Conifers in the garden. Example of a finished composition

IN last years, in landscape design are becoming increasingly popular conifers. They are often used to create beautiful compositions and are reliable for various areas. This is due to the wonderful combination of conifers with deciduous 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 drawing, a combination is used large stones with gravel backing;
• 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 zones: European, English and Japanese. The first one is usually decorated with plants that grow in the middle zone. 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, at minimum quantity 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 the distinctive features of a gently sloping garden is alpine slide, is that the first 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 stones, here designers recommend giving preference to yellow, brown and beige shades.

Gray stones dilute the bright coniferous greenery, adding a watercolor feel to the composition.

Thirdly, most importantly - achieve a natural imitation of the natural location rocky outcroppings on the surface of the earth.

Conifers can also act as an accentuating background for a composition of other plants.

Fencing made of Vergina juniper.

The advice is not to allow one color to predominate.

Conifers can vary quite a bit in color. When creating a composition, important plays the correct formation color range. There are also rules developed over the years:

1. For a 3-component composition, there must be 2 colors.
2. 5-component - 3 colors.
3. 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 shrubs with bright flowers slightly smooth 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.

Compatibility plays an important role various plants. 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:

1. Tall:
   • (up to 5 m);
   • El Khupsi (up to 15 m);
   • Skyrocket - juniper (up to 3 m);
   • Watereri - Scots pine;
   • Pincus Sylvestris - pine (up to 40 m).
2. Medium height- are especially loved by landscape designers:
   • yew berry;
   • Konika - spruce;
   • golden yew.
3. Creeping and short ones:
   • Tiny Tim - western thuja;
   • Mini Pug and Hampi - mountain pine trees;
   • 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 also create compositions from coniferous plants in 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 particularly difficult, but it requires knowledge of some rules and strict adherence to them.

1. Regular weed removal.
2. Periodic pinching and pruning.
3. Regular application of fertilizers, starting from the 3-4th year.
4. Moderate loosening of the soil.
5. Sheltering plants for the winter with spruce branches.
6. Into the strong summer heat, it is advisable to protect conifers from direct sunlight by installing awnings.

Schemes of coniferous compositions

Massive passion for landscape design has contributed to a noticeable transformation country houses, cottages and dachas. Vegetable and fruit gardens, popular in the recent past, have replaced flower beds and other decorative plant arrangements.

A special place in landscape design is occupied by coniferous trees, some breeds of which appeared in the vastness of our country relatively recently.

Representatives of the coniferous group of plants gained their popularity thanks to unique properties, allowing them to look great both in single (solitary plantings) and in group plantings 365 days a year. Coniferous plantations are not picky about soil types, rarely get sick and tolerate any weather changes well.

The importance of conifers for the garden

In addition to the aesthetic effect, evergreen coniferous plants can benefit humans and nature:

• absorb dust and noise efficiently;
• hold back gusts of wind;
• soften the microclimate around the house or cottage;
• stop the reproduction of certain viruses, bacteria and insects;
• provide the air with a colossal amount of oxygen and phytoncides (the undisputed champion among healing trees is juniper).

Therefore, if you dream of a beautiful, well-kept garden with a favorable microclimate, turn your attention to compositions of coniferous plants. Their charming appearance, exquisite shape and medium-sized crowns reveal unique opportunities for creating the most daring compositions in landscape design, as in large areas, and on small ones.

How to create coniferous compositions in landscape design?

• Spruces, pines, junipers, cypresses, firs, thujas and many other evergreens are usually located in the very center of a personal plot, to form coniferous sculptures, or at the borders of the territory.


• The ensemble of pine needles looks very picturesque surrounded by heather, roses, erik, rhododendrons and deciduous plants. They bring some brightness and contrast to the design and allow you to change the garden design seasonally. (The exceptions are bird cherry and birch trees - they have a bad effect on plants with needles).


• Pyramid-shaped conifers look great. Landscape designers use them to create complex geometric figures, spiral columns, tiers and intricate front alleys. Figuratively trimmed conifers divide the space of the site into so-called “rooms”, decorate stone slides, small ponds, and colorfully complement rock gardens and relief changes.


• In order for landscape design with coniferous plants to please the eye with its volumetric structures and color pictures not only in summer, but also in winter, it is necessary, when creating compositions, to pay increased attention to combinations of different shapes, textures and colors in the coniferous group.


• Experts recommend choosing as accent trees and shrubs winter-hardy species, which are stable all year. In the background, as a rule, plants with a spreading crown are placed. And the coniferous composition of the landscape design is completed by properly creeping, low plants.


• The decorative capabilities of conifers (they are easy to trim) are perfect for creating hedges and disguising unsightly areas in the fence.

Important!
When choosing conifers for home garden compositions, one should not forget that many plants change the color of their needles in winter.

Conifers in landscape design: planting rules

1. It is best to plant conifers in early autumn.


2. The depth of each hole for seedlings should not exceed 85 cm, and the junction of the stem with the root (necessarily with an earthen lump) should exactly correspond to the earthen level.


3. The distance between neighboring plants ideally ranges from 90 to 160 cm.


4. For better growth young plantings, you need to add sand and clay to the ground.


5. Within six months after planting conifers, the soil must be fed with mineral fertilizers.


6. During dry summers, watering is important for plants. During the season, it is enough to make 5-6 waterings of 20 liters per plant.


7. To make the crown thicker, annual shoots need to be cut off by a third every spring.


8. It is recommended to cover young trees that have not reached a meter in height by winter with spruce branches or kraft paper to avoid winter burns.


9. Regular loosening of the soil around the trunk promotes the rapid growth of coniferous plants.

Conifers in landscape design - planting video

Coniferous trees and plants for landscape design - how to choose the right one?

Plants for the garden must be purchased from specialized, trusted nurseries, and not from mass supermarkets, long before the start of the planting season. Before you go for seedlings, you need to have at hand a clear plan for the future garden and a list of the necessary plants.

Consider what older plant, the more difficult it will be for him to settle down in a new place.

In case of purchasing large-sized conifers, the best option would be trees and shrubs 5-6 years old.

When choosing coniferous trees and plants, you should consider what shapes and forms they will take in the near future. Owners of spacious plots can safely plant large trees with a spreading, oval-shaped crown. But the giants small garden will look rather ridiculous, drowning out the rest of the “tenants” with their size.

Pine is a bright representative of the forests of the northern hemisphere! Close representatives of the coniferous brotherhood and sisterhood: fir trees, junipers, larches, yews, cypresses, sequoias and many others, approximately 560 species. If we take into account flowering plants, these are few, very few, there are significantly more of them, and at the same time the presence of coniferous plants plays a big role both in nature as a whole and in human life.

Benefits of conifers

During the period of mass industrialization Natural resources paid attention not as much as now, people of our time strive to touch healing properties nature, decorating your available space with conifers different breeds. Designers who decorate the landscape, amateur gardeners, and just owners personal plots, you can still take building managers to them, well, these are those strange people who are man’s friends, who appreciated them not for their beautiful appearance and healing aroma. But also for others beneficial features and benefits:

• A huge number of conifers grow well in shade and partial shade.
• The roots feel great on different soils, both on stones and in sand.
• Perfectly amenable to modeling, trimming and cutting.
• They emit beneficial phytoncides with their aroma.
• Protects from strong winds and strengthens the soil.
• They inhibit the reproduction of some viruses, bacteria, and sometimes destroy harmful insects.

Coniferous plants are very popular among landscape designers

However, when choosing a plant, you need to rely not only on personal preferences, but adhere to certain rules. So:

Three groups of conifers

Tall growing

An example would be:

• - has proven itself remarkably well as a hedge, growing up to 5 m.
• Juniper Skyrocket grows up to three meters, and even itself has a conical shape.
• Hoopsie- prickly spruce. One of the tallest representatives of tall-growing species, reaches 15 meters in height.

Medium growing

There is a wide variety of conifers in this group. Most often used:

• Thuja is medium-sized - a kind of ball, the branches of which grow vertically.
• Golden yew grows well in the shade of other branched and coniferous plants.
• Yew berry is a fruiting shrub with beautiful needles.

Diversity of conifers

Low-growing shrubs and creeping varieties

Cute plants, at the same time the most affordable, and do not require constant care.

• Lombres is a spruce with emerald needles that spread along the ground.
• The pug is a miniature species of conifer that is distinguished by its soft and fluffy “pillow.”

Neighborhood of conifers

1. Thuja should not be planted near spruce. It will not allow the thuja to develop.
2. Cedars and pines do not get along with firs and spruces.
3. It is better not to grow larch with conifers of other species. Her relatives do not like her.
4. Birch and bird cherry should not be planted next to coniferous plants. Deciduous trees will not tolerate such a neighborhood.

Arm yourself with knowledge in growing conifers. Take into account its mature height and the appearance of its flowering crown.

Color variations from plants with coniferous cover also need to be taken into account. For a pleasant and beautiful appearance of conifers on the site, carefully study what the colors of your plants will be.

Are you going to use three plants (elements)? The color scheme can and should combine two colors: a bright spot is shaded by more neutral ones. Composition of several plants? Range of three colors. It is worth noting that conifers, which change the color of their needles depending on the season, are best planted separately.

What to do if there are 25 or more elements planned on the site? There is a wonderful option: distribute the plants into groups of two, three or five and plant conifers of the same shade in each group.

Creation of compositional solutions

When planning the composition of a garden on a personal plot, landscape designer strives for harmony and, one might say, completeness. You can do it yourself in arranging the garden, following certain rules:

1. Planting of trees and shrubs is oriented to the east or west, but not to the north or south. This arrangement is desirable for conifers.
2. Symmetry and asymmetry are one of the compositional components. When the shapes of the crowns and the distances between plants are equal or close, there is symmetry. Natural naturalness, chaotic lines - asymmetry.
3. Shrubs and trees look majestic against the backdrop of neat paths made of decorative crushed stone in the middle of the lawn, on slopes, near ponds, among flowers and huge stones.

Combination of conifers with other vegetation

Rendering effects

When comparing tall and short plants that grow nearby, the tall ones will seem much taller than they are and vice versa; short plants will be shorter in comparison to trees. So that the compositional solution does not introduce a feeling of disorder, comparison color solutions and forms is achieved by using combinations of one type or even species of plants.

Geometry

Planting designed in contrast looks organic. For example, short ones fit well with tall ones, or tall ones; pyramidal shapes can go well with spherical ones.

Ball-shaped cutting of conifers

Conifers are used in the design of mixborders, rockeries, living fences and hedges, etc. Let's look at a few.

Mixborders

What are mixborders? Translated from English as “mixed border” or “mixed borders”. Mixborder is a flower garden of plants that are planted in multi-rows and multi-tiered. So, to design a mixborder, first of all prepare a place for the largest plants. This will be your starting point.

Keep in mind that seedlings are planted in descending order of their mature height, so the shortest plants are planted at the foot of the border.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes in geometry. curved lines will only enhance the slenderness of the trees and the beauty of the mixborder.

Hedge

With conifers, you can not only divide the site into completely different zones, but also create impassable jungle along the borders of the site. To do this, plants are planted in two or more rows in a dense checkerboard pattern. It is necessary to choose varieties for hedges that are easy and convenient to cut and give the desired shape to the crown. Choose one plant variety for each hedge.

Thuja as a hedge

Rockery

What is this? This is a kind of garden on a gentle slope, in which stones, shrubs or dwarf plants, flowers with tiny inflorescences are used. The most common styles in rock garden design are English, European, and Japanese. Rockery in english style What distinguishes it from the other is its restraint in compositional solutions. Basically they use cereal plants, shrubs, wormwood plants, and small conifers. In the European style, plants typical of the middle zone are planted, such as balsam fir, juniper, dwarf spruce, cypress trees, barberry and boxwood. Japanese rock gardens are distinguished by an abundance of stone piles and minimal plant mass. Famous Japanese garden stones this is a rockery.

A gentle slope is the main criterion for choosing a place for a rock garden. A feature of any gently sloping garden is the ability for plants to grow in partial shade. Such a garden will be in harmony with nature, and most importantly, it will look beautiful near a gazebo or a small pond. If your site with pronounced differences is on a slope, and you really want a rock garden, then levels are created that even out the differences.

Correct location and planting of conifers

• Plan everything on paper, the dimensions of the paths, the heights of the plants, taking into account all the sizes of the stones and plants in adult form.
• Select coniferous tree species
• The most convenient period for planting plants is mid-spring, or even mid-April and early May. During this period, the seedling does not yet begin to actively grow and develop.
• Mark the boundaries of the area of ​​conifers. Anything will do for this: pegs, wood, stones. In the middle of the flowerbed, use marking ropes and pegs to indicate the boundaries of each plant and prepare recesses for them, or big holes, at least half a meter deep.
• Prepare the soil. It is advisable to mix the top layers of soil with peat and sand. The proportions are approximately a bucket of soil, a bucket of sand and half a bucket of peat. If soil from under non-coniferous trees is available, then add a bucket of such soil to the resulting mixture. This fertilizer is the best for a newly planted tree.
• Plant plants. Pebbles or sand mixture about 15 centimeters, fertilizer or compost (preferably compost), half a bucket will be enough. If you add fertilizers, monitor the nitrogen content in it, since nitrogen fertilizers are contraindicated for conifers. The root of the seedling must be with a lump of earth in which it began to grow. Do not knock down or throw away the soil from the root, otherwise you will kill the plant ahead of time. After loading the root into the hole, add our prepared soil to the surface level and level it well. There is no need to compact it too much, the earth will settle on its own as much as it needs, and while it subsides, the roots will have time to get used to the new position and will be saturated with moisture and air.
• Cover the landing site with mulch. Mulching the soil is generally a beneficial process. You can use anything as mulch: plant bark, small pebbles, pine cones, sawdust and wood chips, whatever your heart desires and that will look beautiful in your composition. Even ground cover plants such as creeping perennials and flowers are suitable.
• Watering. Plays an important role on initial stages growth, abundant watering. During drought it is doubly useful.
• Regularly feed the seedlings until the plants grow.

Conifers differ from other plants in their resistance. They tolerate cold and heat calmly, drought is also not as bad for them as other plants, and prolonged downpours only saturate the tree with moisture longer. Unlike other plants, conifers can protect themselves from various diseases. And the microclimate that conifers create near themselves can significantly reduce the number of insects. The air in the area becomes soft and filled with oxygen.

Caring for conifers (video)

In general, creating your own garden using conifers gives an overall completeness to the entire composition. You yourself have created something big, lasting and beautiful. In addition, you planted a large spring next to you. fresh air, and if there is a gazebo in such a garden, there is also a recreation area that can be compared to a trip out of town. Creating coniferous gardens, you have touched the secrets of nature, subject to the strict order of the Creator.

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, giving personal plot majestic and rich appearance. These types of plants combine well with deciduous shrubs, for example, 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 plot gives great benefits in comparison with other plants.

1. Aesthetics. Conifers retain 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. Grows on all types of soil, does not require large quantities solar heat and 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 areas they are suitable low-growing varieties with crowns of different shapes.

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. 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, 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 medium-height fence for zoning, then use different varieties of 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 make the hedge stand out against the background of 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. A good option is to combine 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 such a neighborhood may simply not be suitable for some deciduous plantings.

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 of the 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 are created from trees and shrubs fancy shapes, down to the depiction 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 of 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 removed for the winter in unheated room. 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 relax.

Whatever the size of the plot, there will always be coniferous plants for it, without which no garden can be considered complete. Today's abundance of varieties and species allows you to experiment and create new ones. coniferous compositions in landscape design of small and large gardens.

Coniferous plants, with their diversity, confuse the gardener when choosing candidates for creating landscape forms. Getting your knowledge of evergreens in order is the first step in planning a beautiful garden.

The whole diversity of conifers is better represented if they are divided into groups:

• Full-grown, whose annual growth is 30 cm or more per year;
• Medium-sized and semi-dwarf individuals grow no more than 30 cm per year;
• Dwarf forms with an annual growth of about 8 cm;
• Miniature, which add 3-5 cm per year;
• Microscopic with an increase of no more than 1 cm per year.

Based on these characteristics, the gardener determines the place that conifers will occupy in the landscape design of the site.

The first group of plants reaches a height of 3 meters or more at the age of ten. For example, the common spruce (Picea abies) at the 12th year of life is a beauty 4 meters high, and its crown in the lower part reaches a diameter of about 3 meters.

Norway spruce

Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) from this group also belongs to the category of giants. At the age of 10 years it can reach a height of 5 meters. In adulthood, and conifers grow for a very long time, it will be a 25-meter giant, presenting a delightful sight.

Cedar of Lebanon

Semi-dwarf forms of coniferous plants are by far the most attractive for garden or park compositions due to their versatility. They don’t need a lot of space, but even from a distance of 10 meters, a group of such plants looks quite presentable.

Dwarf and miniature forms are suitable for small gardens, where plants are given a small area and the picture needs to be observed from a distance of no more than 5 meters in order to appreciate the beauty of each participant and the entire composition as a whole.

Semi-dwarf spruce
Dwarf larch
Miniature cedar

Microscopic evergreens grown by hobbyists indoor gardens in Japanese style. An ensemble of such plants can be placed on a pedestal in a small courtyard.

Evergreens must also be divided into groups:

• trees;
• bushes.

Shrubs are common and dwarf. Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina tamariscifolia) is a common resident of parks and gardens due to its unpretentiousness and vitality. It does not reach a height of more than one meter, but in width, if it is released and does not form a crown, it can occupy an area of ​​about five or more meters in diameter.

On the contrary, horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) in the landscape design of the site plays the role of a prickly blanket that spreads along the ground and reaches a height of no more than 15 cm. It grows quite slowly.

Juniper horizontal

Pros and cons

The merits of coniferous plants include:

• ease of care;
• decorating the garden at any time of the year;
• absence of fallen leaves;
• lack of inflorescences that need to be trimmed;
• abundance of shapes, sizes and colors;
• the ability to form any shape using trimming;
• improvement of ambient air;
• durability.

In some sources, the disadvantages of coniferous crops include the unpredictability of their growth and appearance in adulthood. The right approach when growing coniferous plants, it eliminates all the disadvantages of their maintenance. If the planting site and type of plant are chosen taking into account its needs, size and climate, then the gardener can only timely treat diseases and pests and feed his coniferous pets a couple of times a season with tasty fertilizer for health and a fluffy appearance.

Willow Hakuro Nishiki Willow is a plant familiar to almost everyone; it is often used for landscaping. But the copies...

There is a plan!

With the help of coniferous plants, the garden can be completely different shapes. Fast-growing coniferous trees for landscape design of the site will be appreciated by those who like quick results.

A well-planned project is half the success.

The entrance area of ​​the site can be decorated in a ceremonial style: clear forms of trimmed thujas of spherical and conical shapes greet guests and owners near the entrance to the house. They are surrounded by a well-groomed lawn or colored shredded bark in discreet shades.

In order for thujas to please the eye with fresh greenery, they need proper care and attentive attitude. A fairly common situation is when you dry out and look unkempt (do not confuse these cases with golden varieties of this plant).

A living fence made from clipped thuja will help divide the garden into several different zones. Behind a two-meter wall of thuja, the continuation of the site will not be visible, and the winding path will mysteriously hide and beckon you further into the garden.

Quite a frequent and popular guest. They are well suited for growing in urban environments, as they can withstand increased air pollution.

Such large-scale structures and large trees will be appropriate if there is sufficient space.

Conifers in garden landscape design should not look alien and unnecessary. Having assessed the space allocated for conifers, a good gardener will first examine the varieties that will be suitable for specific purposes.

IN small garden Groups of medium-sized and semi-dwarf plants look good against the backdrop of a lawn or gravel. Due to lack of space, a mixborder of coniferous plants is created along the fence. In the background you can place several balls of western thuja (Thuja ossidentalis), between them a creeping semi-dwarf juniper (Juniperus horizontalis “Glauca”), and in the foreground there will be a neat “Conica” spruce (Picea glauca albertiana “Conica”) with its small in size and bright green needles. It goes well with the golden ball of the Japanese spirea “Golden Princess” (Spiraea japonica). For color harmony, you can add dwarf oriental thuja with golden foliage (Thuja orientalis “Aurea Nana”). At the beginning of summer, all this splendor is decorated with pink spirea flowers.

Coniferous mixborder
Semi-dwarf juniper
Eastern dwarf thuja

The creation of a coniferous paradise

When incorporating coniferous plants into landscape design, you must follow some rules:

• the tallest specimens are planted in the background;
• coniferous composition from different plants should not combine more than three forms of crowns;
• symmetry and precise geometric shapes are inappropriate when creating an evergreen open-plan group;
• the ground floor strict composition must be strictly symmetrical and requires constant care and haircuts;
• an ensemble of coniferous plants does not need variegation;
• accents are required;
• the viewing area should be at a distance equal to twice the length of the composition;
• the wrong green neighbors can nullify the gardener's efforts.

Some of these rules require a detailed approach and specifics. If the first postulate is simple and understandable, then the question of forms can be explained by the structure of the human eye. The abundance of shapes, as well as colors, creates a feeling of unease. A composition of three colors or two or three contrasting shapes looks much more pleasant and holistic. Pyramid thujas Brabant in the landscape design of the group is best placed in the background. Their severity is emphasized by the spherical forms of the cypress tree, and in the foreground the entire ensemble is calmed by creeping juniper or ground cover deciduous plants. Even if the territory allocated for conifers is quite extensive, the rhythmic alternation of the same plants is better perceived, rather than a set of various varieties and colors.

To prevent the gaze from wandering around the composition, the beginning of contemplation should begin with an accent that can be created by a tree or shrub unusual shape or a color slightly different from everyone else. The starting point for the view is a small heather garden, which combines beautifully with conifers. A boulder of an unusual shape, buried in the arms of a juniper, or interesting solution garden lanterns also attract the eye and help to perceive the entire composition and each plant separately.

The combination of sizes of coniferous plants in a group should be harmonious. A tall spruce is perceived at a great distance, while a small spherical thuja is interesting up close.

For the decent development of coniferous plants, it is necessary to take into account the influence that plants have on each other. The proximity of spruce and thuja will depress both plants. A beautiful specimen of larch will not tolerate anyone near it. This individualist loves to grow alone, just like the birch tree.

Larch

The combination of conifers and roses looks very beautiful. But this neighborhood may not be very comfortable for the rose.

Conifers in different roles

Many gardeners give preference to conifers when decorating a site, because these plants can play a variety of roles:

1. Hedge;
2. Solo part;
3. Mixborder;
4. Alpine slide or rock garden;
5. Ensemble;
6. Container garden.

A hedge of evergreens can be functional or aesthetic. If you need to separate a resting place from prying eyes, columnar junipers or thujas will cope with this role very well. Planted tightly to each other, they will create a beautiful and impenetrable wall that will look organic in the green mass of the site.

Dwarf juniper or cypress will make an excellent fence for fencing a playground or flower bed, which will not block the view, but will create a beautiful frame.

As a solo performer, coniferous trees or shrubs with an interesting crown shape, the color of the needles or an exotic type of fruit are used. A better combination all at once for the decorative effect of the soloist throughout the year. The background for the artist can be a lawn, gravel or decorative wood chips.

A composition, that is, a “mix,” of plants along a path or fence forms a kind of border, and all together this is called a mixborder. This garden element is very popular among gardeners. It can be decorated with conifers or a combination of conifers with flowers and ground cover plants. It is better to decorate the mixborder near the path with dwarf and semi-dwarf forms, so that the eye covers the entire group of plants at once.

Alpine slides or rock gardens in the recent past were a favorite decoration of garden plots. In any, even very small, piece of the garden, amateurs tried to create something similar to the Alps with the obligatory assortment of ground cover and coniferous plants. Creating a rock garden that would naturally fit into the landscape of the site is not an easy task, but it is quite feasible. It can be much simpler - a combination of plants and stones. For this element of the landscape, you do not need to build mountains, just a beautiful boulder and evergreen plants, correctly selected for it. Dwarf mountain pine will feel at home in landscape design if it is surrounded by several stones of interesting shapes or colors. Ground cover flowers or creeping junipers are planted between stones and conifers. In this case, plants and stones located on pebbles look more natural.

Compositions of coniferous plants are the simplest and most beautiful solution for revitalizing a lawn or patio.

Conifers can be combined with deciduous plants suitable for growing conditions. The unpretentious and beautiful staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), with its feather-like leaves, will look great in the summer against the backdrop of austere spruce trees, and in the fall its scarlet colors against a calm green background will attract the eye of even an experienced gardener.

In group compositions, contrasts of form and play of color play a major role. Columnar thujas with bright green needles combine perfectly with golden thuja balls, and creeping juniper of deep green color completes this composition spread out on the lawn.

There are coniferous plants that a gardener would really like to see in his green kingdom. But not all conifers tolerate frosts and low temperatures. In this case, container forms of conifers come to the rescue. You can decorate your patio with them or add them to an already finished composition in the garden. The container form of plants allows you to combine the incongruous. In this form, the dream of a duet of roses and spruce is quite feasible.

Present the finished result and go! You will succeed!