IN last years, V landscape design Coniferous plants are becoming increasingly popular. They are often used to create, beautiful compositions and reliable for various areas. This is due to the excellent combination of conifers with foliage plants, stones, herbs, flowers, plus a variety of species, differences in shades, shapes and sizes, as well as a unique healing aroma that fills the air, and year-round decorativeness.
Compact coniferous composition in front of the house
Features of creating a rock garden from conifers in front of the house
A rockery is a gently sloping garden, the design of which uses stones, flowers, shrubs and, in some cases, dwarf trees. Basic principles for creating a rock garden in front of the house:
- lack of clearly defined tiers;
- to create a plot pattern, a combination of large stones with gravel is used;
- the basis of the plant composition is conifers, or rather them;
- When choosing plants, preference should be given to the most unpretentious representatives of coniferous species.
A simple composition of unpretentious conifers
It is customary to distinguish 3 main types of rockeries, depending on the flora characteristic of certain natural areas: European, English Japanese. The first one is usually decorated with plants that grow V middle lane . When creating an English rockery, the main emphasis is on the restraint of the composition; the main plants here are cereals, wormwood and some types of coniferous shrubs d. is predominance of stones, with a minimum amount of vegetation.
English
The landscape is complemented by steppe grasses
European
Composition of conifers in front of the house in the shade of a deciduous tree
Japanese
In this photo, conifers replace mosses, framing the path imitating a river, but it is not difficult to imagine spherical thujas in place of the mossy islands.
There are other types, but these are the most common, so to speak, classic. If you want to be original, for example, you can create a mobile rock garden, which will represent a fragment of a gently sloping garden placed in some kind of container. It could be something like a hollowed out tree or its imitation.
How to choose a place for a rockery with conifers
One of distinctive features The gentle slope of the garden from the alpine hill is that the former does not require abundant lighting. Therefore, when choosing a place for a rock garden, there should not be any particular difficulties. It will look harmonious near the gazebo or in front of the windows of the house, near a decorative pond.
It is important that the site is level, even if it is on a slope; there should not be pronounced differences in levels.
Composition of conifers on a slope.
Level differences, natural or artificial, make it possible to create a waterfall.
On a flat area.
Compositions on level ground are relatively simple and can be done by beginners.
Coniferous compositions in landscape design
After the location has been chosen, you should decide on the plot of the composition and first create a project on paper. There are also subtleties and nuances here.
Firstly, when drawing up a composition on paper, it is necessary to take into account sizes of stones and plants.
Secondly, choose the right color palette of stones, here designers recommend giving preference to yellow, brown and beige shades.
Gray stones dilute the bright coniferous greens, adding watercolor to the composition.
Thirdly, most importantly - achieve natural imitation natural location rocky outcroppings on the surface of the earth.
Conifers can also act as an accenting background for a composition of other plants.
Fencing made of Vergina juniper.
The advice is not to allow one color to dominate.
Coniferous plants can vary quite a lot in color. When creating a composition, the correct formation of the color scheme is important. There are also rules developed over the years:
- For a 3-component composition, there must be 2 colors.
- 5-component - 3 colors.
- A multi-component composition is created from plants that are grouped according to color characteristics.
Three active colors in the composition.
A mistake was made in this composition - the predominance of one shade of green, although the bush with bright colors slightly smoothes out the impression of monotony.
The organic and carefully thought out color scheme, as well as the arrangement of shapes, make this composition almost perfect.
When creating compositions of coniferous trees and shrubs, it is necessary to take into account the distance from the place from which it will most often be viewed. It should be equal to or greater than two heights of the entire composition. For coniferous plants, many designers consider the best background. It is preferable to place the compositions on the eastern or western side of the site.
A thoughtful coniferous composition and a well-groomed lawn are made for each other.
The compatibility of different plants plays an important role. Conifers visually combine well with roses. But it should be taken into account that the former oxidize the soil, and for the latter this is undesirable. Therefore, additional costs will be required to maintain the soil in proper condition.
So that over time the composition does not lose its attractiveness and does not look like wild thickets, when selecting plants, you should take into account their height when they grow, as well as the shape and size of the crown.
Among the most popular and sought-after coniferous plants are:
- Tall:
- (up to 5 m);
- Spruce Khupsi (up to 15 m);
- Skyrocket - juniper (up to 3 m);
- Watereri - Scots pine;
- Pincus Sylvestris - pine (up to 40 m).
- Medium height- are especially loved by landscape designers:
- yew berry;
- Konika - spruce;
- golden yew.
- Creeping and short ones:
- Tiny Tim - western thuja;
- Mini Pug and Hampi - mountain pines;
- Lombers - common spruce.
If the area of the plot allows, then it can be divided into separate zones, which can not only decorate the garden, but also its fencing. True, to form the latter you will have to wait a certain time.
Design of a recreation area.
Coniferous compositions at the dacha
You can create compositions from coniferous plants on small summer cottages. Here it is necessary to take into account the general landscape of the area and its area. As practice shows, the most optimal for them will be small rock gardens with an area of 3.5 m2 or more or mobile compositions.
Conifers as a border near the house.
On a small dacha plot
A dramatic composition with conifers in the backyard, compact, but quite difficult to implement.
Composition only from conifers
When creating them, it is very important proper preparation soil for planting and strengthening the site from subsidence under the weight of stones and gravel. This is done in several stages. At the first stage, markings are made, then a layer of soil is removed and a small pit is dug. Usually the depth does not exceed 30 cm.
In the process of preparing a place for a coniferous composition.
At the second stage, the selected soil is thoroughly cleaned of roots and weeds, the soil is strengthened with geotextiles and the soil is returned to its place. If you plan to use it, then in these places drainage is made from a compacted mixture of fine sand and gravel or expanded clay.
Large stones are buried approximately half or one third into the ground; for stability, you can place smaller stones under them or add gravel. Designers recommend that the direction of the entire composition be oriented in one direction. The final stage is abundant watering. At this stage, it is advisable to prevent soil erosion.
To make it convenient to care for the composition, it is necessary to provide convenient and functional paths. Alternatively, they can be made from wood cuts or flat stones. Such a path will also become an additional decoration of the garden.
Coniferous compositions along the path.
Caring for coniferous compositions is not special labor, but requires knowledge of some rules and strict adherence to them.
- Regular weed removal.
- Periodic pinching and pruning.
- Regular application of fertilizers, starting from the 3-4th year.
- Moderate loosening of the soil.
- Sheltering plants for the winter with spruce branches.
- In extreme summer heat, it is advisable to protect conifers from direct sun rays, installing awnings.
Schemes of coniferous compositions
Many owners are interested in landscape design suburban areas. As a result of their efforts, the space surrounding not only expensive cottages, but also simple private houses has noticeably transformed. Today, vegetable gardens and even orchards are gradually losing ground and giving way to lawns, flower beds, flower beds and unusual plant compositions that are pleasing to the eye. However, flower beds have always attracted the attention of gardeners, and ornamental shrubs plots were decorated quite often, but conifers were used in landscape design, if at all, not so often. Today they are becoming more and more popular.
There are rules for planting coniferous plants that are well known to landscape designers. But since not every site owner has the financial ability to hire such a specialist, it is better to know these rules yourself in order to independently try to implement them on the site:
- A tree and shrub composition will only look holistic when the distance from the point from which it will most often be viewed is at least twice its height.
- Having a lawn as a background for coniferous plants is most preferable.
- Often coniferous plants are planted near ponds so that, in combination with weeping deciduous plants, they form a single original composition.
- It is most impressive, according to experts, when coniferous compositions in the garden landscape design are oriented to the west or east.
Coniferous plants go well with cereals, leafy plants and flowers, including lilies. This composition on the shore of a pond looks natural and magnificent
The combination of roses and conifers looks great, but the problem is that thujas and other coniferous plants, as a result of their vital activity, oxidize the soil, and roses acidic soils they treat you badly
Coniferous plants can vary significantly in color. If you are going to assemble plants into a composition, you need to pay attention to the color of the needles so that a unique range is formed:
- If a composition includes three components, then only two colors can be present in it.
- A five-element composition should consist of no more than three various colors.
- If there are 25 or even more elements in the composition, they must be combined into groups of three, and plants in one group should be selected according to a single color characteristic.
Only in this case will coniferous plants form an ensemble in which they will look harmonious, without violating the integrity of the picture.
Material on the rules for designing group and solitary plantings of decorative conifers will also be useful:
Numerous colors and shades of pine needles can create harmonious combinations if you take care in advance of their compatibility with each other
Crown height and shape
When creating ensembles, it is necessary to take into account not only the color of the plant, but also its height in adulthood, as well as the shape of its crown. To forecast appearance compositions for the future, you should, armed with knowledge, choose in advance from those plants that can offer modern market or nurseries.
Of course, both the height of an adult plant and the shape of its crown must be taken into account so that after some time the composition does not lose its original attractiveness and does not turn into thickets
Tall species of conifers
Some fairly tall plants include the following species:
- Western thuja. The plant reaches a height of 5 m, prefers shaded areas, and can be trimmed. Often used as a hedge.
- Juniper Skyrocket. A pleasant conical shaped plant with soft blue needles. Grows up to 3m high.
- Very popular variety, which can grow up to 15m. It has dense needles of silver-blue color. The plant is resistant to negative natural factors.
- Scots pine Watereri. Its homeland is the Mediterranean, so we can say that it is especially adapted to the southern climate. It has a twisted spherical shape and grows to a height of up to 4 m.
- Pincus Sylvestris pine. A real coniferous giant, growing up to 40m in height. It has a straight trunk and columnar structure. In demand due to its absolute unpretentiousness.
If rapid upward growth is undesirable, you can regulate the size of the plants by constantly pinching its shoots, but this must be done regularly: every year. Otherwise, you can get a freak plant.
Who would have thought that such a compact plant could eventually turn into a 15-meter giant. But this fact must be taken into account when landing
Medium-sized plants for coniferous compositions
Very tall plants Rarely does anyone decide to use it in an internal composition. Rather, they form hedge, zoning the site or fencing it. But medium-sized conifers enjoy deserved popularity among landscape designers:
- . This branchy and very showy evergreen tree is in demand because it grows slowly and looks attractive.
- Berry yew. A compact shrub with dense needles looks great on the lawn and is popular due to its combination lush greenery and bright red berries.
- Western thuja. A very beautiful and compact ball, the branches of which grow densely in a vertical direction in relation to the trunk.
- Golden yew. It can grow in partial shade and feels great next to tall and short plants. It has a bowl shape and yellowish-green or golden needles.
As a rule, it is these plants that form the basis of the compositions. Successfully complemented by low-growing conifers, they look great at any end of the garden.
It is medium-sized plants that often form the basis of all kinds of compositions. Look at this tree that just begs to be added to a Japanese-style garden.
Green thuja with bright red berries brings back memories of wonderful New Year's holidays When does this color combination become most popular?
Low-growing and creeping conifers
When growing such a plant, you need to provide sufficient space for its development. After all, such conifers do not grow upward, but in width, taking over space and forming a kind of prickly lawn.
- Spruce Lumbers. Despite this name, this spruce looks quite unusual. This is a low-growing plant with dense emerald-colored needles.
- Western thuja Tiny Tim. This plant loves light, but does not require abundant watering. It looks like a ball that has rolled out onto the track.
- Hampi mountain pine. The plant serves as decoration for rock gardens. It grows to the sides. Her kidneys are negative temperatures acquire a decorative reddish-brown tint.
- Mountain Pine Mini Pug. It grows in the form of a fluffy pillow. Effective and pleasant to look at.
Low-growing conifers in garden design can be especially attractive if they are properly cared for. It is they, in combination with medium-sized ones, that are able to create an indescribable atmosphere Japanese garden, its color.
Although this spruce is called an ordinary spruce, in appearance it looks more like spruce branches that cover the surface that the designer set aside for it
The mountain pine Mini Pug is striking in its miniature size and adaptability to the most extreme growing conditions. Of course, she deserves to become a garden decoration
We make compositions from conifers
Coniferous plants go well not only with each other, but also with deciduous shrubs and trees, creating interesting compositions. For the combination of plants, there are rules that you should know when creating the design of the site.
Mixborders from conifers
The mixborder can be placed where, in accordance with your vision, it will be especially appropriate. It is important not to be afraid to do what you want. The landscape only benefits from the manifestation of the designer’s individuality.
For the largest plants, prepare a place at the edge of the composition; then the seedlings are arranged in descending order of size, so the shortest specimens are planted at the foot of the mixborder. You should not try to maintain the geometric accuracy of the landings. Curvature will only emphasize the pristine beauty of the composition.
This attractive composition preserves all the rules that should not be broken when creating a harmonious ensemble of coniferous plants in the garden
The natural harmony of the mixborder must be respected: the width of the area for tall and large plants must exceed the space allocated for small-growing plantings. The seedlings may contain plants that differ in the color of their needles and the shape of their crown. Sometimes on sites you can see exceptionally beautiful and diverse collections of coniferous plants.
prickly hedge
Sharing suburban area for zones, many designers also use coniferous plants. With their help, you can create a functional fence around the perimeter of the site. To do this, plants are planted in two or even three rows, placed in a checkerboard pattern. An ordinary spruce can make a completely impenetrable fence.
Barriers can also be beautiful, but this does not make them less inaccessible. It will take time for such a fence to appear on the site, but the result is worth it
They look good against the background of Christmas trees or thujas. Creating different combinations plants, you don’t have to worry about artificial decorations of the site: it will be beautiful and evergreen at any time of the year.
Rules for planting coniferous plants
Careful preparation of the place where the plant will be planted is very important. Its health, and, therefore, the beauty of the site depends on this. If water stagnates in any part of the site, plants should not be placed there. Each variety has its own requirements for soil composition. This point should be clarified and taken into account when you are just starting to choose varieties for planting.
As you can see, a coniferous plant seedling does not need to be deepened very much. It is enough that in the hole prepared for it there is that part that we call the root
The most suitable period for planting is from the end of April to the beginning of May. At this time, the seedling has not yet entered the active period of growth, which means that it will more easily tolerate transplantation and will feel good in the new place.
You need to place fertile soil in the hole under the seedling, then compact it well and place the plant in it up to the root, not deeper. After planting, the conifer needs watering. Care must be taken to ensure that the soil does not dry out.
Not all coniferous plants exhibit frost resistance. There are also real sissies who are accustomed to the humid and warm Mediterranean climate. In winter they need to be protected.
Conifers are not picky plants, but they also require care. In the hot summer they need to be protected from sunburn, and in cold winter those specimens that are not frost-resistant should be covered.
Seedlings can have a closed root system or an open one. If planting in spring and the roots are open, pay attention to the presence of white, fresh shoots. This plant is ready for planting.
Modern landscape design offers many different types of conifers, among which even the most fastidious gardeners can choose. Coniferous plants are always very popular among those who choose them for planting at the dacha or various country estates, since their wonderful smell always reminds of a real forest. With the help of coniferous plants, you can create entire compositions or simply place them successfully in flower beds.
In addition, conifers are absolutely unpretentious, since they coexist perfectly, for example, with deciduous plants, and also look great on the lawn.
Features: pros and cons
Coniferous plants, like any other, have their advantages and disadvantages, which professional gardeners include:
- Conifers get along well where there is a lack of sunlight, so you should not be afraid to plant them, for example, behind the house if you decide to create a small flower bed there.
- Most varieties of conifers “love” and accept pruning, as a result of which they grow in the forms in which they are pruned. Here you should not forget the basic cutting rules that gardeners use so as not to damage the plants.
- Some coniferous shrubs themselves have regular geometric shapes, so there is no need to cut them regularly.
- Conifers are evergreen plants. They will make you happy all year round. Such plants are often purchased not only for planting near the house, but also for planting near various public places. Coniferous trees and shrubs look beautiful all year round and attract a lot of attention, especially if they are well-groomed.
- This type of plant has a very good root system, thanks to which it does not require regular watering and can go without water for a long time. If you have very dry or rocky soil with some sand, then don't worry. Conifers will grow in such soil.
- Coniferous plants can be planted individually or entire compositions can be created with their help. Entire hedges made from conifers are very popular, but their full cultivation will require a lot of time and effort.
- Any areas with such plants will not leave neighbors indifferent and will attract a lot of attention.
- The big plus is pleasant aroma coniferous plants and their healing properties. According to many experts, conifers different varieties have a very beneficial effect not only on general state a person, but also on his health in general, and sometimes even contribute to the cure of certain diseases. But even if you don’t believe it, it’s certainly been proven that plants can filter air, which is why it’s so easy for people to breathe fresh and purified air in forests and parks.
Minor disadvantages include the rather painstaking care of such plants, as well as the fact that they take a very long time to grow into full-fledged shrubs and trees. This often takes years. There are only a few fast-growing trees.
Kinds
Today there are many varieties of coniferous plants in the world, but not all of them will grow in different climatic zones. First of all, you should give general classification such plants.
- Small and creeping. Conifers small sizes can be advantageously combined with medium or, conversely, tall trees. The smallest creeping plants include those with which you can even create a kind of lawn. Be sure to take a closer look at the Mini Pug mountain pine; this cushion-shaped pine has a very unusual appearance.
A very beautiful emerald-colored spruce called Lombers can certainly become the highlight of your garden.
- Average. Using medium conifers, you can decorate flower beds or make a small hedge near your house. For this purpose, medium-sized varieties of spruce are suitable, which are very unpretentious in care, but at the same time grow to medium size. For example, Konika spruce. We also recommend paying attention to the yew berry, which is sure to attract attention with its bright red berries. Golden yew, which has a cup-shaped shape, looks no less attractive. In addition, it goes well with various plants. Western thujas have rounded shapes. If you take care of them regularly, then it will be simply impossible to take your eyes off the coniferous balls.
- Tall. To the most popular tall trees include: western thuja, tall juniper trees and pine. This also includes pigeon spruce. Western thuja is ideal for planting even in the most shaded areas, because lack of sun will not affect its growth. Very often it is used to make so-called living fences and hedges. Some varieties of pine reach unprecedented heights and can be planted wherever you like. If you do not want a tree or shrub to grow very tall, then take care to regularly pinch the shoots of the plant. However, pinching must be constant, otherwise your plant will grow into an incomprehensible shape and will cease to please your eye.
Also a popular variety of tall spruce trees is the spiny Hoopsie spruce, which can grow up to almost fifteen meters.
Color combinations
Combining plants of different colors allows you to get the most unusual and memorable color effects. If there are a lot of small ones in the garden coniferous shrubs, then a large spruce will stand out perfectly against their background. With the help of skillful transitions from different shades and shapes, you can create a truly royal garden right at home or in the country. However, all this requires a lot of patience and time.
Complex landscape design requires special skill. To skillfully plant several plants nearby in different colors and shades, it is very important to know how much a particular species loves the “neighborhood”. In addition, you need to master the cutting technique and know how to properly water and care for coniferous plants, as well as whether they should be covered for the winter.
In general, according to gardeners, combining the colors of different conifers is quite easy. The main point here is the presence of imagination, as well as the opportunity to experiment.
So, for example, one of the options good combination trees can become the following conifers: blue spruce, western thuja, medium-sized juniper shrubs and mountain pine. Of course, you can diversify any ready-made combination with other coniferous plants, as well as, for example, roses and, finally, decorative stones.
We create compositions
The most popular plants that participate in the creation ready-made compositions landscape design include the following conifers:
- Arborvitae of various types. The most popular are: thuja occidentalis, orientalis, thuja Danica and Morgan.
- Junipers. The most beautiful are Chinese, Cossack and scaly junipers. Each variety has its own varieties, which may differ in color and crown shape.
- Spruce. For planting in the garden, the most popular are oriental spruce trees with small but very beautiful needles, as well as bicolor spruce trees. It is also worth taking a closer look at the spruce called Beloboka prickly or the small Tompa spruce.
- Pine. Be sure to pay attention to Italian pine. This variety is native to the Mediterranean, so it will most likely not survive planting in harsh climates. However, there are many other varieties of pine that winter well in Russia.
If you are seriously planning to take up landscape design, then you should know what a mixborder is. A mixborder is a composition of various kinds of plants that frame a path or fence.
For correct creation the composition will require the ability to combine coniferous plants with a lawn and ground cover flowers.
- If you decide to create a mixborder next to the path, it is best to use small and dwarf plants.
- To create something original, try combining coniferous trees with deciduous plants of different species.
- Flowers and shrubs of contrasting shapes and shades will certainly attract attention, especially if they are positioned correctly.
- Shrubs of round and spherical shapes go well with creeping coniferous plants.
- Do not forget to correctly combine geometric shapes so that the overall picture of plants turns out harmonious.
- Don't be afraid to create a mix of undersized and tall plants and trees.
- Smooth transitions of shades and shapes between conifers can be recreated if you use different breeds of them.
- As gardening practice shows, any conifers look most impressive next to ponds, flower beds with bright and flowering plants, as well as alpine hills.
According to many experts, it is best to orient a particular planting to the east or west. Special attention It is worth paying attention to the fact that whatever composition you create, do not overload it.
The presence of different shapes and colors of conifers should be moderate.
Ready solutions It is best to look for compositions in gardening magazines. And to create the ideal coniferous corner, it is best to use the services of real professionals who will certainly select regular trees and shrubs for your site. They will talk about them proper care and share practical advice, since beginners and amateurs do not always cope with creating the correct composition on their own.
Coniferous compositions in landscape garden goes very well with roses different varieties, as well as with hydrangeas and rhododendrons. Especially in summer, combinations of conifers with flowers look truly magnificent. Often coniferous plants are planted next to barberry. In addition, conifers get along well next to deciduous trees and shrubs, and in color they can complement each other favorably.
We design flower beds and slides
To create and properly design evergreen oasis in your garden, you should do the following:
- Choose a ready-made one or develop your own design for a future flower bed or slide.
- Decide what trees, shrubs and flowers you will plant, select them by color.
- If you don't have much large plot, then mainly choose medium-sized and low-growing conifers, complementing them with flowers.
- As a base for a flower bed, you can choose a lawn or creeping conifers. It can also be used as a base alpine slide.
- To complement the flower bed you can use various types decorative stones, where a small pond may be located nearby.
Many gardeners dream of growing coniferous plants of various types and varieties in their garden. Conifers in the garden, together with decorative deciduous and beautiful flowering plants, create indescribable beauty. And besides their beauty, conifers protect our garden from noise, dust and saturate the air with essential oils that are beneficial to our health.
A composition of coniferous plants is a group coniferous species and varieties, planted according to certain rules of landscape design. To create such a composition on your site, you need to adhere to the basic recommendations, which we will now share with you.
Conifers in the garden can be planted in different corners of the site, but this will make the group different shapes. If you want to create a composition with an all-round view, then the tallest conifers should be planted in the center of the group so that medium-sized conifers and small forms can be placed in the foreground. Then all the plants will receive enough sunlight and will be pleasing to our eyes, since everyone will be in sight.
If you want to decorate the entrance to a building or plant a composition near a wall, then the tallest plants should be planted in the background, respectively, low-growing and dwarf conifers should be planted in the foreground.
If you want to do a strip planting, then always plant tall plants in the background, and plants medium height and low-growing ones will fit well between tall conifers, but planted closer to the foreground. Be careful not to plant plants of the same height next to each other. Plants of the same height and preferably of the same type are planted only in green hedge.
Coniferous plants now delight us with a huge range of shapes and colors of needles. Creating a composition with completely different colors of needles, on the contrary, “breaks” it and does not group it. If you want to make a composition of three conifers, then it is advisable to plant 2 plants with the same color of needles and 1 plant with a different color.
If a composition of 5 conifers is envisaged, then it is advisable to use 3 different colors of needles (for example, 1 yellow, 1 blue, 1 gray, and 2 green).
To create a composition of conifers in your garden, you need to either grow the plants yourself, which is very labor-intensive, or buy them. And you can from our partners. In addition, we have all types of conifers in stock from which we will now make a composition!
In our example, most conifers will be tall trees, so they need to be planted at a sufficient distance from each other so that when they grow, they do not interfere with each other. To do this, we will use a characteristic that indicates the size of adult plants. And since there will be quite a distance between the conifers, you can fill it with shade-loving bushes and flowers. Bulbous and corm flowers look very beautiful near conifers.
A little about the formation of groups. In landscape design, it is customary to place plants in the following groups:
Picture 1. 
Picture 2.
Picture 3.
Group of 5 plants. In the center (1) there are tall coniferous plants, on the sides (2 and 3) there are medium-sized and low-growing plants. Red lines indicate that all plants are visible from one side. Also from other sides.
Picture 4. 
These are the most simple examples, which may be useful to you.
And now we offer you ready-made diagram compositions of eight coniferous plants. Let's create it following the example of the pictures. For this we use picture number 1 (with three plants) and picture number 3 (with five plants). On the left side you see plants planted according to a pattern of 3 pcs. - this is Crimean pine (4), Siberian cedar (5), and common spruce (2). On the left side, conifers are planted according to a pattern of 5 pieces. — thuja Smaragd (6), thuja Columna (7), balsam fir (8), blue spruce (1), Scots pine (3).
Brief characteristics of coniferous plants in the composition:
1. Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)
- height 20-30 m, width - 6-8 m. Annual growth 30 cm. The color of the needles is bluish, gray, silvery. The crown shape is pyramidal. Root system deep, on less fertile soil - superficial. Loves moderately nutritious soil and sufficient watering. Increases decorativeness on podzolic, moist soils, but loses decorativeness on dry, poor, rocky or clayey soils. Wind-resistant, light-loving. 
2. Norway spruce (Picea abies)
- height 20-40 m, width - 6-8 m. Grows slowly until 10 - 15 years, then faster, 50 cm in height. The color of the needles is dark green. The crown shape is pyramidal. The root system is deep if it grows on loam and sandy loam. If the soil is often wet, the roots are shallow, which can cause damage from the wind. Loves wet air, moderately moist, acidic and well-drained soils. Grows well in the shade. Needs shade in spring young plant from the sun and protect from recurrent frosts. But in winter it is frost-resistant. 
3. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
— height 20-25 m, width 7-10 m. Grows quickly, annual growth is 30-40 cm. The color of the needles is bluish-green, the shape of the needles is slightly curved. The root system is powerful, taprooted, feels good on rocky soils, is not afraid strong wind. It is not picky about soils, but it does not like soil compaction and strong salinity. Very photophilous. Actively releases essential oils and phytoncides, which purifies and ionizes the air. 
4. Pallas or Crimean pine (Pinus Palasina)
- height up to 30 m. The needles are long (18-20 cm), slightly curved, dark green. This pine is less frost-resistant than Scots pine. Annual growth is 30 cm. It loves calcareous soils, but also grows normally on sandy and crushed stone soils. It is photophilous, loses its decorative effect in the shade and is damaged by pests. The root system is powerful and deep, so it is not afraid of the wind. Drought-resistant, does not like stagnant water. Gas and dust resistant. 
5. Siberian cedar or cedar pine (Pinus sibirica)
- height 30-35 m, width 5-8 m. The first 20 years it grows very slowly, then the annual growth is 30-40 cm. The needles are dense, protruding, dark green with a bluish coating. The root system is powerful with a main short tap root and numerous lateral roots, and is not afraid of strong winds. Grows on any soil except clayey and purely sandy. But it prefers light loamy and loamy, slightly podzolized soils. Light-loving, shade-tolerant. The older the plant, the more light it requires. Loves moderately moist soil and moist air. Very winter hardy. Cedar wood repels midges, mosquitoes, and moths. 
6. Western thuja Smaragd (Thuja occidenalis Smaragd)
- height 3-5 m, width - 2 m. Annual growth 10 cm. Crown shape - narrow, pyramidal, dense. The needles are dark green and retain their color well in winter. It is not demanding on soils, but grows better on fresh loams and limed soils. Sun-loving, can grow in partial shade. Frost-resistant. Looks good in containers and in green hedges. Purifies and ionizes the air. 
7. Thuja western Columna ( Thuja occidenalis Columna)— height -10 m, width - up to 1.5 m. It grows very quickly. The needles are scaly, shiny, dark green; in winter they retain their color; in the shade the color darkens. It takes root well if you do not disturb the root system too much. It is not demanding on the soil, it grows on acidic and alkaline soils, the main thing is that they are nutritious and moist. Does not like dry soil. Photophilous, the crown is dense in the sun, sparse in the shade. The most frost-resistant among western thujas. Well suited for hedges due to its fast growth and height. 
8. Balsam fir (Abies balsamea)
— height 20 m, width -6 m. The crown shape is narrow pyramidal. The needles are dark green, shiny on top, with two whitish stripes below. Grows quickly. The root system is superficial, so it must be protected from strong winds. It is undemanding to soils, but prefers acidic ones. If you cover the lower branches with humus, they will take root. Does not like trampling the soil and breaking off branches. Sun-loving, but also grows well in partial shade. Frost-resistant.
Coniferous flower bed
The main coniferous plants in garden compositions are not tall conifers (pines, spruces, fir), but their compact and low-growing forms. Coniferous compositions go well with shrubs (rhododendrons, Ericas, heathers, barberries, spirea, evergreen boxwoods), herbaceous perennials (hostas, ferns, cereals). When creating a flower bed, it is necessary to plant ground cover plants in the foreground (creeping grass, awl-shaped phlox, sedums, thyme, bryozoans, etc.). Spring bright colors They will bring in bulbous plants (crocuses, muscari, low-growing tulips). It is very important to think about the arrangement of plants. Groups must be created according to the principle of contrast of shape and color. For example, it is good to emphasize columnar forms with spherical, dense bushy and creeping forms, with different types, texture and color of pine needles. The needle-like needles of junipers, spruce and pine trees go well with the scale-like needles of thuja. When selecting plants, you should check their maximum height. Coniferous compositions can only be composed of slow-growing and dwarf varietal forms.
12 options for coniferous flower beds
1. Thuja occidentalis "Holmstrup"
2. Medium juniper "Old Gold"
3. Mountain pine "Mops"
4. Coastal juniper "Shlager"
2.
2. Juniper rock "Skyrocket" molded
3. Juniper scaly "Meyeri" molded
4. Mountain pine "Mops"
5. Juniper horizontal "Blue Chip"
6. Juniper recumbent "Nana"
3.
1. Dense pine "Umbraculiefera"
2. Mountain pine "Mops"
3. Horizontal juniper "Green Carpet"
4. Ground cover perennials “Bryozoan or sedum”
4.
1. Common juniper "Suecica"
2. Common juniper "Horstman"
3. Thuja occidentalis "Rheingold"
4. Mountain pine "Mops" on a trunk
5. Medium juniper "Mint Julep"
6. Juniper scaly "Blue Star"
7. Thuja occidentalis "Danica"
8. Horizontal juniper "Wiltonii"
5.
1. Juniper virginiana "Grey Owl" molded
2. Horizontal juniper "Andorra Compact"
3. Horizontal juniper "Prince of Wales"
6.
1. Rock juniper "Skyrocket"
2. Norway spruce "Inversa"
3. Lilac "Meyeri" on a trunk
5. Canadian spruce "Echiniformis"
6. Mountain pine "Mops"
7. Barberry thunberg "Bonanza Gold"
7.
1. Thuja occidentalis "Holmstrup"
3. Mountain pine "Mops"
4. Medium juniper "Old Gold"
5. Cossack juniper "Tamariscifolia"
6. Groundcover perennials "Bryozoan or sedum"
8.
1. Thuja occidentalis "Smaragd"
2. Japanese larch "Stiff Weeper"
3. Barberry thunberg "Red Chief"
4. Thuja orientalis "Aurea Nana"
5. Mountain pine "Mops"
6. Medium juniper "Old Gold"
7. Cossack juniper "Blaue Donau"
8. Horizontal juniper "Prince of Wales"
9. Juniper horizontal "Blue Chip"
9.
1. Rock juniper "Blue Arrow"
2. Thuja occidentalis "Holmstrup"
3. Thuja occidentalis "Europe Gold"
4. Barberry thunberg "Red Chief"
5. Thuja occidentalis "Globosa"
6. Juniper medium "Gold Star"
7. Japanese spirea "Little Princess"
8. Juniper horizontal "Blue Chip"
9. Horizontal juniper "Prince of Wales"
10. Morrowa sedge (or similar grasses)
10.
1. Prickly spruce "Hoopsii"
2. Chinese juniper "Blaauw"
3. Thuja orientalis "Aurea Nana"
4. Medium juniper "Pfitzeriana"
5. Coastal juniper "Shlager"
6. Norway spruce "Little Gem"
11.
1. Canadian spruce "Conica"
2. Juniper horizontal "Blue Chip"
3. Juniper recumbent "Nana"
12.
1. Thuja occidentalis "Holmstrup"
2. Barberry thunberg "Red Chief"
3. Miscanthus chinensis "Zebrinus"
4. Mountain pine "Mops"
5. Juniper medium "Old Gold"
6. Cossack juniper "Tamariscifolia"
7. Morrowa sedge (or similar grasses)
8. Ground cover perennials “Bryozoan or sedum”
Decor element
In nature, adult conifers cast a large shadow. Therefore, they were specially bred for ornamental gardening. low-growing varieties, only 3-4 meters high. They fit well into the landscape of the site. The background is a lawn and an alpine slide. If the size of your plot allows you to plant large trees, remember: cedar and pine cannot be planted next to firs and fir trees. Larch does not like either one or the other at all. Thuja does not grow well next to spruce. Coniferous trees should be planted either in alleys or small homogeneous groups, or in the form of a hedge. An excellent addition to the composition of coniferous plants are stones - both large boulders and small stones (marble chips, pebbles). They diversify color scheme, will help change the proportions of the composition. An excellent material for decoration is conifer bark. In addition, bark is an excellent mulching material that protects the soil from loss of moisture, improves its structure and prevents the growth of weeds.