Whatever the size of the site, there will always be conifers 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 landscape design small and large gardens.
Conifers, with their diversity, confuse the gardener when choosing candidates for creating landscape forms. Tidying up your knowledge of evergreens is the first step in planning a beautiful garden.
The whole variety of conifers is better represented, if they are divided into groups:
- Full-grown, the annual growth of which 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.
On these grounds, the gardener determines the place that conifers will take 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, 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 
The Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani) from this group also belongs to the category of giants. At the age of 10, it can reach a height of 5 meters. In an adult state, and conifers grow for a very long time, it will be a 25-meter giant, which is a delightful sight.
Lebanese cedar
Semi-dwarf forms conifers are by far the most attractive for garden or park compositions due to their versatility. They do not 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 of its participants and the entire composition as a whole.
Semi-dwarf spruce 
Dwarf larch 
Miniature cedar
Microscopic evergreens are grown by indoor gardeners in japanese style... An ensemble of these plants can be placed on a pedestal in a small patio.
It is also necessary to divide evergreens into groups:
- trees;
- shrubs.
Shrubs are common and dwarf. The Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina tamariscifolia) is a common inhabitant of parks and gardens because of its unpretentiousness and vitality. It does not reach more than one meter in height, 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, the horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) in the landscape design of the site plays the role of a thorny blanket that spreads along the ground, and reaches a height of no more than 15 cm. It grows rather slowly.
Juniper horizontal
Pros and cons
The merits of conifers include:
- ease of care;
- garden decoration at any time of the year;
- lack of fallen leaves;
- lack of inflorescences that need to be cut;
- an abundance of shapes, sizes and colors;
- the ability to form any shapes using cropping;
- improvement of the surrounding 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 conifers nullifies all the disadvantages of their maintenance. If the planting site and the type of plant are chosen taking into account its needs, size and climate, then the gardener only needs to treat diseases and pests in time and feed his coniferous pets a couple of times a season with delicious fertilizer for health and a fluffy appearance.
Willow Hakuro Nishiki Willow is a familiar plant and is often used for landscaping. But the instances, ...
There is a plan!
With the help of conifers, the garden can be completely different shapes... Fast-growing conifers for landscape design of the site will be appreciated by lovers of quick results.
A well-planned project is half the battle.
The entrance area of the site can be decorated in a ceremonial style: clear forms of trimmed thujas of a spherical and conical shape meet guests and hosts near the entrance to the house. They are surrounded by a well-groomed lawn or colored, chopped bark in discreet shades.
In order for thuja to delight the eye with fresh greens, they need proper care and attentive attitude. A fairly common situation is when, dry and look unkempt (do not confuse these cases with the golden varieties of this plant).
A live fence made of sheared thuja will help divide the garden into several different zones... Behind the two-meter thuyu wall, the continuation of the site will not be visible, and the winding path will mysteriously hide and beckon further into the garden.
Quite a frequent and popular guest. They are well suited for cultivation in urban conditions, as they withstand increased air pollution.
Such large-scale structures and large trees will be appropriate if there is enough space.
Conifers in garden landscaping should not look alien and unnecessary. After evaluating the space reserved for conifers, a good gardener will first examine the varieties that are suitable for specific purposes.
V small garden groups of medium-sized and semi-dwarf plants look good against the background of a lawn or gravel dump. For lack of space, a coniferous mixborder 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 spruce "Conica" (Picea glauca albertiana "Conica") with its small size and bright green needles. It goes well with the golden ball of the Japanese Golden Princess (Spiraea japonica). For color harmony, you can add a dwarf oriental with golden foliage (Thuja orientalis "Aurea Nana"). At the beginning of summer, all this splendor is adorned pink flowers spireas.
Coniferous mixborder 
Semi-dwarf juniper 
Eastern dwarf thuja
Creation of a coniferous paradise
When fitting conifers into landscape design, you must follow some rules:
- the tallest specimens are planted in the background;
- coniferous composition of different plants should not combine more than three forms of crowns;
- symmetry and precise geometric shapes are inappropriate when creating an evergreen free-plan group;
- a strict parterre composition should be strictly symmetrical and requires constant care and haircuts;
- an ensemble of conifers 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 specificity. If the first postulate is simple and clear, 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 sense of uneasiness. A composition of three colors or two or three contrasting shapes looks much more pleasant and holistic. Pyramidal thuja the brabant in the landscape design of the group is best placed in the background. Their severity is emphasized by the spherical forms of cypress, and in the foreground, the entire ensemble is soothed by creeping junipers or ground cover deciduous plants. Even if the territory for conifers is quite extensive, the rhythmic alternation of the same plants is better perceived, and not a set of all kinds of varieties and colors.
In order for the gaze not to wander through 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 of the view is a small heather garden, which is beautifully combined with conifers. A boulder of an unusual shape, buried in the arms of a juniper, or an interesting solution for a garden lantern also attracts the eye and helps to perceive the whole composition as a whole and each plant separately.
The combination of the sizes of conifers in a group should be harmonious. Tall spruce is perceived on great distance, while the small spherical thuja is interesting up close.
For the dignified development of conifers, it is necessary to take into account the influence that plants have on each other. The neighborhood of spruce and thuja will oppress both plants. A beautiful specimen of larch will not tolerate anyone near it. This individualist loves to grow alone, just like the birch.
Larch
The combination of conifers with roses looks very beautiful. But this neighborhood may not be very comfortable for a rose.
Conifers in different roles
Many gardeners give preference to conifers when decorating a plot, because these plants can play a variety of roles:
- Hedge;
- Solo part;
- Mixborder;
- Alpine slide or rockery;
- Ensemble;
- Container garden.
An evergreen hedge can be functional or aesthetic. If you need to separate the resting place from prying eyes, columnar junipers or thujas will do this role very well. Tightly planted to each other, they will create a beautiful and impenetrable wall, which will look organic in the green mass of the site.
A dwarf juniper or cypress will make a wonderful fence for fencing a playground or flower bed, which will not block the view, but will create a beautiful frame.
As a solo artist, conifers or shrubs with an interesting crown shape, the color of the needles or an exotic type of fruit are used. And the best combination of all at once for the decorativeness of the soloist throughout the year. The background for the artist can be lawn, gravel or decorative 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 with gardeners. It can be decorated with conifers or a combination of conifers with flowers and ground cover plants. It is better to decorate the mixborder near the path with dwarf and semi-dwarf forms so that the eye covers the entire group of plants at once.
Alpine slides or rock gardens in the recent past were a favorite decoration of garden plots. On any, even very small, piece of the garden, amateurs tried to create something similar to the Alps with an obligatory assortment of groundcover and conifers. To create a rock garden that would naturally fit into the landscape of the site is not an easy task, but quite feasible. It is much easier - a combination of plants and stones. For this element of the landscape, you do not need to build mountains, a beautiful boulder and evergreen plants, correctly matched to it, are enough. A dwarf mountain pine in landscape design will feel like home if it is surrounded by several stones of an interesting shape or color. 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 from conifers are the simplest and most beautiful solution for revitalizing a lawn or patio.
Ephedra can be combined with deciduous plants suitable for growing conditions. The unpretentious and beautiful deer-horned sumac (Rhus typhina) with its feather-like leaves will look great against the background of strict spruces in summer, and in autumn its scarlet colors against a calm green background will attract the eyes of even a sophisticated gardener.
In group compositions, contrasts of form and play of color play a major role. Columnar thuja with bright green needles are perfectly combined with balls of golden thuja, and creeping deep green juniper completes this composition, spread out on the lawn.
There are conifers that a gardener would really like to see in his green kingdom. But not all conifers tolerate frost and lower temperatures. In this case, container forms of conifers come to the rescue. They can be used to decorate a patio or add to an already finished composition in the garden. The container shape of the plants allows you to combine 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!
Today, landscape design has become a favorite hobby of many owners of land plots and private houses. It is thanks to their efforts that the space that surrounds many private houses has recently begun to significantly transform.
On some household plots vegetable gardens and even ordinary orchards begin to gradually lose ground and give way to decorative lawns, bright flower beds and unexpected plant compositions that delight their owners.
But if flower arrangements have always been held in high esteem by our gardeners, and some, unpretentious shrubs have always been often found on the plots, then coniferous evergreens in landscape design are not so widely used yet. Although their popularity is growing.
Conifers in landscape design make it possible decorate the adjoining space aesthetically pleasing and rich, in addition, the garden will look like this in all seasons.
The ever wider use of coniferous shrubs and trees in landscape design is due to their properties: plants are harmonious both in single plantings and in compositions all year round, most species and forms are unpretentious to soils, tolerate severe weather conditions, less than deciduous, are susceptible to pests and diseases.
In addition to the already mentioned aesthetic effect, such landings differ favorably:
- Good absorption of street dust and noise;
- Windproof properties;
- Improving the microclimate in the local area;
Suppression of the reproduction of pathogenic viruses and bacteria, due to the release of biologically active substances by all parts of the plant;
Air supply all year round significant amount of oxygen as most conifers are not deciduous.
Therefore, if there is a dream of a green surrounding space, in which the most favorable microclimate for people will be provided in a natural way, then compositions of coniferous shrubs and trees in landscape design will be optimal solution... Moreover, there is always the opportunity to pick up plants of the most unexpected shape and any size of crowns, this allows you to create any compositions on your site.
Planting and leaving
For planting and growing compositions from coniferous plants, certain rules have already been formulated, which are well known to both professional botanists and landscape designers. But, since some site owners want to do the decoration on their own, while others simply do not have the financial ability to hire a qualified specialist, it is necessary to start the process of creating a composition from conifers from the theoretical part.
When planning the landing, you must immediately take into account that the finished landscape compositions will look whole, if the distance from the place from which they will be most often inspected is at least two of their heights.
The essential point is the careful preparation of the site for planting the plant. Its further development will depend on this, and, consequently, the beauty of the entire composition. Unsuitable for planting places on the site that are subject to periodic flooding. It must be borne in mind that each species develops best on a certain soil composition. This needs to be clarified even at the stage of choosing species for your garden plot.
In terms of timing, the most optimal time for planting is the period from the last days of April to the beginning of May... At that time coniferous shrubs and the trees have not yet begun to actively grow and, as a result, it is easier to transfer the transplant and take root in a new place.
When digging a hole, it is necessary to calculate its depth so that when planting a seedling, it is located in it no deeper than the root collar (this is the border where the trunk passes into the root). After planting, you need to water it abundantly, this is done to ensure the best contact of the soil with the roots, that is, you need to water it regardless of the moisture content of the soil. For the next month, the soil around the plants should not be allowed to dry out until it begins to develop its root system in a new place.
Most conifers are not very capricious when grown, but they, like other artificially grown plants, need care... In hot years, it is required to cover young plants from sunburn, especially for various firs. In winter - carry out measures to protect southern, introduced species from frost (this is a shelter for low-growing plants, and snow retention, etc.). Saplings are sold with a closed root system (with a lump of earth or in a container) and with an open one (bare roots). If the planting takes place in the spring, and the roots are open, you need to pay attention to the presence of young roots.
Laying out the lawn to create a background for conifers will significantly improve the overall visual perception... Often, conifers are planted next to water bodies, so that, together with weeping deciduous plants, they make up a common original composition.
- various types and varieties of junipers: Cossack, rocky, Virginian, Chinese, etc.;
- spruce: prickly, European;
- pines: mountain, black, ordinary.
Those. those species of conifers that are common in the wild in our forests without any care. Naturally, wild plants are quite common grow too large, they do not have sufficient decorative qualities, so you need to buy varieties with known qualities.
Junipers, pines and North American thorny spruces are quite light-requiring, undemanding to the level of moisture and soil fertility. If the flower bed is in shade for a significant part of the daylight hours, it is recommended to choose zoned (that is, those that have been tested and are suitable for growing in your region) varieties of berry yew, European spruce or western thuja.
For a low-maintenance garden (requiring a minimum of work during the year) in our latitudes, carefully purchase cypress, hemlock, pseudo-sug, microbiota, tuevik, cypress, cupressocyparis, fir, Kemfer larch, Japanese cryptomeria, swamp cypress, folded species and other rare species.
According to the size of an adult plant, conifers can be conditionally divide into three groups.
Tall species of conifers
Among large plants you can count such common types:
Medium-sized plants for coniferous compositions
- Branched and very aesthetic evergreen tree. Growth is slow.
- Berry yew. Compact shrub, dense needles. Popular due to the combination of rich greens and berries, red.
- Golden yew. It tolerates partial shade well, is combined with tall and low-growing plants. Grows in the shape of a bowl, needles are yellowish-green, green or golden. They often serve as the basis for compositions.
Low-growing and creeping conifers
For such forms of conifers, it is very important to have sufficient space for development, because they do not grow up, but in a horizontal plane, forming something similar to a kind of lawn.
- Norway spruce Lombers. A low-growing plant, dense needles, bright, emerald color.
- Mountain pine Hampi. Used in rock gardens. An unusual property - the buds, at temperatures below freezing, are painted in beautiful reddish-brown shades.
- Mountain pine, Mini Pug variety. It grows in the form of a kind of pillow.
Compatibility
Despite the unpretentiousness of most species of conifers to growing conditions, it is necessary to form compositions based on them taking into account some features. Many conifers are characterized by their "aggressiveness". Aggressive species are called, which in the process of evolution developed the ability to secrete substances that suppress the development of other plants. In conifers, this feature allows in nature, with their very slow growth, to compete with fast-growing species. That's why:
Near larch, all conifers feel bad, although they can be planted, but at some distance.
Purchase of plants
Conifers for creating compositions can be bought both in special nurseries and in garden shops.
Digging in natural forests and groves is not worth it, because, firstly, it may turn out to be illegal (if this territory belongs to some biosphere reserve), and secondly, it is unpredictable what an adult plant will be, even within the same species, wild specimens can be very different (it depends on many factors and heredity), thirdly, it is possible to introduce new types of pests into your garden.
You do not need to purchase a plant just because it is beautiful and cute. Recommended necessarily learn latin name, first inquire about the size and habit of an adult plant and buy only those plants that are suitable for a particular site.
Conifers, especially of small age, are strikingly similar and only a specialist can distinguish them outwardly. This is a rather expensive purchase, designed for more than one year, so you should prepare for it in advance, arm yourself with a catalog with descriptions and photographs. Very often one has to see the disappointment of buyers of extremely expensive, grown in western nurseries, topiary (formed by special pruning of seedlings) forms, when they are created from species not zoned in our latitudes.
We should not forget that it is advisable to buy conifers with a lump of earth, dendrological nurseries sell them in sackcloth or wire mesh, the best option is grown in a container, they are possible plant in any season... Naturally, you need to buy seedlings only in reputable garden centers, after checking the general condition of the needles and the quality of the root system. Many novice gardeners were "burned" by purchasing cheap cupressocypresses and cypresses in pots, which are often sold in supermarkets; they often stand there, without watering, for weeks. After such conditions, these delicate plants recovering is extremely difficult, most often they die during the first wintering.
As for the price of seedlings, conifers, most often, cost more than deciduous ones, container ones - more expensive than those grown in the ground, grafted and topiary ones - more expensive than those grown without forming, etc. Designers most often recommend purchasing several accent, central plants (size about 1.0-1.5m high), to give the flower bed volume, and buy the rest small (no more than 40 cm). But at the same time, you need to be prepared for the fact that dwarf species grow extremely slowly (sometimes less than one cm per year) and having planted them very small, you will need to expect the required decorative effect from them for many years.
Coniferous compositions in landscape design
The principle of constructing a landscape composition from conifers
For correct planning compositions from conifers, initially it is required to decide exactly where it should be located, what kind is needed, what elements will be included in it. And after that, choose plants that meet the characteristics necessary for the formation of the composition, taking into account the existing conditions.
The facade of the house and the front garden, as a rule, are the first to be seen by guests, so its design should be somewhat solemn and necessarily elegant, it is appropriate here landscaping with basic elements regular style, which is based on the symmetrical arrangement of all components or a repetitive rhythm. It will be better when the assortment of species here is too diverse.
The main, accent plant is a pyramidal, standard plant, which in an adult state reaches a size of no more than 2.5-3 m (based on the size of the flower bed). Then, symmetrically from it, plants of the second order (subaccent) are placed on the sides, with dimensions up to 1-1.5 m. Between them, you can (without deviating from the previously outlined pattern) plant dwarf and open conifers, compact decorative leafy shrubs and ground cover.
In informal plantings, compositions of conifers are recommended to be placed on the lawn in the form of a flower bed - "island", include them in the mixborder along the edges of the site, interspersed with decorative leafy plants, thus zoning the space. Here it is more optimal to select the plant habit according to the “irregular versatile triangle” system.
After that, the remaining space is filled with plants as their importance and external saturation decrease. In the foreground, the flower beds are planted with lower plants, and in the center - higher and more voluminous. It is advisable to choose plants with different colors of needles so that the flower bed does not look boring. If the accent plant has a silvery color of needles, you do not need to plant a variety of the same color next to it. Do not forget about the illumination of the flower bed and various seasonal plants. Early bulbous plants will look great against the background of bright greenery.
For planting on an alpine slide or in flower beds with various annuals and ground cover, you can use miniature varieties with spherical and cushion forms of growth, as well as ground cover species that cover the ground with a carpet or cascade down from the retaining walls.
To create a harmonious landscape composition, certain rules must be taken into account.
Shape geometry
Contrasting combinations
By combining contrasting colors and shapes, different visual effects can be achieved. Against the background of small plants, large trees will be striking; in the transitions of various sizes and outlines of crowns, you can smooth out the lines of the exterior.
Asymmetry and symmetry
The use of conifers in landscape design implies a combination of the incompatible. That is, you can decorate the site with both symmetrical compositions and unexpected asymmetric elements that will look quite harmonious.
At the moment, a large number of conifers have been bred, differing in color. Those who like to experiment with colors should remember that contrasting colors components of a small coniferous group can "ruin" the composition. Therefore, experts advise in groups of conifers, of three plants, to use no more than two colors; in groups of five seedlings, no more than three colors can be planted. But in significant coniferous groups (more than 30), you can plant plants with different colors, while not forgetting to combine them into small groups of three plants of the same color.
Height and shape of the crown
When creating compositions, you need to take into account not only the color of the seedling, but also its dimensions in adulthood and the outline of its crown. In order to predict the type of composition in the future, one should first study the characteristics of the proposed varieties before buying them.
Types of songs
Mixborder
The mixborder can be placed where, in accordance with the wishes of the owner of the site, it will look best. Do not be afraid to do as you want. The garden landscape only benefits from the manifestation of individuality.
For the largest plants, it is necessary prepare a place at the very edge of the future composition, then the plantings are arranged in descending order, therefore the smallest plants are planted at the base of the mixborder. There is no need to strive to maintain the same geometric accuracy of the plantings. The curvature will only emphasize the pristine beauty of the composition.
The natural harmony of the mixborder must be observed: the width of the plantings of large plants must necessarily exceed the space that is allocated for undersized plantings. The plantation may include specimens that differ in the color of the needles and the outline of the crown.
Coniferous hedge
Hedge, using conifers, create quite often. In plantings of a regular style, which is rarely found in our latitudes, a coniferous hedge is nothing more than a hedge, but landscape style and modern makes it possible to apply evergreen hedges as a background for bright perennials. Conifers can be used to form dense formed or unformed hedges. In order to create a dense green hedge, the plants are placed in several rows, in a checkerboard pattern. One of the most impassable hedges is considered to be the formed checkerboard planting of spruce.
Compositions of coniferous circular view
Compositions of a circular view are called landings, the decorative effect of which should be viewed from all sides of the view. Compositions of this kind are usually planted in paving openings or on round flower beds. Planting plants, maybe any - irregular or symmetrical... The largest plant is placed in the center of the symmetrical composition, around it on equal distance- types of small dimensions.
For asymmetrical groups, the same principle applies: the height of each subsequent row should gradually decrease, thus emphasizing the visual perception of the previous row. Forming an asymmetrical composition is one of the most difficult jobs for a landscape designer. It must provide for an overview of the landing from all angles.
For example, consider the option using Scots pine as an accent plant. It is necessary to choose the variety of this tree, reaching a height of 2-2.5 m, with small bluish-gray needles.
A specimen of a slow-growing, rather frost-resistant Korean cedar pine is planted in front of it, a pyramidal variety with long needles of a silvery-blue hue is desirable. In the corner of the composition, you can place three Cossack junipers. To the left of them, plant two slow-growing dwarf ones. Several western thujas can be added to the composition. The space between the plants is covered with a layer of decorative mulch; it is aesthetically pleasing to use ground spruce cones as it. Such a composition does not need special care.
Compositions with a geometric crown shape
In such a composition, a prickly spruce with a bluish-white color of needles will look good. The height of the selected variety should not be more than 3-4 meters.
To the left of it, you can place the western thuja, a variety with a narrow cone-shaped crown. Between the spruce and thuja, four plants of a slow-growing mountain pine, a spherical variety with dark green needles, will look good. There are mountain pine varieties with an original property - they have needles, with the first frost, turn yellow, and green color returns in the spring.
In addition to those listed, there are also a huge variety of different compositions and combinations of plants. This article lists only a few of the most common ones.
Conclusion
Here, in short, are the basics of creating coniferous compositions. But this information is only an invitation to a world full of creativity and beauty landscape design, in general, and the creation of coniferous compositions in particular.
Any person is able to turn both a significant area and a small area near the house into a unique and unique composition of living plants. It is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance - a little patience, knowledge and your own imagination.
The use of conifers in landscape design is practiced everywhere. In addition to high decorative qualities, conifers have another indisputable advantage - these crops are beautiful throughout all seasons, since they (except perhaps for larch trees) do not shed needles for the winter. If you care for such plants properly and prune the crown in a timely manner, they will be a worthy decoration for your garden for many decades.
In all regions of the Earth, these noble plants are used for alleys, clumps and hedges. Even for southern gardens, so rich in evergreens, conifers are absolutely necessary - only they are able to effectively shade and create a background 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 work 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 structural elements of the entire 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- a very interesting and responsible task. And here comes to the fore harmonious combination the size, shape, color of those plants that are supposed to be planted. In large gardens, it is rational to plant conifers in groups consisting of plants of the same species: arrays, backstage. 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. Artistic groups created according to the principle of contrast in shape and color will look spectacular.
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 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 conifers in site design
Conifers in landscape design are the ideal material for creating modern prefabricated flower beds-mixborders. Harmoniously combining conifers with deciduous shrubs, herbaceous perennials, you can achieve very effective compositions. They attach particular importance to 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 next 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, as well as conifers with a creeping growth. In this kind of mixborders, when creating coniferous compositions in landscape design, it is necessary to remember the important role of the 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 is to cover the 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 landscape-style rocky gardens. 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. Alpine plants will become excellent companions of conifers on rocky hills. Dwarf varieties of Thunberg barberry will not yield to them. 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 may change his addictions to certain plants, 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 boils down to choosing 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 seats 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. Create rare, borderline conifers and cultivars optimal conditions growing 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 color. 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, undoubtedly, 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.
The Louie variety has almost all year round, 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:
Variety Chief Joseph turns golden in early October and remains so until spring.
Varieties of various types of spruce are no less brightly colored. In them, unlike pines, this almost always occurs in the spring. Aurea Magnifica, Gold Drift, Perry's Gold, Geel UH, Holub Gold, Vermont Gold.
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 same unusual color the growth of the dwarf variety Spring Fire. 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.
Pay attention to the photo - the decorative coniferous plant Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) Peve Tjin turns golden at the end of May:
A bit of a pigeon, it retains this color until late autumn. A new variety of Serbian spruce, Roter Austrieb, planted in the sun, paints spring growths in a dark crimson color.
The varieties were eaten with gray ( Picea glauca) Daisy’s White and Dendrofarma Gold differ in growth form. But both in mid-May for about two weeks color their growths in a milky cream color, which then completely turn white.
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. It turns out that mulch is an excellent element for decorating 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 cover conifers from weeds and germination of seeds. Adding a 2 cm layer of finely processed fraction under the main, larger pine mulch pine bark(1 x 1 cm), enhances the formation of an extensive network of additional suction roots in it, which not only contribute to the growth of the crown and an increase in the mass of the main root system, but also help the plant to more actively absorb 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 fraction of the bark is not only a correct design move in decorating a garden, but also a natural decoration of the lower tier of conifers. In contact with
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This is a fairly practical and very beautiful element, which is a combined long continuous flowering.
Such properly selected and well-groomed are becoming more and more popular and are able to give beauty all year round.
They begin to understand their particular value in late autumn, when everything around becomes gray and dull, and only a colorful island with is able to bring joy. Everyone can comprehend the science of creating mixborders, and they will help with this ready-made schemes.
Where to start?
Indeed, the art of creating combined flower beds is not at all difficult to master and practical application, but the main thing is to know how to correctly approach this issue at the initial stages.
Before deciding to acquire such a grandiose one, you need to clearly understand that planting everything beautifully, harmoniously and successfully is one side of the issue, but then caring for such a beauty is the second side, and it, as experience shows, is much more difficult than the first.
If you understand that you can handle it, then you can proceed. First, you need to create schemes for planting mixborders from and, and crops, taking into account all the nuances of their successful placement. 
With such planning, it is necessary to take into account the composition, its appearance, the humidity of the earth and air, a sunny or shady place, accessibility to wind and drafts.
Only after taking into account all the factors and drawing up a project for the placement of crops can you buy seeds, seedlings and seedlings.
Seat selection
The mixborder is best placed in an open area with unobstructed access to sunlight. Some mixborders do well in slightly shaded areas.
In order for crops to develop and grow well, look beautiful and fresh, they must be planted in a fertilized, not depleted one.
Before planting, you need to dig up, loosen and fluff, fertilize, do away with everyone. 
Selection of plants
Ready-made colorful, rich and harmonious mixborders are the result of an exciting, but very time-consuming process, the result of such efforts directly depends on the correct selection of crops for the compositions.
It is only out of ignorance that it seems that all the plants on the mixborder are planted randomly, randomly. This is not so, everything is thought out to the smallest detail.
Important! The basic principle of the mixborder: the height of the plants is gradually reduced.It is not recommended to plant next to crops that are very different in height, but near the flower garden- tall plants blocking the view. Among conifers, it is better to use dwarf species to create landscape design, deciduous ones should not be aggressive.
Perfectly in composition with them, evergreens are perceived,. Crops with a ground cover effect: carpet, - also look good in a mixborder.
To fill the resulting voids, you can use perennial,.
After creating a plan for placing plants on the site and preparing, you can place crops according to the scheme on the flower bed itself, this will help visualize the entire future mixborder and understand any errors in order to eliminate them even before planting the plants in a permanent place. 
When planting plants, you definitely need to think about how much space each of them will take after they fully grow, and take this important point into account.
If the crops are placed at a great distance from each other, then the mixborder will look empty, and free areas will quickly "occupy" slow "cultures.
Planting crops is best started from the center or from the tallest plant.
Important! Mixborder flowering continuity can be achieved with the help of capable of blooming long time... If he has become not very attractive for some time, then you can get out of the situation with the help of pots, placing them for a period in a flower bed.
Benefits of using conifers
Each mixborder should involve the so-called "skeletal" plants, which are the main elements in the composition, creating the evergreen presence of winter and giving the fragrant and variegated flower garden a little "sublime" shape.
They look beautiful all year round, while other cultures boast of their beauty only a certain limited and not very long time... Compositions are made from conifers and look especially attractive. 
In the warm period, the conifers, becoming a decorating background for those who have lost their short summer charm, draw attention to themselves, and in the cold winter period soloing, they themselves are capable of being perceived as a complete design solution.
Important! It is necessary to use various decorative elements in a mixborder carefully enough so as not to overdo it and not give it a ridiculous look. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to add large stones to the mixborder with conifers so that they are randomly visible between plantings.
Conifers for mixborder
With conifers, you can organize many options for decorative compositions, beds of conifers and using annual crops are very diverse. For this purpose, different conifers are used.
Did you know? The alkaloid paclitaxel found in the yew tree is effective remedy to fight certain types of cancer.
In mixborders, conifers are best combined with, and supplemented with perennial and annual flowering crops.
The success of this combination, first of all, will depend on the thoughtfulness of such a composition: it will be impossible to stop looking at even unremarkable plantings if they are planted correctly in color, shape and height.
For example, against the background of beautiful needles, they look great,. Compositions of dwarf coniferous varieties look spectacular.
Spiral tall thujas surrounded by columnar thuja of smaller sizes and shrubs in spherical shapes look attractive if the free space is still covered by creeping stones and, in addition to decorative purposes, serve as an original path along which you can approach any plantation.
Conifers have many forms that can become the highlight of any composition. 
Important! Conifers, like many other expensive plants, are sold with an earthen lump, in which is hidden root system... Before planting, the container must be immersed in water so that the earthen lump is saturated with it. The main thing: when planting a lump with roots, it should be at the same level relative to the surface of the earth as in the pot. If a coniferous plant is planted higher, it will dry out, buried in the ground - it can rot. Planted conifers need sufficient air humidity, so in the evening they must not only be watered, but also sprayed. At first, it is recommended to slightly shade the landing site.
Plant combination rules
Experienced during the design of the mixborder think over everything and know that you can not plant plants "at random, if only it was beautiful."
For example, it is not necessary to plant here with creeping rhizomes that can suppress growth, because they also negatively affect some decorative ones. For example, it suppresses cultures like others. 
Beginner lovers design flower beds are planted nearby, not knowing all the requirements and nuances of growing some types of crops, there are many incompatible types of them, turning the mixborder into something vague, unaesthetic and neglected.
After all, some types of cultures feel great next to each other, but there are those that cannot tolerate each other's neighborhood or simply cannot fully develop.
It turns out that it is not very comfortable near, but roses are good near and. ,