Decoration of a summer cottage, shrubs, flowers, conifers. The use of conifers in landscape design

Coniferous plants in landscape design summer cottage have been used for a relatively long time. Coniferous groups are distinguished by their highly decorative appearance and go well with deciduous and flowering plants, which allows you to create very beautiful and original ones on your personal plot and dacha.

Basic rules for placing conifers in the garden

Tall conifers can be used in the garden as tapeworms, as well as when creating alleys or large group compositions. Particularly highly valued are varieties and types of coniferous crops that have changes in the nature of growth processes, have a crown of an unusual shape, and are also distinguished by an unusual type or color of needles with long-term preservation of decorative qualities.

As a rule, such plants are characterized by small height or belong to dwarf forms. A wide variety of varieties and species allows you to landscape mixed borders, as well as design your backyard landscape and garden spaces ground cover plants. A successful combination with many other crops allows you to effectively and quickly decorate rock gardens, paths along the house or coastal zone natural and artificial reservoirs.

Conifers in the landscape design of a summer cottage

The use of such plants in the landscape design of a personal or garden plot is justified for many reasons:

conifers do not change their color and do not lose their visual appeal all year round;
varieties and hybrid forms have a variety of colors and shapes;
such crops are able to retain dust very well and reduce external noise;
special substances secreted by needles inhibit the spread of bacterial and viral infections;
capable of enriching the air with oxygen and significant amount phytoncides.

Regardless of the types of forms used to decorate the landscape, such vegetation is attractive and very useful. As a rule, collections include conifers of varying vigor.

How to use conifers in landscape design (video)

Low-growing species

All low-growing species are represented:

dwarf species with an annual growth of 80-150 mm;
miniature species with an annual growth of 30-80 mm;
microscopic species with an annual growth of no more than 30 mm.

The most popular low-growing species and varieties in landscape design:

Norway spruce Beech. It has a dense flattened crown, growth of one and a half centimeters and apical branches. Growth is predominantly in width;
Kaempfer's larch "Blue Dwarf" is a very low-growing and slow-growing variety with a rounded and dense crown and hanging ends of the branches;
Canadian hemlock Tracilis variety "Oldenburg" refers to slow-growing dwarf forms with a height of about 25-30 cm and a crown diameter of 40-50 cm;
dwarf variety “Elk” with a stylescent type of growth and highly decorative bluish-green needles;
miniature noble fir of the Abies procera variety is one of the most popular coniferous species;
Canadian hemlock variety "Jeddeloch" is the most common dwarf form at present with a semicircular shape and spirally arranged branches;
dwarf thuja occidentalis variety "Danika" no more than 80 cm high has a dense and spherical crown with a diameter of 100 cm with a scaly, dense, light green or brownish-green crown.

Depending on the level of illumination, soil and climatic conditions and care, the height of the crop may vary.

Medium-sized coniferous plants

Plants of medium vigor are less demanding in care and harmoniously complement deciduous shrubs, and also go well with roses different types.

The most popular medium-sized species and forms in landscape design:

Serbian has flexible thin shoots hanging along the trunk;
the Blue Diamonds variety has a tall, thin trunk and a neatly formed conical crown;
Canadian spruce of the Piccolo variety is distinguished by its bright and elegant aboveground part with the presence of emerald green needles, which shimmer blue under the sun's rays;
evergreen spruce "Konica" has a very attractive and original appearance, as well as slow growth, due to which it is very popular in our country;
medium-sized fruiting berry bush yew has very beautiful needles, thanks to which it looks great when decorating the local area and recreation area;
medium-sized thuja is an unusual spherical plant consisting of dense and vertically arranged branches;
Golden yew is characterized by a cup-shaped crown and needles in a yellowish color, and is also ideal for growing in shaded areas.

Landscape design is not always able to look complete if the overall design picture is not complemented by tall conifers.

Tall conifers

To decorate with tall plants, planting thuja, pine and spruce, which are distinguished by their unpretentiousness and durability, is often used.

The most popular tall species and forms in landscape design:

Watereri pine is an evergreen large shrub with a columnar, dense or looser, umbrella-shaped, very picturesque crown and a reddish trunk;
blue sun-loving spruce Hoopsii has a stable and predictable growth, reaching a height of 10 m with a width of 4 m;
"pencil tree" or Skyrocket juniper is an upright growing shrub or tree up to 12 m high and 5 m wide;
evergreen shrub with a spherical aerial part, up to 4 m high and no more than 5 m wide, with golden-yellow or greenish-yellow needles;
the spiky tall spruce “Hoopsie” reaches a height of 13-15 m and has thick silver-blue needles;
» reaches a height of 3 m and has a very beautiful crown conical shape with blue needles;
western thuja Most often used in creating hedges, it tolerates haircuts easily and reaches a height of 5 m.

Tall conifers must be planted in strict accordance with technology and taking into account their growth force.

Creeping varieties

IN last years especially popular when decorating small backyard gardens Ground cover or creeping highly decorative varieties are increasingly being used:

Spruce "Lombers" is one of the most popular and sought-after trees creeping along the ground shrub plants with an attractive emerald green color;
European larch variety "Repens" is a very attractive low-growing creeping plant with weeping branches lying on the ground;
Thuja "Timi-Tini" is a spherical, fairly drought-resistant plant that does not require special attention and abundant watering;
mountain pine "Hampi" is most often used for decorative design rock gardens, and in winter time the buds on the plant acquire a very attractive red tint;
The miniature pug is able to grow onto the surface of the soil into a very attractive and uniform fluffy cushion.

No less popular are cushion-shaped and weeping spruce trees, as well as “Blue Forest”, with a height of 20-40 cm with needle-shaped and very prickly needles.

How to make a composition from conifers (video)

Compositions from conifers: options and rules for composition

Conifers combine perfectly with other coniferous crops and green spaces. Before composing compositions, It is very important to determine the width of the growth of such a culture and the characteristics of its care.

Deciduous shrubs and conifers

Decorative landscape compositions on a personal plot in mandatory should include a wide variety of elements that look most attractive and advantageous.

It should be remembered that not all crops get along well with each other, and that is why when combining different representatives of the plant world in one area, it is very important to take into account their main biological features. This rule especially applies to varieties of juniper that can be affected by “rust”.

Compositions from thujas and conifers

Vegetation with blue needles looks great against a green background. In such compositions, it is necessary to plant thujas in the background, and decorate the foreground with dwarf thujas and rock juniper.

Tall coniferous vegetation in the form of spruce and pine trees, placed near garden stairs or retaining walls, complemented by medium-sized thujas and low-growing deciduous crops, are combined as harmoniously as possible. We must remember that pine with cedar and thuja with spruce are quite difficult to take root, so such combinations need to be minimized.

Conifers with roses and other garden flowers

Coniferous crops are not only beautiful in themselves, but also combine very well in all kinds of compositions with a variety of decorative foliage or beautifully flowering plants. They provide an excellent backdrop for beautifully flowering foliage crops such as roses, rhododendrons and hydrangeas. The palette of colors, shades and textures can be very diverse.

Beautiful compositions of coniferous plants

When arranging conifers, it is very important to take into account the growth characteristics of the plant. th, as well as the state and development of the crown of the crop in adulthood, which will not allow the harmony of the composition to be disrupted over time. Experts recommend that when creating a landscape composition yourself, adhere to the basic principles of contrast and place popular low-growing crops with a spherical crown in the foreground of tall pyramidal conifers.

Prickly spruce varieties “Bialobok”, as well as western thuja varieties “Smaragd” and Yellow Ribbon, common juniper varieties “Hibernica” and “Meyer” or yew berry have proven themselves to be excellent as a top. The gray spruce “Conica” can dominate very impressively. The second tier can be used to plant plants with different crown shapes. In coniferous mixborders, crops of different heights, crown shapes, and crown colors should be selected.

Group plantings can be varied with brightly flowering rhododendrons, evergreen wintergreen, heathers or variegated shrubs.

Protecting the coniferous garden from the sun and frost

IN winter period Coniferous plants suffer least from low-temperature conditions, and the main danger for them is the frosty and drying wind. Varieties grown in areas with little snow and frost, as well as in Siberia and Far East.

It is advisable to bring the container plant, which is not too voluminous, indoors for the winter. If necessary, you can cover the outdoor container crop with ordinary spruce branches, creating a kind of “hut”. Conifers open ground require insulation of the tree trunk circle a layer of sawdust, straw, peat or pine needles, after which the stem part is wrapped in non-woven material or burlap.

Polyethylene is not suitable for winter shelter. It is advisable to install screens or screens to protect from gusty winds and spring sun rays. A spreading coniferous plant requires tying up branches and constructing a canopy or screen. Mature crops such as cedar, yew, fir, spruce and pine need shelter during the winter.

How to plant conifers (video)

For growing almost any variety of coniferous crops in conditions backyard landscape Areas well protected from cold gusty winds and bright sunlight are optimal. It is best to purchase such plants in nurseries, where the crop has already passed the initial stage of adaptation to agroclimatic conditions in a particular region.

More and more owners are now placing coniferous trees on their property. Vegetable gardens and orchards are shrinking every year, and in their place are flower beds, lawns and flower beds with interesting plant compositions. And if decorative flowers and shrubs have long been used by gardeners to transform their backyard, conifers have become popular relatively recently. In this article we will look at how to correctly and harmoniously create evergreen compositions, what are the features of planting, and also what is the care of coniferous trees and shrubs.

Coniferous plants for the garden

In addition to their beautiful appearance throughout the entire 12 months, conifers have the following positive characteristics:

significantly reduce dust and noise levels; hold back strong gusty winds;
give the microclimate in the backyard a softer character;
stop the development of certain viruses and prevent the excessive spread of bacteria and insects;
provide a high concentration of oxygen and phytoncides (they cope best with this task.

If not only the aesthetic side of the garden is important to you, but also a favorable microclimate, you should concentrate on conifers. Thanks to its wonderful views, graceful forms and varied volumes of crowns, great opportunities are revealed for realizing the most interesting landscape ideas both in large and small areas.

Video “Tips for buying conifers”

How to correctly compose compositions from conifers

Conifers will look quite harmonious and picturesque if surrounded by rhododendrons, deciduous and heather plants, and they can add brightness and contrast to the overall picture, and also allow you to modify the design of the garden from time to time. But there are exceptions, for example, bird cherry and birch trees have a negative impact on the proximity to pine needles. Ball-shaped and columnar plants look great. Thanks to them, many landscape architects create very complex geometric shapes, different height levels and interesting front alleys.

Composition of coniferous plants for the garden

Beautifully trimmed conifers divide the space into different zones and decorate alpine coaster, reservoirs, and also give volume to the relief. Do not forget that in winter many types of conifers change their color.

In order for the landscape to evoke positive emotions all year round, and to avoid the “eye-opening” effect, you should be very careful in choosing combinations of color and texture not only of conifers, but also of other types of shrubs and trees.

As the main plants to focus on, you should choose species with a high level of winter hardiness. Such conifers will not change under the influence of negative temperatures. Plants with a branched and wide crown should be placed in the background. To complete the coniferous composition, landscape designers prefer to use low, creeping plants. Wide and spreading conifers help to hide from the eye not very beautiful elements on the site. For example, spruce or fir can perfectly hide an unsightly area in a fence, and thujas are perfect for creating a hedge.

Hedge

The use of conifers as an element of a hedge has already become a classic of landscape architecture. Very dense interweaving of branches with greenery all year round creates plantings that perfectly divide the territory into certain sectors or indicate the boundaries of the site itself, hiding everything unnecessary from prying eyes.

Coniferous hedge

To create decorative hedges, mostly pyramidal, spherical and columnar types are used.

If the task is to make the fence high, you should pay attention to such large trees as spruce, pseudo-hemlock, fir, larch, and pine.

Yew, thuja, juniper, araucaria, podocarp, taxodium, cypress, cypress, cryptomeria are used as plants for medium-height hedges.

If you need a border-type hedge, you can use dwarf species of mountain pine, thuja, cypress and juniper.

In order for the green fence to be uniform, you need to use one variety of plants, and if you want to add variety, you should alternate varieties with different colors pine needles

A fence made from spruce in blue, silver and green colors will be very interesting. If thuja was chosen as the main plant, pay attention to the combination of “Smaragd”, “Brabant” and “Europe Gold”. IN in this case, the hedge will simultaneously have a dark green, light green and golden color, which will leave few people indifferent.

Focus on the lawn

To add some zest to an ordinary lawn, you just need to place a conifer on it, preferably with a non-trivial crown shape. Almost any tall or medium-sized tree or shrub in the shape of a ball or cone will cope with this task perfectly. And also a beautiful topiary plant or bonsai, which is very popular in the East, will attract the eye.

Group plantings

Coniferous plants, combined in crown type, shade and size, planted in a single group, will look very impressive. Particular attention in the design of the site is paid to compositions based on contrast color range and geometric shape. An example is a combination of conifers in the shape of a ball along with columnar forms, diluted with creeping varieties. Fir trees with a blue tint, golden thujas and emerald-colored junipers planted nearby can also evoke a bright mood.

In the process of forming group plantings, do not forget that over time, a shrub or tree will grow and will darken and take away nutrients from the neighbor’s soil if they are placed too close. Understanding the nature of the plant being grown will help preserve the green space itself and the positive emotions from it for a long time.

Mixborders

Mixborders are prefabricated compositions from various types plants. Often, conifers play a major role in this kind of planting or act as a decorative background for bright perennial flowers. Mixborders made from conifers and rhododendrons, heathers, spireas, creeping cotoneasters, low-growing barberries, boxwoods, and mahonias look very harmonious. Quite interesting is the combination of, in its own way, rough needles and meek leaves, which are diluted with fruits and bright flowering decorative bushes.

Mixborder of conifers

Mixborder of conifers

When designing mixborders, the consequences of the proximity of coniferous and deciduous plants should be studied in more detail. After the needles fall, the soil becomes more dense, which can negatively affect other green spaces. Plants from the family of rhododendrons, ferns, daylilies, daffodils, hazel grouse, and woodlands are perfect as neighbors for conifers. From fruit crops It should be noted blueberries and blueberries, for which pine litter is only a plus.

If the territory of the area being improved is quite large, many landscape architects design a certain part in the style of a natural forest. The large area allows you to place not always compatible deciduous and coniferous trees without harming their growth. For grass cover, shade-tolerant ground covers such as periwinkle, tenacious or unpretentious cereals such as red fescue and bluegrass are perfect.

Conifers in a stone garden

Conifers have their own special and honorable place when creating a rock garden or rock garden. They add variety to the overall picture of the garden group, giving it new uniform and proportions. Visually stretching the arrangement upward, mountain pines and spruces in the shape of a cone, as well as compact firs in the shape of a ball and creeping groundcover, attract attention to the composition of stones.

For the most part, conifers are used to make the rocky structure more natural. small height. The very beautiful and dense silhouette of the “Little Gem” or “Moll” spruce is quite often used by gardeners or landscape designers. Among pine trees, varieties such as “Winter gold”, whose fluffy cushion grows up to 100 cm in width and reaches 50 cm in height, and “Mops”, which resembles a thick ball, are very popular. For planting on rock gardens, thujas are used dwarf varieties"Danica" and "Tiny Tim".

Conifers in topiary

Topiary art involves figuratively trimmed trees and shrubs. In most cases, these are regular geometric shapes, but you can also find images of animals, household items, or scenes from everyday life. Coniferous trees are the most popular plants for this, as they have a very dense needle structure, which can be changed in almost any way by cutting.

Conifers in containers

Due to the fact that not all conifers are able to withstand harsh winters and die out when negative temperature, many gardeners grow them in containers. These are mainly varieties from tropical regions. Containers with coniferous plants can decorate any part of the garden, and after a while you can simply rearrange them. In this simple way you can add something new to the appearance of your garden plot. In winter, containers with conifers should be moved to a cool room where they will not freeze. Greenhouse, glazed balcony or closed veranda perfect for this.

Landing rules

Conifers and roses

Conifers with an open root system should be planted in spring or early autumn, and with a closed root system - at any time.

During the replanting process, it will not hurt to add root growth stimulants, such as Kornevin, which is sold in any garden store.
In terms of depth, each hole for seedlings should not be more than 90 cm, and at the junction of the trunk and root it should exactly correspond to the ground level.
The distance between seedlings depends on the type of plant, but it should not be less than 90-100 cm. Otherwise, when the conifers grow, they will prevent each other from receiving the required amount of sunlight, which will negatively affect the appearance and growth rate.
Add to the soil used sand mixture and clay.
3-4 weeks after planting, the plant should be fed with mineral fertilizers.

Conifer care

Even before the first strong rays of the sun in spring, conifers should be protected from burns. To do this, they are wrapped in a special shade or white spandbond. A few weeks after the resumption of the growing season, it is recommended to feed the plants with special fertilizers. Basically, these are granules with useful microelements, which should be scattered around the trunk in slightly loosened soil. We should not forget that it is very easy to overfeed conifers, so you need to strictly follow the proportions indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. minerals. It is also worth loosening the soil around the trunk from time to time.

During particularly dry periods, do not forget about watering, which should be carried out in a small hole at the root collar, which will allow all the liquid to be absorbed. It is also very important to water the soil generously before frost sets in so that the plant can gain the necessary amount of moisture for the winter months.

Removing dry and dead branches is an important procedure that will not only restore a beautiful appearance, but also improve air circulation in the crown. And to form a thick crown, shoots should be cut by 1/3 every year.

Thanks to their ability to maintain a decorative appearance throughout the year, as well as their unpretentiousness to soil and weather conditions, resistance to diseases and pests, coniferous trees have taken a special place in creating a wonderful landscape. Taking note of the proposed options, the garden will delight you from spring to infinity, with the proper level of care

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

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

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

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

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

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

Norway spruce

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

Cedar of Lebanon

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

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

Semi-dwarf spruce
Dwarf larch
Miniature cedar

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

Evergreens must also be divided into groups:

trees;
bushes.

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

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

Juniper horizontal

Pros and cons

The merits of coniferous plants include:

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

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

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There is a plan!

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

A well-planned project is half the success.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coniferous mixborder
Semi-dwarf juniper
Eastern dwarf thuja

The creation of a coniferous paradise

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

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

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

To prevent the eye from wandering over 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. The starting point for the view is a small heather garden, which combines beautifully with conifers. A boulder of an unusual shape, buried in the arms of a juniper, or interesting solution garden lanterns also attract the eye and help to perceive the entire composition and each plant separately.

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

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

Larch

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

Conifers in different roles

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

Hedge;
Solo part;
Mixborder;
Alpine slide or rock garden;
Ensemble;
Container garden.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Present the finished result and go! You will succeed!

Almost all owners of personal plots are keen on creating. With a little effort, they transform their homes, ennoble them and create an almost fabulous atmosphere.

At the same time, it is not so important whether you are the owner of a luxurious mansion or a modest country house. After all, you can create a masterpiece on any site, even if it does not have a large area.

In addition, we should not forget that nowadays lawns, flower beds and various color compositions are more common, rather than standard gardens and vegetable gardens. Gradually they fade into the background, and you can’t see them very often.

Just a few years ago, landscape designers used flower beds and ornamental shrubs as a decoration for the garden area. At the same time, coniferous compositions were practically not used.

However, their popularity is increasing every year, so landscape design with coniferous compositions can be seen on almost every site.

Rules for planting coniferous trees

Because of high cost Using the services of professional landscape designers, many home owners have to arrange their own backyard areas. Having studied enough material on the correct design of a site, you can be confident of success.

But at the same time, it is worth taking into account the nuance that you will be working with coniferous species.

There are some rules for planting coniferous plants that are not recommended to be violated if you want to end up with a truly beautifully landscaped garden. Let's look at these rules in more detail.

The distance from the point from which the tree and shrub species will be viewed to the composition should be 2 times its height. This way your composition will look more holistic.

If you are going to use coniferous plants for design, then it would be wiser to give preference to the lawn. It will become a wonderful background that complements the composition.

If there is a pond on your site, you should plant coniferous shrubs nearby. In combination with weeping foliage plants they will look quite original, beautiful and elegant.

According to experts, compositions of coniferous plants should be placed oriented to the east and west. This composition will look more natural and harmonious.

You should not plant flowers such as roses in close proximity to coniferous plants. And although the designers confirm that such a combination looks very impressive, it is worth remembering that any coniferous species acidify the soil. And roses, as you know, do not take root well in oxidized soils.

As you can see, these simple rules are quite easy to follow. Therefore, you should not neglect them.

Do not forget that only plants and trees planted according to all the rules will be able to please you for many years and decorate your garden.

Coniferous color combinations

Did you naively believe that all coniferous plants and trees look the same? You were wrong. In fact, there are many plants that belong to this breed and differ in color.

That is why various compositions are often used, in which there are more than two specimens of plants that differ in color.

Combining different colors gives a stunning effect that cannot leave anyone indifferent.

However, do not rush to use the first colorful plants you come across. After all, you need to achieve the creation of a unique range, and this can only be done if you follow a few tips from designers:

if you are going to include 3 components in the composition, you should not use more than two colors;
if the composition includes 5 elements, it is necessary to increase the number of colors to three;
more bulky compositions, which consist of 25 or more components, should be divided into small groups (approximately 3 copies each). Each group must correspond to a single color attribute.

The composition assembled in this way will look like a single ensemble. Each of the selected colors will help create a holistic and harmonious picture.

Photos of coniferous compositions

First of all, conifers are known for can easily protect your area from dust, noise, wind, and glances of passers-by. These evergreen trees are preferred to be planted because they highlight useful material into the air - it is thanks to phytoncides that one can breathe so easily and freely in a pine grove. People living near such a forest will get sick less often, constantly staying in good mood. Many summer residents recommend planting coniferous trees along the edge of the site.

The first advantage of such planting is that evergreens will strengthen the soil. The second plus is that the shadow from the plants will not fall on your house. Thujas look beautiful in the middle of a plot, which do not grow very tall, and are in harmony with many other plants, thanks to which it will be possible to create unusual design.

Coniferous trees in landscape design: what to choose?

Despite the fairly unpretentiousness of such plants, they sometimes cannot stand being next to each other. That is why you should know which plants can be planted nearby so as not to harm them:

There is no need to plant conifers on the site if bird cherry and birch trees already grow there, since these plants negatively affect the growth of evergreens.
Pines and cedars do not coexist well with spruces and firs.
Spruce and thuja do not like each other.
Larch develops well in those gardens where there are no conifers at all.

In addition to plant compatibility, they must be selected in accordance with the local climate.

For example, cypress trees have been very popular over the past few years, but these trees cannot tolerate harsh winters at all, so they will only have to be planted in a greenhouse or a specially created greenhouse. I am glad that trees and bushes, which do not lose their beauty throughout the year, will look ideal both in group plantings and individually (varieties such as “Gnome” and “Little Giant” are suitable).

If you have the tools (garden shears, hacksaw) and the appropriate knowledge, you can create unusual evergreens, making it even more original. And all thanks to the fact that the needles of these plants practically do not require adjustment - pruning of trees in this case can be carried out literally every few seasons.

Planting and care: what needs to be taken into account?

When choosing a time for planting, it is better to focus on the end of summer or beginning of autumn. If you missed these deadlines, then it is best to plant plants in early spring– as soon as the snow melts and the ground thaws a little. Thujas, cypresses and other varieties prefer turf soil mixed with sand. The hole should be approximately 80 cm deep - everything will depend on the size of the root part, since there should be enough space in the trench for the root system to shrink. At the bottom we place a layer of compost mixed with fertile soil. Earthen lump on the roots of the plant must be moistened generously with water, and only after that can planting be carried out.

Make sure that the roots do not come out of the ground. After this, we water the new garden resident generously. If you decide to plant several trees nearby, leave a distance of at least 1.5 m between the holes. For the first few years, plants should be watered and fed with mineral fertilizers. Young plants are very susceptible to sunlight, and therefore it is advisable to cover them using dark film. True, here it is worth making sure that they do not overheat under the material, for which conifers can be sprayed with water from a sprayer.

The soil around the tree also requires constant care: it must be loosened with a hoe, adding fertilizers and fertilizing. For the winter, fragile young bushes must be covered, and it is advisable to carry out work in November. Spruce spruce branches and straw are best suited as covering materials. To look impressive in landscape design, fitting into the overall natural interior, you need to take care of them, having thought in advance where it is better to plant the trees, because these evergreens can get sick from transplanting.