Ornamental shrubs for summer cottages, photos and names of which will be presented in this article, are often exactly the elements that harmonize the overall picture and emphasize the necessary nuances of the site so that it looks attractive, bright and harmonious. They are like strokes on a canvas, which will help to properly "dilute" the necessary details of the flower beds, to place accents on some specific places. I am sure that every summer resident, gardener, owner of a personal plot wants to do everything correctly and carefully so that vegetables, fruit trees, beds with greenery - everything was in place.
Depending on the size of your site, imagination and general preferences, ornamental shrubs can be a background for other plantings, an element of garden compositions, appear in the form of hedges or act as the main nuance to which everyone's attention will be riveted.
In this article, I would like to talk about the most popular shrubs that are most often planted in our region, and, of course, the most beautiful. It is unrealistic to cover the entire range of these representatives of this plant kingdom, but it is worth paying our attention to the main flowering ones, as well as to the ornamental-deciduous ones.
How to beautifully plant ornamental shrubs: the main criteria for placement
The very first thing is to choose just such a plant that will feel comfortable in the climatic conditions of your region. It is necessary to choose a certain variety based on this factor. The second nuance is its location.
If you get a sun-loving representative, then you need to plant it in a sunny place, where there will be a lot of light and there will not even be a hint of shadow. But shade-loving, on the contrary, should be placed in shaded areas, or even in the shade of buildings or large trees. This is important, since the wrong choice of place can affect not only the brightness of the colors of the foliage or the splendor of the flowers on the shrub, but also its viability.
The overall picture of the garden should also be considered when choosing a particular plant. In a small area, tall and lush specimens will look out of place. But, for example, blooming frost-resistant, low beautiful bushes are perfect, and they will also delight you with their appearance until the very cold weather.
These representatives include dwarf varieties Juniper Cossack Tamariscifolia and Green Carpet - undersized, creeping on the ground, very frost-resistant. This ideal options for creating compact alpine slides, rockeries, lawn edging, curbs.
Shrubs for hedges should also be chosen among low or medium-sized representatives with a dense crown, so that later, instead of an attractive fence, you do not get columns of tall thickets. Thorny bushes, decorative flowering, columnar representatives, for example, junipers, are optimal for such a design. Weigela, buddleya, spirela, oleander are well suited for joint plantings, they will look harmoniously with other green brothers growing nearby. And if you want to form an arch or, for example, decorate a gazebo, a fence, then in this case it is the climbing species that should be chosen.
The choice is wide! For each site of any size and shape, you can find your own option. In addition to flowering plants there are many varieties of shrubs with amazing foliage coloration, with an unusual crown, leaf shape. Diversity is an important aspect in this business. In most cases country landscape is divided into three zones (or tiers): the lower one is vegetable beds and flower beds, the upper one is fruit trees. But the bushes can occupy the so-called middle zone. The correct selection and combination of plants with each other is the main goal for a summer resident who strives for beauty, comfort and harmony in his area.
Ornamental deciduous or flowering shrubs are not only a pleasure for contemplation, but also functional plants. Thus, by planting them near a fence, you can create a barrier from prying eyes or unwanted intrusion (spiked varieties).
With their help, it is very convenient to zone the site, for example, to divide the recreation areas and the territory for growing garden crops.
Curbs, paths, hedges, which have already been mentioned, creating protection (shade) for more gentle shade-loving plants, decoration of some unsightly fragments on the site - all this can be decorated, decorated or hidden with the help of a variety of bushes and bushes. And if you decide to plant fruit representatives, then you will be additionally rewarded for your work with useful berries.
Flowering shrubs for summer cottages
Some of these representatives are also fruit, this nuance will be indicated in the description.
Weigela
I'll start with blooming weigela. This shrub looks great both during and after flowering. The Nana Variegata variety can also be classified as an ornamental deciduous variety, its foliage has a beautiful golden border, and its Nana Purpurea has dark, reddish-brown leaves.
Weigela Nana Purpurea The kind of weigela blooming pleases the eye with pink bell flowers that bloom in waves throughout the season (usually all of May). The first wave is the most abundant. Some varieties can bloom twice a year, such as the Weigela Middendorf.
Weigel Middendorf Spirea
Spirea is very unpretentious and very beautiful. Its varieties can bloom in both spring and summer. If you calculate the time correctly, then you can plant these two species in such a way that one fades away, and the second only enters the flowering phase. Some varieties of spirea have beautiful foliage - Vagnutta, Pink Ice. For this reason, they can be classified as decorative deciduous shrubs.
Spirea Wangutta Spirea blooms profusely and luxuriantly, bending branches literally covered with white flowers to the very ground.
A short, slow-growing Japanese spirea blooms with lush purple-pink inflorescences. It is as attractive and honey-bearing as its white-flowering species.
Japanese spirea Spireas are not particularly capricious in the choice of soil, but you should pay attention to the requirements for light / shadow in different varieties.
Spirea in winter:
Jasmine or mock orange
Garden jasmine or chubushnik - well, how can it be without it ?! Because of its enchanting aroma, almost everyone knows and loves it. Today there are many varieties and hybrids of it - they are all very attractive. They differ in size, shape, color and aroma of flowers.
But in our case we are talking about a white-flowered representative - frost-resistant, disease-resistant, very unpretentious (can be placed in the shade or in a place illuminated by sunlight). It looks equally great in group plantings and in singles, the main thing is to water it on time, but do not allow water to stagnate in the area trunk circle... The flowering time of the mock-orange depends on its variety, but it usually begins in May and lasts about a month. There are some that bloom in summer and early autumn.
Chubushnik:
Jasmine (chubushnik) Viburnum
Viburnum refers to both fruit specimens and decorative deciduous. A plant unique in every sense: it blooms beautifully with large white globular inflorescences, the berries are useful, widely used as a medicine. The foliage is also noteworthy: its hue changes from rich green to golden and red.
In general, viburnum has many species (about 200), among which you can even find evergreen specimens. In our area, the most common and popular are two of its usual types - viburnum ordinary and viburnum bulldonezh. They are frost-resistant, non-capricious, decorative at any time of the year, like shade and moderate watering. Flowering time is mid-May / late June, approximately 20 days.
Viburnum vulgaris in bloom and with fruits:
Viburnum ordinary Kalina Buldenezh:
Kalina Buldenezh Rose hip
Some shrubs that can grow in the country do not even need introduction and recommendations, for example, rose hips. It is attractive in appearance, useful in many ways, not only will decorate your site in spring, when it blooms with pink or red flowers, but will also create a thorny barrier if you plant it along the fence. In some of its varieties, flowers are not inferior in beauty to roses (terry look), and varieties with healing red berries will give you a natural natural "medicine", the valuable qualities of which are known to everyone. Rosehip is unpretentious, branches quickly, has a very dense crown, prefers sun or partial shade. It blooms from May to August.
Rosehip blooms 
Rosehip fence 
Rosehip leaf in autumn Lilac
Fragrant, having many colors and shades - lilac! Without it, it is difficult to imagine a summer cottage or an adjoining territory, be it private or multi-storey building... Lilac is a fairly large (up to 2, 3 or more meters in height) shrub. Even in a small area, at least one bush, but you can plant. There are many different varieties of lilacs.
It is resistant to cold weather, unpretentious, beautiful in itself (good in a single planting). It is preferable to place it in a sunny place, but even in partial shade, the lilac will feel comfortable. Leave free space around it when planting so that it is not cramped. Flowering time is May, for some, the period extends to June.
Common lilac 
White lilac 
Hungarian lilac 
Lilac Beauty of Moscow Forsythia
Flowering forsythia shrubs are the real "suns" in your area! It blooms in early spring with bright yellow bells, and the foliage on the bush appears after the flowers have fallen off. Time abundant flowering lasts approximately three weeks.
This is a heat-loving representative that maximally manifests its decorative effect in the warm regions of our country. It looks great as a stand-alone plant or surrounded by bulbous flowers. Suitable for the formation of hedges, does not like waterlogged soil, drafts and cold winds. Prefers light fertile soil, for the winter it is better to protect it with a covering material. Its other name is forsythia. Forsythia, the bushes are medium in size, suitable for small areas.
Forsythia:
The forsythia bush is shaped like a ball Hydrangea
There are shrubs that grow and bloom where many others refuse to develop and give color. It is to such specimens that the hydrangea belongs, which prefers shade and moist soil. This frost-resistant shrub blooms with large snow-white, lilac, pink, blue, purple "balls". If you cut a hydrangea flower and put it in a vase, then it will stand long enough.
Hydrangea has a long flowering period that starts around July and lasts until early autumn. Some varieties, for example "Freudenstein" bloom until October inclusive. This is a non-capricious plant that feels good even on acidic soil, which most flower and garden representatives do not like so much. It can be used in single plantings, but it also looks harmonious in a company with rhododendrons, clematis, lilies, roses, all kinds of hosts, fern varieties.
Hydrangea, photo:
Hydrangea bushes 
Hydrangea paniculata Vanilla Frezy Budleya david
Buddleya is a shrub that has recently become quite popular among gardeners. Its blue, lilac, pink, slightly elongated inflorescences consist of multiple small flowers that exude a magical sweet scent. This plant can reach 3 meters in height, blooms for a rather long time, from mid-July to the second half of September. Due to some external similarity, it is sometimes called the autumn lilac.
Looks attractive in a single planting on the lawn, as well as in the company of Potentilla, undersized ground cover roses. It is also good as a tub plant, only the capacity for it should be large. Thus, by placing the buddleya in a voluminous flowerpot, you can decorate the terrace or a place near the steps, the entrance to the room. Loves sunlit places, drained fertile soil, does not like drafts and windy zones.
Buddleya David:
Bush of budley david 
Inflorescences of Budleya David Action
A relative of hydrangea and chubushnik is deytion, it is distinguished by abundant and long flowering (from 30 to 60 days). If you plant it in partial shade and protected from drafts, it, starting from about June, will bloom with densely growing white-pink or snow-white (depending on the variety) racemose inflorescences.
Most varieties of action are high flowering shrubs, which can reach 4 meters in height. Looks great as a hedge and in single plantings.
Action bush 
Inflorescences of action Japonica
In fact, there are a great many flowering shrubs, it is simply impossible to describe them all in one article. Many of them combine the beauty of flowering and taste qualities fruits, such as Chaenomeles (or Japanese quince), which grows up to 2 meters or more, blooms with bright, eye-catching red flowers. Subsequently yields edible fruits ranging in size from 3 to 6 cm.
Henomeles or Japanese quince: 
Chaenomeles blooms 
Chaenomeles fruits Broom
Very handsome and popular. Depending on the variety, it blooms with "moth" flowers different shades... This representative is so unpretentious that it will feel comfortable even on poor soil. Resistant to drought and cold, unpretentious, looks great in single and group plantings. This honey plant is often planted on slopes.
Broom:
Broom Lena:
The broom blooms for about 30 days, it can be of different heights, again, depending on the variety species.
Tree peony
It is impossible not to mention the tree-like peony, whose luxurious beauty will become a true decoration of your site.
Tree peony Rhododendron
Also, rhododendron is a garden favorite among southern summer residents; with the onset of spring, this shrub is simply buried in pink, lilac, lilac, red bouquets of flowers.
Rhododendron Ornamental deciduous shrubs for the garden
This is a separate category of shrubs, without which, often, not a single summer cottage can do. As in the case of flowering varieties, it will not be possible to tell about all worthy specimens in one article, but it is worth focusing your attention on individual representatives. Ornamental deciduous shrubs in most cases do not require special care; their longevity is a separate plus. Having planted a bush once, creating comfortable conditions for existence, you can admire it for many years.
Red japanese maple
If you like a riot of red shades, then you should definitely plant a red Japanese maple on the site. This is a shrub with a voluminous crown, its foliage at first has a bright green color, then, closer to autumn, it becomes reddish-orange and eventually turns into a bright red, carmine hue.
In fact, there are many varieties of the Japanese maple, each of which has a different color of foliage in its own way. Variety "Aconitifolium" - orange-red leaves, "Vitifolium" - carmine-red leaves, one of the most popular - "Atropurpureum" has a dark red, almost black-red color of foliage. They look great anywhere on the site, love partial shade, harmonize with coniferous representatives, combine with ferns, hosts.
Red Japanese Maple:
Mountain ash-leaved field
The frost-resistant mountain ash-leaved field Sam is very unpretentious, grows quickly, is beautiful in color, but its foliage deserves special attention. Openwork leaves have an interesting feature - a gradient, a transition from one shade to another. Orange, red, yellow, pinkish, green - all these colors blend smoothly with each other on one separate sheet. From a distance it resembles a bright fire, a riot of colors is observed throughout the season, especially closer to autumn. It can be used in group plantings to hide unattractive landscape details, it grows equally well in sunny areas and in partial shade. The field ash is not particularly picky about the soil, but moist, loose and nutritious soil is more preferable for it. Drought is undesirable for him.
Fieldfare of mountain ash Sam:
Barberry
Barberries are a separate topic, the first among them, according to its external data, is the Thunberg Barberry with purple leaves. Even in winter, its red twigs with thorns attract attention. With the arrival of spring, it blooms with reddish leaves, against which the yellow flowers look very elegant. Gradually, closer to summer, the foliage of the barberry becomes intensely red, and in the fall all shades of burgundy, scarlet and carmine color the entire plant.
It prefers sunny and semi-shaded places, is unpretentious, but reacts poorly to excessive soil moisture. The scope of application is extensive - from hedges to single plantings or planting in a flower bed surrounded by other floral representatives. Its dwarf variety is "Atropurpurea Nana".
Barberry Thunberg, photo:
A variety of Turnberg barberry - Tini Gold:
Variegated varieties of barberry are Rose Glow (red leaves with pink dots), Admiration with golden edging along the edges of the red leaf, Kelleris with white-green foliage, Natasza with pink-greenish-white leaves.
Barberry Admiration:
Golden Rocket barberry with golden foliage is incredibly attractive, the greenish-golden leaves of this shrub are so bright that they are visible to the eye from afar and attract attention. They look perfect on green lawns, in the form of hedges, on mixboards among other plants.
Barberry Golden Rocket:
Barberries with golden foliage have several varieties, but all of them are distinguished by the main feature - the color of the leaves. For example, the Diabolicum barberry has a red edging around the edges of a greenish-yellow, almost golden leaf. The compact varieties of these shrubs are Tiny Gold (photo above) and Bonanza Gold.
Golden-leaved barberry (left):
Composition of several varieties of barberry Derain
Dogwood is a very attractive shrub, and at any time of the year and even completely without foliage! There are many varieties of turf, for example, Elegantissima with white-green leaves, Siberica Variegata has reddish-green foliage with pink edging along the edges, Kesselring boasts chameleon leaves of a brownish-pink hue with the addition of yellow and green colors.
When winter comes and dogwood sheds its foliage, its upward-directed shoots are bright red and stand out clearly against the white snow. It is unpretentious, shade-tolerant, frost-hardy, takes root on any soil. Maximum height this representative is 3 meters, but red dogwood can grow even higher. It, of course, takes up a lot of space, but its foliage color is simply amazing. If you are the owner of a large plot, it may make sense to pay attention to exactly the red dogwood.
Dogwood red, photo:
Dogwood red in winter:
Euonymus
Fortune's spindle tree is a rather short (up to 60 cm) shrub, originally from China. It has many varieties, but all of them are distinguished by a motley, eye-catching color of foliage. It can be shaped like a bush, or it can be shaped like a liana, setting the direction with a rope, and there, with its aerial roots, it will cling to anything, even a wall.
Depending on the variety, euonymus has a different color of the border of the leaf. For example, the leaves can be pale green with a white border, or they can be bright green with a yellow border (cultivar Emerald Gold). This is a frost-resistant plant, not capricious, loves moderately moist soil, looks great as a single element or the main accent of a flower bed, in a word, it is good in any form and looks appropriate in a company that matches the color.
Fortune's eonymus:
Bubble
Bubble - very interesting in that, depending on the variety, it has completely different foliage colors. This is a non-capricious plant, however, on loose, moderately moist soil, it will feel more comfortable. It is widely used in landscape design: some varieties can be cut and shaped, other varieties are used to create borders or hedges. He is good and attractive both in himself and in the company of other garden representatives.
I advise you to pay attention to the following vesicles: Diabolo, which has dark red, almost black leaves and looks spectacular, but a little gothic. In spring, its foliage has a lighter shade - carmine - red, but then gradually darkens. The variety Darts Gold, on the contrary, has a cheerful color of leaves - yellow-fiery. And the Nugget variety changes the shade of the foliage depending on the season, at first the leaves are yellow, and closer to autumn they turn green. The red-leaved bubble plant is another popular species, with scarlet leaves in spring and maroon, beetroot - with the arrival of cold weather.
Bubble plant in the country:
Talking about ornamental deciduous shrubs, one cannot but recall the Japanese spirea, which has not only beautiful flowers, but also colorful, bright foliage.
Ordinary heather leaves do not lose their beauty even with the arrival of winter; it is unpretentious, but loves sunlight.
The shrubs that you want to choose for a summer residence should always be subdivided by height, requirements (whimsical / unpretentious), frost resistance, compatibility with other plants.
Spirea foliage in autumn, photo:
Weigela foliage, photo:
Hawthorn also comes to mind, which has so many different varieties that among them any gardener can find a shrub to his liking. Any shape can be formed from hawthorn bushes, its fruits are medicinal, used in folk and official medicine. In its "behavior" it is somewhat similar to boxwood, it looks great in the design of hedges, in group plantings, as well as in a single specimen.
Ornamental shrub hedge
A hedge is one of the most popular, interesting and favorite horticultural "structures", in which green spaces act as a "building" material. Depending on the desired result, the hedge can be designed as a low curb or, conversely, as a high green wall. You can choose any shape or length of such a fence, this is a truly creative activity, almost always giving an excellent result. A green fence can hide unsightly elements of a summer cottage (for example, an old fence, a fence), highlight separate zones on the territory, or to emphasize other accents of landscape design.
When choosing shrubs for this purpose, you need to consider the following parameters:
- Shrub varieties - in fact, the choice of plants for creating hedges is very large. It is necessary to approach the choice not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a practical one. These can be homogeneous shrubs or a mixed version, when different varieties and species are used that are in harmony with each other.
- The growth rate of plants - calculate all the nuances: how often do you visit the country, can you trim, correct the bushes in time. Where the shrub of your choice grows (sunny or shaded) and how it will manifest itself in this area. This also includes the question of the shape of the future hedge, so the growth rate of the bushes is a very relevant question.
- Shrub height - before the final choice, carefully study the potential of the bush and compare its capabilities with your wishes. This point also applies to the density (width) of the plantings, you may have to plant them in two or even three rows.
- Preparing the soil for bushes - keep this factor in mind, certain types of ornamental shrubs require a special soil composition. If in doubt, choose the most unpretentious varieties or consult with more experienced gardeners in this matter. In some cases, you will need to prepare the soil for the desired variety of shrubs in advance.
If you are a beginner, give preference to non-capricious and shade-tolerant specimens that will not require daily soil moisture. Although it is the last aspect that depends on how often you visit the country. Remember that the best mixed hedges are produced by planting plants with the same (or similar) biological demands for moisture, light, soil quality, and growth rates.
Thuja hedge, photo:
If you consider coniferous shrubs for hedges, then dwarf forms of spruces, thujas or junipers will suit you. Such a hedge will always be green, at any time of the year.
Dwarf spruce Nidiformis is unpretentious, has a bright green color, does not exceed one meter in height. Small bushes are planted at a distance of 1 meter from each other, do not make any pruning until the next season, until the spruce grows. Further, the correction is made from the sides (by two-thirds of the length of the branches) and from above (cutting the upper branches by about a third of their length).
Spruce Nidiformis, photo:
European spruce hedge:
In nature, thuja is presented not only in the form of a tree, but also a bush. It is the bushy and dwarf varieties of thuja that are used to create hedges. This plant is easy to give the desired shape and height, it emits a pleasant coniferous aroma, is always green and looks great. T ui Smaragd or Brabant are most often used by Russians to decorate green hedges. Thuja seedlings are planted about 50 or 70 cm from each other, and decoration and shearing are performed only in the 2nd or 3rd year of the life of the plants. Smaragd is cut less often, Brabant - more often, all thujas are frost-resistant, they show themselves well when planting in clay or sandy soil. Moderate soil moisture - the best option for them. Varieties Hoseri, Danica, Teddy, Little Dorrit are also suitable for creating hedges.
Juniper is one of the favorite, popular, easy-to-cut and maintain plants for decorating green hedges. He loves sunlight, is resistant to drought and cold, but it should be protected from excessively moist soil (avoid waterlogging). You should not plant it if your site is dominated by clay soil... Bushes are planted at a distance of 60-80 cm from each other, a haircut is performed about 2 times a year. Note that the juniper grows rather quickly.
Juniper, photo:
A hedge of juniper in one of the southern cities If you want to create a hedge from climbing plant, moreover, very quickly, pay attention to the Highlander of Aubert. This is one of the fastest growing lianas shrubs, which reaches one and a half meters in length per season. This plant is unpretentious to the soil, often needs adjustment (pruning), blooms with thick white inflorescences and requires a pre-installed solid support.
Highlander Aubert, photo:
Hops are shrubs and at the same time climbing vine... Unpretentious, frost-resistant, loves moist soil, does not need frequent adjustments. The plant forms very nice medium-sized bumps that only add to the beauty of the dense, bright green foliage. He also needs a reliable and strong support and a garter.
Luxurious hedge is obtained from climbing roses... Depending on your preferences, you can choose any variety with the desired shade of buds.
Graham Thomas produces flowers yellow color, Adelaide d'Orleans - white buds with a yellowish center, Super Dorothy blooms with numerous lush pink buds, Alaska - a snow-white rose, delicate and at the same time solemn.
Such a hedge will definitely not leave anyone indifferent. Get ready to leave and regular pruning, if you choose roses, they will also need support. Shrub roses can also be used in this capacity.
A hedge of climbing roses, photo:
Clematis is an ornamental shrub and a liana at the same time. This plant loves the sun, fertile, drained and slightly alkaline soil. It turns into a dense fence in about 2 or 3 years, it looks very impressive thanks to large flowers a wide variety of colors, as well as dense, rich green foliage. Requires strong support, like all vines.
Thorn (or blackthorn) reaches two meters in height, blooms with densely spaced white flowers, has multiple thorns. When planting a thorn to create a hedge, each bush will need to be fixed, tied to a peg. So you set the right direction for the bush, support it at first, until it gains strength. The first month after planting, the seedlings should be watered regularly. The blackthorn grows very quickly, yields dark blue fruits - wild plums (tasty, slightly tart in taste).
Blackthorn, photo:
Sea buckthorn is a useful and very attractive outwardly shrub, ornamental fruit, I would say. Gardeners recommend planting shrubby sea buckthorn in two rows. Despite the fact that trimming reduces the yield of sea buckthorn, the aesthetic side of the matter only benefits from this. This frost-resistant plant can be with or without thorns. Requires a pre-installed reliable support - then everything will be nice and even.
Snowberry is an incredibly attractive shrub. It got its name thanks to the snow-white fruits, which are located on the branches in the form of bunches. Even when the plant sheds all the foliage, these berries persist for a long time, sometimes even until spring. The shrub itself is excellent for the formation of hedges, it grows up to one and a half / two meters in height. Often it does not need much adjustment, since the branches themselves lean to the ground under the weight of the bunches. If you regularly cut the plant, then most likely it will not bear fruit. The shrub is unpretentious, frost-resistant, blooms in the middle of summer with little noticeable small bell-flowers of white-green or pinkish hue. The berries are poisonous to humans, but they are quite edible for birds.
Snowberry, photo:
For a hedge, it is best to choose from dense-leaved, easy-to-form plants. Such a "fence" should be tight, without so-called gaps. Depending on your preferences, you can choose the flowering or evergreen, coniferous option.
Fruit shrubs such as Schmidt's Currant, Felted Cherry or Gooseberry are not only good for green fences, but also reward you with edible fruits.
When choosing a shrub, consider its features, cold resistance, soil requirements. It is quite possible that in order to maintain an attractive appearance, some representatives will need periodic feeding, fertilization. As unpretentious as the variety you choose may seem, maintaining a decent green hedge will take time and effort from you. Any shrub will have to beautify, cut, keep in shape. Poor soil should be fed with fertilizers at least once a year, and fertile soils - once every 4 years.
The aforementioned flowering shrubs such as spiraea, jasmine, lilac, rose hips can also be used to create hedges. They can be combined with each other, planted one by one. Different varieties of barberries planted one after another (variety by variety) will create an incredible effect. Cypress shrubs (dwarf varieties) are also ideal for the formation of green "fences".
Berry Yew, which does not exceed 60 cm in height, grows in round bushes - it is also excellent for this purpose.
It all depends on your imagination and the availability of free time. Always keep in mind that tall shrubs require more space between seedling placement. Also, do not forget about the climatic features of your region when choosing an ornamental shrub.
Ornamental shrubs are most often planted either in the fall, until frosts hit, or in early spring, when the buds on the trees are just beginning to awaken, and the snow has already melted. Moreover, holes for spring planting should be prepared in the fall - apply the appropriate fertilizers, calculate the depth and width of the depression for a certain variety of shrubs. Purchase seedlings in safe places - special nurseries or flower shops. Before diving into the ground, the plant can be kept in water for several hours, to which a growth stimulator has previously been added.
In addition to the agrotechnical features of a particular species, a simple formula should be remembered:
- Low and dwarf representatives are buried in the soil at a distance of about 60-80 cm from each other.
- Plants are medium in size - about one and a half meters from each other.
- Tall specimens that need space for development - at least 2 meters from each other.
The ornamental shrubs for summer cottages presented in this article, the photos and names of which will help you make the right choice, are the most popular and adapted for our regions. Choose green residents to your taste and color, let your summer cottage become even more attractive and, to some extent, unique.
Photo of shrubs for a summer residence or local area
Honeysuckle honeysuckle 
Spherical willow 
Maiden grapes
Action 
Barberry Harlequin In this article we will get acquainted with the names of such and the rules of caring for them.
This is a shrub that began to grow in our country relatively recently. There are only two cultivated species. These include garden honeysuckle (also known as blue honeysuckle. Of course, you can find others, but they are all derived from only these two species.
Description
Edible honeysuckle is a spherical shrub, the height of which reaches one and a half meters. Thin young shoots are purple in color. Old branches, up to 30 mm thick, have a bark with a dark yellow tint, the leaves reach 70 mm in length. It blooms, as a rule, in late May with light yellow flowers. The length of the fruits of the garden honeysuckle ranges from 10 mm to 13 mm. The skin on the berries is blue with a light bluish bloom, and the flesh is bright red.
It can reach a height of 2.5 m, has straight shoots with a slight bend. The bark of this plant is brown with a reddish or grayish tint. Leaves length up to 60 mm. The berries are oblong. In all other respects, it is very similar to garden honeysuckle. 
Care rules
Pruning of young berry bushes is carried out three years after planting, but an adult plant does not need any serious pruning. You should only remove dry or damaged twigs and shoots that grow from the ground.
Honeysuckle needs moderate watering, the bush should be watered abundantly in spring and early summer, but only under drought conditions to avoid the bitterness of the berries. If it rains periodically throughout the season, then you will only need to water the honeysuckle 3 or 4 times. After each watering or rain, it is imperative to plow the soil to a depth of no more than 8 cm.
It is a very low, dense shrub that easily tolerates winter frosts. In its natural environment, it can be found in a mixed or coniferous forest, because, as it prefers acidic soil. Blueberries love shade, so they should be planted under trees or in other shaded areas.
Description
Blueberry is a perennial low-growing plant from the heather family, the height of the bush does not exceed 35 cm. The root is long, but spreads in breadth. Leaflets are smooth, up to 30 mm long, green, slightly covered with hairs. It begins to bloom in May with whitish-pink flowers. Blueberries are very similar to honeysuckle fruits, differing only in spherical shape and size. 
Care rules
Regular pruning of blueberries begins at the age of 3, as always, dry and damaged branches are pruned. Many sources indicate that there should be about 8 branches on the bush, which are the basis of the bush. If a large number of side shoots appear on blueberries, they must be removed completely, since the berries on such branches are very small and ripen for a long time. Bushes that are more than 10 years old need to be cut 20 cm from the ground, this procedure rejuvenates the plant and increases the yield.
Blueberries need frequent but moderate watering. Excessive moisture leads to root rot.
One of the most common berry crops in our country. It is consumed both in its raw form, and jam, compote, and various liqueurs are prepared from it. It is also widely used in medicine for medicinal and vitamin preparations.
Did you know?Currant appeared in Kievan Rus in the 9th century, and then migrated to European countries.
Description
Currant is perennial of the Kryzhovnikov family, whose height reaches two meters. Young shoots are light green, over time they darken and acquire Brown color... The currant has a deep root system, which goes underground for more than half a meter. The diameter of the leaves varies from 4 cm to 12 cm. The currant begins to bear fruit two years after planting. It blooms with pale yellow flowers. The berries ripen in July and August, and depending on the variety, they have a different color and size. 
Care rules
Most suitable for currants sunny place, the soil should not be acidic, well drained.
After winter, all branches of the plant should be carefully examined, damaged buds should be removed if on a branch most of the kidneys are affected, then the entire branch must be removed.
As for irrigation, given a snowy winter, watering is rarely done in spring, since the soil will be very wet after the snow melts. If it was not there, then the currants should be watered as the soil dries. In summer, especially during the formation of berries, currants should be watered every 5-6 days at the rate of 2 buckets per plant. Water should be poured only under the bush, experienced gardeners advise to dig a groove around the bush about 10 cm deep and 80 cm in diameter. After each watering, the soil is loosened. Also, between watering, it is recommended to feed the bushes with a small amount. If the autumn was dry, then it is imperative to water it before wintering so that there is enough moisture until the end of the cold weather.
Under favorable conditions, it can live for more than two decades, but there were cases that it grew for 40 years or more, while giving a rich harvest.
Description
This is a perennial self-pollinating shrub, the height of which reaches one and a half meters. The trunk is covered with a brownish bark with spines. Gooseberry leaves are pale green up to 60 mm in length. Blooms most often in May, flowers are red or green. The berries are very rich in vitamins and nutrients, have an oval shape, are covered with bristles, and their length is 1.5 cm, but there are bred varieties in which the length of the berries reaches 4 cm. 
At the beginning of May, you should loosen the soil around the bush, it is recommended to dig a groove of about 80-90 cm. If you wish, you can carry out straw and fertilizing with organic fertilizers.
Gooseberries are very picky about watering, special attention should be paid during the period of flowering and ripening of fruits. The watering procedure is similar to watering currants.
Pruning is carried out in the fall, since when spring pruning the plant can be severely damaged.
This is a forest berry shrub, its berries are similar to a mixture and it would be most common to meet it in the forest, but not so long ago, blackberries were domesticated, many have already been bred adapted to certain climatic conditions.
Description
Blackberry is perennial shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family. Under certain conditions, it can reach a height of up to two meters. Its straight, long branches have a gray brownish bark covered with sharp thorns, but you can find hybrids without them.
Blackberries bloom, like most varieties of raspberries, with white flowers. Her fruits are black, and their size depends on the variety.Did you know?Blackberries were brought to Europe in the 18th century from North America.
Care rules
Only planted blackberries should be watered as often as possible for 45 days. Old bushes also need frequent watering, especially during dry periods. The most suitable for irrigation is settled rainwater... It is better to drain running water into a barrel or other vessel, let it settle for several days.
Pruning is done every fall or spring. First of all, dry and drying branches are cut, and then branches that have already borne fruit are subject to mandatory pruning.
Lingonberries are berries and leaves of which are valued by most people for great amount the vitamins and useful elements they contain. It has proven itself well in folk medicine due to its beneficial properties. Lingonberry is widespread in wild forests, forest plantation zones near fields, parks and summer cottages.
Description
Lingonberry belongs to the Lingonberry family. In height, such a shrub reaches only half a meter. The leaves of this shrub are dark green and very dense. Flowering begins in late May or early June with pink flowers. Its berries do not exceed 1 cm in diameter, grow in a bunch, ripen at the end of summer and are endowed with a bright, red color. 
Care rules
Lingonberry pruning, as a rule, is carried out only for decorative purposes in order to thin out the bush, since it grows very densely. and organic fertilizers can be applied at any time from flowering to harvest. Cowberry moisture-loving plant, therefore it needs frequent watering. During a drought, gardeners are advised to create a rain effect. Frequent loosening and removal is very important for this plant.
By purchasing fruit trees and shrubs for a garden plot, its owner lays the foundation for truly strategic plantings. For many years to come, they determine the appearance of the territory adjacent to the house, and with proper care they become the main source of fruit crops.
What fruit and berry crops are most often of interest to gardeners? How to arrange the plants you like on the site and find the right neighborhood for them?
Fruit trees and shrubs: photos and names of popular crops
Due to the length of the country, which is spread over several natural areas, it is almost impossible to designate a single list of trees and shrubs. And yet there are species that gardeners are sure to try to find. appropriate place... Photos and names of these fruit trees and shrubs are well known even to those who are far from gardening.
Among fruit trees, the undisputed leaders are apple trees of different varieties and ripening periods. They are followed by pears and the most common stone fruits: cherries and plums.
Fruit and berry bushes, found almost everywhere, include raspberries, various types of currants, and gooseberries. Today it is actively gaining popularity:
- healing sea buckthorn;
- felt cherry;
- early honeysuckle.
Blackberries move to the orchard, more and more often on the plots you can find chokeberry, irgu and other crops, which some time ago were perceived as secondary or planted only for landscaping.
The list of shrubs for the garden is much broader than the above list of trees. No wonder. A fruit orchard exclusively from trees will give its first harvest no earlier than 5-7 years, and the shrubs are ready to please the gardener already in the second or third year after planting.
An additional advantage of shrubs is their relatively small size and less laboriousness to care for. However, no one will be able to replace the pear with currants. Therefore, without trees, the garden will never be complete.
It is believed that in the northern regions, gardeners are limited in their choice by the harsh climate, but the further south, the more diverse the population of garden plots.
Indeed, starting from the Central black earth region, in the ranks of fruit and berry crops, it is not uncommon:
- apricot;
- cherry plum;
- mulberry;
- different types of nuts;
- cherry and its hybrid with cherry.
The list of shrubs is replenished with grapes, yoshta, dogwood and perennial fruiting vines.
But if more recently gardeners middle lane and more northern regions were forced to be content with a very modest list of fruit and berry crops, today things are changing radically.
Nurseries have long and successfully offered fruit trees and shrubs for the Moscow region that were previously not available in the Non-Black Earth Region. The boundaries of the distribution of southern crops have seriously shifted to the north, not only due to climatic changes, but also thanks to the directed work of breeders.
It is this bait that inexperienced gardeners fall for, who want, by all means, to limited area get the "Garden of Eden". You can understand them! But it is not enough to purchase seedlings, it is important to plant and grow them correctly, taking into account all the requests of plants and the characteristics of the territory.
Rules for the placement of fruit trees and shrubs in the garden
Young saplings planted in the garden grow year after year. After a few years, when the time for fruiting comes, the crowns grow by 1.5–2 meters. And mature trees take up even more space.
It is not enough to choose the most winter-hardy, high-yielding varieties; it is necessary to accurately plan the future orchard.
It is better to do this on a piece of paper, based on measurements of the distances from the planting zone to the nearest buildings, roads, fences of neighboring properties. When planting fruit trees and shrubs in a garden plot, it is necessary to take into account not only the aesthetic preferences of the owner, but also the mandatory norms. They regulate the distance from large plants to residential and utility buildings, transport routes, communications and the boundary line passing between the sections.
So, for example, from an apple tree or a pear to a residential building or garage should be at least 3.5-4 meters. This distance is due to the safe operation of the building and the need for constant care for a large horticultural crop. For shrubs, the distance is less and is one and a half meters, which makes it possible:
- freely carry out maintenance of walls, windows and other structures and communications;
- do not be afraid of excessive moisture in close contact with vegetation;
- take care of fruit and berry crops, harvest, cut and replant them.
In addition to the mandatory, common sense and safety restrictions, there are other rules that should be considered when planning an orchard.
It is extremely important to adhere to the distance between seedlings in rows, as well as take into account the deadline for growing a particular crop in one place.
Useful and harmful neighborhood of fruit trees and shrubs in the garden
Knowledge of the needs of individual plant species and their characteristics is of considerable importance for the future planting:
- Some crops prefer to grow in the sun, while others easily adapt to the shade.
- For some of the fruit trees and shrubs in the garden area, an open, wind-blown place is suitable, and the other will have to find shelter.
- Plants' demands for fertility and watering vary.
It is unlikely that in the limited area of the site it will be possible to please all the requests of green pets. In a small country garden inevitably, some shrubs end up under the crowns of growing trees. So that such a neighborhood does not affect the yield, the meta for planting shade-loving fruit trees and shrubs in the garden is determined in advance.
These crops include black currant, honeysuckle, undersized, berry bushes such as cranberries, blueberries and lingonberries. If the shady corner of the garden is well ventilated, viburnum will settle well here. Blackberries and raspberries are grown in partial shade.
Gardeners have long noticed that even in comfortable conditions garden plants sometimes they refuse to bear fruit at full strength, look depressed and grow poorly. It turns out that the reason for this behavior is the incorrectly chosen neighborhood. As in nature, in fruit garden trees, shrubs and herbaceous crops form tight communities. The above options for a successful and dangerous neighborhood of fruit trees and shrubs in the table will help create best conditions for each species and get the most out of it.
You can arrange the plantings so that closely related plants are nearby. Such a solution will be extremely useful, for example, for cherries and petioles, many varieties of which are self-fertile, and they need a pollinator to get a harvest. A similar picture is observed when growing sea buckthorn. True, here there must be one male bush for several female plants.
In addition, for sea buckthorn, which readily reproduces by root layers, blackberries and raspberries, it is better to find a place away from the rest of the garden plantings, otherwise the powerful shoots of these crops will master half of the garden in a year.
Beautiful, convenient and practical - such properties are quite difficult to combine in one object, especially if this object is a plant. And it is especially difficult to find such plants for small garden, for example, six hundred. But they are! Ornamental shrubs with edible, tasty and healthy fruits are unpretentious, do not require special attention, grow well and bear fruit in central Russia, and some of them in more northern regions... Choose who likes what!
The most unpretentious
Irga is often used in ornamental gardening. As a fruit plant, this is a real find for busy gardeners who do not have the opportunity to care for capricious crops, but still want fresh fruits. Even with minimal care, the irga will provide you with sweet berries that you can eat fresh, freeze, dry, or make jam or compote from them. In addition, they are useful: they contain about the same amount of vitamin C as plums, as well as significant doses of B vitamins. The fruits contain substances that help prevent myocardial infarction and vascular diseases. In addition, fresh irga works as a mild sedative.
What does it look like?
Irga round-leaved is a dense, tall shrub up to 4-6 m high. If you graft it on a red mountain ash, you get a tree on a trunk. Leaves are oval or rounded; in autumn they acquire a reddish-yellow color. The flowers are small, white or slightly creamy, collected in a brush like bird cherry, bloom in May. Small (diameter 8-10 mm) apple-fruits, when ripe, become almost black with a bluish bloom. Ripen in July.
Agrotechnics
Irga is so unpretentious that it can grow on its own without problems. It is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, undemanding to soil conditions, but prefers fertile, neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Grows well both in the sun and in partial shade. Requires virtually no maintenance or specific pruning. It is very rarely damaged by pests and diseases - sometimes it is attacked by leafworm and hawthorn.
Fruiting plants respond well to feeding (in early spring or autumn) with organic fertilizers: manure humus with the addition of superphosphate or ash, infusion of bird droppings, etc. Adult bushes are thinned from time to time, leaving no more than 10-15 trunks in each.
Irga is most conveniently grown from root suckers. They are dug up in the spring and immediately planted in their permanent place. After landing aerial part cut off, leaving only hemp no more than 5 cm. As a result, the plant directs all its forces to rooting, which has a positive effect on survival rate.
Varieties
In our country, there are selected forms of irgi with large fruits of very good taste, which are not inferior to imported varieties of a related species - canadian irgi, as well as the Krasnoyarskaya variety (winter-hardy and fruitful, late ripening, fruits are above average size, the height of the bush is up to 4 m).
Irga grows wild in North America, Eastern China, Korea and Japan, North Africa, Central and Southern Europe. Of its 25 species, most are found in North America, and we have only one widespread - round-leaved irga (Amelanchier rotundifolia). Irga was introduced into the culture in the 16th century in Europe. And the first industrial plantations appeared in the second half of the 19th century in the United States. These were the largest-fruited forms selected from wild plants. In our time, the Russians also fell in love with irga, who grow it practically throughout the territory of Russia, albeit mainly in amateur gardens.
The most golden
Golden currant is very beautiful during flowering - after all, its flowers are much larger than those of black or red relatives, and are brightly colored in golden yellow color. In autumn, its foliage becomes first orange-red, and then crimson-carmine color. This currant is no less valuable as a berry culture. Its aromatic fruits are distinguished by a high content of biologically active substances (vitamins C, E, P, carotene, pectins, organic acids). They also contain iodine and other trace elements. The berries are sweeter than black currants. They are suitable for consumption in fresh and for processing into preserves, jams, compotes, wine, for drying and freezing.
Golden currant. Photo: Anna Solovieva
What does it look like?
Golden currant is a deciduous shrub up to 2-2.5 m high. The leaves resemble gooseberry leaves. The flowers are golden, fragrant, collected in clusters 3-7 cm long. Berries are black or purple-brown with a diameter of 6-8 mm. Golden currant blooms in May for 15-20 days, bears fruit in July.
Agrotechnics
Golden currants are distinguished by their increased ability to withstand many vicissitudes of the environment. She endures winter troubles, drought and heat. Leaves can withstand temperatures up to 40 ° C without burns, and late flowering avoids damage to flowers and ovaries by recurrent spring frosts. Golden currant is resistant to pests and diseases and has good yields. This currant requires practically no maintenance, with the exception of pruning, which is done according to the same principle as for black currant. It is advisable to have several different varieties in the garden - single plants are self-fertile and may be left without berries.
Varieties
The most famous are Venus (black berries), Laysan (yellowish berries), Shafak (dark red berries), as well as new varieties of golden currants created at the Lisavenko Research Institute of Horticulture in Siberia (Barnaul): Ariadne's Gift, Siberian Sun, Barnaulskaya, Lyovushka, Valentina, Ida, Gift of Altai. You can propagate golden currants with green and lignified cuttings, dividing a bush, root shoots and even seeds (not varietal).
This culture originates from the wild golden currant (Ribes aureum) native to western North America. In culture since the beginning of the nineteenth century. In Russia, IV Michurin was the first to draw attention to it, who, from sowing seeds of the American variety Crandal, bred several varieties, including the Seedling Crandal, which became one of the founders of modern varieties. In 1930–1940, golden currants, as undemanding to soil conditions and a drought-resistant plant, began to be included in the list of crops for forest shelter belts in the steppe regions of the USSR. Then it spread to the southern regions of Russia as a berry plant.
The most versatile
Black elderberry is used as an ornamental, medicinal, melliferous and fruit plant. In ancient times it was believed that she heals a person and prolongs his life, and for this she was called sacred tree... Ripe black elderberries taste good, contain vitamins C and E, carotene, tannins, glycosides, anthocyanins, essential oil and other biologically valuable substances. They are eaten both fresh and processed. Jam, marmalade, marmalade and various drinks are prepared from them. The juice is used for tinting food products and wines, and flowers - in medicine. By mixing one part of dried black elderberry flowers with three parts of ordinary tea, an aromatic medicinal tea is obtained.
Elder. Photo: Shutterstock.com / Rashid Valitov
What does it look like?
Black elderberry is a deciduous shrub or a small tree up to 7 m high. With its leaves it looks like the well-known red elderberry. Yellowish-white small flowers are collected in lush inflorescences, "clouds", located at the ends of annual branches. They have a pleasant aroma. Fruits - up to 7 mm in diameter, usually round, shiny, juicy, fragrant, edible. Elderberry blooms in May - June, fruits ripen in August - September.
Agrotechnics
Black elderberry is one of the most unpretentious plants, but grows and develops better on fertile and moderately moist soils. Growing fast. It is shade-tolerant, thermophilic - it does not occur in nature to the north of the forest-steppe zone, but it tolerates dry air well and is practically not affected by diseases and pests (sometimes the tops of the shoots can be colonized by aphids, less often by a spider mite). Easily propagated by seeds (they must be sown immediately after harvest due to the rapid loss of germination), root suckers, layering and cuttings. You can plant an elderberry in both spring and autumn.
Varieties
From the decorative black elderberry, varieties with an interesting crown shape are known: Pyramidalis (columnar), Pendula (weeping), Nana (in the form of a ball). There are varieties with unusual leaves - golden (Aureo-variegata, Aurea) or very delicate (Laciniata). There are known varieties of black elderberry, created in the USA and Western Europe: Hidden Springs, Johns, Kent, Nova, Scotia, Victoria, York and others.
Photo: Shutterstock.com / Ralf Neumann
Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) as a fruit crop was introduced into cultivation 100 years ago in the USA, and then in Western Europe, especially in Germany, Austria, Holland. In Russia, it is known more as an ornamental and medicinal plant.
The brightest
The bright fruits of the common dogwood are tasty and healthy. The biologically active components that make up their composition normalize blood pressure, prevent sclerosis. Cornel is useful as a general tonic and anti-inflammatory agent, it is useful in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In folk medicine, it is used for metabolic disorders, joint pain, skin diseases, anemia. Dogwood fruits are used raw, for making jams, compotes, marmalade, juices and sauces. As an ornamental plant, dogwood is especially effective during flowering and fruiting.
Dogwood. Photo: Dmitry Bryksin
What does it look like?
Common dogwood, or male dogwood, is a shrub or small tree up to 5 m high. It blooms early, before the leaves open (in April). The flowers are small, yellow, collected in umbellate inflorescences. Fruits are oval or pear-shaped, juicy, 1-3 cm long, with an oblong stone, ripen in August - September. They taste sweet and sour, slightly astringent. By the way, the color of dogwood is not always red - there are forms with pink, yellow and black berries.
Agrotechnics
Cornel is a drought-resistant plant, shade-tolerant and rather frost-resistant (many specimens grow normally in the Central Region). Undemanding to soils, but better development reaches on fertile clayey, moderately moist, lime-containing soil. Forms a powerful, but shallow root system.
On the personal plot it is necessary to plant at least two dogwood plants of different varieties - only in this case you can count on a harvest. Dogwood is extremely sensitive to fertilization. Therefore, when planting, neither manure, nor humus, nor mineral fertilizers... At the same time, the culture loves calcium, so lime is added. The pits are made small, no deeper than two bayonets of a shovel, and the roots are covered with fertile soil. Cornel does not need special pruning; when leaving, only broken, intertwining and thickening branches are removed. The plant is quite resistant to pests and diseases. The soil under the dogwood cannot be loosened deeply - it is cultivated no deeper than 2-5 cm.
In summer cottages, it is most rational to propagate dogwood by green cuttings or grafting.
Photo: Dmitry Bryksin
Varieties
For the southern regions, there are many fruit varieties this culture. In Central Russia, the Bulgarian pear-shaped and Korallovy varieties are doing well. Their fruits are large, tasty and numerous. Of the decorative forms, the most famous are the dogwoods Aurea - with yellow leaves, Macrocarpa - with large fruits, Flava - with yellow fruits, Pyramidalis - with a pyramidal crown and many others.
The bright red fruits of the dogwood, tasty and healthy, are well known to the inhabitants of the southern regions of our country, the Crimea and the Caucasus, southern Europe and Asia Minor, where this wonderful plant, one of the most ancient, used by humans for food, mainly grows. An old legend says that Romulus, the founder of Rome, outlined the boundaries of the future city with his spear, and then thrust it into the ground - and the spear shaft took root and blossomed. This is how the first dogwood tree appeared. In fact, dogwood is much older - even in the Stone Age, primitive people appreciated its fruits and actively collected it. Interestingly, the correct botanical name of the plant is male dogwood (Cornus mas). It is the only species of the Doren genus that has edible fruits.
The most healing
Schisandra chinensis is widely used in ornamental gardening for vertical gardening and decoration of walls, gazebos and other buildings, as well as a berry crop and a medicinal plant. Fruit juice is added to compotes, jelly and syrups. Dry ground fruits or lemongrass seeds are used for fatigue and stress, but only as directed by a doctor. From the leaves and bark, aromatic tea is brewed with a tonic effect, which may well replace natural coffee.
Lemongrass. Photo: Elena Kozhina
What does it look like?
Lemongrass is a climbing, deciduous vine. The plant is very powerful - it can climb to a height of 4-5 and even 10 m. In autumn, the leaves are painted in ocher-yellow or yellow-orange tones. Flowers are white, waxy, up to 2 cm in diameter, fragrant, located in the axil of the leaf, 3-5 pieces. One flower produces a whole "cluster" sometimes up to 10 cm long, consisting of round red two-seeded berries. The pulp of the berries is juicy, very sour, with a lemon scent, edible, but not for everybody.
Agrotechnics
Lemongrass grows best on rich, moderately moist and well-drained soils, in partial shade and in places protected from the wind. 2-3-year-old seedlings are suitable for planting. An important feature of lemongrass is the need for support, along which it rises. Without support, the plants will give a lot of root growth and creep along the ground, and in such cases there is no need to talk about flowering and fruiting. Caring for lemongrass comes down to removing old branches and shortening or pinching too long shoots up to 10-12 buds, watering and fertilizing with mineral (spring and autumn) and organic (after flowering) fertilizers.
In suburban conditions, lemongrass is easiest to propagate by root suckers.
Varieties
There are several selected varieties of Schisandra chinensis. There are 4 varieties of lemongrass in the State Register: Volgar, Debut, Myth, Pervenets.
This unusually beautiful and useful liana came to the gardens of central Russia from the forests of the Far East. Chinese Schizandra (Schizandra chinensis) - this is its botanical name - in terms of its meaning it is in second place after the famous root of life - ginseng. Even in ancient oriental medicine, it was valued as a valuable medicinal plant that gives a person vigor and prolongs youth. And lemongrass is also called the fruit of five tastes, since the pulp of the fruit is sour, the skin is sweet, when chewing the fruit, a bitter and acrid taste is felt, and the infusion of seeds is salty. Lemongrass is also called the plant because of its pleasant lemon aroma, with which many of its parts are fragrant - bark, leaves, flowers and fruits. The genus Schisandra has 14 species distributed in Japan and China. On the territory of our country, only one of them grows - Chinese magnolia vine.
The most vitamin
Actinidia kolomikta is a relative of a tropical plant known to us from the kiwi fruits that are sold in stores. But if kiwi can only grow in tropics and subtropics, then actinidia kolomikta is a real northerner, withstanding frosts down to -40 ° C in winter. It is suitable for vertical gardening and also serves as a berry plant.
What does it look like?
This plant is considered both decorative and berry at the same time, and its fruits are very tasty and healthy. Actinidia kolomikta (Actinidia kolomikta) is one of 36 species of the genus. All actinidia are perennial woody vines, capable of climbing a support to a height of up to 15 m. Stems and branches are thin, smooth, dark brown in color. The leaves are large, wrinkled, changing color: at the beginning of growth they are bronze, then green, before flowering (on open places) a bright white color appears at the ends of the leaves, after flowering - pink or raspberry-red, and then they turn green again. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow. Flowers are solitary, white, up to 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in 3-5, fragrant. Fruits are oval or cylindrical, up to 3.5 cm long, green, unlike kiwi, smooth, not hairy, fragrant, with a delicate sweet taste. The fruits do not ripen at the same time and fall off easily.
Actinidia. Photo: Elena Popleva
Agrotechnics
Actinidia kolomikta is a dioecious plant: it exists in the form of female and male specimens. To get the fruits, you need to plant both: for 3-4 women, one "gentleman" is enough. Actinidia kolomikta is winter-hardy and shade-tolerant, practically not damaged by pests and diseases, prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils, suffers from soil and air drought, as well as from late spring frosts. Needs solid vertical support... Lives in favorable conditions for up to 100 years. Propagated by cuttings (green and lignified).
Actinidia kolomikta has been cultivated since the middle of the 19th century. On its basis, many winter-hardy and productive varieties, including domestic ones, have been created. Now the number of actinidia varieties zoned in Russia is approaching four dozen. Most of them were bred in the conditions of the Moscow region. The most famous varieties: Queen of the garden, Gourmet, Jelly, Ella and others.
As soon as a person has a piece of land, the question immediately arises before him, what to plant?
It's clear business with a vegetable garden. We grow annual crops on the beds and have the opportunity to change them every year at our discretion.
The garden is another matter. Perennial fruit and berry crops can grow in one place for 15–20 years, and by planting it, we expect that our grandchildren will also harvest here.
There are several dozen types of berry bushes, each of which has several varieties. So what kind of berries do gardeners grow? What fruit bushes to plant in the country?
Berry bushes for summer cottages, photo with names
Let's start with the traditional cultures that can be found almost anywhere.
Currant
Probably the most common and popular shrub among gardeners. And the breeders did a great job on it.
A huge number of varieties of black currant have been bred with different terms ripening. Having planted several different bushes, you can enjoy fresh berries all summer long.
In addition to black currants, there are also red and white ones, however, there are clearly fewer of them in the gardens, and the choice of varieties is not rich. Red currant berries can decorate the bush until late autumn, while their chemical composition does not change.
If the previous types of currants are on everyone's lips, then not everyone knows. Berries do not have a bright golden color, although their palette is also varied - black, pink, orange, purple, and flowers.
It is drought-resistant and winter-hardy enough, its homeland is America.
Gooseberry
It appeared in Russia in the 16th century. And he had such names as bersen, kryzh, agryz. A " royal jam"From it has long become a classic.
It begins bearing fruit early and bears fruit for 25–30 years. True, harvesting from a thorny shrub is an unpleasant pleasure, but breeders have recently bred a sufficient number of varieties with little thorniness or no thorns at all.
By the color of the berries, he also has a color riot - from green and red tones to black.
Yoshta
There is not enough planting space and the choice is between these two crops, don't be discouraged. Pay attention to .
She belongs to non-traditional cultures, and while a rare guest on garden plots... Yoshta has no thorns on the stems and reaches a height of 1.5 meters.
Large berries of black color with a purple tint have a sweet and sour taste. The shrub tolerates frost well and is immune to many diseases.
Raspberries
Self-pollinated shrub that grows in one place for up to 20 years, but bountiful harvest gives within 10-12 years. About that.
There is only one drawback of raspberries, they do not tolerate frost well and often freeze. Even the withdrawn winter hardy varieties suffer from this flaw. At -30 ° C, the bush dies.
If you think that raspberries have only red color, then you are deeply mistaken. During the mutation, a yellow-fruited raspberry was obtained.
And also the black raspberry-like black raspberry, also known among gardeners as Cumberland. But this is only one of the varieties that are grown in our country, the rest, due to their low frost resistance, did not take root in our country. Its berries are black, so it is often confused with blackberries.
But it is easy to distinguish it from the latter, as in the case of red raspberries, the berries are easily separated from the stalk. In the course of natural crossing of black and red raspberries, varieties with a dark purple color have arisen.
Blackberry
It is rarely found in gardens because it does not tolerate cold winters. The berries ripen one of the last in the garden, from mid-August until the first frost. It is noteworthy that the blackberry berries do not separate from the stalk, therefore they do not crumble.
The color of the fruit can be not only black, but also red and yellow. It is more drought tolerant than its raspberry relative.
Sea buckthorn
A perennial with thorns that lives up to 80 years.
It can withstand frosts down to -45 ° C.
On some sea buckthorn bushes there are only female flowers(berries are formed on them), on others - male, forming pollen. Therefore, to obtain a harvest, 1–2 male bushes are planted on 5–7 female bushes. Flowers are pollinated mainly by the wind.
Edible honeysuckle
The berries of this culture begin to ripen the very first in the garden.
This is a light-loving plant. Honeysuckle immediately responds to shading with slow growth and low yields.
It tolerates winters well, has high winter hardiness. The berries ripen within 1–2 weeks, and they crumble loosely and heavily.
Viburnum
The viburnum belongs to the honeysuckle family. Fast growing shrub is a valuable honey plant. Varietal plants differ from wild representatives in slightly bitter and more vitamin-rich fruits.
To obtain a harvest, several bushes are planted close to each other. A freestanding shrub growing in the distance will not bear fruit.
She lives for more than 50 years, is resistant to frost, tolerates shading, but the yield decreases.
Mountain ash
Yes, yes, that grows everywhere, and in winter birds feast on its bright red bitter berries.
It can grow in the harshest climates, where the rest of the berry bushes freeze out.
It is better to plant varietal rowan in the garden, since its berries are less bitter. There is also a variety with yellow fruits.
Rowan black chokeberry or chokeberry
Perennial shrub, reaching a height of 2-4 meters. The shape of the bush and leaves is very different from the common mountain ash.
She is demanding on moisture and prefers a light place. Swampy terrain is not suitable for its cultivation.
Is different high yield, non-crumbling of fruits during ripening and good keeping quality, have immunity to various diseases and pests.
In about berry bushes.