compositions.​

Tuya Teeny Tim

Mountain pine Hampi

​Thuja occidentalis can be trimmed to give it a unique shape.​

​The rules for observing color are as follows:​

​2.10 mountain pine Hampi​

​. In this scheme, coastal juniper is planted in the foreground, and mountain pine and western thuja are placed in the middle of the flowerbed. The peculiarity of this composition is its small size, which allows it to be arranged along fences and thereby decorate them.​

​The game of contrast of shape and color is taken as a basis;​

​Saving time on maintaining the appearance of a flower bed of conifers at the proper level.​

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​Creeping bushes ground cover varieties juniper (Viltoni or Repanda), which are interspersed with other climbing and weaving shrubs, create the impression of artistic disorder and riot of nature. At the same time they serve as a good strengthening of slopes:

  • ​When designing an original ornamental garden on the site of a country house, preference is increasingly given to coniferous trees and shrubs. This is explained by the fact that evergreen plants retain their freshness and attractive appearance throughout the year and give the landscape a special “zest”. The crown of these plants is easy to cut and form various shaped compositions from it. In addition to decorative functions, conifers have healing properties: they fill the air with a special aroma and phytoncides.​
  • ​The distance to the composition of coniferous trees and shrubs from the most visible area of ​​the site should be approximately two times its height. In this case, the composition will look correct, aesthetically pleasing and will not disturb the proportions.​
  • Coniferous plants can also be combined with deciduous trees and shrubs. With this option, you can get entertaining compositions.​
  • ​What the Watereri pine looks like, look at the photo.​
  • ​The ideal option is to use this coniferous plant as a hedge.​

Distribution of conifers in the composition

​A composition of three elements should contain no more than two colors.​

  • The rules for planting coniferous plants are explained by their special life cycle. Landscape designers are well aware of these features. But if the cost of a landscape design specialist’s services is beyond your means, don’t despair. You can learn the rules for planting conifers yourself, so that later you can elegantly decorate your site with the help of these plants.​
  • ​Big​
  • Slow-growing dwarf conifers are planted against the background of ground cover plants;
  • ​The choice has been made, it’s time to start forming a flowerbed of conifers. This process consists of several stages.​

​To create cozy courtyards – patios – you can use container gardening with conifers. This kind decorative design very convenient, practical and indispensable for a small area:​

Combination of coniferous plants with others

​In landscape design, when using evergreens, it is important to take into account their growth, the shape of the foliage, and the color palette in order to avoid monotony of the area. Coniferous trees and shrubs add new shades and colors to the landscape, creating a warm, slightly fabulous and conducive to philosophical reflection atmosphere of a decorative garden.​

  • Coniferous compositions look good near garden ponds. Most often they are combined with various deciduous trees to obtain an original ensemble.​
  • Coniferous plants can be used to create a mixborder. You choose its location yourself, taking into account your own vision of the site design. You can safely surrender to the will of your own imagination, without being the least bit afraid for the result obtained. If you add a little of your own personality to the landscape with your solutions, your design is guaranteed to be unique in its own way. It is better to plant plants starting from the edge of the mixborder: first tall conifers, after them - lower and lower in size. This curvature will help emphasize the naturalness of the design, for example, as in the photo.​
  • ​Do you want to get a real giant in your garden? Then Pincus Sylvestris pine is what you were looking for.​
  • ​Properly designed coniferous jungle​

​If there are five elements, then the composition can have a maximum of three different colors.​

Rules for planting coniferous plants in the ground

So, the basic rules by which conifers are planted include the following:

​. The flowerbed is ideal for spaces large sizes and is usually placed in areas adjacent to fences. In this composition, 2 varieties of common juniper are planted along the fence, and in front of them is a western thuja, on its sides there are junipers, in the middle there is mountain pine, barberry and again juniper, but now scaly, and then along the edge - horizontal juniper of 2 species;​

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​A lawn and an alpine slide serve as the base for the flower bed;​

​Arranging a flower bed of coniferous plants:​

- patios located on several tiers of terraces look impressive. In this option, coniferous plants can delimit these zones: it is best to place tall trees on the upper level, and dwarf thuja species or creeping shrubs on the lower level:

Evergreen spruce looks impressive at any time of the year. Decorative properties, fairly simple care, a variety of shades, crown shapes and varieties, attractiveness both in single and group plantings - all this attracts designers. And, of course, what would the New Year holidays be without a fluffy beauty - glauka planted near the house will perfectly cope with the role Christmas tree, you can often see photos where a street tree becomes the center of a New Year's celebration.

There is a prejudice that spruce is not a place near the house; some even call it a “cemetery” tree. In addition, it is generally accepted that spruce is a female tree, and if it is planted near a house, it “survives” men. In fact, the symbol of spruce is immortality and eternal life. Among the Slavs, spruce trees were protected from evil spirits, and that is why they were planted in the cemetery - it was believed that the low, spreading branches “sealed” evil spirits in the ground. So spruce trees planted in a row near the house can be considered reliable protection from evil forces.

Spruce and its varieties

Norway spruce is a “native” inhabitant of our forests; it is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown that can grow up to 50 m. It prefers fertile, loamy, sandy loam, slightly moist (but without stagnant water) soils. It does not tolerate smoke and gas pollution well, so Norway spruce is rarely planted in the city; suburban areas are more suitable for it.

Serbian spruce - or Bulgarian spruce, is more attractive than common spruce - it has more decorative, bluish-green needles and purple-brown cones. But the main thing is that it adapts perfectly to polluted city air. Serbian spruce is shade-tolerant and can grow on calcareous and acidic soils. This is one of the most fast growing species, is distinguished by a narrow cone-shaped (less often columnar) crown.

Among other popular spruce species, we note:

Akron - grows as a bush or in the shape of an irregular cone. Growth is average, up to 8 cm in height and 10 cm in width, but an adult acron rarely grows above 3-4 m, a ten-year-old specimen is usually no higher than 1.5 m. Young needles are bright green, but over time very it gets very dark. Branches – hanging, arched, raised. Acron becomes especially decorative with the appearance of cones, which grow at the ends of the shoots in large numbers and have a very impressive, rich burgundy or bright red (depending on the light level) tint in the spring.

inverse – a spruce with a weeping crown, if the trunk is not initially secured to a support, does not grow higher than 0.5 meters, the branches will spread along the ground, annually adding 25-40 cm in length. In cultivation, the height is regulated - if the trunk is systematically tied up, inversion can reach 6-7 meters in height

nidiformis - refers to dwarf species. An adult nidiformis does not grow higher than 1 m, while the crown (with densely spaced branches, spherical or nest-shaped) can be up to 2 m in diameter. The shoots are bright green in color, the annual growth is 3-5 cm. They are actively used for mass plantings in groups or creating borders, and in rock gardens

Karelian – another dwarf spruce species, does not grow higher than 1 m, the crown is cushion-shaped, up to 1.5 meters in diameter. Light-loving, but tolerates partial shade well. Karel adapts well to city conditions

Blue spruce: queen of conifers

Blue spruce (another name is prickly spruce) and derivative varieties are most often found in landscape gardening. A tree with a cone-shaped crown can reach a height of up to 40 m. In nature, it grows along the banks of rivers and streams; planting is carried out in well-moistened places, but the water should not stagnate. Calcareous and dry soils are not suitable. Preferably in well-lit places; it develops well in the shade, but the color of the needles and their density may be partially lost. Adapts well to urban conditions and easily tolerates gas pollution.

But at the same time, young prickly spruce will require attention - care consists, first of all, of regular watering (and even spraying) in the summer. For the winter, it is better to tie the branches to the trunk - snow accumulating on dense needles can simply break them. In winter, prickly spruce can get burned (especially problematic in the southern direction) due to bright sunlight, so it is better to wrap the young seedling in cotton cloth (non-woven fabric).

Thanks to active selection, prickly spruce has many varieties, the most popular:

glauca (Glauca) - or gray, with a cone-shaped, very dense crown, with gray-blue needles, distinguished by more flexible, less prickly and denser-growing needles. The older the tree, the richer the color of the needles becomes. Glauka grows faster than prickly spruce; in a year it can “stretch” up to 1.5 meters. Shade-tolerant, withstands molding and cutting well, therefore it is often used for hedges.

globoza (Glauca globosa) - a miniature form of Glauka, refers to dwarfs, grows slowly (annual growth no more than 10 cm), not growing above 2 m. The crown is spherical or irregular, can have several trunks at once. Globoza attracts with its needles - very bright, blue in color, easily tolerates pruning

spruce hoopsie – has the most brightly colored needles, a festive silver-blue, very rich shade. Sometimes it may even seem that the hoopsie is simply artificial, its needles are so bright. The variety is fast-growing (can reach a height of 11-15 m), not demanding on soil, and light-loving.

Spruce trees in landscape design (photo): a variety of options

The choice of a specific type of spruce for planting is largely determined by the size of the plot. For large open spaces, common spruce, Serbian spruce or prickly spruce are suitable - tall beauties, planted in a group (3-4 plants), they will become the dominant feature of the site, acting as a counterweight to the volume of the house. For small areas, medium-sized and dwarf specimens are more suitable.

Unusual growth forms coniferous shrubs and trees, contrasts of textures and shades of pine needles - not every gardener would want to create such a garden, but it 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 coloring of the needles big role plays - in the composition you need to get a harmonious combination of different habits.

When choosing coniferous plants, it is important to know and take into account their growth rate and the expected size of an adult specimen. Many coniferous plants are well trimmed, so they can be easily shaped into pyramids, columns, balls, even spirals.

Composition of coniferous plants in blue tones

The largest plant of this coniferous composition is pine. common variety Waterery, height and diameter 2-2.5 m, with hard and short bluish-gray needles. In front of her is a pyramid-shaped specimen of a slow-growing, very frost-resistant Korean pine pine variety Silveray. Its long needles have a silver-blue tint. In the corner of the composition are three Cossack junipers of the Tamariscifolia variety, low-growing, fast-growing shrubs with horizontally located branches, with needle-shaped needles of a bluish tint. To the left are two slow-growing dwarf hemlocks of the Jeddeloh variety with spirally arranged branches and a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush.

The composition contains several dwarf western thujas of two varieties - spherical Globosa with green needles and “egg-shaped” Selena with light green needles. The space between the coniferous plants is covered with a layer of decorative mulch made from fir cones ground in a blender, about 10 cm thick. The coniferous composition does not require any maintenance. If after a few years the Cossack junipers grow excessively, they should be trimmed.

1 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Globosa;
2 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Selena;
3 — Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), variety Silveray;
4 — ;
5 — Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), variety Tamariscifolia;
6 – Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), variety Waterery

Some gardeners, not familiar with the modern assortment of coniferous plants, consider them boring, “one color in winter and summer.” Over the past decades, there has been a real revolution in the selection of conifers; now the variety of varieties in terms of size and shape of the crown, color and texture of 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 incredibly large.

is a great opportunity to showcase your collection of curiosities. The choice of certain coniferous plants depends both on environmental conditions and on the idea of ​​the composition. Spruce, fir, microbiota, and some junipers grow well in partial shade. For a sunny place, light-loving coniferous species are perfect, for example, varieties of pine, blue spruce and junipers. A properly “designed” conifer garden will never seem monotonous.

Features of cultivation

Spring. Hemlock branches can sometimes freeze a little or dry out: in the spring they need to 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; to avoid damping off, never cover the root collar with mulch. Ball-shaped conifers retain their shape well at a young age; sometimes, with age, some of them shoot out individual elongated shoots that break out of their clear geometric shape; they need to be pruned in early spring.

Pines have a special biology of shoot growth. Young candle shoots appear at the end of May and grow quickly, at first the shoots are still without needles; they will develop later. If you need to limit the size of the pine tree or make the crown more dense, these candles are pinched while they are still soft and green. In this case, the plant will be well formed, the shoots will ripen by winter and form normal growth the next year.

Summer. At the beginning of summer, cones appear on the cedar pine. Cossack juniper variety Tamariscifolia grows very quickly, after a few years it will need pruning to keep it within limits. At the end of spring or early summer, powerful prostrate shoots that have outgrown the area allocated to them are pruned with pruning shears.

Autumn. Thuja Globosa needles, green in summer, turn brown or turn gray green. It is advisable to shake off wet and heavy snow so that the branches do not break. If there is no such possibility or desire, you need a harness against snowfall and snow breaker, especially where there are snowy winters with heavy snowfalls.

Winter. The silhouettes of many conifers are especially clearly visible in winter. It is conifers that create the structure of the garden in winter and give it color; at this time of year their shape and color are especially visible and important.

Western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), Globosa variety

Height and diameter 1 m

The shape of the crown is round, the needles are green in summer, turning brown in autumn.

Decorative all year round

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh_

Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm

Spirally arranged branches, a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush. Decorative all year round

Western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Selena

Height 80, diameter 50 cm

Spherical shape, light green, almost pistachio-like needles. Decorative all year round

Korean pine pine (Pinus koraiensis), Silveray variety

Height 1.5 m

Long silver-blue needles

Decorative all year round

Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), variety Tamariscifolia

Height 40-50 cm

Horizontally located branches, needle-shaped needles with a bluish tint. Decorative all year round

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), variety Waterery

Height and diameter 2-2.5 m

Stiff and short bluish-gray needles

Decorative all year round

The Hoopsi spiny 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 it a beautiful thuja is planted western varieties Smaragdc with a narrow cone-shaped crown. Its shoots are green in both summer and winter. Four specimens of the slow-growing mountain pine Mops, spherical in shape with dark green, very short needles, were planted between the Hoopsi spruce and the Smaragd thuja. Mountain pine Winter Gold is another dwarf, slow-growing spherical form with magnificent needle color; in the Moscow region it turns yellow during the first frosts in September-October and returns its green color in the first ten days of May. Black spruce Nana is unusually graceful, its rounded crown with light bluish-green needles does not exceed 50 cm in height. The extremely slow-growing balsam fir Nana has thick, dark green needles. Dwarf hemlocks JeddelohT Cwe grow extremely slowly.

1 — ;
2 — prickly spruce (Picea pungens), variety Hoopsi;
3 — mountain pine (Pinus mugo), variety Winter Gold;
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), variety Smaragd

Any mulch does a lot useful functions- prevents the growth of weeds, creates favorable conditions for root growth, worms quickly settle under it, improving the soil structure. Not all mulch is decorative; correctly selected mulch will greatly enhance 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. Whole small cones also look impressive as mulch. Gravel of small fractions looks beautiful as mulch; if desired, you can also use completely exotic materials, for example, glass beads or small fragments.

Features of cultivation

Spring. For some coniferous plants, especially dwarf pines, regular cleaning of the crown from dry branches and fallen needles is necessary; it is advisable to do this every year or at least every other year. If necessary, update or add a layer of mulch; this will have to be done every 2-3 years; we do this carefully, without filling the root collars of the plants, which can lead to damping off. At the end of May, numerous young candle shoots appear on mountain pines. If you pinch them, the shape of the crown will be even clearer. Some varietal conifers with a clear geometric shape sometimes suddenly produce shoots that escape from the crown; this is easy to correct with pruning shears or shrub shears. After the end of spring frosts, the needles of the mountain pine variety Winter Gold change color and turn into delicate light green tones.

Summer. The composition does not require any maintenance. Just admire it!

Autumn. Mountain pine variety Winter Gold changes color in late autumn and becomes golden yellow, remaining that way until spring.

Winter. Dwarf coniferous plants are under the snow, the bright green thuja occidentalis Smaragd, 2-3 m high, and the bluish-white spruce Hoopsi are towering and delightful with color.

Black spruce (Picea nigra), variety Nana

Height 50 cm

Rounded crown with light bluish-green needles

Decorative all year round

Balsam fir (Abies balsamea), variety Nana

Height 50 cm, an adult plant has a diameter of 2 m

Dense dark green needles

Decorative all year round

Prickly spruce (Picea pungens), variety 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), Winter Gold variety

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 ten days of May.

Decorative all year round

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh

Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm

Spirally arranged branches, a funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush.

Decorative all year round

Mountain pine (Pinus mugo), Mops variety

spherical shape, height and diameter 1-1.2 m.

Dark green, very short needles. Decorative all year round

Western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Smaragd

Height 2-3 m

Narrow cone-shaped crown, green needles

Decorative all year round

Slow-growing plants were planted along the blind area of ​​the house. dwarf varieties coniferous species - Canadian hemlock Jeddeloh, shaped like a hemisphere with a funnel-shaped depression in the center; spherical mountain pine Mini Mops and thuja western Danica; rounded graceful black spruce Nana with light bluish-green needles.

In the second row from the blind area, specimens of horizontal juniper are planted: this is a creeping shrub pressed to the ground with long branches covered with bluish-green needles. Behind it is the variegated Vinca minor, an evergreen perennial with long creeping shoots. Its glossy, bright green leaves have numerous golden-yellow spots. The leathery leaves contrast effectively with the foliage of conifers. Ground cover roses were planted along the front edge of the composition along the path; the Cordesa Cubana variety with apricot-colored flowers was used, blooming throughout the season

Ground cover roses look very harmonious next to conifers. Small needles of various shades of green contrast wonderfully in shape with the shiny foliage of periwinkle and roses.

1 - Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh;
2 — mountain pine (Pinus mugo), Mini Mops variety;
3 — western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), variety Danica;
4 — black spruce (Picea nigra), variety Nana;
5 — periwinkle (Vinca minor), variety Aureovariegata;
6 — horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis);
7 - Ground cover rosa, Cubana variety

IN recent years varieties of ground cover roses appeared with long flowering right up to frost. These roses are winter-hardy and require light shelter. Not only are their flowers decorative and elegant, the overall impression is very pleasant; many of them form a dense carpet of shiny foliage with numerous flowers. Ground cover roses differ in the type of growth of shoots and the height of the bush; they can be from 30 cm to 1 m in height, and can be spreading, occupying an area of ​​several square meters, or very compact.

Features of cultivation

Spring. If necessary, update the mulch layer; this will have to be done every 2-3 years. For dwarf conifers, especially pines, regular cleaning of the crown from dry branches and fallen needles is necessary; it is advisable to do this every year or at least every other year. Mountain pines produce young candle shoots in large quantities. In principle, pinching is not an urgent necessity for dwarf pines; they can do without it, but if you want to make the crown denser and the composition ideal, do not reject this operation. Pinch the pine candles while they are still soft and green, don't worry, the shoots will ripen by winter and form normal growth next year. If you start pinching, this will need to be done annually.

In May, only after the ground has completely thawed, remove the light cover from the ground cover roses and give them nitrogen fertilizing. Before planting ground cover roses, it is necessary to carefully weed out perennial weeds, otherwise you will have to weed them out under the thorny shoots; To protect plantings from annual weeds, it is advisable to cover the soil under them with black non-woven material. Ground cover roses are unpretentious, but still need care: like all roses, they need fertilizing and protection from pests and diseases.

Summer. It may be necessary to limit the growth of horizontal juniper and periwinkle shoots. Rose Cubana is interesting because of its color variability; its flowers are initially apricot-pink, but as they bloom they lighten and become pale pink. The saturation of pink tones changes; the bush simultaneously contains yellow, pink and orange flowers. The bushes are spreading, branched, the height and width of the bush are 50-60 cm.

It is necessary to feed roses during budding before flowering, this feeding is carried out with complex mineral fertilizer or infusion of manure, green fertilizer works well, it is best made from fermented nettles. Be sure to feed roses after the first wave of flowering; this is also done with complex mineral fertilizer, infusion of manure or green fertilizer made from fermented nettles.

Autumn. The dense needles of the globular thuja Danica, green and shiny in summer, turn brownish-green in late autumn. Feeding roses in early September is important 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 - good protection, but so-called “black” frosts occur while there is no snow yet.

Winter. We are waiting for spring.

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety 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), variety Nana

Height 50 cm. Rounded crown with light bluish-green needles. Decorative all year round

Lesser 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

Western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), Danica variety

Height 0.6 m, crown diameter 1 m Globular dwarf shape

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, Cubana variety

Bush height 30-40 cm, width 70-90 cm. Dark green glossy foliage; the flowers are at first apricot-pink, then lighten and become pale pink; the bush has yellow, pink and orange flowers at the same time.

Decorative all season

Weeping larch with ground cover plants

In the center of the composition, which has a square plan, there is a weeping European larch on a 2.5 m high trunk. The 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 trimmed and can be used to form various geometric shapes. 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 quickly, reaching adult size in 3-4 years. Surprisingly beautiful during flowering, when the branches are densely covered with purple or purple flowers. A clump of low-grade bergenia Belvederc with small (4-6 cm) leathery leaves and white flowers is planted in the third corner. The creeping shoots of cotoneaster are a horizontal, rapidly growing shrub with dark green small leathery leaves, pressed to the ground.

1 - horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis);
2 - horizontal cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis);
3 — European weeping larch (Larix decidua), variety Pendula;
4 — heart-leaved bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia), variety Belveder;
5 - purple broom (Chamaecytisus purpureus)

So, if you are just planning to plant every available piece of land with plants, take a break from the passionate contemplation of catalogs. Draw a plan for the garden, including all the large shrubs and trees. As a last resort, of course, you can transplant them, but this is very problematic, so it is better to leave the large ones in place and deal only with their surroundings.

To avoid forgetting a plant, write a detailed list of everything you have and what you still want to buy. First, distribute the available options, and only then try to find worthy places for new products. You may have to discard some species that just don't fit. It's okay - there is always the opportunity to exchange with friends for something suitable.

The task of arranging plants will be greatly simplified by ready-made “sweet couples” - miniature compositions that are used as independent additions to shrubs and conifers and as inclusions in flower bed arrays.

Sweet couples

Harmonious compositions from a small number of plants (up to 3-4) are selected on the same principles as flower beds that are more capacious in composition.

Firstly, these are win-win options based on harmonious color combination, for example pink and gold. Yes, golden yellow thuja western Rheingold and hot pink phlox subulate can easily fit into a larger flower garden by adding dove-blue tones in the form of a creeping juniper horizontal Blue Chip or several compact bushes gray fescue and green-yellow flowers winged tobacco, or white-flowered varieties astilbe. By the way, the latter will bloom after the phlox has faded and will color scheme more calm and emphasizing yellow thuja, sunny. Similar combinations in the fall will give various varieties heather, for example, deep pink flowers Dark Star And yellow leaves with white flowers Gold Haze. Throughout the season, the pink and yellow couple from decorative strawberries Pink Panda And Japanese spirea Golden Princess, which are an excellent option for a low border.

“Gzhel” white and blue compositions are characteristic of “twos” from Saxifraga Arends And forget-me-nots, pearl anafalis And sandy grate, Carpathian bellflower or oak sage(varieties with white and blue flowers), phlox splayed and white varieties tulips. Orange also goes well with blue and blue. Use this palette when combining orange and yellow dahlias and blue-violet verbena or lilac “stars” bush asters with sunflowers.

Reds roses look elegant with yellow and lemon lilies and white gypsophila. Plant raspberry phlox next to soft bread, and in a border of scarlet flowers begonias plant blue fescue. The trellis with alternating lashes of velvet red ( Westerplatte) and snow-white ( Madame Le Coultre) varieties of clematis or climbing roses (scarlet Flammentanz and white-pinkish New Down).

Finally, yellow will effectively highlight blue, purple, next to light green and green it will create a soft play of color based on halftones, and with red it will look bright and festive. The lilac phlox “Success” and rudbeckia brillianti with yellow-brown saucers of flowers. They can be placed on the east side of the house next to fern"Ostrich Feather" and cinquefoil bush or next to the fence enclosing the garden area. In this case, plant sunflowers near the middle height of the fence, and near the high one - beans"Fire beans" or clematis.

Leaves barberry Thunberg Ayrea in the form of yellow droplets covering arched branches with red berries appearing in the second half of summer will look intriguing next to the purple-leaved form of the same type of barberry. At the foot of the pair, you can plant thyme blooming with lilac flowers, both with lemon and green leaves.

Secondly, plants that match each other in theme: forest plants ( aruncus dioecious And swimsuit), marsh species ( Siberian iris, yellow daylily), inhabitants of fields and meadows ( knapweed And daisy), plants for a bright flower garden ( phlox paniculata And monarda). Thematic pairs can be diluted with other plants, because we are creating a garden, not a botanical storeroom. So to the plants of the forest corner (ferns, bath, lily of the valley, heathers) you can add some decorative species, for example hosts, reminiscent of moss and the magnificently blooming Arends saxifrage, pleasing in the spring checkerboard hazel grouse, and also physiostegia and astilbe. To the swamp settlers, plant columbine and yellow cornflower, fern and creeping tenacious. IN bright flower garden you can plant a border from marigolds, calendula or Phlox Drummond. The listed types are easily combined with each other and look great all together.

Thirdly, you can play on the difference in the shape and color of the leaves. Such “twos” in a calm color scheme are easy to fit into any corner of the garden, but they look especially organic near a pond or a decorative garden swamp. A striking example This group includes the soft lime green of openwork fern leaves, the graphic, strict lines of swamp iris and the soft silvery velvet of woolly iris.

Having combined some of the plants into small groups, think about where they can be planted. Here, first of all, it is necessary to take into account lighting preferences.

Sunny flower beds

In bright sun, many plants do well. They have enough light and warmth, and they bloom well, but this is absolutely not the place for lovers of partial shade - buzulnikov, tradescantia, ferns, some varieties of phlox with fading flowers and many others that love diffused sunlight.

They can be planted in places where the sun is in the first or second half of the day, and at noon it is hidden behind some building or tree. Decorative leaf varieties of barberries, spirea, white dogwood, viburnum leaf and, of course, roses will show themselves in all their glory in the sun.

Provide windswept places for low compositions. Drop me off in the background sedum prominent Matron And Spiraea japonica Goldflame, put marigolds in the second tier and a row of cineraria, plant in the foreground Houston's ageratum and a short, variegated hosta variety. It is appropriate to place a large stone of a neutral gray or beige color nearby.

If you still have various discreet meadow and garden plants, then think about a flower garden in the English style. So that it does not become just a hodgepodge, but resembles a piece of a flowering meadow, in its third and second rows, among cornflower, priest, crowded bells and peach leaf, all kinds cereals And Echinops, physiostegia, planted inclusions mullein, knotweed, Chinese astilbe. And you can use bushes as edging hyssop, cuff, Fassin's catnip And blue fescue.

Rocky hills and rockeries are also arranged in open sunny places. Not only the usual alpine plants look great here, but also numerous low-growing and creeping forms of conifers, such as junipers. You can plant them next to thyme, saxifrage, decorative forms of sedums look original. For example, juniper scaly Blue Carpet surrounded sedum false Fuldaglut. From such pairs you can create a real collection.

Plants that love a sunny location usually require loose, fertile soil and moderate moisture. A controversial issue when planting together may be the acidity of the soil; in this case, focus on a species that is more capricious in this matter. For example, in the case of conifers and sedums, it is better to make the soil more acidic for the sake of coniferous plants - most sedums will put up with this “inconvenience”.

The sun is the best suitable place for arranging dry flower beds. It is not necessary to mulch the soil with gravel, lay stones and use alpine plants. It is enough to plant drought-resistant species: chicory, cereals, oregano, feverfew, Carpathian bell, Dianthus carnation, Fischer's carnation, Lychnis, shrubby cinquefoil, a collection of small-bulbous plants, the soil under which can be filled with low plants ( peg, sedums, cloves). Natural alpines will grow well here - made you look younger. Disembark from the pilots lavateru, marigolds, Houston's ageratum. What’s remarkable is that when there is a severe lack of moisture, drought-resistant species not only do not wither, but also bloom better, while on moist soils many of them become fatter, increasing their “mass.” Soil fertility is not important for these species; the main thing is a loose substrate and good drainage.

Shady flower beds

Shade in the garden can vary in density, and the more delicate it is, the richer the assortment. suitable plants. Light openwork from fruit trees allows you to plant even Arends saxifrage, which will have loose rosettes of leaves, but will bloom for a long time, and in pink and purple varieties the flowers will stop fading and retain their rich color. Plant it next to honeysuckle honeysuckle, it just needs shading of the lower part, and above - the play of sunlight breaking through the leaves of the trees will provide it with the necessary lighting. Suitable for such planting of the host, forget-me-not, brunnera, swimsuit and even sedum It seems that it is ready to bloom everywhere, although somewhat later than usual.

Shade is a wonderful place for hostas and conifers with green leaves. If there is a well in the shade, then you can plant common juniper next to it, and decorate the antenna pole with maiden grapes. Buzulniki, aconite, and forest plants grow well here: aruncus, rhubarb, and cornflower. For shady places They select a special lawn mixture, but it can be successfully replaced with perennials, which will better cope with the task of covering the area with a green carpet. During flowering, the white chrysanthemum will sparkle with small white speckles of flowers, while the green cherry will sparkle with yellow speckles. A dark green shiny carpet consisting of rounded plates of leaves tightly pressed against each other will create the European hoofed grass. Oddly enough, it is able to bloom even in the dark, but the flowering of the plant will go unnoticed unless you lift the leaves and look inside to see the amazing dark purple flowers. A perennial forest grass will cover the ground with a fairly high cover, up to 20 cm. Its flowering in early spring with yellowish-greenish panicles looks good next to the fern, which at this time unwinds its large light green snails of leaves.

In semi-shaded places, primroses are more relevant than anywhere else. This Jeffersonia And sanguinaria, scilla, liverwort, hellebores, lilies of the valley. Also suitable for early flowering garden plants podophyllum, which, however, is valued for its beautiful large leaves. Rogersia firmly took its position in shady flower beds, and appeared on sale spectacular variety with deep pink flowers. Plant moonflower in forest corners. Here he will amaze with his delicate flowers, which during the fruiting period will turn into translucent ovals used as dried flowers.

Aruncus and Arends astilbes are good in joint landing in rounded groups planted along winding shady paths. Arunkus will fade just in time for the flowering of its companions, and the similarity in the shape of the leaves and panicles of the inflorescences of these species will create the feeling that the flowering has not stopped, but has simply changed in height.

In light partial shade, various varieties of aquilegia will delight you with abundant flowering; here you can create a collection of mountain weeds and hostas, brunners with differently colored leaves and lungworts.

When preparing a place for planting, remember that all shade-loving plants love fertile soil, kept moist, but without stagnation of water.

Play a special role in the garden woody plants. They are difficult to move from place to place, so errors during planting will have to be corrected by replanting them with a herbaceous group of plants. If you have not yet had time to plant shrubs and trees, then take into account the experience described and carefully consider the location of their location.

Roses in the garden

Roses are always a separate subject for conversation: because they are expensive, they have a capricious disposition, but most importantly - because of the frequent incorrect landings roses in the garden. Roses do not look good in flowerbeds of assorted annuals, in forest corners with ferns, buzulniks and other similar plants, or on meadow herbs next to bell-shaped daisies. The rose is an aristocratic flower, and it has a place corresponding to this rank. You can make a small rose garden from flowerbed roses by placing the plantings near the house. It is better to surround the rose garden with a low border made of natural stone or, if the groundwater is high, raise the area by laying out the resulting walls natural stone or brick. The shape can be absolutely any, depending on your desire.

Climbing roses are planted next to forged arches located along the path at a distance of 2-3 meters from each other. It is better if the path is winding. For arched planting, you can choose roses of the same variety or different ones, placing them at opposite ends of each arch or alternating varieties, choosing a different one for each arch.

If roses are intended to decorate the wall of a building or are included in a composition near a large trellis, for example with clematis, then in the first case a strong support of stretched twines is arranged for them, and in the second case you can get by with metal arcs (as for vegetable film tunnels, but higher) . Roses go well with clematis, but in this case it is necessary to select varieties according to color scheme. Verified option - rose New Down And clematis Ville de Lyon. Plant gypsophila, lavatera or musky mallow.

Shrub roses look great in hedges and screens; they can hide a patio from prying eyes and surround a gazebo, or be used as a background for a composition with coniferous plants and low decorative-leaved shrubs.

Compositions with coniferous plants

They are thanks to the all-season decorative appearance have firmly taken their place in garden plots. Modern garden forms with original crown geometry, as well as variegated or yellow or dove-blue needles, make it possible not only to decorate the garden with original specimens, but also to create unusual “spiny” compositions.

When choosing a place for these plants, keep in mind that all conifers do not like replanting, although often the death of plants is caused not by some improper manipulations by the gardener, but by (even short-term) drying out of the root system. Also, the hot rays of the sun damage the needles in early spring, so most coniferous plants prefer partial shade. But if you have chosen decorative leaf varieties and forms, then it is better to plant them in well-lit places, where the color will appear fully. Take care of loose, well-drained soil and mulching around the tree trunks, which is especially important for creeping forms. If you have little experience in creating flower beds or do not have enough time to carefully select a location, use temporary planting (coniferous plants are purchased only in containers) of plants by digging containers into the soil.

In mixed flower beds, conifers should always be taller than perennials, otherwise they look unnatural. In the background, single plants look impressive, for example standard forms ( European larch Pendula), or species with a beautiful regular crown ( prickly spruce Hoopsii). If the background is supposed to be in the form of an array, then it is better to opt for a more spreading one cypress pea Boulevard. In the case when the entire group is built on tall conifers, prominent plants are chosen that draw attention to themselves. This role can be entrusted to a dark green pair - thuja occidentalis from the conical Smaragd varieties And varieties Spiralis with spirally twisted shoots creating a narrow, high cone. A group of sedum and a bush of paniculata phlox are planted nearby.

Low coniferous plants and creeping forms often complement heaths, arboretums and decorate slopes. They look great against the background of the lawn and among the stones. Phlox awl-shaped, crowberry, and small-bulbous plants will be worthy neighbors.

A composition consisting only of coniferous plants implies the absence of other species. The golden ball of thuja occidentalis looks great Golden Globe next to mountain pine var. pumilio and in the background dark green juniper cossack. In front of this group you can spread a dove-blue rug made of juniper scaly. Blue Star and plant a rounded dark green pad on the edge ate black Nana. If you like funny decorations, then add a cute frog or snail in green and yellow tones. If you live year-round at your summer cottage or simply don’t like flowering plants, giving preference to evergreen beauties, increase this coniferous composition to a size of 7x5 m. In a small-sized garden, it can become its only decoration, and it is worthy and undemanding in care. To do this, replace the scaly juniper with the same bluish-blue, but faster growing and spreading variety Blue Star, and the black spruce with a large cushion-nest common spruce Echiniformis. Finally add Canadian spruce Conica, which forms a beautiful regular cone.

Compositions with shrubs

Shrubs, usually already planted in the garden, can be supplemented with perennial plants quite simply. First, decide what is more important to you – vigorous simultaneous flowering or passing the baton from one plant to another. The task is simplified if the bush decorative leaves which are beautiful background throughout the season.

Bright colors are preferable at the entrance to the house. Here you can arrange a catchy composition, which is a replacement flower bed. To do this, plant hydrangea tree, plant a daylily with red flowers and a shrubby cinquefoil nearby, at the foot of the bush on the other side - astilbe Arends Fanal. The peak of decorativeness will be in mid-July. Another option is also suitable: tree hydrangea, Japanese spirea Anthony Waterer, Astilbe Arends Snowstar, white bouquets of terry Narcissus Cheerfulness, Primrose Julia. In this case, the flowering of the group will not be simultaneous and its timing will stretch from May to October.

Border plantings of Japanese spirea can be diluted with red lilies (Asian hybrids), and a row of hostas will benefit from pale yellow varieties of lilies. Early-blooming spirea, covered with a white foam of flowers and planted with white, pink, lilac and purple tulips, will correctly break the spring emptiness of the garden. In this case, do not plant scarlet and yellow tulips within sight - they will look out of place, and the white and lilac company will lose its elegant charm.

In the bushy wilds of the garden, as well as in the presence of hedges, perennials are diluted with tree plantings to give strict rows or groups a more sociable appearance. In this case, it is appropriate to plant large-caliber cereals ( miscanthus, grate) and perennials with discreet flowers (mordovnik, cottonweed, black cohosh). So, white derain with variegated yellow or white leaves makes an interesting background for manna, eryngium. If you place a garden lantern between them, the evening lighting will effectively emphasize the graphic lines of the leaves of the cereal.

Next to a contrasting pair of large shrubs, e.g. purple-leaved barberry(vesicle carp) and a variety of white tree with yellow-edged leaves, it is useful to place green spot, diluting such an aggressive color scheme. This spot can be an inconspicuous chinstrap, and to prevent it from looking like a clogged weed, plant aconite with blue-white flowers closer to the tree.

A similar option, but with a tree variety with white-green leaves and still young shrubs that have not reached the size of adult plants, will complement Veronica Koloskovaya with pink flowers and white-flowered liatris, as well as pearl anafalis and sandy grate. If you have space and want a foreground with low plants, add a purple variety heuchera, pinnate carnation. The entire composition can be planted along the path or as a group on the lawn.