Conifers in the country (38 photos): types of trees and shrubs. Features of the Christmas tree, juniper, pine and fir

Many owners of country plots are fond of landscape design. As a result of their efforts, the space surrounding not only expensive cottages, but also simple private houses has noticeably changed. Today, vegetable gardens and even gardens are gradually losing ground and giving way to lawns, flower beds, flower beds and unusual plant compositions that please the eye. However, flower beds have always attracted the attention of gardeners, and decorative shrubs quite often decorated plots, but if conifers were used in landscape design, they were not so often used. Today they are becoming more and more popular.

Coniferous mixborder

Semi-dwarf juniper

Eastern dwarf thuja

Creation of coniferous paradise

When inscribing conifers in 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 out of place when creating an evergreen open-plan group;
• the parterre 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 place for review 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 forms, as well as colors, creates a sense of unrest. A composition of three colors or two or three contrasting forms looks much nicer and more holistic. pyramidal thuja Brabant in the landscape design of the group is best placed in the background. Their severity is emphasized by the spherical forms of cypress, and in the foreground the whole ensemble is calmed by creeping juniper or ground cover deciduous plants. Even if the territory for conifers is quite extensive, the rhythmic alternation of the same plants is better perceived, and not a set of all kinds of varieties and colors.

In order for the eye not to wander around the composition, the beginning of contemplation should begin with an accent, which can create a tree or shrub of an unusual shape or color, slightly different from all the others. starting point The view is perfectly served by a small heather garden, which blends beautifully with conifers. A boulder of an unusual shape, immersed in the arms of a juniper, or garden lamp also attract the eye and help to perceive the entire composition as a whole and each plant separately.

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

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

Larch

The combination of conifers with roses looks very beautiful. But for a rose, this neighborhood may not be very comfortable.

Ephedra in different roles

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

1. Hedge;
2. solo part;
3. Mixborder;
4. Alpine hill or rockery;
5. Ensemble;
6. container garden.

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

A dwarf juniper or cypress will make an excellent fence for enclosing 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, needle color or an exotic type of fruit are used. And the best combination of everything at once for the decorativeness of the soloist throughout the year. The background for the artist can be a lawn, gravel or decorative wood chips.

The composition, that is, the “mix”, of plants along the path or fence forms a kind of border, and all together this is called a mixborder. This element of the garden is very popular among gardeners. It can be decorated with conifers or a combination of conifers with flowers and ground cover plants. Mixborder near the path is better to decorate 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 garden plots. On any, even a very small, piece of the garden, amateurs tried to create something similar to the Alps with an obligatory assortment of ground cover and coniferous plants. To create a rock garden that would naturally fit into the landscape of the site is not an easy task, but it is quite feasible. It is much easier to create rockeries - a combination of plants and stones. For this element of the landscape, you do not need to build mountains, a beautiful boulder and evergreens, correctly matched to it, are enough. Dwarf mountain pine in landscape design will feel like home when surrounded by a few 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.

Coniferous compositions 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 summer against the background of strict fir trees, and in autumn its scarlet colors against a calm green background will attract the eye of even a sophisticated gardener.

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

To answer

A park in the estate or a flower bed near a private house will look good if there are evergreen plantings in it. This fact has been known since ancient times, so most people use conifers in the landscape design of their summer cottage. They make it possible to give the space a rich and stately look. And they look original all year round. And it does not depend on whether there is a single tree or a full-fledged composition.

Conifers in landscape design: problem of choice

• The size of a coniferous plant that it will have after 10-20 years. Therefore, ordinary spruces are best planted along the main paths or to create a hedge around the site. A low fence allows you to get the western thuja "Golden Globe". And a low border, the height of which will not exceed 50 cm, will be obtained from the western spruce of the Danica variety.
• Coniferous growth rate. This fact turns out to be important in the flower bed. Because the plants different speeds growth will quickly change dramatically appearance the whole composition.

• Needle color. It depends on the variety and breed, and also, sometimes, on the planting site. For example, Lawson's cypress will be painted blue in bright sun, but will fade in the shade. In addition, one plant can have needles different shades. For example, the Korean fir "Silberblock" is silver-green, and the green needles of the Nutkan cypress "Variegata" have yellow spots. Moreover, such multi-colored conifers on the site are recommended to be planted separately. Then their shades will not merge and get lost against the background of other plants.
• Compatibility of different types of conifers. Fir trees do not get along next to pine or cedar. Spruce will not allow thuja to develop, so they are not combined in one composition of conifers. And larch will not allow any other coniferous plant near it.

Coniferous flower bed: options

1. Compact for a small area

It will require only conifers, for example, you can take a coastal juniper to supplement it with one western arborvitae and several mountain pines. In such a coniferous composition, thuja should be placed in the center, and the rest of the plants around it. An indisputable advantage flower beds is its maximum compactness.

1. Thuja western Holmstrup
2. Juniper medium Old Gold
3. Mountain Pine Mops
4. Juniper Coastal Shlager

2. Large coniferous flower bed for a spacious cottage

Her place is near a wall or fence. In its design there are juniper, thuja and pine. The farthest row of the coniferous composition should be the row of common juniper. It is recommended to plant a row of western thujas in front of him, on both edges of which you can place an average juniper.

The center of the coniferous flower bed should be a mountain pine on a stem. In addition to it, it is advised to plant a medium barberry in several places, alternating it with a scaly juniper. The front part of the composition is supposed to be created from a horizontal juniper and use from 2 to 3 of its species for this.

1. Common Juniper Suecica
2. Common Juniper Horstman
3. Thuja western Rheingold
4. Pine mountain Mops on trunk
5. Juniper Mint Julep
6. Juniper scaly Blue Star
7. Thuja western Danica
8. Juniper horizontal Wiltonii

3. Horizontal coniferous compositions on the site

It is used if conifers in landscape design are used to decorate a large area with a flat surface. The only plant that makes it up is juniper. Just take a few different types. So that the flower bed does not look boring and monotonous, it is recommended to supplement the composition with large and small stones. They allow to break the green mass.

1. Virginian juniper Gray Owl molded
2. Juniper horizontal Andorra Compact
3. Juniper horizontal Prince of Wales

4. Bunk in separate flower beds

The farthest of them should contain a plant that will be the tallest in adulthood. For example, mountain pine. You can add horizontal and rocky molded juniper to the company.

The front part of the flower bed can be decorated with two types of juniper: recumbent and scaly.

1. Rocky Juniper Blue Arrow
2. Juniper rock Skyrocket molded
3. Meyeri scaly molded juniper
4. Mountain Pine Mops
5. Juniper Horizontal Blue Chip
6. Lying juniper Nana

5. Flowerbed for a site with uneven terrain

It successfully masks the shortcomings of the territory, but requires sufficient space. In the center of a coniferous flower bed, you need to plant an eastern thuja, it can be replaced with a mountain pine. Fill the background with western thujas, and place a horizontal juniper along the edges. The latter can be replaced by the Cossack. It is recommended to make the edges of the flower bed asymmetrical: plant Japanese larch on one side, and Thunberg barberry on the other. The final step is to plant the middle juniper around the larch.

1. Thuja western Smaragd
2. Japanese larch Stiff Weeper
3. Barberry Thunberg Red Chief
4. Thuja orientalis Aurea Nana
5. Mountain Pine Mops
6. Juniper medium Old Gold
7. Juniper Cossack Blaue Donau
8. Juniper horizontal Prince of Wales
9. Juniper Horizontal Blue Chip

6. Coniferous composition in the forest style

In landscape design, it is used to reproduce the natural look of wildlife. To create this coniferous flower bed, you will need to plant from left to right: lilac, undersized mountain pine and Canadian spruce. Fill the space between them with different types of juniper and barberry. This will allow you to get a natural and artistic coniferous composition.

1. Rocky juniper Skyrocket
2. Norway spruce Inversa
3. Meyeri lilac on stem
4. Juniper medium Old Gold
5. Canadian spruce Echiniformis
6. Mountain Pine Mops
7. Barberry Thunberg Bonanza Gold

Rules for arranging flower beds of their conifers in landscape design

1. Create a project - what will be your flowerbed of conifers. At this point, it is necessary to take into account such moments as the amount of sunlight, free space (it should be enough for the full development of each plant), soil features, site topography, house design, area of ​​​​the site.
2. Select breed coniferous trees.
3. Make a coniferous composition.
4. Prepare the soil. To do this, limit the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future flower bed. Then you need to remove upper layer soil and mix it with sand and peat. It is recommended to take the same amount of sand and one part of peat for every two parts of soil. If possible, add two more pieces of leafy ground.
5. To draw up the boundaries of a coniferous composition; in landscape design, fences made of brick, wood or stones can act as boundaries. Mark the territory of each plant with pegs and dig holes for them. The depth of each should be about 50 cm.
6. Plant conifers. Fill the bottom of each hole with pebbles or sand. The height of this layer should not be less than 15 cm. Add fertilizer, compost is best. It will need 3-5 kg ​​per square meter. You can buy vermicompost, you just need to choose the one with the lowest nitrogen content. Since the application of fertilizers with nitrogen under conifers is contraindicated. Set in the center of the seedling in a coma of earth. Fill with prepared mixture. Well tamp and water. Pour another layer of soil, which must be well leveled.
7. Close plantings with mulch. In its quality, you can use cones, pieces of bark, sawdust. Sometimes ground cover plants play the role of mulch.
8. Plentifully water the coniferous flower bed in autumn period. Especially if there is little rain. Coniferous plants need to accumulate a lot of moisture before a long winter.
9. Feed plantings regularly, but this must be done until the moment when the growth of conifers begins.

Conifers in the landscape design of a summer cottage: advantages

These plants can endure any vagaries of nature. They are not afraid of frost and heat, prolonged rain or its absence, of course, when they have already taken root in a new place.

Coniferous compositions are distinguished by the fact that they are not subject to various diseases. On the contrary, they create a special microclimate that can reduce the number of insects. Phytoncides, which secrete coniferous plants, prevent the development of viruses and bacteria.

Climate in a limited area country house becomes soft. The air is filled with oxygen. It reduces the amount of dust particles. Trees create a barrier to noise and wind.

Many gardeners dream of growing coniferous plants of various types and varieties in their garden. Conifers in the garden, together with decorative deciduous and beautifully flowering plants, create indescribable beauty. And also, in addition to beauty, conifers protect our garden from noise, dust and saturate the air with essential oils that are beneficial to our health.

The composition of coniferous plants is a group of coniferous species and varieties planted according to certain rules of landscape design. To create such a composition on your site, you need to follow the basic recommendations that we will now share with you.

Conifers in the garden can be planted in different parts of the site, but from this the group will have a different shape. If you want to create a composition of a circular 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 please our eyes, as everyone will be in sight.

If you want to decorate the entrance to the building or plant a composition near the wall, then the tallest plants should be planted in the background, respectively, undersized and dwarf conifers - in the foreground.

If you want to do a band planting, then always plant tall plants in the background as well, and plants of medium height and undersized fit well between tall conifers, but planted closer to the foreground. Be careful not to plant plants of the same height side by side. Plants of the same growth and preferably of the same species are planted only in a green hedge.

Coniferous plants now delight us with a huge assortment of shapes and colors of needles. Creating a composition with completely different colors of needles, on the contrary, “breaks” it, 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 needle color and 1 plant with a different color.
If a composition of 5 conifers is envisaged, then it is desirable 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 time consuming, or buy them. And you can with our partners. In addition, there are all types of conifers of 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 up, they do not interfere with each other. To do this, we will use the characteristic, which indicates the size of adult plants. And since there will be a considerable distance between conifers, you can fill it with shade-loving bushes and flowers. Bulbous and corm-bulbous flowers look very nice 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) are tall coniferous plants, on the sides (2 and 3) are medium-sized and undersized plant. Red lines indicate that all plants are visible from one side. Also from other sides.

Picture 4.

These are the simplest examples that you may find useful.
And now we offer you a ready-made composition scheme of eight coniferous plants. Let's create it according to the example of 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 the scheme of 3 pcs. - this is Crimean pine (4), Siberian cedar (5), Norway spruce (2). On the left side, conifers are planted according to a scheme of 5 pcs. - thuja Smaragd (6), thuja Columna (7), balsam fir (8), blue spruce (1), common pine (3).

Brief description 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 shades. The shape of the crown is pyramidal. The root system is deep, on less fertile soil - superficial. Likes moderately nutritious soil and sufficient watering. Increases decorative effect on podzolic, moist soils, loses decorative effect on dry, poor, stony or clay soils. Wind-resistant, light-requiring.
2. Norway spruce or European (Picea abies) - height 20-40 m, width - 6-8 m. It grows up to 10-15 years slowly, then faster, 50 cm in height. The color of the needles is dark green. The shape of the crown is pyramidal. The root system is deep, if it grows on loams and sandy loams. If the soil is often wet, then the roots are superficial, which can suffer from wind. Likes moist air, moderately moist, acidic and well-drained soils. Grows well in the shade. Should be shaded in spring young plant from the sun and protect from frost. But in winter it is frost-resistant.

3. Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris) - height 20-25 m, width 7-10 m. It 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, pivotal, feels good on stony soils, is not afraid strong wind. It is not demanding on soils, but does not like compaction and strong salinization of soils. Very light-loving. Actively highlights essential oils and phytoncides, which purifies and ionizes the air.

4. Pine Pallas or Crimean (Pinus Palasina) - height up to 30 m. The needles are long (18-20 cm), slightly curved, dark green. This pine is less hardy than Scotch pine. Annual growth is 30 cm. It likes calcareous soils, but it also grows normally on sandy, gravel soils. Light-requiring, in the shade it loses its decorative effect and is damaged by pests. The root system is powerful, 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, sticking out, dark green with a bluish bloom. The root system is powerful with a main short tap root and numerous lateral roots, it is not afraid of strong winds. Grows on any soil, except clay and pure sand. But it prefers light loamy and loamy, slightly podzolized soils. Light-loving, shade-tolerant. How older plant the more light it needs. Likes moderately moist soil and moist air. Very winter hardy. Cedar wood repels midges, mosquitoes, moths.

6. Thuja (Thuja occidenalis Smaragd) - height 3-5 m, width - 2 m. Annual growth 10 cm. Crown shape - narrow, pyramidal, dense. The needles are dark green, well keeps the color in the winter. It is not demanding on soils, but it grows best on fresh loams and on calcareous soils. Sun-loving, can grow in partial shade. Frost-resistant. Looks good in containers and green hedges. Purifies and ionizes the air.

7. Thuja western Columna ( Thuja occidenalis columna)- height -10 m, width - up to 1.5 m. Grows very fast. The needles are scaly, shiny, dark green, retain their color in winter, darken in the shade. 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. Light-requiring, the crown is dense in the sun, rare in the shade. The most frost-resistant among western thujas. Good for hedges due to its fast growth and height.
8. Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) - height 20 m, width -6m. The shape of the crown is narrow pyramidal. The needles are dark green, shiny above, with two whitish stripes below. Grows fast. The root system is superficial, so you need to protect from strong winds. It is undemanding to soils, but prefers acidic ones. If the lower branches are covered with humus, then they will take root. Does not like trampling down the soil and breaking branches. Sun-loving, but also grows well in partial shade. Frost-resistant.

Increasingly, in landscape design, a variety of coniferous plants are used to decorate plots, which create harmonious combinations with decorative deciduous and flowering shrubs, perennial flower crops. This article is all about conifers for the garden; rules for creating harmonious compositions; to help gardeners photos of various conifers with the exact names of varieties.

Coniferous plants: types, cultivation techniques

The inclusion of conifers in garden compositions allows you to create unique beauty corners of the garden that remain decorative at any time of the year. The range of coniferous crops for landscaping areas is constantly expanding, including spruce, cypress or juniper, unique in color.

Advice. Trees with needles of different shades fit perfectly into garden design, creating a fresh spot against the background of other plants.

Decorative conifers for the garden are very popular in the design of landscape compositions due to their positive qualities:

1. Coniferous trees retain an attractive shape, as they grow, their crown only becomes thicker and more elegant.
2. Plants do not freeze even in the most severe winters, decorating the winter landscape, coniferous trees and shrubs are easy to care for and hardy.
3. The powerful root system of these plants fully provides the conifers with moisture, so mature trees can be watered infrequently.
4. Ephedra easily tolerate insufficient lighting, put up with shading.
5. Many varieties of coniferous plants have a compact shape that does not require special care.

Landscape design using conifers

Coniferous cultures are so diverse that they can be used to create landscape compositions of any style, compact and miniature forms of conifers look appropriate in and on.

Types of coniferous plants

Usually, the following coniferous crops of various varieties are used for landscaping plots, differing in height, shape of branches, and color of needles.

Pine

Pine is the oldest representative of the green coniferous kingdom. Pine trees are not demanding on soil, they are highly resistant to drought and winter cold, but they require a lot of free and bright space. When planted in an urban area, pine trees react strongly to smoke and air pollution, so their widespread use in creating landscape compositions near an industrial area is very limited. Pines are conventionally divided by height into three groups:

• Tall - the height of the tree reaches more than 10 meters.
• Medium-sized - from 3 to 9 meters.
• Low and compact forms - reach no more than 3 meters in height.

The usual green color of pine needles is not the only one; in modern pine varieties, needles can be blue or yellow shade, there are species with a two-tone color of the needles.

Attention! For landscape gardening, all types of pines are used, but a special group is made up of compact types of mountain pine, which is widely used for planting in the form of a tapeworm on an alpine hill.

ate

Spruce is a coniferous culture that is perfect for planting in city parks and squares to create a variety of compositions. Spruce remains green in winter and summer, so parks with compositions of fir trees in winter period take on a special charm. The needles of spruces have different colors: green, blue, gray, which adds decorativeness to the created landscape compositions.

A huge variety of spruce crown shapes allows these trees to be used as group and solitary plantings; elfin trees are an ideal decoration for or rockeries.
Spruce varieties are suitable for creating hedges.

Fir

Fir is a tree with dense needles and original cones, indispensable for creating landscape compositions. For the normal development of the plant, it is necessary to create certain conditions for fir trees:

• Uniform moistening of the soil, to prevent stagnation of water in the near-trunk circles.
• Fertile soil.
• Places sheltered from the wind.
• Fir does not tolerate air pollution.
• Shelter in winter for young seedlings from frost.

Fir is the only coniferous crop that can reproduce by growth. Near an adult tree, you can always see rooted young shoots that are easy to separate from the mother tree for a separate planting.

cypress

Cypress trees are very much appreciated for the design of urban and park areas. The plant can have a different shape: filamentous, weeping, dwarf, in total there are more than 80 species of various crowns. The needles on the shoots of cypress trees may have a needle or scaly shape. various shades green, blue and green.

Cypress trees are highly resistant to drought, the plant is winter-hardy, adapts to any growing conditions, puts up with shading.

cypress

The slender Lavson cypress is most suitable for planting in cities; ideal compositions are created by landscape architects using virgin cypress varieties.

Juniper

Junipers are highly decorative, a variety of species and forms. Plants look great in compositions of different styles, including group plantings of conifers on green lawns and creating rocky hills.

The prickly needles of junipers are usually needle-shaped and can be colored in different shades of green or blue. Often the needles have a specific bluish coating.

The most common and undemanding type of juniper is the Cossack juniper, which has scaly needles. On urban lawns and in rockeries, this type of plant is most often found.

Juniper

Chinese juniper usually reaches a height of up to 10 meters, its slender crowns are painted in green or golden tones of various shades. The plant is used for single plantings and when creating decorative hedges.

thuja

Most often, arborvitae are used for landscaping cities. These plants are undemanding to growing conditions, give good growth, are very decorative, especially during the period of fruit formation. Thuja has a different crown shape: pyramidal, sprawling, columnar, which makes it ideal for creating landscape compositions of different styles.

Especially often, western thuja is used for landscaping urban areas, which has proven itself well when grown in difficult urban conditions. The variety of species of western thuja allows you to create ideal compositions from tall and short varieties.

Yew

Yews, which are usually planted in the form of hedges, can give special artistic expressiveness to park design. Yew - amazing plant, which has leaves reduced to needles and bright berries. In total, there are 8 types of yews in nature, most of which have decorative forms.

Yew berry is the most decorative species from the Yew family. The plant is remarkable for its bright green needles and red berries, which do not ripen on all plants. The whole point is that dioecious plant. All yews are characterized by slow growth, plants can live to a very respectable age. In addition to the berry yew, yew medium and spiky yew are successfully used in landscape design.

Coniferous plants on the site: video

Conifers in landscape design: photo

Most plants in the autumn-winter period, when the leaves fall off and the branches become bare, look depressing. A completely different impression is made by conifers, which delight with fresh greenery even in the darkest months of the year. This alone is a worthy reason to use conifers in landscape design. Let's add to this the original leaves-needles, multi-colored fruits-cones, a variety of crown shapes. They will allow you to avoid the monotony of the garden, to bring a new “coniferous” touch to the usual deciduous and grassy landscape. And there are a huge number of ways to implement such a plan! Let's talk about them.

With the help of conifers, diverse landscape compositions are created.

A classic of the genre is the use of conifers as hedge elements. Dense weaves of branches with year-round greenery create dense plantings that block the path and serve for zoning the site. For hedges, breeds with a pyramidal, columnar and spherical crown shape are considered the best, which tolerate regular shearing well. When forming high hedges, preference is most often given to such large-sized trees as spruce, pine, fir, pseudo-hemlock. For fences of medium height, yews, thujas, junipers, araucarias, podocarps, taxodiums, cypresses, cypress trees, cryptomerias are suitable. The creation of low hedges, like a border, is possible when using dwarf varieties of mountain pines, thujas, cypresses, junipers.

To obtain a uniform green fence, one variety is usually used. If you want variety, then it is allowed to alternate varieties with multi-colored needles. For example, an interesting spruce hedge can be obtained using blue, green and silver forms for planting. Moreover, prickly and common spruce are in good harmony with each other - they can also be used with a certain frequency. Dark green varieties ("Smaragd"), light ("Brabant"), golden-colored ("Yellow Ribbon", "Sunkist", "Europe Gold") look great at the same time in the western thuja fence.

Thuja hedges are dense, impenetrable and require little to no care other than regular shearing in spring and fall.

The alternation of conifers with different colors creates an interesting effect.

Option # 2 - an accent element on the lawn

A coniferous plant with a bizarre crown shape can be placed in the center of the site, where it will successfully play the role of a landscape accent. Almost any tall and medium-sized varieties will do. It is desirable that they have a pronounced geometric shape: cone-shaped, spherical, weeping. Such conifers in garden design are the most decorative, so they look great alone, without plant companions. A neatly trimmed emerald lawn can become a spectacular frame for them.

Columnar thuja - a catchy element against the background of the lawn

Option # 3 - group plantings of conifers

Planted in groups, conifers are combined in crown shape, color, size. Especially effective are coniferous compositions in landscape design, created on the contrast of color and shape. For example, when spherical and creeping varieties are planted among columnar conifers. Or the scaly needles of cypresses are adjacent to the needles of firs, pines, junipers. But what if you plant blue spruces, golden arborvitae, green firs and emerald junipers nearby? Bright mood guaranteed!

In coniferous compositions, spruce and columnar arborvitae often act as dominants.

Group plantings should be designed taking into account the size of adult plants. That is why the use of wild species in such compositions, the growth of which is difficult to predict and maintain, is undesirable. It is important to understand the nature of the grown plant!

Option # 4 - mixborders with the inclusion of conifers

Mixborders are prefabricated compositions that use different types plants. In such groups, conifers often play a dominant role or serve as a backdrop for bright flowering perennials. good idea is the creation of a mix where deciduous shrubs side by side with conifers: rhododendrons, heathers, dwarf spireas, creeping cotoneasters, undersized barberries, boxwoods, magonias. The combination of needle-shaped coniferous branches with succulent leaves looks harmonious, bright colors and fruits of shrubs.

Bright combination fluffy spruce with variegated hostas, begonias and petunias

It is important that harmony does not end solely on the decorativeness of the composition. It is necessary that the plants feel good together. Conifers are not so harmless neighbors. With their fallen needles, they acidify the soil, so many capricious plants may not get along on modified soil. Others, on the contrary, on loose, breathable soil with a lower pH will feel like a fish in water. For example, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, ferns, daylilies, sedums, euphorbia, saxifrage. Blueberries and blueberries will take root perfectly on coniferous litter. Many bulbous plants are also unpretentious to soils: daffodils, snowdrops, blueberries, hazel grouses.

On a large plot, the owners sometimes leave corners untouched by culture, decorating them like a natural forest. Such a forest can be represented as a mixborder of deciduous and coniferous trees. As a grass cover here, you can use shade-tolerant ground cover (saxifrage, periwinkle, creeping tenacious) or unpretentious cereals (red fescue, sheep fescue, bluegrass).

Option # 5 - conifers in rocky gardens

In rock gardens and rockeries, conifers take their place of honor. They help to add variety to the structure. garden group, change shape and proportions. Columnar arborvitae and junipers, compact spherical firs and creeping microbiota visually stretch the composition upwards, on the contrary, draw attention to the surface of stones.

On an alpine hill, undersized, unpretentious conifers are planted. Particular emphasis in the composition is placed on their bizarre shape: pillow-shaped, spherical, creeping

For stony compositions, mainly undersized and dwarf varieties of conifers are used, which do not exceed 0.5-1 m in height in adulthood. There are such mini-trees among almost all types of conifers. Dwarf spruce trees include varieties "Little Gem", "Reflexa", "Repens". A very beautiful dense silhouette is inherent in the decorative “Moll” spruce, which barely reaches 1 m in height. But the “Microphilla” baby tree is especially “impressive” in size, growing up to only 25-30 cm!

Among the pines in rock gardens, low-growing varieties of mountain pine will be especially useful. For example, the variety "Winter gold" - fluffy pillow, growing more in width (up to 1 m) than in height (up to 0.5 m). The dwarf "Mors" is more like a dense coniferous ball, up to 1 m high. An even shorter pine was bred from this variety - "Mini Mops" with a flattened spherical crown. By the age of 10 "Mini Mops" grows up to 40 cm.

Dwarf pine "Humpy" - an excellent choice for rock garden, plant height - up to 0.5 m

Dwarf thuja: "Danica" (0.5 m), "Tiny Tim" (up to 1 m) - spherical shapes suitable for landing on alpine slides and in containers. Cypress trees can also boast of their "babies". The variety of Lawson's cypress "Minima Aurea" in adulthood reaches 1.2 m, but it grows very slowly. So much so that by the age of 10 it reaches only 30 cm. The dwarf form "Minima Glauca" with a rounded crown is characterized by the same growth. Pea cypress 'Golden Mop', except compact size up to 1 m in height, it is also distinguished by the unusual golden color of the needles.

The secrets of creating coniferous compositions in rocky gardens revealed in the story:

Option # 6 - conifers in topiary art

Topiaries are trees or shrubs trimmed to give them the intended shape. Most often correct geometric, but there are also more complex figures depicting living beings, household items, or even scenes from life. Conifers are used in the art of topiary most often. This is due to their dense needles, which can be given any shape by cutting.

Curly haircut of coniferous elements of a green hedge

Option # 7 - conifers in containers

Not all coniferous plants can be grown in our area. There are many beautiful varieties, originally from southern countries, which do not tolerate harsh winters and freeze out at zero temperatures. However, thanks to container growing, gardeners successfully decorate any corner of the garden with them: paths, terraces, gazebos. Containers with conifers can be installed between other plants in a mixborder or flower bed. Or, create a whole green hedge of tub cypresses, junipers, thujas.

Dwarf species feel especially good in containers, the root system of which is not oppressed in a limited amount of land. The larger the conifer, the larger the container for it should be - be sure to follow this rule so as not to get a frail, non-viable plant.

Cypress trees in containers decorate the recreation area

In winter, containers with conifers are transferred to a cool, but not freezing in winter, room. For example, to a glazed insulated balcony, a covered veranda or a greenhouse.

Due to their unpretentiousness and the ability to look great at any time of the year, conifers create long-lasting landscape compositions. Take note of the proposed options and then your garden will be beautiful from spring to ... infinity.

This is a fairly practical and very beautiful element, which is a combined long continuous flowering.

Such properly selected and well-groomed ones are becoming more and more popular and are able to give beauty all year round.

They begin to understand their special value at the time of late autumn, when everything around becomes gray and dull, and only a colorful island with can bring joy. Everyone can comprehend the science of creating mixborders, and they will help ready-made schemes.

Where to start?

Indeed, the art of creating combined flower beds is not at all difficult to master and practical application, but the main thing is to know how to properly approach this issue in the initial stages.

Before deciding to acquire such a grandiose one, it is necessary to clearly understand that planting everything beautifully, harmoniously and successfully is one side of the issue, but then caring for such beauty is the second side, and, as experience shows, it can be much more difficult than the first.

If you understand that you can handle it, then you can proceed. First you need to create schemes for planting mixborders from and, and crops, taking into account all the nuances of their successful placement.

With such planning, it is necessary to take into account the composition, its appearance, the humidity of the earth and air, a sunny or shady place, accessibility to wind and drafts.

Only after taking into account all the factors and drawing up a project for the placement of crops, you can buy seeds, seedlings and seedlings.

Location selection

The mixborder is best placed outdoors with unobstructed access to sunlight. Some mixborders feel good in slightly shaded places.

In order for crops to develop and grow well, look beautiful and fresh, they must be planted in fertilized, not depleted.

Before planting, it is necessary to dig, loosen and fluff, fertilize, do away with everyone.

Plant selection

Ready-made colorful, rich and harmonious mixborders are the result of an exciting, but very time-consuming process, the result of such efforts directly depends on the correct selection of crops for the compositions.

It is only out of ignorance that it seems that all the plants on the mixborder are planted randomly, randomly. This is not so, everything is thought out to the smallest detail.

Important! The basic principle of the mixborder: the height of the plants gradually decreases.It is not recommended to plant crops that are very different in height next to each other, and near the flower garden- tall plants blocking the view. Among conifers, it is better to use dwarf species to create landscape design; deciduous species should not be aggressive.

Evergreens are perceived perfectly in composition with them,. Cultures with a ground cover effect:, carpet, - also look good in a mixborder.

To fill the resulting voids, you can use perennial,.

After creating a plan for placing plants on the site and preparing, you can place the crops according to the scheme on the flower bed itself, this will help visualize the entire future mixborder and understand some mistakes in order to eliminate them even before planting the plants in a permanent place.
When planting plants, it is imperative to think about how much space each of them will take after it has fully grown, and take this important point into account.

If cultures are placed at a great distance from each other, then the mixborder will look empty, and free areas will quickly “occupy”, but if they are planted very close, they will not be able to develop at full capacity, and those that grow faster will drown out more “ slow cultures.

It is best to start planting crops from the center or from the tallest plant.

Important! The continuity of the flowering of the mixborder can be achieved with the help of those that can bloom for a long time. If for some time he became not very attractive, then you can get out of the situation with the help of pots, placing them for some period in a flower bed.

Benefits of using conifers

In each mixborder, the so-called “skeletal” plants should be involved, which are the main elements in the composition, creating the evergreen presence of winter and giving the fragrant and colorful flower garden a little “sublime” shape.

They look beautiful all year round, while other cultures show off their beauty only in a certain limited and not very long time. Compositions of coniferous and look especially attractive.
In the warm period, conifers, becoming a decorating background for summer ones that have lost their short charm, draw attention to themselves, and in the cold winter period, they, soloing, are themselves able to be perceived as a complete design solution.

Important! Use in a mixborder various decorative elements you need to be careful not to overdo it and not give it a ridiculous look. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to add large stones to the mixborder with conifers so that they are randomly visible between plantings.

Coniferous for mixborder

With coniferous plants, many options can be arranged decorative compositions, beds of conifers and with the use of annual crops are very diverse. For this purpose, different conifers are used.

Did you know? Alkaloid paclitaxel, contained in the yew tree, - effective remedy to fight certain types of cancer.

In mixborders, conifers are best combined with, and supplemented with perennial and annual flowering crops.

The success of this combination, first of all, will depend on the thoughtfulness of such a composition: it will be impossible to admire even inconspicuous plantings if they are planted correctly in color, shape and growth.

For example, against the background of beautiful pine needles, they look great,. Compositions of dwarf coniferous varieties look spectacular.

Spiral high thujas surrounded by smaller columnar thujas and shrubs in spherical shapes look attractive if the free space is still covered by creeping and stones, in addition to a decorative purpose, serving as an original path along which you can approach any plantation.

Conifers have many forms that can become the highlight of any composition.

Important! Conifers, like many other expensive plants, are sold with an earthy clod in which the root system is hidden. Before planting, the container must be lowered into the water so that the earthen ball is saturated with it. The main thing: when planting, a lump with roots should be at the same level relative to the surface of the earth as in a pot. If a coniferous plant is planted higher, it will dry out, bury it in the ground - it may rot. Planted coniferous plants need sufficient air humidity, so in the evening they must not only be watered, but also sprayed. The landing site is initially recommended to be slightly shaded.

Rules for combining plants

Experienced during the design of the mixborder, they think over everything and know that it is impossible to plant plants "anyhow, if only it was beautiful."

For example, it is not necessary to plant here with creeping rhizomes that can suppress growthbecause they also negatively affect some decorative ones. For example, it suppresses such cultures, like others.
novice amateurs design decoration flower beds are planted nearby, not knowing all the requirements and nuances of growing certain types of crops, there are many incompatible types of them, turning the mixborder into something indefinite, unaesthetic and neglected.

After all, some types of cultures feel great next to each other, and there are those that do not tolerate each other's neighborhood or simply cannot develop to the fullest.

It turns out that it’s not very comfortable near, but roses are good near and. ,

Coniferous trees and shrubs are unpretentious in their care and delight the eye with lush greenery even on cold winter days. There are many prejudices about planting firs and pines near the house. Some of them are not without foundation.

What conifers to plant in the country to decorate the site and bring prosperity and prosperity to the house, we will find out today.

Types of trees and shrubs, their properties and impact on humans

Popular beliefs say that the sharp needles of pines and fir trees are protected from the evil eye. But at the same time, it is not advised to plant these trees near the house, as they attract the early death of the owners.

Is it so?

Christmas tree - the main beauty of the New Year holidays

Where does the belief that spruce brings misfortune and death to the house come from? Even in pagan times, this tree was associated with the goddess of the kingdom of the dead - Madder. It was believed that spruce is the tree of the world of the dead.

Therefore, to people who are suspicious and suggestible, coniferous trees on suburban area not worth planting. It was believed among the people that when the spruce grows higher than the roof of the house, the person who planted it will go to another world. The sharp needles of the tree do not contribute to harmonious good relations in the family.

There are quite logical explanations of folk signs:

• The root system of spruce is very close to the soil surface. Therefore, when the tree grows up, its roots will be able to break the paths and.

Advice. Don't plant a tree near your house. When the tree grows, it is quite capable of destroying the foundation.

• Another disadvantage of this tree species is the increased absorption of moisture from the soil. In arid regions, spruce plantings simply will not take root, ordinary black soil is not suitable for them, and if the tree has grown, then other plants simply will not survive within a radius of five meters. The tree will take all the water.

Advice. Having decided to plant a spruce with your own hands, having dug up a tree in the forest, you need to take into account that you need to dig out the root with as much turf as possible.

When asked which trees should not be planted on suburban area, you can hear a lot of answers, the most common of which are the following.

• It is the Christmas trees that attract mosquitoes, it is also not worth planting them near the arbors;
• For hypertensive patients, spruce and pine are not recommended, since pressure often rises from spruce aroma;
• If the house is made of wood, then the instructions for fire safety prohibits planting spruces and pines at a distance of up to 10 meters from the walls. In summer, there is a high probability of fire, and, as you know, it is coniferous trees that ignite instantly.

Output. If the desire to plant a spruce is very great, then place the tree at the end of the garden, away from residential and outbuildings.

Juniper - an ideal solution for small summer cottages

The resinous aroma of this shrub is able to treat many diseases and has a beneficial effect on a shattered nervous system, normalizes sleep and is able to relieve headaches. The plant disinfects the air and contributes to the creation of a unique microclimate in the garden. There is also an opinion that this plant drives away evil spirits and promotes peace and harmony in family relationships.

When planting conifers in a summer cottage, do not forget about the juniper. This natural healer has been familiar to all the peoples of the world for more than one century. In Egypt, houses were fumigated with smoke from its branches during epidemics, and the Indians of America treated diseases of the joints and many skin diseases with this plant.

This evergreen shrub can have a wide variety of needle shapes and colors. The height of junipers ranges from fifty centimeters to 20 meters. This plant is ideal for creating a wide variety of landscape design compositions in different styles.

Cultivation Features:

• Choose seedlings no younger than four years old - this guarantees one hundred percent survival;
• Planting is carried out in late April - early May.

Important. A young bush after planting needs frequent spraying and regular watering for a month after planting in the ground.

• This bush is unpretentious to soils, it can also grow on sandy, clay and rocky areas. But, of course, with infertile soils, increased plant care is needed within a month after transplantation.

Important. The distance between seedlings should be at least half a meter for group plantings.

• How beautiful to plant a juniper and build a spectacular landscape composition? Choose three different varieties, such as Hornybrook Common Juniper, a short plant with broad palmate branches and silver-green needles, and Daurian Juniper, which tolerates frost and drought easily. The variety "Expanza" is notable for its short stature and bright light green greens.
• For a hedge, the Caucasian juniper "Tamaristsofoli" with silver-gray needles or the "Erekta" variety, up to two meters high, is suitable. These shrubs are easy to form into spectacular green hedges of different architecture.

Output. Juniper is an ideal choice for owners who do not have much time for garden maintenance. And the price of seedlings is quite democratic.

Pine trees in the summer cottage

• Coniferous corner in the country Japanese style decorate pine varieties "Pug" or "Pumilio". These trees look great in landscape compositions and sandy rockeries in a small area;
• An ordinary pine dug up in the forest needs a lot of room to grow.. We must immediately agree that nothing is planned to be planted along the perimeter at a distance of five meters. The only plus is that there will always be shade and coolness in the house, plus a magnificent smell of pine needles.

Output. at home, especially country houses from block containers need an abundance of sunlight. Therefore, it is better to plant pines from the southern edge of the site, away from any buildings. Or give preference to dwarfs decorative varieties that does not require a lot of free space.

Low-growing fir - a spectacular hedge without the hassle

Mountain fir of the "Compact" variety with a wide conical shape is an ideal choice for creating a fragrant evergreen hedge in a summer cottage. A tree in thirty years grows up to only three meters and easily lends itself to any figured pruning.

Important. It should be borne in mind that fir is demanding for watering and is recommended for planting in wet, swampy areas.

Basic requirements for cultivation

All coniferous plants are demanding on soil moisture and absorb water from the soil around the perimeter at a distance of up to three to five meters. If not planned garden plantings And flower beds, then you can safely opt for unpretentious pines or spectacular juniper.

• When to plant trees? In the middle lane - the end of May - the beginning of April, with a minimal threat of severe frosts;
• When digging a seedling in the forest, try to take as much turf as possible at the roots;
• Within a month after planting, follow regular watering and spraying;
• Pine roots can withstand open air for no more than two hours - then they die. Therefore, when transplanting, try to limit the contact of the root system with air.

Advice. Renting a diesel generator for a summer residence will help create an industrial cultivation of expensive tree species for sale, even on a small garden plot in a small greenhouse.

Conclusion

For busy people, landscaping with unpretentious evergreens will simplify garden maintenance and provide a landscape that is always bright and spectacular. The video presented in this article will introduce you to the options using different breeds evergreen trees.

Unusual forms of growth of coniferous shrubs and trees, contrasts of textures and shades of needles - not every gardener wants to arrange such a garden, but he will amaze any viewer. Coniferous plants give to the garden sophisticated look, although this is unlikely to interest lovers of bright flowers. In addition to the color of the needles, it plays a big role - in the composition you need to get a harmonious combination of different habits.

When choosing conifers, it is important to know and take into account their growth rate and the expected size of an adult specimen. Many conifers cut well, so they are easy to form in the form of pyramids, columns, balls, even spirals.

Composition of coniferous plants in blue tones

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

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

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

Some gardeners who are not familiar with the modern range of conifers consider them boring, "winter and summer in one color." Over the past decades, there has been a real revolution in the selection of conifers, now the variety of varieties in terms of crown size and shape, 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 incredible.

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

Growing features

Spring. Hemlock branches can sometimes freeze a little or dry out: in the spring they must be carefully removed to the living part of the shoot. If necessary, update or add a layer of decorative mulch, this will have to be done every 2-3 years, in order to avoid dampening, the root neck is never covered with mulch. Spherical conifers retain their shape well at a young age, sometimes with age, some of them shoot separate elongated shoots that break out of a clear geometric shape, they must be cut in early spring.

Pines have a special shoot growth biology. Young shoots-candles appear at the end of May and grow rapidly, at first the shoots are still without needles, it will develop later. If you need to limit the size of the pine or make the crown denser, pinch these candles while they are still soft and green. In this case, the plant will be well formed, the shoots will mature by winter and form a normal growth for the next year.

Summer. At the beginning of summer, cones appear on the cedar pine. Juniper Cossack variety Tamariscifolia grows very quickly, after a few years pruning will be needed to keep it within the framework. At the end of spring or at the beginning of summer, pruning is done with pruning shears of powerful outstretched shoots that have outgrown the area allocated to them.

Autumn. The needles of the thuja Globosa, green in summer, turn brown or acquire a gray-green color. It is advisable to shake off wet and heavy snow from it so that the branches do not break. If there is no such possibility or desire, a harness against snowfall and snowfall is needed, especially where there are snowy winters with heavy snowfalls.

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

Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Globosa

Height and diameter 1 m

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

Decorative all year round

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh_

Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm

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

Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Selena

Height 80, diameter 50 cm

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

Korean cedar pine (Pinus koraiensis), grade Silveray

Height 1.5 m

Long silvery blue needles

Decorative all year round

Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), cultivar Tamariscifolia

Height 40-50 cm

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

Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), cultivar Waterery

Height and diameter 2-2.5 m

Stiff and short bluish-gray needles

Decorative all year round

Prickly Hoopsi spruce has a dense crown of a wide pyramidal shape, it is a very showy and elegant plant with bright bluish-white, stiff and sharp needles. The height of an adult tree is 3-4 m, diameter is 3 m, annual growth is up to 30 cm.

To the left of it, a beautiful western thuja of the Smaragdc variety is planted with a narrow cone-shaped crown. Its shoots are green in summer and winter. Between the Hoopsi spruce and the Smaragd arborvitae, four specimens of slow-growing spherical mountain pine Mops with dark green, very short needles were planted. Mountain pine Winter Gold is another dwarf, slow-growing spherical form with a magnificent color of needles, in the Moscow region it turns yellow during the first frosts in September-October and returns to its green color in the first decade of May. Black spruce Nana is unusually graceful, rounded crown with light bluish-green needles does not exceed 50 cm in height. The extremely slowly growing Nana balsam fir has dense dark green needles. Dwarf hemlock JeddelohT Cwe grow extremely slowly.

1 — ;
2 - prickly spruce (Picea pungens), variety Hoopsi;
3 - mountain pine (Pinus mugo), Winter Gold variety;
4 - balsam fir (Abies balsamea), variety Nana;
5 - Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), variety Jeddeloh:
6 - mountain pine (Pinus mugo), variety Mops;
7 - western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), grade Smaragd

Any mulch performs many useful functions - it prevents the growth of weeds, creates favorable conditions for root growth, worms quickly settle under it, improving soil structure. Not every mulch is decorative; properly selected mulch will greatly decorate the appearance of coniferous compositions. It is best to use ground bark or wood chips for this purpose, mulch made from crushed spruce and pine cones is especially beautiful. Expressively look as a mulch and whole small cones. Gravel of small fractions looks beautiful as a mulch, if desired, you can use quite exotic materials, for example, glass balls or small fragments.

Growing features

Spring. For some conifers, especially for dwarf pines, regular cleaning of the crown from dry branches, fallen needles is necessary, it is advisable to do this every year or at least every other year. If necessary, they update or add a layer of mulch, this will have to be done every 2-3 years, we do it carefully, without falling asleep the root collars of the plants, which can lead to their decay. At the end of May, numerous young shoots-candles appear near the mountain pines. If you pinch them, the shape of the crown will be even clearer. Some varietal conifers of a clear geometric shape sometimes suddenly give rise to shoots that stand out from the crown, this is easy to correct with a pruner or scissors for cutting shrubs. After graduation 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 care. Just admire!

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

Winter. Dwarf coniferous plants are under the snow, rise and delight with bright green western thuja Smaragd 2-3 m high and bluish-white prickly spruce Hoopsi.

Black spruce (Picea nigra), grade Nana

Height 50 cm

Rounded crown with light bluish-green needles

Decorative all year round

Balsam fir (Abies balsamea), grade Nana

Height 50 cm, in an adult plant diameter 2 m

Dense dark green needles

Decorative all year round

Prickly spruce (Picea pungens), grade Hoopsi

The height of an adult tree is 3-4 m, diameter is 3 m, annual growth is up to 30 cm.

Dense crown of a wide pyramidal shape with bluish-white, hard and sharp needles

Decorative all year round

Mountain pine (Pinus mugo), cultivar Winter Gold

Height and diameter 1 m

In the Moscow region, the needles turn yellow during the first frosts in September-October and return to their green color in the first decade of May.

Decorative all year round

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh

Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm

Spiral branches, funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush.

Decorative all year round

Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo), cultivar Mops

Spherical shape, height and diameter 1-1.2 m.

Dark green, very short needles. Decorative all year round

Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), grade Smaragd

Height 2-3 m

Narrow conical crown, green needles

Decorative all year round

Along the blind area of ​​the house, slow-growing dwarf varieties of conifers are planted - Canadian hemlock Jeddeloh, which has the shape of a hemisphere with a funnel-shaped depression in the center; globular mountain pine Mini Mops and western thuja Danica; round elegant black spruce Nana with light bluish-green needles.

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

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

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

IN last years varieties of ground cover roses appeared with long flowering until frost. These roses are winter-hardy, light cover is enough for them. They have decorative and elegant not only flowers, 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 shoot growth and bush height, they can be from 30 cm to 1 m high, they are sprawling, occupying an area of ​​​​several square meters, or very compact.

Growing features

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

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

Summer. It may be necessary to limit the growth of shoots of juniper horizontalus and periwinkle. Rosa Cubana is interesting in its variability of color, its flowers are apricot-pink at first, as they bloom, they lighten and become pale pink. The saturation of pink tones changes, on the bush at the same time there are yellow, pink and orange flowers. The bushes are sprawling, branched, the height and width of the bush is 50-60 cm.

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

Autumn. The dense needles of the globular thuja Danica, green and shiny in summer, become brownish-green in late autumn. Feeding roses is important in early September potash fertilizers, potassium sulfate or potassium magnesia, it is made for better ripening of shoots and preparation of bushes for winter. Many varieties of ground cover roses are winter-hardy, but they need to be covered for the winter. Snow is a good protection, but there are so-called "black" frosts while there is no snow yet.

Winter. We are waiting for spring.

Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), cultivar Jeddeloh

Height 50 cm, diameter 100 cm. Spiral branches, funnel-shaped depression in the center of the bush

Decorative all year round

Black spruce (Picea nigra), grade Nana

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

Small periwinkle (Vinca minor), cultivar Aureovariegata

Height up to 20 cm. Bright green glossy leaves with numerous golden yellow spots, lavender-blue flowers.

Blooms in May-June for 25-30 days, decorative from snow to snow

Mountain Pine (Pinus mugo), Mini Mops variety

Height 0.5 m, diameter 1 m Dark green short needles (up to 2 cm)

Decorative all year round

Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis), variety Danica

Height 0.6 m, crown diameter 1 m Spherical dwarf form

Decorative all year round

Juniper horizontalis (Juniperus horizontalis)

Height 20-30 cm. Pressed to the ground, creeping shrub with long branches densely covered with bluish-green needles. Decorative all year round

Ground cover rose (Ground cover rosa), cultivar Cubana

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

Decorative all season

Weeping larch with groundcover

In the center of the composition, which is a square in plan, there is a European weeping larch on a stem 2.5 m high. A species larch is a huge tree up to 20 m high; its dwarf and grafted forms are most often used in gardens. This plant is perfectly sheared, various geometric shapes can be formed from it. Conifers are planted in one corner of the square - three horizontal junipers, low creeping shrubs with long branches pressed to the ground.

The other corner is occupied by purple broom, another creeping shrub with a green spreading crown of ascending branches densely covered with trifoliate leaves. It grows rapidly, reaching adult size in 3-4 years. Surprisingly beautiful during flowering, when the branches are densely covered with purple or purple flowers. In the third corner, a curtain of low-grade Belvederc bergenia is planted with small (4-6 cm) leathery leaves and white flowers. Creeping shoots of cotoneaster horizontal, rapidly growing shrub with dark green small leathery leaves, pressed to the ground.

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