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Compositions of coniferous trees and shrubs. How to make a mixborder from coniferous shrubs: ready-made flower bed schemes. Design options for a coniferous flower bed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Norway spruce

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

Cedar of Lebanon

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

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

Semi-dwarf spruce
Dwarf larch
Miniature cedar

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

Evergreens must also be divided into groups:

• trees;
• bushes.

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

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

Juniper horizontal

Pros and cons

The merits of coniferous plants include:

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

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

Willow Hakuro Nishiki Willow is a plant familiar to almost everyone; it is often used for landscaping. But the copies...

There is a plan!

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

A well-planned project is half the success.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coniferous mixborder
Semi-dwarf juniper
Eastern dwarf thuja

The creation of a coniferous paradise

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

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

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

To prevent the eye from wandering over the composition, the beginning of contemplation should begin with an accent, which can create a tree or shrub of an unusual shape or color, slightly different from all the others. The starting point for the view is a small heather garden, which combines beautifully with conifers. A boulder of an unusual shape, buried in the arms of a juniper, or interesting solution garden lantern also attract the eye and help to perceive the entire composition and each plant separately.

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

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

Larch

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

Conifers in different roles

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

1. Hedge;
2. Solo part;
3. Mixborder;
4. Alpine slide or rock garden;
5. Ensemble;
6. Container garden.

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

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

As a solo performer, coniferous trees or shrubs with an interesting crown shape, the color of the needles or an exotic type of fruit are used. And it’s better to combine everything at once to make the soloist decorative throughout the year. The background for the artist can be a lawn, gravel or decorative wood chips.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Present the finished result and go! You will succeed!

Coniferous trees and shrubs are easy to care for and delight the eye with lush greenery even on cold winter days. There are many prejudices about planting spruce and pine trees near the house. Some of them are not without reason.

We will find out today which conifers to plant in the dacha to decorate the area and bring prosperity and prosperity into the house.

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

Popular beliefs claim that the sharp needles of pine and spruce trees protect against the evil eye. But at the same time, it is not recommended to plant these trees near the house, as they attract the early death of the owners.

Is it so?

The Christmas tree is the main beauty of the New Year holidays

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

Therefore, suspicious and suggestible people should not plant coniferous trees on their summer cottage. People believed that when a spruce tree grows higher than the roof of a house, the person who planted it will go to another world. The sharp needles of the tree do not contribute to harmonious good relationships in the family.

There are quite logical explanations for folk signs:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Juniper is an ideal solution for small summer cottages

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

When planting conifers in your summer cottage, do not forget about juniper. This natural healer has been known to all peoples of the world for centuries. In Egypt, smoke from its branches was used to fumigate houses during epidemics, and the American Indians used this plant to treat joint diseases and many skin diseases.

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

Features of cultivation:

• Choose seedlings no younger than four years old - this guarantees 100% survival rate;
• Planting is carried out in late April - early May.

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

• This bush is unpretentious to soils and can grow in sandy, clayey and rocky areas. But, naturally, with low-fertility soils, increased care of the plants is needed within a month after replanting.

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

• How to beautifully plant juniper and build a spectacular landscape composition? Choose three different varieties, for example, the common juniper variety "Hornibrook", a low plant with palmate wide branches and silver-green needles, and the Daurian juniper, which easily tolerates frost and drought. The Expanza variety is distinguished by its short growth and bright light green greens.
• For a hedge, the Caucasian juniper “Tamaristsofoli” with silver-gray needles or the variety “Erekta”, up to two meters high, is suitable. These shrubs are easy to form into spectacular green hedges of various architectures.

Conclusion. Juniper is an ideal choice for owners who do not have much time to care for the garden. And the price of seedlings is quite affordable.

Pine trees on a summer cottage

• A coniferous corner in a Japanese-style dacha will be decorated with pine trees of the Pug or Pumilio variety.. These trees look great in landscape compositions and sandy rockeries on the large area;
• An ordinary pine tree dug out of the forest needs a lot of space to grow. We must immediately agree that there are no plans to plant anything along the perimeter at a distance of five meters. The only plus is that the house will always be shaded and cool, plus the wonderful smell of pine needles.

Conclusion. At home, especially country houses Block containers need plenty of sunlight. Therefore, it is better to plant pine trees on the southern edge of the site, away from any buildings. Or give preference to dwarf ones decorative varieties, which does not require a lot of free space.

Low-growing fir - a spectacular hedge without the hassle

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

Important. It must be taken into account that fir is demanding when it comes to watering and is recommended for planting in damp, swampy areas.

Basic cultivation requirements

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

• When to plant trees? In the middle zone - late May - early April, with minimal threat of severe frosts;
• When digging a seedling in the forest, try to take as much turf as possible from the roots;
• For a month after planting, ensure regular watering and spraying;
• Pine roots can withstand open air no more than two hours - then they die. Therefore, when replanting, try to limit the contact of the root system with air.

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

Conclusion

For busy people, decorating the landscape with unpretentious evergreens will simplify garden care and provide a always bright and spectacular landscape. The video presented in this article will introduce you to the options using different species of evergreen trees.

Modern landscape design offers many various types conifers, among which even the most fastidious gardeners can choose. Coniferous plants are always very popular among those who choose them for planting at the dacha or various country estates, since their wonderful smell always reminds of a real forest. With the help of coniferous plants, you can create entire compositions or simply place them successfully in flower beds.

In addition, conifers are absolutely unpretentious, since they perfectly coexist with, for example, hardwood plants and also look great on the lawn.

Features: pros and cons

Coniferous plants, like any other, have their advantages and disadvantages, which professional gardeners include:

• Conifers get along well where there is a lack of sunlight, so you should not be afraid to plant them, for example, behind the house if you decide to create a small flower bed there.
• Most varieties of conifers “love” and accept pruning, as a result of which they grow in the forms in which they are pruned. Here you should not forget the basic cutting rules that gardeners use so as not to damage the plants.
• Some coniferous shrubs themselves have regular geometric shapes, so they do not need to be trimmed regularly.

• Conifers are evergreen plants. They will delight you all year round. Such plants are often purchased not only to be planted near the house, but also to be planted next to various public places. Coniferous trees and shrubs look beautiful all year round and attract a lot of attention, especially if they are well-groomed.
• This type of plant has very good root system, thanks to which they do not require regular watering and can long time do without water. If you have very dry or rocky soil with admixtures of sand, then there is no need to worry. Conifers will grow in such soil.

• Coniferous plants can be planted individually or entire compositions can be created with their help. Entire hedges made from conifers are very popular, but their full cultivation will require a lot of time and effort.
• Any areas with such plants will not leave neighbors indifferent and will attract a lot of attention.

• A big plus is the pleasant aroma of coniferous plants and their healing properties. According to many experts, different varieties of conifers have a very beneficial effect not only on the general condition of a person, but also on his health as a whole, and sometimes even contribute to the cure of certain diseases. But even if you don’t believe it, it’s certainly been proven that plants can filter air, which is why it’s so easy for people to breathe fresh and purified air in forests and parks.

Minor disadvantages include the rather painstaking care of such plants, as well as the fact that they take a very long time to grow into full-fledged shrubs and trees. This often takes years. There are only a few fast-growing trees.

Kinds

Today there are many varieties of coniferous plants in the world, but not all of them will grow in different climatic zones. First of all, you should give general classification such plants.

• Small and creeping. Conifers small sizes can be advantageously combined with medium or, conversely, tall trees. The smallest creeping plants include those with which you can even create a kind of lawn. Be sure to take a closer look at the Mini Pug mountain pine; this cushion-shaped pine has a very unusual appearance.

A very beautiful emerald-colored spruce called Lombers can certainly become the highlight of your garden.

• Average. Using medium conifers, you can decorate flower beds or make a small hedge at the house. For this purpose, medium-sized varieties of spruce are suitable, which are very unpretentious in care, but at the same time grow to medium size. For example, Konika spruce. We also recommend paying attention to the yew berry, which is sure to attract attention with its bright red berries. Golden yew, which has a cup-shaped shape, looks no less attractive. In addition, it goes well with various plants. Western thujas have rounded shapes. If you take care of them regularly, then it will be simply impossible to take your eyes off the coniferous balls.

• Tall. To the most popular tall trees include: western thuja, tall juniper trees and pine. This also includes pigeon spruce. Western thuja is ideal for planting even in the most shaded areas, because lack of sun will not affect its growth. Very often it is used to make so-called living fences and hedges. Some varieties of pine reach unprecedented heights and can be planted wherever you like. If you find it very undesirable high growth tree or shrub up, then take care to regularly pinch the shoots of the plant. However, pinching must be constant, otherwise your plant will grow into an incomprehensible shape and will cease to please your eye.

Also a popular variety of tall spruce trees is the spiny Hoopsie spruce, which can grow up to almost fifteen meters.

Color combinations

Combining plants various colors allows you to get the most unusual and memorable color effects. If there are a lot of small coniferous shrubs in the garden, then a large spruce will stand out perfectly against their background. With the help of skillful transitions from different shades and shapes, you can create a truly royal garden right at home or in the country. However, all this requires a lot of patience and time.

Complex landscape design requires special skill. To skillfully plant several plants nearby in different colors and shades, it is very important to know how much a particular species loves the “neighborhood”. In addition, you need to master cutting techniques and know how to properly water and care for coniferous plants, as well as whether they should be covered for the winter.

In general, according to gardeners, combining the colors of different conifers is quite easy. The main point here is the presence of imagination, as well as the opportunity to experiment.

So, for example, one of the options for a successful combination of trees could be the following conifers: blue spruce, western thuja, medium-sized juniper shrubs and mountain pine. Of course, you can diversify any ready-made combination with other coniferous plants, as well as, for example, roses and, finally, decorative stones.

We create compositions

The most popular plants that participate in the creation of ready-made landscape design compositions include the following conifers:

• Tui most different types. The most popular are: thuja occidentalis, orientalis, thuja Danica and Morgan.
• Junipers. The most beautiful are Chinese, Cossack and scaly junipers. Each variety has its own varieties, which may differ in color and crown shape.
• Spruce. For planting in the garden, the most popular are oriental spruce trees with small but very beautiful needles, as well as bicolor spruce trees. It is also worth taking a closer look at the spruce called Beloboka prickly or the small Tompa spruce.

• Pine. Be sure to pay attention to Italian pine. This variety is native to the Mediterranean, so it will most likely not survive planting in harsh climates. However, there are many other varieties of pine that winter well in Russia.

If you are seriously planning to take up landscape design, then you should know what a mixborder is. A mixborder is a composition of various kinds of plants that frame a path or fence.

For correct creation the composition will require the ability to combine coniferous plants with a lawn and ground cover flowers.

• If you decide to create a mixborder next to the path, it is best to use small and dwarf plants.
• To create something original, try combining coniferous trees with deciduous plants of different types.
• Flowers and shrubs of contrasting shapes and shades will certainly attract attention, especially if they are positioned correctly.
• Shrubs of round and spherical shapes go well with creeping coniferous plants.
• Don’t forget to correctly combine geometric shapes so that the overall picture of plants turns out harmonious.

• Don't be afraid to create a mix of short and tall plants and trees.
• Smooth transitions of shades and shapes between conifers can be recreated if you use different breeds of them.
• As gardening practice shows, any conifers look most impressive next to ponds, flower beds with bright and flowering plants, as well as with alpine slides.

According to many experts, it is best to orient a particular planting to the east or west. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that whatever composition you create, do not overload it.

The presence of different shapes and colors of conifers should be moderate.

Ready solutions It is best to look for compositions in gardening magazines. And to create the ideal coniferous corner, it is best to use the services of real professionals who will certainly select regular trees and shrubs for your site. They will talk about their proper care and share practical advice, since beginners and amateurs do not always cope with creating the correct composition on their own.

Coniferous compositions V landscape garden goes very well with roses different varieties, as well as with hydrangeas and rhododendrons. Especially in summer, combinations of conifers with flowers look truly magnificent. Often coniferous plants are planted next to barberry. In addition, conifers get along well next to deciduous trees and shrubs, and can complement each other favorably in color.

We design flower beds and slides

To create and properly arrange an evergreen oasis in your garden, you should do the following:

• Choose a ready-made one or develop your own design for a future flower bed or slide.
• Decide what trees, shrubs and flowers you will plant, select them by color.
• If you do not have a very large plot, then mainly choose medium-sized and low-growing conifers, complementing them with flowers.
• As a base for a flower bed, you can choose a lawn or creeping conifers. An alpine slide can also be used as a base.
• To complement the flower bed you can use various types decorative stones, where a small pond may be located nearby.

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With the help of evergreen coniferous plants you can decorate and ennoble personal plot or a flowerbed near a residential building. This advantage of coniferous plants has been known for a long time, and therefore evergreen decorations of various kinds are so relevant. The beauty and originality of such green spaces persists throughout the year. This applies to both compositions of conifers and a single tree.

Most varieties of conifers tolerate lack of sunlight well and have a well-developed root system, which allows plants to survive without watering for a long time. Some varieties of coniferous plants take root well and develop on dry and rocky soils.

The majority of coniferous trees and shrubs tolerate pruning well. Some coniferous tree species naturally have a regular geometric shape and do not require pruning or complex care.

The role of conifers in the landscape of a summer cottage

Coniferous plants can perform a wide variety of functions in landscape design. It can be:

The design of a garden with coniferous plants can be either purely decorative or have a functional purpose. In particular, with the help of juniper or thuja, you can create an excellent living fence that will hide the recreation area in the yard from prying eyes. For example, if you plant these shrubs very closely next to each other, you will get a magnificent hedge.

Using dwarf juniper you can create low fence for playgrounds or large flower beds. Such a fence will not block the view and will create a visual boundary. In addition, it will create a purely aesthetic frame effect.

Conifers with unusual shape crowns or colors can be used as single decorations for the site. Such a “soloist” is able to decorate a yard or garden throughout the year. The background for such a tree can be a gravel covering or a grass lawn.

Composition from ornamental plants for landscape design, framing a path or fence, has another name: mixborder. This element is very popular among gardeners. To create a mixborder You can combine conifers with ground cover plants, flowers, and lawn grass. If a mixborder is created near garden path, it is best to create it from dwarf forms of plants, then you have the opportunity to take in the entire composition at once.

Such compositions are a ready-made original and at the same time very attractive solution for creating a landscape for a courtyard or summer cottage plot. You can combine conifers in your dacha with suitable deciduous plants.

Gives a good effect play on contrasts of color and shape plants. You can combine columnar and spherical thujas and complete this composition with creeping juniper. Bright green color at the same time it will harmonize with golden and deep dark green. This composition looks very attractive.

If you model the landscape composition correctly, the territory of your site will look very cozy and harmonious. Completed painting coniferous garden can be created if you adhere to the following rules:

It is best to orient the plantings to the east or west,

Not recommended overload landscapes with an abundance of shapes and colors– this will create a feeling of anxiety. It is best to limit yourself to two or three contrasting colors. Even on a fairly large area, it is better to limit yourself to alternating two shades and avoid chaos of all kinds of colors.

Gallery: conifers in landscape design (25 photos)

Creating flower beds from conifers

With the help of conifers of various shapes and sizes, you can decorate flower beds in your garden or summer cottage. The design of such a landscape will depend on the size of the plot, the shape of the flower bed and, of course, the skill of the gardener.

Exists several varieties of conifer flower beds:

Alpine slide with conifers

Using ornamental coniferous plants different colors and sizes can be perfectly designed and small ponds on the site. Ideal option landscape design could be a pond or stream lined with conifers.

1. Spruce or pine has a spherical shape, western thuja, balsam fir or ephedra.
2. The conical shape can be maintained in gray spruce, Lawson cypress, Serbian spruce or mountain pine.
3. The cylindrical shape is inherent in the oriental thuja, berry yew, and Virginia juniper.

Plants of various shapes can be combined at the dacha with creeping juniper species.

Coniferous bonsai

Bonsai is a unique opportunity to take your garden home during the winter cold. Such trees are grown in special containers and require a lot of time, effort and attention. Only experienced and patient gardeners can do this task.

The root system of such microconifers can be severely damaged in the harsh Russian winter. In the summer, bonsai can decorate the garden and personal plot, but for the winter it must be moved to a room with a temperature of 1 to 12 degrees. Be sure to follow the rules for winter watering of plants. Such painstaking work will be more than rewarded with the delightful and very aesthetic landscape of your dacha.

Advantages and disadvantages

All decorative coniferous crops differ a number of undoubted advantages.

The name "mixborder" comes from English words“mix” (mixing) and “border” (border, border) and fully reflects the meaning of the purpose of this flower garden, which is planted either along the border of a plot or house, or on a small limited space lawns.

Mixborder - the most important thing

An example of a mixborder of plants typical of an English garden.

mixed flower garden, usually longitudinal in shape, consisting of different varieties of plants. It is most often used in its composition; in some places it is supplemented with annuals. The size of the mixborder depends on the area of ​​the site and climate and can consist of trees, small shrubs and climbing bushes.

Proper care of such a flower garden requires knowledge of the biological characteristics of plants and phytodesign. plant suitable plants necessary in accordance with their height, size, different flowering periods, and then the beauty and picturesqueness of the landscape will delight the owner of the site throughout the warm period of the year.

For harmonious landscape design, the following types of mixborders are used:

1. Coniferous-heather perennials- form a composition that is often framed on the façade of a building or used as, on a low elevation or to border a terrace.
2. a flower garden in which wild or perennial perennials are planted garden species flora - usually placed parallel to the paths to the house or against the backdrop of a grassy lawn. The option of fencing the area when planting along the border of the site is considered very successful.
3. If the site area is large enough, it is possible to use combined mixborder, consisting of coniferous trees and various shrubs, but it is desirable that the selected area is illuminated by the sun with varying intensities.
4. When located near the house the best option will row of ornamental shrubs, blooming at different times of the year.
5. After finishing planning the landscape of the site, you can make additional planting flowers growing in the shade.

Mixborder of low-growing flowers.

How to fit a mixborder into the landscape

To begin with, a place is selected to place the mixborder in the landscape of the site. This is especially important when planting. The optimal place for this is a space that can be illuminated during the day sun rays, but then gives way to a shadow.

The most commonly used locations are:

• along the edge;
• along the perimeter of the building facade;
• on a slope with a slight inclination;
• along the border of the site as a natural fence.

The length of such a flower bed can be any and is limited only by the size of the allocated area.

The finished mixborders, which can be seen in the colorful pictures above, are the result of an exciting and very labor-intensive project, into which all the knowledge about correct selection plants (about their mutual influence on each other, characteristics of growth and flowering).

Schemes and photos

There are 2 types of mixborders:

1. The flower garden is visible only from one side- in this case, the plants are planted in rows, with low-growing species in the foreground (40 cm tall), medium-sized ones in the second (60 cm), and the highest ones in the background (a meter or more).
2. Flower garden with all-round view- plants are planted so that the tall ones are in the center of the composition, and the rest are planted, selected according to the gradual decrease in their growth.

Let's consider ready-made diagrams:

Before buying seeds or plant seedlings, be sure to make a plan. When designing it, you need to consider:

• composition and type of soil;
• air humidity;
• lighting (sunny or shaded);
• Is the area protected from the wind?

It is also necessary to take into account what kind of root system the plants have, so that creeping rhizomes do not spread over the surrounding area. After all, then other plantings will suffer, and the harmony of the flowerbed will be disrupted.

Important! Plants that are selected for a mixborder should have similar needs in terms of moisture consumption, type of soil and amount of sun exposure.

Here are some more landing rules:

• cannot be planted near the viewing point tall plants that will block the view of the flower garden;
• the continuity of flowering of such planting can be ensured by planting annual plants that bloom for a long time;
• The background for a flower garden must be green leaves, which, with their splendor during the period between the flowering of different plants, do not allow it to lose its decorative effect (for example, and);
• if at a certain moment the flowerbed has not acquired a presentable appearance, then you can get out of the problem with the help of flower pots, arranging them for a while.

Mixborders made from coniferous plants

Coniferous plants are used as “skeletal” plants, i.e. those who in the future will set the height of the border and fill it. They are planted at different distances, leaving free space for planting annuals or other perennials.

Using coniferous plantings, you can come up with many options for combining crown shapes, various sizes and make an original composition. The most commonly used dwarf conifers are:

• Spruce (different types have different colors);
• Korean fir (green needles shimmer with silver, unusual purple cones);
• Lawson's cypress,
• Bergmann or mountain pine (curly or pyramidal);
• Thuja folded (with a voluminous crown descending to the ground);
• Juniper (low, creeping branches);
• Yew (branches fan out, looks original with red berries);
• Weeping larch.

Dwarf and larger shrubs are planted permanently to subsequently determine the planting structure. Often boxwood or other evergreen shrubs are used for the base. When properly pruned, such plants grow for several years, requiring almost no care (, magnolia, etc.).

Shrubs that are distinguished by colorful flowering look good: cinquefoil, different varieties , .

Scheme using conifers:

Here is an example of a mixed mixborder from different types of plants:

It includes: 1- Dwarf spruce(1), 2 - Tulips and Asters, blooming in spring (60 pcs.), 3 - Chistae with fluffy leaves (7 pcs.), 4 - Phlox, bloom all season (10), 5 - (8); 6 - Sedum prominent (6); 7 - a (10), 8 -, blooming in June (3), 9 -, which in the future will become a compositional center (7), 10 - Rhododendron, blooming in May and August (3); 11 - Thuja with crown diameter up to 1 m (1).

In the first years, such a mixborder should be supplemented with annuals; the following are suitable for this purpose:

• cold-resistant - poppy, petunia, calendula, begonia, etc.;
• plants that bloom throughout the summer - asters, lavatera, sweet peas, cornflowers, violets, etc.;
• plants that bloom towards the end of the season - carnations, dahlias, sunflowers, etc.

A couple more schemes:

Attention! When selecting plants, you need to focus on the volume of the already grown plant and its expected height.

There is no need to try to get the most lush decorative misborder in the very first year of its creation, because with thick planting, poor growth and even death of the plant is possible. The area allocated to each perennial must be calculated in advance:

• large plants usually occupy 1 m 2 of land;
• average - about 0.5-0.7 m2;
• - 0.2 m 2.

Flowerbeds in the shade:

Along the path

Very often, flower beds are located along the borders of a summer cottage or along paths. In such a situation, the circuit flower arrangement must be highlighted using track tiles or other suitable material. You can use tree stumps, chocks and cobblestones.

Small flower beds are always decorated with long-growing plants (polygonum, echinacea). An excellent addition to the composition will be decorative foliage plants (cineraria, wormwood), shimmering with silvery light.

Scheme of the flower bed along the path:

Mixborder located along the house (in the photo below we use: actinidia kolomikta varieties Male, hydrangea Quick Fire, Little Rocket, and two types of hosta: Patriot and Sagae):

Along the stairs:

Corner flower beds

On every site there is a not very attractive corner in the corner of the fence or near compost heap, which I would like to make more attractive and pleasing to the eye. As a solution to this problem, corner mixborders are suitable, which will add originality to the design of the area and cover problem areas.

Corner flower bed schemes:

Designations for the last diagram: 1 - Woolly chistets; 2 - Ashy fescue; 3 - Veronica Kolosovaya; 4 - Golden cinquefoil; 5 - Red geranium; 6 - Lobelia perennial; 7 - Red Quinoa; 8 - Molinia; 9 - Switchgrass; 10 - Asters; 11 - Titonia roundifolia; 12 - Peach bell; 13 - Phlox paniculata; 14 - Coreopsis large.

Example of a corner composition:

How to make it yourself

You can create a mixborder yourself, without counting on the help of designers.

Having selected a ready-made diagram or drawn your own, a lover of landscape design will try to do everything with his own hands.

First you need to prepare the ground:

1. The boundaries of the flower bed are outlined with a shovel.
2. Removed upper layer grass and soil 5 cm deep.
3. Fertilizer application per 1 m2: two buckets of humus, half a bucket of vermicompost, complex mineral fertilizers and 60 g of phosphorus-potassium.

On the diagram and in reality Plants should not be placed strictly in rows or at right angles, you should use a slightly chaotic layout with smooth outlines.

You also need to be careful about the color selection of plants.

contrast type looks very impressive and is noticeable from a great distance. Most often used a combination of red on a green background or yellow with purple colors . But it is not recommended to have too many flowers so that the flower bed does not look untidy.

Creating mixborders yourself is a fascinating activity, although difficult. Optimal choice and correct landing various plants, caring for the entire composition will make the territory of a summer cottage or other area incredibly attractive and unique.

Video consultation

Instructions for creating a mixborder with your own hands - in the video from the channel “Dacha Troubles”