Conifers are quite often used in landscape design for decorating a flower bed. And this is not surprising, because coniferous plants have many advantages over ordinary flowers: they retain their attractiveness regardless of the season, are not demanding on conditions, and they do not need to be planted annually. In addition, creating a flowerbed of conifers on your site with your own hands is no more difficult than arranging any flower garden - you just need to choose a place and variety of plants, draw up a planting plan, and plant several species in the flowerbed decorative conifers.
A flowerbed consisting of several types of coniferous crops is considered a complex landscape composition, so creating it with your own hands in a free style without prior preparation and a plan is quite difficult. You need to start creating a flower bed with conifers by drawing up a diagram on which the location of each plant is plotted in detail. A properly designed flower bed diagram should take into account the following points:
- the area where the flowerbed with conifers will be located should be in an open, sunny place;
- so that the coniferous composition does not merge, the plants must be contrasting in color, shape and size;
- priority in the flower bed should be given to compact and low-growing varieties - against their background, single coniferous trees look more advantageous;
- at the planning stage, you should decide on the finishing materials used to frame and decorate the flowerbed - conifers look more impressive when framed in stone;
- the plan should display as accurately as possible all coniferous plants, stones, additional decorative elements, and the sequence of their landing is indicated by numbers.
When creating a composition with conifers with your own hands, the question often arises: what other plants can be planted to combine with coniferous plantings? The most popular coniferous species are: spruce, low-growing mountain pine, fir, thuja, and junipers of various varieties. In addition, the coniferous composition can be supplemented with any flowering perennials.
Of the many plants, roses combine most effectively with coniferous crops, because green color creates a bright contrast and highlights roses favorably. The coniferous composition, in which roses are present, is distinguished by its particular sophistication and sophistication. Roses can be planted in a mixborder different varieties, while it is better to plant low-growing and ground-cover roses along the edge, and in the center, against the background tall trees(thuja, spruce) – bush, standard roses. White lilies and blue irises also go well with greenery, but still bright multi-colored roses in combination with conifers create a special accent on such a flowerbed.
Video “All about coniferous compositions in the garden”
Step-by-step creation instructions
Arranging any flowerbed with your own hands begins with preparing the soil. And in the case of conifers, the soil must be prepared especially carefully, since they are planted once for many years. First, you need to dig the area deeply, since the roots of most coniferous plants are quite long. The soil for conifers should be loose, with good drainage properties, preferably sandy loam with neutral acidity. 
After digging, you need to remove all lumps, roots, and weeds from the soil, and apply mineral fertilizers suitable for the specific type of conifers that will be planted in the flowerbed. Peat and sand should be added to heavy clay soil, and a little turf soil to sandy soil. If the flowerbed is small, you can purchase soil for it at a flower shop - they sell ready-made soil mixtures for everyone a separate type coniferous trees and shrubs.
After the soil in the flowerbed has been prepared, you can begin to design a composition of conifers. Here it is important to transfer the schematic plan of the flowerbed as accurately as possible to a real plot of land.
The process is as follows:
After the coniferous composition is planted, the soil in the flowerbed should be mulched. When choosing a material, it is advisable to take into account not only decorative properties material, but also its practical benefits for plants - organic mulch: fine crushed stone, granite chips, wood chips and sawdust, in addition to the mulching function, also improve the properties of the soil.
How to care
In general, coniferous plants are unpretentious, but this is true only for rooted and mature conifers. Young seedlings after planting in a flowerbed may begin to rapidly wither, and most often this is due to a change in soil - in a store in pots with coniferous seedlings a temporary substrate containing special additives is placed. And after planting, the plants find themselves in a completely different environment, and this is a real stress for them. If seedlings of young conifers begin to die, it is necessary to add special fertilizer to the soil, or add soil brought from the forest.
In the future, caring for coniferous crops consists of a considerable list of activities, but they should be performed only as needed:
- Watering. In the first year of planting, young conifers are watered at intervals of 1 time per week. Most mature coniferous plants do not need watering at all, except in extreme heat or prolonged drought.
- Sprinkling. This procedure is performed only in the absence of rain for a long time. However, if desired, the crown can be irrigated more often - this will only make the coniferous plantings more attractive.
- Weeding. A flowerbed usually needs to remove weeds in the first years, when the coniferous composition has not grown sufficiently. In the future, the plantings will create shade and weeds will stop growing. If the flowerbed consists of low-growing compact shrubs or dwarf varieties of conifers, weeding is carried out more often, since the weeds create a shadow over them and prevent growth.
- Mulching. Shelter made of organic material can be made both in tree trunk circles and over the entire surface of the flower bed. Mulch has many beneficial functions for plants: it prevents the growth of weeds, retains moisture, and reduces soil freezing. In a flowerbed of conifers, mulch made from the remains of pine needles - needles, cones, pine bark, sawdust - would look more than appropriate.
- Loosening. In the first 3 years, loosening the soil between coniferous plantations should be carried out regularly to a depth of 7-10 cm after each watering. Then the soil is simply mulched.
- Feeding. Coniferous crops do not need frequent fertilizing. Mineral mixtures with humates specially designed for conifers are applied once in spring or early summer.
- Trimming. Planned pruning of coniferous crops is carried out at the end of August - September in order to give the composition a decorative form.
- Fighting needle drying. Due to extreme heat and lack of moisture, conifers can turn yellow and crumble. In this case, therapeutic measures are needed with spraying the crown with special solutions: Gimisol, Immunocytitis.
Preface
The warm season is ideal for the garden to bloom. But I really want him to be able to please even in winter. And this is where a flower bed of conifers will help you - it can inspire with greenery throughout the year. Arborvitae, junipers and other species will fit perfectly into the overall style of your garden, and in summer the flower beds can be supplemented with other flowers and shrubs.
Flowerbed of coniferous plants - diagram and stages of creation
There is nothing difficult in creating such a flower bed. It is important to know exactly the stages of work, as well as to study the recommendations of experienced gardeners on choosing and caring for plants in the future.
Making a flowerbed with your own hands:
- Soil preparation. Despite the fact that evergreen conifers can grow in almost any soil, it is best to mix turf or leaf soil with peat and sand. Don't forget to add to be safe special compounds for these types of trees, which can be purchased at a regular gardening store.
- After this, we begin planting. It is best to plant tall species in the center of the flower bed. For example, you can choose junipers, which we install at a distance of about a meter from each other. The depth of the dug holes should be approximately 50-70 cm; we lay soil mixtures on the bottom. You can’t do without drainage, which can be sand or pebbles. We plant lower plants around in the same way.
- We compact, mulch and decorate the flowerbed. After planting the plants, the soil must be thoroughly watered and compacted, adding a layer of soil if necessary. Next, we carry out mulching using peat or pine chips, and the layer should be at least 10 cm. Pebbles or marble chips are suitable for decoration.
- We are improving the area. Undoubtedly, not only planting is important, but also the creation of a decent ambiance. We need to dig a ditch around our evergreen flower bed, where we will plant lower flowers and plants. The soil should be neutral, “flavored” with mineral fertilizers - this will allow you to grow lush and healthy shrubs. When choosing plants, monitor their flowering period and select according to the same principle - this will allow you to get beautiful flower beds from conifers.
A flowerbed of conifers - ensuring proper care
Using a small example, we will show how best to design an evergreen flower bed. Before you begin the task, determine the future type of composition, taking into account size, style, relative position, and then, based on these factors, select plants. The main thing is that they look good and can sit side by side. The simplest option is to create a flower bed with a symmetrical arrangement of shrubs and trees. A pyramidal, “funnel-shaped” plant should be taken as the main (central) element. For example, it could become Chinese juniper– the tree grows up to 2.5 m. After this, we plant “second order” shrubs symmetrically. These include mountain pine, western thuja, Norway spruce are those types of evergreens that reach 1.5 m in height.
Unusual growth forms of coniferous shrubs and trees, contrasts of textures and shades of 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, it plays an important role - 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 Scots pine of the Waterery variety, 2-2.5 m in height and diameter, 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 they grow excessively Cossack junipers, they should be shortened.
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 on both environmental conditions, and from the idea of composition. Spruce, fir, microbiota, and some junipers grow well in partial shade. Light-loving coniferous species are perfect for a sunny place, such as pine varieties, blue spruce and juniper. 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. Globular conifers retain their shape well at a young age; sometimes, with age, some of them shoot out individual elongated shoots that break out of a clear pattern. 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 on 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 acquire a gray-green color. 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 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 western thuja variety Smaragdc with a narrow cone-shaped crown is planted. 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 performs many useful functions - it prevents the growth of weeds, creates favorable conditions for root growth, and 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 late autumn changes color 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
Along the blind area of the house, slow-growing dwarf varieties of coniferous species are planted - Canadian hemlock Jeddeloh, which has the shape of 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 various shades The green color contrasts 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 last years varieties of ground cover roses with long flowering until frost appeared. 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 the 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 due to its variability of color; its flowers are initially apricot-pink; 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 in a comprehensive manner. 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. Dense needles globular thuja Danica, green and shiny in summer, turns 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 trunk 2.5 m high. Species larch - huge tree up to 20 m in height; 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 lilac 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)
Coniferous plants have been used in the landscape design of summer cottages for a relatively long time. Coniferous groups are distinguished by a highly decorative appearance and are perfectly combined with deciduous and flowering plants, which allows you to create very beautiful and original garden compositions on a personal plot and country house.
Basic rules for placing conifers in the garden
Tall conifers can be used in the garden as tapeworms, as well as when creating alleys or large group compositions. The varieties and types of coniferous crops that have changes in the nature of growth processes and have a crown are especially highly valued. unusual shape, as well as different unusual type or the color of needles with long-term preservation of decorative qualities.
As a rule, such plants are characterized by small height or belong to dwarf forms. A wide variety of varieties and species allows for landscaping mixed borders, as well as decorating the backyard landscape and garden spaces with ground cover plants. Successful combination with many other crops allows you to effectively and quickly decorate rock gardens, paths along the house or a coastal area of natural and artificial reservoirs.
Conifers in the landscape design of a summer cottage
The use of such plants in the landscape design of a personal or garden plot is justified for many reasons:
- conifers do not change their color and do not lose their visual appeal all year round;
- varieties and hybrid forms have a variety of colors and shapes;
- such crops are able to retain dust very well and reduce external noise;
- special substances secreted by needles inhibit the spread of bacterial and viral infections;
- capable of enriching the air with oxygen and a significant amount of phytoncides.
Regardless of the types of forms used to decorate the landscape, such vegetation is attractive and very useful. As a rule, collections include conifers of varying vigor.
How to use conifers in landscape design (video)
Low-growing species
All low-growing species are represented:
- dwarf species with an annual increase of 80-150 mm;
- miniature species with an annual growth of 30-80 mm;
- microscopic species with an annual growth of no more than 30 mm.
The most popular low-growing species and varieties in landscape design:
- Norway spruce Beech. It has a dense flattened crown, growth of one and a half centimeters and apical branches. Growth is predominantly in width;
- Kaempfer's larch "Blue Dwarf" is a very low-growing and slow-growing variety with a rounded and dense crown and hanging ends of the branches;
- Canadian hemlock Tracilis variety "Oldenburg" refers to slow-growing dwarf forms with a height of about 25-30 cm and a crown diameter of 40-50 cm;
- dwarf Scots pine of the “Elk” variety with a slate type of growth and highly decorative bluish-green needles;
- miniature noble fir of the Abies procera variety is one of the most popular coniferous species;
- hemlock Canadian variety'Jeddeloch' is the most common dwarf form at present, with a semicircular shape and spirally arranged branches;
- dwarf thuja occidentalis variety "Danika" no more than 80 cm high has a dense and spherical crown with a diameter of 100 cm with a scaly, dense, light green or brownish-green crown.
Depending on the level of illumination, soil and climatic conditions and care, the height of the crop may vary.
Medium-sized coniferous plants
Plants of medium vigor are less demanding in care and harmoniously complement deciduous shrubs, and also go well with roses of various types.
The most popular medium-sized species and forms in landscape design:
- Serbian spruce of the Glauka Pendula variety has flexible thin shoots hanging along the trunk;
- blue spruce of the Blue Diamonds variety has a tall thin trunk and a neatly formed conical crown;
- Canadian spruce the “Piccolo” variety is distinguished by a bright and elegant above-ground part with the presence of emerald green needles, which glow blue under the sun’s rays;
- evergreen spruce "Konica" has a very attractive and original appearance, as well as slow growth, due to which it is very popular in our country;
- medium-sized fruiting berry bush yew has very beautiful needles, which makes it look great when decorated local area and recreation areas;
- medium-sized thuja is an unusual spherical plant consisting of dense and vertically arranged branches;
- Golden yew is characterized by a cup-shaped crown and needles in a yellowish color, and is also ideal for growing in shaded areas.
Landscaping It is not always possible to look complete if the overall design picture is not complemented by tall conifers.
Tall conifers
To decorate with tall plants, planting thuja, pine and spruce, which are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and durability, is often used.
The most popular tall species and forms in landscape design:
- Watereri pine is an evergreen large shrub with a columnar, dense or looser, umbrella-shaped, very picturesque crown and a reddish trunk;
- blue sun-loving spruce Hoopsii has a stable and predictable growth, reaching a height of 10 m with a width of 4 m;
- "pencil tree" or Skyrocket juniper is an upright growing shrub or tree up to 12 m high and 5 m wide;
- evergreen shrub plant golden yew with a spherical aerial part, up to 4 m high and no more than 5 m wide, with golden-yellow or greenish-yellow needles;
- the spiky tall spruce “Hoopsie” reaches a height of 13-15 m and has thick silver-blue needles;
- juniper variety "Skyrocket" reaches a height of 3 m and has a very beautiful conical crown with blue needles;
- Western thuja is most often used in creating hedges; it tolerates shearing easily and reaches a height of 5 m.
Tall conifers must be planted in strict accordance with technology and taking into account their growth force.
Creeping varieties
In recent years, it has become especially popular when decorating small backyard gardens. Ground cover or creeping highly decorative varieties are increasingly being used:
- Spruce "Lombers" is one of the most popular and sought-after trees creeping along the ground shrub plants with an attractive emerald green color;
- European larch variety "Repens" is a very attractive low-growing creeping plant with weeping branches lying on the ground;
- Thuja "Timi-Tini" is a spherical, fairly drought-resistant plant that does not require special attention and abundant watering;
- mountain pine "Hampi" is most often used for decorative design rock gardens, and in winter time the buds on the plant acquire a very attractive red tint;
- The miniature pug is able to grow onto the surface of the soil into a very attractive and uniform fluffy cushion.
No less popular are cushion-shaped and weeping spruces, as well as horizontal junipers of the Blue-Chip and Blue-Forest varieties, ranging in height from 20-40 cm with needle-shaped and very prickly needles.
How to make a composition from conifers (video)
Compositions from conifers: options and rules for composition
Conifers combine perfectly with other coniferous crops and green spaces. Before composing compositions, It is very important to determine the width of the growth of such a culture and the characteristics of its care.
Deciduous shrubs and conifers
Decorative landscape compositions on a personal plot must necessarily include a wide variety of elements that look most attractive and advantageous.
It should be remembered that not all cultures get along well with each other, and that is why when combining different representatives of the plant world in one area, it is very important to take into account their basic biological characteristics. This rule especially applies to varieties of juniper that can be affected by “rust”.
Compositions from thujas and conifers
Vegetation with blue needles looks great against a green background. In such compositions, it is necessary to plant thujas in the background, and decorate the foreground dwarf thuja and rock juniper.
Tall coniferous vegetation in the form of spruce and pine trees, placed near garden stairs or retaining walls, complemented by medium-sized thujas and low-growing deciduous crops, are combined as harmoniously as possible. We must remember that pine with cedar and thuja with spruce are quite difficult to take root, so such combinations need to be minimized.
Conifers with roses and other garden flowers
Coniferous crops are not only beautiful in themselves, but also combine very well in all kinds of compositions with a variety of decorative foliage or beautifully flowering plants. They provide an excellent backdrop for beautifully flowering foliage crops such as roses, rhododendrons and hydrangeas. The palette of colors, shades and textures can be very diverse.
Beautiful compositions of coniferous plants
When arranging conifers, it is very important to take into account the growth characteristics of the plant. th, as well as the state and development of the crown of the crop in adulthood, which will not allow the harmony of the composition to be disrupted over time. Experts recommend when creating it yourself landscape composition adhere to the basic principles of contrast and place popular low-growing crops with a spherical crown in the foreground of tall pyramidal conifers.
Prickly spruce varieties “Bialobok”, as well as western thuja varieties “Smaragd” and Yellow Ribbon, common juniper varieties “Hibernica” and “Meyer” or yew berry have proven themselves to be excellent as a top. The gray spruce “Conica” can dominate very impressively. In the second tier you can plant plants with various forms crowns In coniferous mixborders, crops of different heights, crown shapes, and crown colors should be selected.
Group plantings can be varied with brightly flowering rhododendrons, evergreen wintergreen, heathers or variegated shrubs.
Protecting the coniferous garden from the sun and frost
In winter, coniferous plants from low temperature conditions suffer least of all, and the main danger for them is the frosty and drying wind. Special attention require varieties grown in areas with little snow and frost, as well as in Siberia and the Far East.
It is advisable to bring the container plant, which is not too voluminous, indoors for the winter. If necessary, you can cover the outdoor container crop with ordinary spruce branches, creating a kind of “hut”. Conifers open ground require insulation trunk circle a layer of sawdust, straw, peat or pine needles, after which the stem part is wrapped in non-woven material or burlap.
Polyethylene is not suitable for winter shelter. It is advisable to install screens or screens to protect from gusty winds and spring sun rays. A spreading coniferous plant requires tying up branches and constructing a canopy or screen. Mature crops such as cedar, yew, fir, spruce and pine need shelter during the winter.
How to plant conifers (video)
For growing almost any variety of coniferous crops in the backyard landscape, areas that are well protected from cold gusty winds and bright sunlight are optimally suited. It is best to purchase such plants in nurseries where the culture has already passed primary stage adaptation to agroclimatic conditions in a particular region.