To implement unusual design solutions and creating an original landscape, many gardeners use conifers. Such crops give a noble appearance to the site and decorate garden territory all year round.
Let's consider the main types and forms of ornamental coniferous plants for the garden, and analyze the main principles of constructing compositions from evergreen shrubs and trees.
Coniferous plants on the site - unique chic and elegance of the garden
Conifers are noble plants that allow the garden to remain attractive and green all year round. Coniferous trees and shrubs look impressive both in spacious parks, gardens, and in small personal plots.
Almost all conifers are evergreen, only some species, for example, larch, shed their needles for the winter. The rest of the plants “renew” their needles gradually - once every few years, the dying needles fall off, and new ones grow in their place.
Decorative coniferous plants for the garden are very popular in landscape gardening. They are hardy, frost-resistant, have a beautiful clear shape and are easy to care for. In addition, conifers have the following advantages:
- good tolerance to insufficient sunlight;
- some varieties of conifers have a regular geometric shape and do not require regular trimming;
- well developed root system allows plants to exist for a long time without watering (some varieties can be grown even on rocky soil);
- it has been officially proven that the aroma of coniferous plants has a beneficial effect on the mental and spiritual state of a person;
- conifers are universal, thanks to the wide variety of species and forms, plants can be used to create a wide variety of landscape compositions on areas of any size.
When planning to decorate your site with coniferous plants, you need to carefully select them. Before purchasing you need to determine:
- placing a tree or shrub on the site;
- the order of composition;
- climatic conditions of the region and soil composition of the site.
Based on the above criteria, the type, variety and shape of the coniferous plant is selected.
Coniferous plants for the garden: names of varieties and descriptions of species
The following types of coniferous plants are best suited for planting in the garden:
- yew (torreya, yew);
- cypress (juniper, cypress, thuja);
- pine (larch, fir, cedar, spruce).
Let's consider the most popular decorative types and varieties of coniferous plants
Juniper(Juniperus), known as heather, belongs to the cypress family. A light-loving coniferous plant, but it also grows normally in partial shade. Juniper is not at all picky about the soil - it can grow on limestone, rocky slopes and sand. Decorative forms have a columnar or creeping crown. Juniper has a unique healing aroma. Most often, plants are planted in natural-style gardens or “rocky” landscape compositions.
The main decorative types of juniper:
- Common juniper - evergreen shrub up to 3 meters high, or a tree - up to 12 meters. The plant is cone-shaped or ovoid, the bark is dark gray, and the shoots are reddish-brown.
- Juniper prostrate (horizontal)- the bush “spreads” along the ground, and does not grow upward. The height of the plant is up to 30 cm, the color of the needles is bright green, the cone and berries are dark blue. Horizontal juniper is often used in the design of alpine slides.
- Juniper Cossack- dioecious shrub up to 1.5 meters high. The plant spreads along the ground, forming dense thickets. It has soil-protective properties and is resistant to gases, smoke and drought.
Thuja(Thúja) belongs to the cypress family. These evergreen shrubs and trees (height - up to 70 m, trunk diameter - up to 6 m) are unpretentious in transplantation and tolerate urban smoke well. Designers fell in love with thuja because it can be given any architectural form. The plant is used to create hedges and alleys.
- Thuja occidentalis Smaragd- conical variety of thuja. The crown of the plant is cone-shaped, branches weakly, and is of medium density. Thuja is characterized by moderate growth, the height of a ten-year-old conifer reaches 2.5 m, an adult plant - 6 m, crown diameter up to 1.8 m.
- Thuja occidentalis Danica- dwarf spherical shape. The height of an adult thuja is about 0.8 m, the diameter of the crown is 1 m. The growth of the plant per year is no more than 4 cm in width and 5 cm in height. The crown of thuja Danika is dense and has a regular geometric shape. The needles are scaly, soft, bright green. Thuja is used in rock gardens, on hills, in group and single plantings.
Larch(Larix) is the most common tree species in Russia, and on the planet as a whole. At favorable conditions the plant grows up to 50 m, the trunk diameter is no more than 1 m. The crown of the tree is loose, not dense. The needles are bright green, flattened, located on the shoots singly, spirally or in bunches. In autumn, larch completely sheds its needles. The tree is light-loving, frost-resistant, and under favorable conditions it can increase its growth by 50-100 cm per year. Low types of larch are used in rocky gardens, and tall ones are arranged in groups or planted individually.
- Fine-scaled larch- a coniferous tree up to 35 m high, the trunk diameter can reach 1 m. It grows well in dry, cold climates and tolerates shading well. The tree's branches are slightly twisted in a spiral, and the bark is reddish-brown in color.
- European larch- this species is durable (it grows for about 500 years). Takes root well different types soils: loamy, moderately humid, chernozem, podzolic, calcareous and crystalline rocks. Light green needles grow in bunches of 40-60 pieces.
Fir(Abies) has two features: the needles of the tree are flat, and the cones grow in an upward direction. A tall plant with a pyramidal shape and horizontal branches. The genus includes about 50 species, of which the most decorative are:
- Korean fir- a wide-conical tree up to 15 m high. Young trees have smooth, gray bark purple tint, in adult plants the bark cracks. The violet-purple buds look especially beautiful.
- Balsam fir- a coniferous tree of regular cone shape, plant height - up to 25 m. The needles are comb-shaped on the branches, the bark is smooth, gray-brown in color. The plant got its name due to its healing properties.
Pine(Pinus) is an important forest-forming tree. Pine is light-loving, frost-resistant, drought-resistant, and produces good annual growth. Thanks to its dense crown, the plant is very decorative and is successfully used in parks and gardens on calcareous, rocky and sandy soil.
- Pine Compacta Glauka- a dwarf form 0.5-0.8 m high. The branches are densely located, short, directed upwards. Pine grows very slowly. Color of needles with outside- bluish-green, on the outside - bluish-white.
Spruce(Picea) is a very unpretentious coniferous plant. IN coniferous gardens Blue spruce looks the most aesthetically pleasing.
- Prickly spruce (blue) has a bright color of needles from light green to bright blue. Found in single plantings and landscape garden compositions.
Also very popular dwarf forms and spruce varieties: Glauca globosa, Glauca procumbens, Glauca prostrata.
Plant height is the main criterion for choosing conifers
Tall conifers
Tall specimens of coniferous plants can be planted on a large and small area. Often it is tall coniferous trees that take the leading role in the ensemble, and other plants are planted around them. Thus, a single harmonious composition is created.
When planting tall conifers, it is important to calculate the location correctly. Over time, the root system of the tree will grow and occupy a considerable area.
Popular varieties of tall conifers for the garden:
If the growth of a coniferous plant is too fast, it can be stopped. To do this, it is enough to pinch the shoots and prune. The formation of the crown must be carried out annually, otherwise the specimen will become irregular shapes, and will look inconspicuous.
Conifers of medium height
While not everyone will decide to plant a tall type of conifer on their property, medium-sized shrubs and trees are very popular among summer residents and gardeners. Traditionally, these plants are planted along paths and at the entrance, creating hedges and complementing compositions with them.
Dwarf conifers and their forms
Breeders have developed stunning forms and varieties of dwarf coniferous plants for the garden, which can maintain almost the same height and shape for several years. The tallest dwarf species can reach 2 meters; compact plants, not exceeding 50 cm, are well planted in containers and tubs.
Clear geometric shapes highlight the structure of the rock garden. Dwarf conifers look beautiful in front of the entrance to the house and in compositions with ornamental grasses.
General rules for placing conifers in the garden
Landscape designers, when creating compositions from coniferous trees, adhere to the following rules:
Coniferous plants different types have a wide range of colors. When combining plants into a single design element, it is important to consider a number of rules for color combinations:
- A composition of three elements should contain no more than 2 colors.
- A composition of five elements will look impressive if it contains no more than 3 different shades.
- Compositions consisting of 25 or more copies must be divided into groups of 3 elements, in which rule No. 1 must be observed.
When arranging conifers, it is important to take into account the growth of plants and the state of the crown in adulthood, so that the harmony of the composition is not disturbed over time.
Compositions from coniferous plants
Coniferous mixborder
A mixborder is created along the path, against the background of a fence, house wall or hedge. When settling in coniferous mixborder They use plants of various shapes, colors and heights.
Low specimens are planted at the foot of the composition, tall conifers are planted in the center, and tall coniferous trees and shrubs are placed in the background.
The mixborder is created according to the following principles:
- the vertices of one or another row should not create a straight line;
- the height and width of the mixborder should be in harmony: the area with tall plants should be wider than the area with compact plantings;
- repetition of three to five elements makes the composition more rhythmic and interesting.
Hedge
When zoning a garden, hedges made of coniferous plants are often used. Such a fence can also be placed around the perimeter of the site. In the gardens landscape style or modern evergreen hedge is used as a backdrop for colorful perennials.
A dense functional hedge can be created by planting plants in a checkerboard pattern in 2-3 rows. A formed planting of Norway spruce is considered to be a fairly practical and less demanding hedge.
To divide the area into functional areas Medium-sized conifers, about 1-2 m high, are often planted.
All-round compositions
An all-round composition is a group of plants that should look equally impressive from any view. Most often, such compositions are placed on round flower beds, lawns and in paving openings.
Rules for creating a 360-degree composition from conifers:
- The tallest specimen of a coniferous plant is planted in the center of the composition.
- Plants of smaller height are planted around the central element at equal distances.
- The height of the second row should be no more than ½ and no less than 1/3 of the height of the central conifer.
- The height of the third and fourth rows should decrease proportionally, without covering the previous row and emphasizing its beauty.
When creating asymmetrical compositions, plants are placed in such a way that it is visually impossible to draw a straight line through three elements
Basics of planting and growing coniferous crops
In order for the ephedra to maximize its decorative qualities, planting and caring for the plant must be carried out in compliance with some basic requirements:
IN Lately Interest in coniferous plants in Russia has grown significantly. This is understandable. A huge number of private territories have appeared, the culture of decoration among the population has increased, and a flow of imported planting material has poured in. In addition, the understanding has come that conifers, like evergreen crops, can decorate local areas all year round. This is especially true for our winter, which lasts no less than about 6 months. And besides coniferous plants, nothing diversifies the white landscapes.
The assortment is huge, but the area of the existing garden limits the choice, based on the final size of the coniferous plants planted. At small areas Naturally, miniature plants will be of greatest interest. Of course, the term “miniature” is relative. In this consideration, we will limit ourselves to height dimensions not exceeding 1.5 m. Any lower limit is possible, on average it is 25-30 cm. Now there are already such crumbs, mesmerizing with their beauty.
Interest in this size range is noticeable not only from owners of small summer cottages. The fact is that such plants can be used in a garden of any size to fill the lower and middle tiers of various compositions. In addition, miniature plants that go under the snow in winter make it possible to significantly expand the range of conifers, which in normal sizes have problems with wintering in mid-latitudes. And finally, conifers of this size are a real find for collectors.
However, to maintain the decorative appearance of miniature forms of coniferous plants in the garden, special care is required. And its features are determined by the history of the appearance of a particular plant variety with limited size.
How to obtain dwarf forms of conifers
There are several ways to obtain a small-sized cultivar. This is, first of all, the regulation of the ratio of growth hormones in the plant, often not without human help.
Growth processes in plants are controlled by natural growth regulators. One of them is gibberellin. Some plants genetically synthesize very few gibberellins. Therefore, their cells grow poorly, which leads to dwarfism. If this quality is hereditarily fixed, then all offspring will be so. However, if the amount of gibberellins is artificially reduced (treatment with retardants), then a compact, dense, beautiful plant with trade dress. But subsequently, the effect of the retardants ends, and the plant returns to its original, often not entirely attractive, appearance. Many people have encountered this phenomenon: Kalanchoe, chrysanthemums, gentians, ficuses, platycodons were bought with very pretty flowering balls, which subsequently “shot” with long shoots into different sides. For coniferous plants, an example of treatment with retardants is the Scots pine of the Globoza (rounded) shape, which subsequently turned out to be not “Globoza” at all.
However, retardants are expensive pleasure, and it’s difficult with the environment because retardants are poisonous. Therefore, they are now mainly engaged in creating varieties in which the natural synthesis of gibberellins is lower than normal, i.e. breeding genetic dwarfs. But once you stimulate them with gibberellins, they will restore their growth again. Gibberellins are already commercially available in the form of preparations to stimulate the development of Ovary fruits.
Other plant growth hormones are brassins. A synthetic analogue of Epin-extra is also available for sale. If plants lack natural brassins, dwarfism also occurs. Genetic dwarfs with a lack of brassins normalize their growth after treatment with Epin. Therefore, it will not be surprising if before planting you treat the plant with Epin, and it will begin to grow vigorously, and although after some time active growth will stop, it will already distort the appearance of the plant.
The third natural growth hormone is auxin. It also affects cell elongation and, consequently, their division. With insufficient synthesis of this hormone, dwarfism also occurs, but of a different quality. If in the first two cases there is simply a reduced copy of the original plant, then with a lack of auxins the situation changes. In shoots, internodes are not simply reduced, as in the first two cases, but increased branching occurs. The shoots become highly branched: a shoot grows from almost every dormant bud on the stem. An example of such dwarfism is the western thuja Teddy; among the deciduous plants, the common viburnum Nana is a dwarf, dense, non-flowering ball. Thus, we have examined one of the ways of creating miniature, which is so desirable for us in this case.
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But there is another way - the use of natural mutations. In the West, since the middle of the last century, they began to engage in the selection and selection of coniferous plants of reduced size. Dwarf forms are usually selected from thousands of seedlings. To increase the yield of plants with deviations from the original size, seeds before sowing are purposefully treated with chemical reagents (colchicine), or γ-radiation is used.
Such mutations also occur spontaneously in nature. As a result, “witches’ brooms” appear on the tree - clumps in the crown of abnormally growing branches (similar to rooks’ nests). By grafting these branches onto the corresponding rootstock, a new variety of coniferous plant is obtained. There are enough similar mutations in all types of conifers. There are several reasons for this phenomenon. The most harmless is a kidney mutation, which can lead to either dwarfism or gigantism. It can be hereditarily fixed (when damage affects the hereditary apparatus), but it may not be preserved in the offspring (when the ratio of hormones in the kidney changes).
The latter phenomenon is very common in the world of roses (in climbing roses) - the Iceberg and Gloria Day varieties often give mutations in the color and size of the flower, the size of the entire plant - this is not an inherited mutation.
This whole hormonal-genetic educational program was aimed at showing that plants with reduced forms must be handled competently, and, if stimulants are used on them, then very carefully. Otherwise, you can cause a reversion - a return to the original form. The end result is a mutant freak.
Sometimes miniaturization can also be associated with the influence of external conditions: improving them and bringing them closer to the necessary ones increases the size of plants, and vice versa. For example, for heat-loving plants, when moving north, winter temperature is the decisive factor. As a result, the tree sometimes turns into a bush or changes into a herbaceous form (for example, buddleia). A deficiency of mineral nutrition elements or, conversely, an excess can lead to a reduction in geometric dimensions. Therefore, dwarf forms should not be intensively fed, especially with nitrogen fertilizers.
Regular mechanical damage also contributes to a reduction in plant size (on windy coasts, during the formation of bonsai).
In addition to dwarfs, there are also plants that simply develop slowly at the beginning of life. Example - species mountain pine (Pinus mugo): in the first 10-30 years it does not exceed 1-2 m in height, but later it can reach 10-12 m. This does not mean genetic dwarfs, of which this species has plenty.
Lately to give required sizes and habit, the molding technique is increasingly being applied to coniferous plants. Depending on their types, the methods of achieving the required size and habit differ. But this is a completely different direction in caring for such coniferous plants. However, even in this case, restraint in the use of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, is necessary.
And of course, general principle when choosing a cultivar in a retail chain, the value of the last growth. It is she who will determine what the plant will be like in 10 years. And if the annual growth is 10-15 cm, then after 10 years you will get a far from miniature plant. But such characteristics as winter hardiness and resistance to the spring sun (especially important for coniferous plants) are determined not by the variety, but botanical species, to which it refers.
Caring for dwarf conifers
As a rule, than smaller size plants, the greater the density of branches. And this fact makes adjustments to their care. A brown “cocoon” of dead needles always forms inside the plants. This is not a disease, but a physiological phenomenon. Growing young branches shade the inside of the plant, which leads to the death of the needles. Many plants, especially dwarf ones, cannot free themselves from it. Such internal thickening, which prevents ventilation and contributes to outbreaks of fungal diseases, which can not only significantly spoil the decorative effect, but also lead the plant to death (very rapid drying out and falling off of the needles for no apparent reason).
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This fact should be taken into account. To enhance ventilation, and, consequently, eliminate conditions for outbreaks of fungal diseases, it is necessary to periodically (1-2 times per season) “shake out” dried pine needles from the internal areas. This procedure will not be superfluous even for medium-sized plants with a dense crown. A textbook example - spruce Canadian Konica (Picea glauca"Conica" ) . There are no complaints about winter hardiness. However, very often its death is discovered in the spring. There are several reasons for this. This plant is a canopy plant in dark coniferous forests and therefore prefers moist air and shade. And our winter temperatures (we don’t take into account the winter of 2013-2014) dry it out greatly. And frozen roots do not work to replenish moisture in the needles. As an option for a tolerable existence - planting in the shade. But often the root cause of spring death is fungal infection of the needles in the fall, which is facilitated by dense foliage. Winter only makes the situation worse. Therefore, such plants also require regular (mandatory in autumn) cleaning of the inner brown “cocoon”.
However, ensuring ventilation inside the plant is only necessary condition to prevent disease. Preventive spraying with fungicides inside and on the surface of plants is sufficient. It is preferable to do three sprayings (spring-April, summer-July, autumn-October). Preventative agent - your choice: one of the chemical fungicides or a biological preparation. With such care, there is a high probability that your miniature plant will not get sick and, moreover, will not die.
And in general, to ensure high decorativeness of all coniferous plants, without exception, do not skimp on water. Water from head to toe, spray frequently with clean water, and mulch the root balls to retain moisture. But use all recommendations taking into account the nature of the soil on your site and the preferences of the crop. All conifers prefer moist air, but cannot tolerate even short-term soaking of the root ball.
Everyone’s dream is to have a coniferous garden on their property, the decorative nature of which attracts and enchants. The dwarf forms are especially fascinating with their exoticism. These plants give the site a well-groomed and prestigious appearance. Our article is about popular types of “babies”, how to choose a seedling, and about growing conditions.
Why are coniferous dwarfs so in demand?
Dwarf forms are plants with slow growth, the maximum height of which does not exceed 3.5 meters. For many, maturity occurs after several decades. Thanks to this, such miniatures are valued by owners of compact plots.Unlike the usual coniferous giants, low-growing ones do not take up much space, do not shade the area and exactly replicate their large-sized counterparts. Today, many varieties have been developed based on pine, juniper, spruce, and yew.
Spruce Canadian Common 60-80 cm
Dwarf forms are in demand in landscape design; they fit perfectly with deciduous shrubs, are included in compositional groups with flowers. Indispensable for decorating rock gardens, rutariums, rockeries.
Babies may have non-standard colors and bizarre shapes. Main advantages: possibility of placement in any limited space; frost resistance, as they are always “head over heels” covered in snow.
The nuances of growing conifers
The fashion for miniature plants has appeared recently, and many gardeners are still poorly versed in varieties and do not attach much importance to distinctive features each subspecies, are unfamiliar with varietal characteristics. This often causes difficulties when growing dwarf conifers.Each plant has individual volume parameters and growing season speed. The cause of cultivation errors comes from inattention when choosing. Some varieties grow by 2-3 cm per season, and there are also varieties that grow by 10-30 cm. Such a difference leads to a violation of the intended layout and distortion of the intended outlines. As a result, your seedling suffers, as redevelopment and transplantation begin.
The main condition for successful cultivation is the ability to understand varietal classifications. Coniferous dwarfs According to growth characteristics, they are conventionally divided into five subspecies. Data is based on annual growth and is expressed in centimeters.
1. Micro-dwarfs – 1-3.
2. Mini-dwarfs – 3-8.
3. Dwarfs – 8-15.
4. Medium-sized semi-dwarfs – 15-30.
5. Full-grown - in a year they increase by more than 30 cm. By the age of 10 they are a mature plant with a height of 3-3.5 meters.
Difficulties in caring for mini-conifers lie in the treatment with fungicidal preparations (at least twice a year), since there is a tendency to develop fungal infections. The soil needs to be cleared of fallen pine needles and leaves.
Please pay attention Special attention label. For the correct product, information is given not only about the name, but also the variety, species, genus, family is indicated, at least in Latin. Inspect the seedling and make sure it is in excellent condition. Never take with bare roots - they are doomed. Choose a conifer growing in a container.
If doubt arises about the varietal conformity, the classification can be determined visually. The growth rate is usually clearly visible on the side shoots. Accordingly, micro-, mini-, or other types of dwarf can be recognized by eye. You will receive a quality guarantee at the nursery. There you will be given advice and guided with your choice.
Dwarf conifers in landscape design
Rock gardens are an ideal place for micro- and mini-dwarfs. The remaining categories, except for full-grown ones, amazingly complement compositions with stones, driftwood, and planted on the lawn. It is customary to mulch the soil under group plantings with wood chips or pine bark. Almost all joint plantings Mountain Pine is used: Winter Gold, Mops, Gnom.The combination of several varieties, with different crown shapes and needle colors, fits well and does not require any additions. For example, take three plants, the tallest one will serve as a vertical (Cypress, Balsam Fir). Second, it is advisable to choose a spherical one (Mini Mini, Kaktus, Frodo pine). It remains to complement the composition with a creeping coniferous bush.
Most often, the basis for miniatures are dwarf species of Thuja Occidentalis, let’s name the most popular:
Amber Glow (golden-yellow hemisphere up to 80 cm),
Anniek (spherical 50-80 cm, up to 1 m wide),
Aurea Nana (150-170 cm, oval crown with a pointed crown),
Aureo-spicata (conical height up to 3 m),
Caespitosa (cushion-shaped, compacted, at the age of 15, height 40 cm, width 30,
Cloth of Gold (the slowest growing),
Compasta (ovoid up to 2 m),
Cristata Aurea (erect 1-1.5 m),
Danica (spherical, reaches 50 cm by the age of 20),
Hoseri (multi-stemmed, disc-shaped, 70-90 cm, diameter 120).
Nothing brightens up flower beds like miniature conifers. For small gardens, most of them are a real salvation, as they take up little space and are very decorative. Without them, now the design of flower beds, rockeries or any element landscape design looks incomplete and boring.
Juniper Compressa
- Almost all species are evergreen, although the color can be different and decorative throughout the year.
- Almost all of them are adapted to our cold climate, and even if they are not, they are easy to cover for the winter.
- Caring for them is much easier, since there is no need to form a crown.
- They are planted in areas of any size.
Dwarf types of coniferous plants for the garden
So, we have a choice of dwarf species of pine, spruce, juniper, fir, thuja, dwarf. Round, cone-shaped, creeping along the ground, from 50 cm to 1.5 m high, they look elegant and unusual all year round.
Black spruce Nana
They also differ in the height and shape of the crown, the length and color of the needles. Varieties with golden, yellow, blue, and silver-gray needles have been developed. And how many shades of green they produce on the site!
In modern breeding, the following classification of trees and shrubs is practiced:
- Dwarf - annual growth 8-15 cm;
- Miniature - growth 3-8 cm per year;
- Microscopic - growth of no more than 3 cm per year.
The largest number of varieties of ornamental plants were produced by pine and spruce. For example, the Winter Gold pine changes the color of its foliage - it is green in summer and turns golden in winter.
common spruce
Spruce Glauca (blue) Conica
- Spruce Glauca (gray) Conica - regular cone-shaped crown, dense bright green needles.
- Maxwelli - cushion-shaped, rounded crown, no more than 1.5 m high, dark green prickly needles with a yellowish tint.
- Nidiformis - the shape of its crown resembles a nest, the needles are a beautiful rich green color.
- Little Gem - flat-rounded crown with a nesting depression, fluffy and thick needles with very thin needles.
- Reflexa is a creeping bush.
- Repens is a creeping species, no more than 50 cm high, the color of the needles is from yellow-green to dark green.
- Pygmaea - its height does not exceed 100 cm, the needles are green.
- Glauca Globosa - rounded crown, blue needles.
- Moll - wide conical crown with beautiful blue and white needles.
Juniper
Juniper horizontalis Glauca
- Common juniper Compressa – columnar shape, gray-green needles.
- Glauca is a creeping species with a blue hue.
- Juniper scaly Meyeri is an upright bush with blue foliage with a steel tint.
Pine
Thuja Little Gem
- Nana is a compact bush with bluish-green needles.
- Compressa - columnar-shaped crown.
- Mountain pine Mops - round crown.
- Brevifolia – compact bush barrel-shaped with dark green needles.
- Winter Gold is a spherical bush whose needles change color. In summer it is green in color, and in winter it is golden.
- Shrub pine Gnom is a spherical bush with dark green foliage.
Cedar dwarf
- Glauca is a multi-stemmed compact bush with bluish foliage.
Thuja occidentalis
- Ellwangeriana Aurea - bright golden needles with a copper tint.
- Rosenthali is a columnar-shaped bush.
Fir
- Balsam fir Hudsoniana – no more than 30 cm high.
- - up to half a meter high with amazingly beautiful cones.
Canadian hemlock
- Pendula - with a spreading crown of a weeping shape.
When choosing seedlings, check the names of suitable ones coniferous trees for the garden, their varieties and check how much they will grow on your site.
Where to plant
The advantage of small species of shrubs is that they do not need to be cut; they look beautiful almost anywhere against the background of low flowers or in a composition with taller shrubs.
They look especially impressive in a combination of greenery and stones. A small conifer planted in the center of the flowerbed will give it additional charm. And creeping species will not provide much cover beautiful plots land.
If you plan to create a decorative composition from several types, consider how they will look in 5-10-15 years. Holes for planting must be dug “for growth” so that after a few years the plants do not interfere with each other.
Mountain pine Sherwood Compact
Consider the vertical profile of the composition in advance, because they will all stretch out differently.
Do not plant dwarf conifers in the shade of deciduous trees. Falling leaves create a favorable background for the proliferation of pests.
Caring for dwarfs
Most evergreens are drought sensitive. They are watered not only at the roots, but it is advisable to give them a shower along the needles, the so-called sprinkling.
They need soil that is not too fertile, but they require more light.
To prevent young shoots from getting a spring burn, it is worth wrapping the crown at the end of winter decorative fir trees and pine trees (especially green ones) with burlap, and in April remove it, and gradually.
In conifers, the root system is located very close to the surface. Therefore, to avoid damaging the sensitive roots, it is good to lay a tiled path along the planting.
Juniper horizontal Wiltoni
Coniferous trees for the garden are also good because you don’t have to remove fallen leaves. And the use of creeping varieties when decorating flower beds can replace mulching.
