Landscaping with conifers in front of the house. Coniferous compositions in landscape design: examples in the photo

The use of conifers in landscape design practiced everywhere. In addition to high decorative qualities, conifers have one more undeniable advantage- these crops are beautiful throughout all seasons, since they (with the exception of larch trees) do not drop needles for the winter. If you care for such plants properly and prune the crown in a timely manner, they will worthy decoration your garden for decades.

In all regions of the Earth, these noble plants are used for alleys, clumps and hedges. Even for the southern gardens, so rich in evergreens, conifers are absolutely necessary - only they can effectively shade and create a backdrop for exotic species. Moreover, some coniferous species have become characteristic elements of southern landscapes.

It is impossible to imagine the shores of the Black and Mediterranean Seas without columns of cypress trees; Italian landscapes are inconceivable without pine-pine tents. The parks of China, Korea and Japan are always associated not only with, but also with their traditional cryptomeria. And even in the design of northern gardens, conifers are completely irreplaceable, since there are no other evergreens that can support garden compositions throughout the year. In the spring, conifers contrast with the delicate foliage of deciduous species with their noble severity and seeming firmness. In summer, they create the perfect backdrop for flowering grasses, shrubs and trees, set them apart and oppose their inconstancy. In autumn, with their calm greenery, compositions of conifers soften the brightness of falling foliage and give hope for the revival of elusive beauty. In winter, the role of conifers in landscaping the site becomes dominant - only they preserve the volume of the garden, maintain its proportions, without them winter Garden would be flat and boring.

On this page you can see a photo of a beautiful landscape design in the country with the use of conifers, as well as learn how to decorate the site.

The best decorative conifers for the garden (with photo)

The best decorative conifers for midland gardens are yews and. The unusual needles and the shape of the crown of these plants give the compositions a southern flavor, significantly distinguishing them from local species.

Cultivars (varietal forms) of conifers are of particular value. The number and variety of them is truly incalculable. Almost all conifers introduced into cultivation have varieties with altered growth patterns, with an unusual crown shape, type and color of needles.

Look at the photo - decorative coniferous crowns can be any - spherical, spread out, free-growing:

The needles are not only green, but also silver-blue, golden and even variegated. Sometimes varieties of the same species are so different from each other that it is not easy even for a specialist to recognize their relationship. The more varietal forms, the wider their variety, the more interesting the work of the designer, the more original and colorful the garden will be. The only thing that should not be forgotten is the compliance of the selected species with the climatic conditions of the region.

These photos show the best coniferous compositions in garden landscape design:

Compositions with dominant conifers and photos of garden landscape design

In the garden, decorative conifers are assigned an important task - thanks to their inviolability and monumentality, they become the main ones. structural elements the whole composition. Conifers are dominants, the main high-altitude "points" of the whole garden, as well as any of its fragments.

As you can see in the photo, tall conifers in landscape design are always the first to attract attention in the garden:

Beautiful evergreen pyramids, pseudo-lakes, impeccable columns are wonderful solitaires. The noble forms of these slender trees are suitable for isolated planting in the background of a meadow or large lawn. As tapeworms, undoubtedly, powerful pines are also good, and. Sprawling crown, beautifully curved branches and powerful trunks of adult specimens of these plants - best design any large lawn. Old trees are of great value - being the “patriarchs” of the garden, they radiate a special aura.

In creating a composition, conifers always play the main role in any garden. Large and beautiful coniferous trees involuntarily attract the eye. It is with their planting that it is necessary to begin the garden planning, it is they that become the skeleton of the future garden. But we must remember that when landscaping a plot with conifers, not only large verticals can be dominant. In a limited space, plants will perform well: on uneven boles; having a horizontal form of growth, or even creeping along the ground.

Pay attention to the photo - in landscape design with conifers that have a vertical form of growth, you can emphasize the importance of any small architectural form:

Moreover, the plant itself, having such a winning neighbor. Often in gardens, conifers solo, having not only a varied crown shape, but also its different colors, which change over the seasons.

Beautiful group compositions with conifers in the garden

Creation of group coniferous compositions in modern gardens of various types is a very interesting and responsible task. And here the harmonious combination of sizes, shapes, colors of those plants that are supposed to be planted comes to the fore. V large gardens it is rational to plant conifers in groups consisting of plants of the same species: arrays, wings. They will become the backdrop not only for lawns, but also for smaller conifers and deciduous plants. In regular gardens, conifers are usually used to emphasize the precise geometry of paths, hedges, small and large architectural forms... These parkland gardens are interesting to visit.

How to make it so that in a rather limited space, measuring 3-6 acres, to create a correct, eye-pleasing, beautiful composition of conifers? First of all, you should not plant groups of rocks of the same species, it is boring and irrational, a small garden should be varied.

In small gardens, conifers tend to be dominant. That is why thoughtfulness in their layout is especially important. The choice should be stopped on the most original conifers. Will look spectacular art groups created according to the principle of contrast of shape and color.

In them, plants not only coexist, but also emphasize the originality and dignity of each other in shape or color. Perfectly in coniferous compositions on the site, the needle needles of junipers, spruces and pines are combined with scaly needles of thuja and cypress trees, with flat glossy yew leaves. In small gardens, fragments created on raised terraces look very beneficial. The artificially transformed relief helps to locate each plant in the most advantageous way. The competent use of geoplastic techniques will allow planting a sufficient number of various plants in a limited space.

At the same time, the correct combination of all kinds of shapes and colors will only enhance the natural perception of this fragment.

As shown in the photo, when choosing conifers for composition in a small garden, you should prefer miniature forms:

But we must remember that after stable rooting, they also begin to actively grow back. Miniature varieties grow much more slowly, but they still thicken over time. The plants close together, as a result of which the entire fragment becomes little decorative. At the same time, the plants themselves lose their attractiveness. Poor ventilation in such plantings can lead to the development of all kinds of fungal diseases.

For compositions with conifers in the landscape design of small gardens, container and pot planting of plants are very relevant. This pattern is very typical for compact European gardens. Unfortunately, in the middle lane, when creating miniature gardens in containers, due to freezing of an earthen coma, there is a risk of losing the entire plant or any part of it. Another problem is the significant weight of the compositions, which makes it difficult to move them to a safe place for the winter.

These photos show beautiful landscaping of the site with conifers:

Mixborders with ephedra in site design

Conifers in landscape design - perfect material to create modern prefabricated flower beds, mixborders. Harmoniously combining conifers with deciduous shrubs, herbaceous perennials, you can achieve very effective compositions. Special meaning they give the texture and color of needles, foliage and a variety of forms of growth of jointly planted plants. Remember that the natural perception of the created mixborder depends on the correct ratio of lines, volumes, color spots.

Rhododendrons, dwarf barberries, maples, mahonia, spireas, oaks coexist perfectly in the garden landscape next to conifers. Perennials include berry, ferns, mountain goats, dwarf hosts, cereals, shoe orchids. In the foreground, heathers, stonecrops, thyme always look spectacular. The modern coniferous mixborder is a complex multifunctional piece of the garden, where each plant plays its own special role.

When creating a mixborder for landscaping with conifers in the central part of the garden, it is important to consider that it can be bypassed and viewed from all sides. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following rule - the largest conifers should be planted closer to the center of the composition, and lower ones to the periphery, observing the height reduction.

With such a panoramic arrangement of plants in the "coniferous-parade" group, the composition becomes voluminous and easy to read. But these mixborders are pretty rare. Fragments created against a wall of a house or fence are more common. But they already have different configurations and purposes. In the background, one or more vertical dominants of decorative coniferous trees should be planted, most often with an offset from the center of the composition. Its central part, and again with an offset relative to each other, can be occupied by spherical and weeping forms of different heights.

In the foreground, the most dwarf plants are planted, as well as conifers with a creeping form of growth. In this kind of mixborders, when creating coniferous compositions in landscape design, you need to remember about important role lawn. It is he who will lead the eye of the beholder to what you have created. Its smooth and timely surface is the key to success. Carpets of creeping conifers, primarily junipers, can play the same role.

If the priority task is to cover nondescript garden buildings, and the artistic component of the flower garden is of less interest, then the auxiliary background is created from homogeneous tall plants.

When planting conifers near the walls of a house with windows, as well as near garden paths the growth rate and final size of trees and shrubs must be taken into account in advance. Otherwise, additional work cannot be avoided.

In conclusion, I would like to say that often a spectacular modern mixborder does not obey the classical rules of landscape design. Like the garden as a whole, it is a product of your imagination and skill and will always reflect your individual tastes.

See how beautiful the coniferous compositions presented in these photos on the site are:

Beautiful landscape design with conifers and photos of rock gardens in the country

Conifers and shrubs in landscape design are the most valuable material for decorating any type of rock garden. They look especially natural in rocky gardens. landscape style... In such compositions, the images of mountain plateaus, peaks, rocky valleys and gorges are connected by means of a variety of conifers. As tapeworms, compactly growing columnar varieties of western thuja, yew, juniper and pine are suitable. Planted at different levels, they visually increase the volume of both the rock garden itself and the garden as a whole.

But of course, the main forms of ornamental conifers for a rocky landscape are spherical, or as gardeners like to call them, "pillow-shaped" cultures. "Witch brooms" found in nature on spruces, pines, firs, larch, most often have just such a shape.

They, grafted onto the corresponding rootstocks of species plants, gave birth to numerous miniature varieties. Conifers with this form of growth will most organically look in the "pockets" between stones, filling the voids and masking the defects of the stony structure. Conifers will be good in landscape design and in the foreground of the "mountain valley", flowing around the rocky outcrops and enhancing the naturalness of these elements.

On the terraces and on the tops of separate groups of stones, weeping forms of various types of spruce and Canadian hemlock look great. Lacy flowing branches of the latter are especially graceful and harmonious. On rocky hills, alpine ones will become excellent companions of conifers alpine plants... Will not yield to them and dwarf varieties barberry Thunberg. Bright-leaved varieties of barberries look great among the stones, tint the green picture created by the conifers.

These photos show the design of a rocky garden using conifers:

Conifers in the landscape: decorative collections

Collecting conifers is both interesting and responsible. It, like any other type of collecting, is subject to general rules... A collection is not a disorderly collection of something, but a systematized association according to a specific characteristic. Starting to create a coniferous collection in the landscape design of a summer cottage, it is necessary to determine for yourself the basic principle of placing collected plants in the garden.

There are gardens in which conifers are planted in solid massifs of many meters. Other plants in them are assigned the role of just extras, and the main party is played by unusual and rare conifers. A more complex and interesting task is set by the gardener, who seeks to subordinate the placement of his collection to the general style of the garden. Here each plant is selected for its exclusive place.

It must be remembered that over time, the gardener's addiction to certain plants may change, therefore, in the already established structure of the garden, without violating the style, you will have to plant something new.

After the end of the first, cumulative stage, as a rule, there is a rethinking of what has already been collected. The gardener suddenly begins to understand that many conifers that make up the basis of his collection have a very similar habit, and their names are full of catalogs of most nurseries. Well, if you have already learned to see and understand this, then the time has come for a more rigid and accurate selection of plants. Get ready to part with some of your pets. At the same time, make sure that ornamental conifers for the garden take their rightful places in the plots of your less sophisticated gardening friends. And in your own garden, the vacated spaces will be occupied by new, more complex and rare varieties.

As a rule, collectors are energetic people. They try to travel around the world in search of cherished plants, visit coniferous arboretums, nurseries, private gardens of people who are just like them. But this is followed by a reward in the form of new and rare plants, ideas for growing them, new design solutions... Be aware that a collectible virus can fly by your garden. But if he does visit him, then do not expect peace, be prepared to live by his laws. Do not be intimidated by this and believe me, creating collections is an interesting and exciting experience.

A few tips to help you create your own unique collection of conifers.

• The collection is not created at one time. It takes many years to create it. Accept that the main thing in collecting is the process; by definition, there can be no ultimate goal.
• Develop a working concept for the collection you are creating, outline the types and varieties that you would like to have in it.
• The basis of the coniferous collection in our modest-sized gardens should be compact varieties.
• It is impossible to remember the names of all varieties, in addition, sometimes they can simply be forgotten. Plates indicating species and varieties, statistical records are indispensable attributes of every coniferous collection.
• Unnamed plants are a minus of any collection, and conifers are no exception.
• A collection cannot only consist of rare plants. Coniferous "extras" will only emphasize the greatness of the "main characters" - rarities. But remember that after the end of the first, cumulative stage, you will increasingly have to turn to the 10-step rule, the essence of which is to select the most characteristic, recognizable plants for your collection.
• Compact varieties of rhododendrons, barberries, maples will be excellent companions for your conifers. Also, in rocky gardens, under conifers, there is always a sufficient number of comfortable seating places for the Alpines.
• Communication with other collectors, visiting their gardens will diversify your knowledge, and accordingly improve your collection.
• Don't be afraid of risk. Give rare, borderline conifers and cultivars optimal growing conditions in your garden. Subsequently, they can become a decoration of your collection.
• The rarest and most valuable varieties of conifers, as a rule, have the most unusual shape and unpredictable coloration. They are easily recognizable.

Conifers in the landscape design of a summer cottage: alleys, hedges, curbs

In the landscape design of the site, conifers are one of the best plants for creating alleys, hedges and even curbs. There is nothing to be surprised at, because most of them retain their compact crown shape until old age. Varietal conifers are an inexhaustible source. For alleys and hedges, breeds with a pyramidal, columnar and pin-shaped crown shape are especially valuable - these plants clearly hold the line and practically do not need formative pruning. The dwarf pyramidal and spherical shapes are ideal for creating low hedges and curbs.

For tall evergreen alleys, when landscaping with conifers, pines, spruces, fir and pseudo-slugs are surprisingly good, for lower ones - yews, thuja and junipers.

For hedges, as a rule, plants are chosen that can withstand a shaping haircut - yews, spruces, thuja and junipers. For planting, relatively cheap off-grade material is used, which seems to be justified from an economic point of view, but this is only at first glance. The fact is that these plants subsequently require expensive, skilled shearing. And do not forget that this procedure will have to be repeated annually. It is much more rational to use compact varietal forms that do not require shearing.

As you can see in the photo, in landscape design with conifers, almost all types and cultivars with a dense pyramidal, columnar, ovoid or spherical crown shape can be suitable for this purpose:

Only dwarf dense bush varieties are suitable for creating borders. Of course, a border from such plants will not be cheap, but it will be durable and amazingly beautiful. Dwarf varieties of cypresses, junipers and spruces are extremely effective, but the main material for borders, no doubt, becomes spherical varieties of thuja. It should be remembered that in winter they must be protected from snow.

Rounded crowns easily disintegrate and break under its weight. Finding a suitable replacement for damaged plants is usually extremely difficult, the aesthetics of such a border is hopelessly lost.

Varieties of decorative conifers for landscape design

The seasons that replace each other paint the dominant shades of green in coniferous compositions with bright, unusual tones. In some conifers, this color change is very short-lived, in others it stretches for several months. Most suitable for site design with conifers of pine and spruce.

These varieties of mountain pine are very popular among collectors. (Pinus mugo) how Ophir, Winter Gold, Zundert, Gold Star, Golden Glow, Schweizer Tourist, Little Gold Star, Starkl, Hostyn Gold, Laarheide, Lemon.

As a rule, the first, at the end of August, the growths of the current season in the Ophir variety turn yellow. Then it’s everyone else’s turn. This rich golden color will last in such plants until spring, gradually coloring the whole plant in golden.

See how beautiful such compositions from conifers look in these photos:

Another group of mountain pine varieties is very interesting. Entering it: Kokarde, Rositech, Fruchling Gold, Chameleon, Sunshine, Dikobraz.

They have bright, but not as evenly, as in the varieties from the previous group, the young spring increments that have just finished their growing season are colored. They become striped, yellow-green. This color will last until autumn.

Scots pine varieties are very effective (Pinus sylvestris) Trollguld, Candlelight, var. lapponica Fritche, Jakutsk, Meffengofd, Moseri.

In late spring and early summer, Trollguld turns yellow-golden, while Candlelight paints the needles in milky-cream tones. This color, changing its intensity, will delight you until next spring. And P. sylvestris var. lapponica Fritche, Jakutsk, Meffengofd, Moseri will turn golden in late autumn, and turn green again in late spring.

In the last couple of years, golden varieties of Weymouth pine have appeared in our gardens (Pinus strobus) Louie, Wendy, Golden Candles.

Louie is practically all year round has, depending on the season, changing its intensity. The bright yellow branches of these trees look great in decorative coniferous compositions both against the background of a snow-white winter blanket, and in early spring... At the moment, not enough information has been accumulated on Wendy and Golden Candles varieties. It is believed that closer to winter, from the base to the periphery of each branch, the needles on them should be painted in a golden color.

Twisted pine varieties are very rare in our gardens. (Pinus contort a) Taylor's Sunburst and Golden Striker , which are an adornment of any coniferous composition.

Look at the photo - in May, young growths of these ornamental conifers become bright golden, by the end of summer losing this rich color, becoming light green in September:

The listed varieties of common spruce ( Picea abies) increments in May turn golden. In almost all, it persists for several months, losing its intensity over time. But the very compact variety of common spruce Aurea WB turns golden in autumn, and in the varieties Rydal and Cruenta for about ten May days young growths will be bright crimson. The growths of the dwarf variety Spring Fire have the same unusual color. But at the moment, due to its complexity, it is practically inaccessible for Russian gardens. I would like to believe that only for now.

Varieties of spruce barbed ( Picea pungens) Bialobok, Fruchlings Gold, Maigold, Byczkowski, Nimetzl in mid-May, for two weeks, young growths are practically simultaneously colored in creamy yellow tones of varying intensity. Given the general similarity of these varieties, we will point out some of their individual characteristics. In Maigold, unlike all the other varieties listed, the needles themselves are green-blue, and the growths are painted in yellow-gold tones.

This is especially evident if you manage to plant this variety in the immediate vicinity of Albospicata or Fruchlings Gold. Ayl of the Nimetz cultivars, the growths are colored a little later than in the others. Their bluish-cream color gradually turns to snow-white blue.

The oriental spruce variety is wonderful ( Picea orientalis) Aurea, which colors the growing growths golden from the end of May to the middle of July.

And of course, one cannot but say a few words about larch and. With the onset of the first cold days and with the arrival of night frosts, larch trees become the most noticeable figures in the coniferous garden. Their bright, light yellow, and subsequently rich red crowns will surely attract your attention. And here it does not matter which species the one that you liked belongs to.

Larix kaempferi)

American larch ( Larix laricina)

And if you managed to "tame" the glyptostrobus metasequoia in your garden, then no other plant is able to repeat its autumn yellow-peach color. This is the undisputed favorite of the October garden.

Mulch as an element of the design of a coniferous garden

Previously, when growing conifers, mulching was practically not used. But over time, numerous trips to European gardens made us take a different look at this aspect of gardening. Turns out mulch is wonderful element decoration of a coniferous garden.

You can mulch with all kinds of materials: from shredded twigs and cut grass to pine nut shells and coconut fibers. But the most effective mulch is the bark of larch or all kinds of pine. The most convenient to use fraction of the bark, having a size of 5 × 5 cm. Of course, the most spectacular is the pine bark. But, unfortunately, it is not often on sale and at the same time is very expensive.

A five-centimeter layer of pine mulch will reliably shelter conifers from weeds and seed germination.

Adding a 2-cm layer of finely processed pine bark fraction (1 x 1 cm) under the main, larger pine mulch, enhances the formation of an extensive network of additional suction roots in it, which not only contribute to the growth of the crown and increase the mass of the main root system, but also help the plant more actively assimilate water from the surface of the earth.

By decomposing, mulch improves the quality of the soil, helps the earthworms living in it and numerous beneficial microorganisms to develop.

In snowless frosty winters, a 5-8 cm layer of pine bark mulch helps to reduce freezing of the coniferous root ball. This is especially true in the first years after their planting.

Dumping plantings with a well-calibrated bark fraction is not only a correct design move in decorating a garden, but also a natural decoration of the lower tier of conifers.

Private plot of a country cottage or garden house it is customary to ennoble, landscaping with various plants. Gardening art has become very relevant in our time, and each property owner seeks to create a unique landscape design. Nowadays, every real estate owner has a desire to plant greenery on his site, but not everyone can do it right, because this is not an easy task that requires certain knowledge and imagination.

Any flower garden or flower bed will look incomplete without a coniferous composition, bright greenery that will please the eye all year round and decorate the personal plot. What to choose coniferous plantings for a personal plot and how to create a composition so that it harmoniously fits in and creates a beautiful landscape design? We will try to answer this question in our article.

Coniferous compositions in garden landscaping

In modern landscape design, conifers have become as widely used as deciduous ones. This popularity is due to the fact that ephedra look great in single or group compositions. All year round they delight us with their juicy greens and pleasant aroma. Gardeners loved them not only for beautiful view, but also for other advantages:

• majority conifers do not need sunlight, grow well in partial shade;
• the root system can withstand a lack of moisture for a long time, they develop well on stony soils;
• they cut well, from them you can create unique compositions thanks to the original haircut;
• they are a source of useful phytoncides, which has a beneficial effect on the physical and psychological state;
• conifers take root in a smoky urban environment;
• cones growing on conifers attract birds, and fills any household plot with life all year round;
• perform a windproof function.

Evergreens can add uniqueness and freshness to any area, they are beautiful in themselves, and also help to create unique compositions with many plants. With conifers you can create beautiful groups if you take them as a basis, they will always stand out and focus on themselves.

If you look closely at the photos of various compositions, you will notice that hedges and garden partitions are easily created from conifers, which will divide the site into zones.

In addition to the aesthetic effect, evergreens are of great benefit to the surrounding nature and people. They qualitatively absorb dust and noise, prevent some viruses, bacteria and insects from multiplying intensively, create a unique microclimate in the landscaping area.

How to use ephedra in landscaping?

Landscapers are familiar with the rules for using conifers in creating compositions in large and small areas. Most real estate owners cannot invite a specialist, so they are forced to independently embody their ideas and skills, using various information, landscape design photos. To create a composition correctly, you need adhere to the basic rules:

In the rules for creating a design, it is necessary to observe the correct color combination, since conifers have a great color range ... Among these rules, the following are distinguished:

• you cannot use more than two in color in the composition of their three elements;
• if the composition consists of three units, then there should be no more than three different in color;
• if you plan to create a large composition, then it is better to divide it into groups of 3 elements, observing the rules of two shades.

It is advisable to think over the combination of elements in advance before buying plants and creating compositions in your garden. In addition, it is important to take into account the color of the conifers, when they become adults, the size of their crown. If you neglect such advice, then the integrity of the composition will be violated.

Which conifers to plant in the garden?

The variety of species of conifers and shrubs allows you to create, even in small areas, various compositions, original and unusual in beauty... Most often, the following are used in the design of the site:

Before planting them, you need to know which plants will grow nearby, because some of them do not look close or grow poorly. Here also has its own rules:

• cypress does not like cold climatic conditions, it will grow poorly;
• conifers do not like the neighborhood with larch;
• it is better not to plant it close to spruce trees;
• you should not plant cedar and pine, fir and spruce next to it.

All conifers are divided into three large groups, each of them has its own height, crown size, which is very important to consider so that a few years after planting the composition does not lose its attractiveness.

• Tall
• Medium height
• Creeping varieties and shrubs

Tall conifers are not often used in landscape design, since they take up a lot of space in the local area. This group of plants includes:

Many gardeners prefer medium-sized coniferous plants:

• evergreen has a very attractive appearance, it grows slowly, which is liked by lovers of landscape design;
• Yew berry, as you can see in the photo, looks wonderful on a green area, a fruiting shrub has beautiful needles;
• Thuja is medium-sized looks like a spherical plant, it has densely spaced vertical branches;
• Golden yew looks in the shape of a bowl, its needles are yellowish, it develops excellently in a shady area next to other conifers.

Creeping conifers occupy a special niche in landscape design, without them the site cannot look full, these include:

• common spruce Lombres, its name does not correspond to reality, it looks very extraordinary in its beauty, its emerald needles spread densely along the ground;
• thuja Timi Tini has a spherical shape and does not require frequent watering;
• the Mountain Hampi pine is very popular in the creation of rock gardens; in the cold season, its buds turn red;
• The miniature pug grows with a soft and fluffy pillow, which always looks nice against the general background.

Ideas for creating coniferous compositions

Coniferous hedges can be called classics in the design of sites, they create dense rows of evergreen plantings. It is necessary to select varieties that are convenient and easy to cut, giving the desired shape to the crown - pyramidal, spherical or columnar... For this, one variety of conifers is always selected.

The second option is with an emphasis on the element on the lawn, for this a variety with a fancy crown is selected and sits in the central part of the flower bed. Medium and high varieties of evergreens are selected, but it is desirable that the plant has a pronounced geometric shape- spherical, conical, weeping, they always look spectacular alone.

Another option is to plant group compositions; for this, varieties of the same shape and color are selected. Compositions that are different in color and shape also look very impressive, and this creates a contrast that attracts attention. Such plantings should always be thought out in advance, taking into account the size of the plants when they become adults.

In prefabricated compositions that called mixborders are used various plants... Here conifers play the main role and, against the background of other vegetation, always focus on themselves. Bright perennials should be planted next to them - rhododendrons, dwarf spireas, heathers, undersized barberries and others.

Conifers always take pride of place in any composition, for example, in rocky gardens only undersized, dwarf and creeping varieties are used.

It is believed that conifers are unpretentious, but in order for them to have an attractive appearance and pleasing to the eye, they need care. In hot weather, it is advisable to cover them from bright sun rays, and for the winter varieties that are not resistant to frost shelter from the cold... Healthy conifers will always be beautiful and will give you valuable phytoncides, oxygen, a unique aroma that you can inhale daily. Proper care will provide them with a long life, and your favorite garden will look vibrant and harmonious.

Composition of conifers in the country is becoming an increasingly common element of landscape design. Such design of the territories adjacent to buildings looks original and aesthetically pleasing. But the implementation of design projects using coniferous plantations cannot be called simple, since it requires not only artistic taste and imagination, but also theoretical training.

The topic of the article is not accidental, since conifers are popular in landscape design, but not everyone knows the instructions for planting, positioning and combining these plants. In this article, we will tell you about which plantings to choose and how to use them for their intended purpose in order to simplify the care of conifers in the country.

Plant selection

The science of decorating a summer cottage ornamental plants not easy. Therefore, beginners who decide to join landscape design are forced to combine practice with permanent search useful information... Meanwhile, planting conifers in the country can serve as a good start in your hobby for landscape design ().

Breeding such plants is not particularly difficult, if you decide in advance on the choice suitable type... It would seem that it is not easy to determine which types of conifers are suitable and which are not easy, but in reality there will be no problems with the choice.

The fact is that all types of coniferous plantations used by domestic designers are derived from three varieties of trees and shrubs:

• juniper,
• pine trees,

The species bred by breeders are optimally adapted for existence in difficult domestic climatic conditions. It is not advisable to choose something from import catalogs or import from abroad, since it is highly likely that an exclusive foreign ephedra will simply not take root in our open spaces.

Advice: when choosing the best solution, buy domestic products, the price of which, by the way, is more affordable.

Correctly chosen conifers are characterized by a number of advantages, including:

• unpretentiousness in terms of soil on the site;
• no special lighting requirements;
• resistance to sudden temperature changes;
• unpretentiousness in relation to moisture content parameters;
• acceptable cost in comparison with other types of ornamental plantings;
• ease of maintenance, which is very important if the country house is used mainly for seasonal living.

Features of application in landscape design

Conifers are not unreasonably considered one of the most demanded plantings for design in a landscape. Such plants are widely used to create decorative curtains, alleys, hedges and a wide range of different compositions in combination with other plants.

We bring to your attention an overview of the main ways of using ephedra in landscape design.

Mixborders

Mixborders in landscape design are usually called options for mixed and prefabricated flower beds.

Tip: In most cases, coniferous shrubs and small trees are of paramount importance in the formation of a mixborder. The main concept of mixed compositions is the compatibility and compactness of seemingly incompatible plant forms.

When forming mixborders with your own hands, try the following recommendations:

• Tall wild-growing spruces, junipers and thuja should not be used in the composition.
• The optimal solution for the embodiment of most ideas is low-growing plants, such as creeping juniper, narrow-pyramidal thuja, dwarf spherical spruce, yew, mountain pines.
• Rhododendron, undersized barberry, dwarf spiraea, heather, creeping cotoneaster, etc. can favorably emphasize the aesthetics of coniferous plantations.
• When forming a mixborder using needles, it is advisable to use bulbous flowers in combination with ground cover plants... Such combinations are justified from the point of view of aesthetics, and proceeding from agrotechnical aspects.

Flower beds

It is no secret that conifers are used when creating flower beds. Such solutions have been relevant for a long time. But you need to understand that the optimal aesthetic effect will be guaranteed only with the correct implementation of the design project.

• We plant only compact and undersized plants in flower beds. However, the center of the composition can be distinguished by a shrub or tree, the size of which will be above average.
• At the heart of the composition, in the absence of a central element, the principle of different shapes and color contrast can be used. For example, vertically positioned cylindrical elements can be emphasized or accentuated using dense creeping shrubbery. If desired, within the same flower bed, you can combine different plants with needles of different shapes and colors.
• In order to facilitate the subsequent care of the flower bed, slow-growing plantings should be used.
• As the main background, you can use ground cover plants such as horizontal juniper, cross-pair microbiota, etc.

Rock garden

This type of landscape design is a miniature imitation of mountainous terrain. A feature of such design projects is the use of those plantings that will create the impression of a natural landscape, in the formation of which a person did not take part. It is not difficult to create such an effect with your own hands using conifers on a personal plot.

The only recommendation in this case would be the use of those trees and shrubs that grow in the mountains. Of course, you will have to make an allowance for the size of the plantings, so that the rock garden becomes a miniature semblance of mountains.

A good solution would be to imitate the transition of the forest to alpine meadows. For this, a hill is formed from dense soil without stony inclusions, on which dwarf trees will coexist with lush grass.

Tip: When forming a rock garden, the optimal solution would be to use subalpine fir, Cossack juniper, western thuja, drooping thuja, pea cypress, mountain pine, etc.

Conclusion

Now that we have looked at how to apply ephedra in the landscape, we can take a new approach to shaping the design of the infield ().

If you have any questions, you can find more useful information by watching the video in this article.

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Grenadiers are not a species, but rather an unofficial group, which includes the tallest conifers, conquering with their majesty. They look best when the area is large enough to see the tree and its entire crown.

Despite the size, grenadiers are planted in summer cottages with a small territory. Long trunks, in this case, create a background for low plants. The most popular among gardeners are: Hoopsi spruce (Latin Picea pungens Hoopsii), cedar pine (Latin Pinus cembra), Thuja Brabant (Latin Thuja occidentalis Brabant), monochromatic fir (Latin Abies concolor).

Young seedlings also have excellent decorative properties and attract with the "fluffiness" of the needles. In addition, as long as there is access to the tops of trees, they can be decorated on new year holidays... That is why it is worth paying attention to varieties that grow slowly and acquire impressive sizes only by the age of thirty.

There are also a few tall coniferous varieties suitable for a small garden. As an example, we can consider the Vatereri pine (lat.Pinus sylvestris Watereri). It has very beautiful needles of an unusual bluish color. For thirty years, the tree reaches its average size - up to 3 m in height and width. The lower trunk of the tree is not exposed, therefore it is used by designers as part of the composition for lower conifers.

Many species of western thuja are presented in catalogs as 2-3 meters in height due to their slow growth, but at the age of 10 they can reach four meters in height. A striking example is the Smaragd variety (Latin Thuja occidentalis Smaragd).

If preliminary calculations have failed, and the tree is too bulky for the site, or for the place in which it is planted, you can restrain the growth of the selected specimen. Twice a year, the tree is trimmed, and the tops of the pines (less often the trees) are pinched. As a result, the trees acquire a well-groomed and beautiful appearance. But keep in mind that if the haircut or pinching procedure has already been performed, then it is not recommended to skip them. Plants will not grow properly and become ugly.

How to avoid mistakes when planting conifers, read our material.

Coniferous garden of medium-sized trees and shrubs

Medium-sized conifers are striking in their diversity. The middle group includes: western thuja, which is formed with the help of shearing, spruce and pine trees of small sizes, junipers of all types.

Medium conifers are the most popular among gardeners as they look incredibly attractive and can satisfy the most demanding tastes of designers, and they are also very suitable for small areas.

When composing compositions and mixed living fences, less popular types of fir (whole-leaved, Caucasian), pea cypress (Latin Chamaecyparis pisifera) and Canadian hemlock (Latin Tsuga canadensis), which are also referred to as medium-sized conifers, are used. Most often they are used in the basis of the design of a garden consisting of many flower beds with cereals and heather to support its decorative effect in the cold season.

You can read about growing fir in your summer cottage in our material.

Globose spherical thuja (Latin Thuja occidentalis Globosa) are often used in design. They are planted in a symmetrical manner near the front door of a private house, or next to the path leading to it. This technique has long become a European classic and is used regularly.

In Poland, they practice planting mountain pine near fences and fences. Different heights of fences make it possible to choose among varieties of different sizes and different growth rates (Pumilio, Mugus, Gnome, Pug). Gardeners who prefer blue conifers are advised to include the Glauca Globoza spruce variety (Latin Glauca globosa) in their plantings.

You will probably be interested in information on how to properly plant a spruce in your area.

Dwarf conifers and their use

Dwarf varieties are widespread among fans of conifers. They surprise with their small size and at the same time retain all the features of the species. Such cultures are a real boon for owners of small plots, as it becomes possible to collect coniferous miniatures and combine them into even more original compositions.

Mini shapes look great on rockery surfaces, stone slide or a waterfall. Often used in design: spruce Little Gem (Latin Little Gem), balsam fir Piccolo (Latin Abies balsamea Piccolo), pine Nisbett Gem (Latin Nisbet`s Gem). There are so many species that you can repeat a coniferous garden in miniature.

Decorative coniferous rugs and lawns

Among the conifers there are many creeping forms. Varieties of horizontal and common juniper grow 1-4 cm from the ground level: Prince of Wales, Golden Carpet and Blue Chip; Depressa Aurea, Green Carpet. These specimens look good on walls with props and small slides.

But not all types of juniper are creeping: Old Gold (Latin Old Gold), scaly Blue Carpet (Latin Blue Carpet), cross-pair microbiota (Latin Microbiota decussata) - grow up to 150 centimeters. The shoots are spread out and raised on the sides. At the same time, the Glauka juniper (lat. Glauca), as well as medium, varieties Mint Julep (lat. Media Mint Julep) are the same in height, but wider and spreading in shape.

How to grow Blue Carpet scaly juniper on your site, read our article.

The use of creeping coniferous crops, possibly in conjunction with high or medium-sized. Junipers are also grown in separate flower beds - as an alternative lawn lawn.

Several types of creeping junipers and microbiota successfully replace ground cover plants. Alone and in a group planting, they look very good. It should be borne in mind that such rugs grow in width very quickly, so they need a lot of space. Besides, it is impossible to arrange walks on "coniferous lawns".

As a decor small area an orchard can be supplemented with a thorny rug, but harvesting, as well as harvesting litter, will greatly complicate. It is not recommended to grow such conifers next to berry bushes, as they will interfere with development.

Wide borders are better obtained from creeping coniferous forms. Spiky rugs can be used to cover imperfections in the paving of a walkway, or to successfully complement a decorative lawn. When planting curbs, you should remember about the free area for plant development. In order for the lawn to grow more densely, in early spring after the snow melts, you should pinch or trim the ends of the stems.

Conifers have unusual varieties of creeping forms, which are highly valued by designers for their amazing decorative qualities. These include: common spruce of the Formanek variety (Latin Picea abies Formanek), Hillside Cripper pine (Latin Pinus sylvestris Hillside Creeper), mountain pine Jacobsen (Latin Pinus mugo Jakobsen), Canadian hemlock variety Prostrate (Latin Tsuga canadensis Cole " s Prostrate).

Conifer colors and their use in zoning

As you know, conifers are colored not only green. Among them, you can find specimens with needles of variegated shades with yellow or whitish blotches, needles with golden and silvery-gray tint. The range of colors is not very large, but it makes it possible to create compositions that can easily replace floral ones.

Coniferous green plants in the general concept of the design element play a separative role, do not allow the rest of the colors to mix. And the needles with shades are designed to diversify the color scheme.

For example, blue needles scaly juniper Blue Carpet will complement the color of the silver oak (Latin Elaeagnus commutata) steel. And to emphasize the muted shades of the selected crops, experts recommend growing traditional conifers nearby, for example, the mountain pines Mugus (lat.Pinus mugo mughus).

You may find useful information on how to grow juniper in open ground.

Excessive enthusiasm for multi-colored conifers can lead to the emergence of an explosive mixture that does not stand out in the summer, but looks "artificial" at other times of the year. So, landscape designers it is recommended to choose a place for planting conifers in autumn - when a variegated variety of foliage colors are visible, or in early spring time, so that it is easier to imagine the future composition as a whole, when other plants do not interfere.

Outcome

When choosing ephedra, one should not imagine color changes in accordance with the season. Only some varieties or species can be an exception. Larch, which drops its needles for the winter period, is considered separately. For example, in summer the European larch variety Repens has a light green color, and in autumn and spring it turns into a "monster" with beige-brown needles and long bare shoots swaying in the wind.

Evergreens provide many advantages in the arrangement of the site. Depending on the season, the weather conditions change, and with them the panorama of the landscape. The use of evergreen plantings enlivens the space even in winter, giving the backyard a stately and opulent appearance. These types of plants are successfully combined with deciduous shrubs, for example, barberries, hydrangeas or rhododendrons.

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

The advantages of conifers

Planting evergreens in the area offers great advantages over other plants.

1. Aesthetics. Conifers retain their decorative appearance throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions.
2. Variety. Numerous varieties will help create vibrant compositions in different shapes and colors.
3. Unpretentiousness... Such green spaces do not require constant maintenance. Grows on all types of soil, does not need a large number solar heat and regular watering, so any part of the yard is suitable for planting.
4. Environmental friendliness. Conifers emit essential oils enriching ambient air rich forest smell.

We take into account the 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 consider 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 is good to combine straight paths with squat and voluminous plantings, and a reservoir with low fluffy trees.

also in mandatory take into account overall dimensions plot. Large ones are decorated with large plants, and small ones are decorated using dwarf varieties.

What types of conifers to choose

If the size of the site allows, the following evergreens are planted:

• Thuja western. The height of the tree reaches 5 meters. To give it an arrow-like shape, the branches are cut. Thuja is used to create hedges. The only requirement is the shading of the landing site.
• Juniper Skyrocket... Reaches a height of up to 3 meters. The shrub is popular for unusual color needles with a bluish tint.
• Spruce Hoopsie. Grows up to 15 meters high. Suitable for single and group planting. Thanks to its 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, low-growing varieties with crowns of different shapes are suitable.

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

Design options

With the help of conifers, they create various compositions that fulfill aesthetic and practical functions.

1. Hedges.
2. Lawn decor.
3. Group landings.
4. Mixborders with conifer elements.
5. Evergreens in rockeries.
6. Container garden and bonsais.

Hedges

Such coniferous plantations serve throughout the year, and not only in the warm season. They are used both for fencing a site and for zoning. separate parts space.

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

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

Thematic material:

Varieties of silvery or bluish tones will help to highlight the hedge against the background of other plantings. The main requirement when creating a live fence is the use of fast-growing conifers of the same species.

Lawn elements

If green lawns are laid out on the site, then they can be supplemented with conifers. At the same time, they choose high-growing or medium-sized varieties with expressive crown shapes. For planting on the lawn, pyramidal and arrow-shaped, as well as spherical varieties of conifers are suitable.

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

Group landing

Instead of a banal round flower bed with roses, a group planting of conifers is often used, where the plants are combined according to 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 when deciduous species are combined with conifers. Hydrangea bushes perfectly coexist with them.

Group plantings are also obtained original, in which conifers with needle and scaly leaves are combined.

When planning such compositions, take into account the size of mature trees and shrubs. Indeed, many evergreens can reach large dimensions.

Mixborders with conifer elements

Mixborders - compositions using different types 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 a combination in one mix of conifers along with deciduous shrubs, for example, hydrangea, barberry, cotoneaster and others.

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

But hydrangea gets along without any problems with spruces and junipers. On disembarking this decorative flower it is even recommended to add coniferous land. Hydrangeas love shady areas with acidic soils.- just those conditions that create coniferous plantings.

Evergreens in rocky gardens

Today, rockeries and rock gardens are often used in landscape design, which require the 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, they include dwarf pines and spruces.

Thuja, junipers, firs and other undersized conifers become truly adornment of rocky gardens.

Evergreens, which can easily tolerate cutting branches, are great for topiary. After all, it is here that decorative figures of bizarre shapes are created from trees and shrubs, up to the image 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 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 conifers. Trees growing in the southern regions are sensitive to temperature extremes, and even an indicator of zero degrees leads to their death.

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

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

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

For landscape design, the use of conifers will be an excellent option to diversify the design. In addition, such plantings are unpretentious in care and are pleasing to the eye all year round. One or more types of evergreens will transform country cottage area, turning it into a cozy place to relax.

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