A variety of conifers and shrubs are often used in landscaping. They delight people around with a beautiful appearance. In addition to their decorative qualities, cultures also have many advantages over other types of plants. After all, they remain green throughout the year. One can and should be proud of such a cultivated tree. Coniferous trees are decorated with flower beds, hedges, rockeries and rock gardens. Even in the southern regions of the country, where many other plant species grow, they look great. At the same time, a cottage or a manor will be an ideal place for experiments.

The role of conifers in landscape design

• The popularity of conifers and shrubs is so great because of their advantages. Namely:
• almost all varieties tolerate a long stay in direct sunlight;
• many species of conifers retain their shape even without human intervention;
• thanks to powerful roots, trees and shrubs do not need constant watering;
• plants exude a pleasant aroma;
• they are universal and can be planted as a single landing or as part of a group.

When choosing a suitable culture, you must pay attention to the following conditions:

1. Clear choice of place for their landing.
2. Features of weather conditions in a particular region.
3. Type of landing. It can be a group or a single tree.
4. The composition used on the land.

Important! The advantage of planted conifers in containers is that they can be replaced at any time.

In addition, conifers of trees and shrubs secrete useful substances for the human body. The air in these areas contains more oxygen. An extensive root system prevents landslides, reduces the likelihood of washing off fertile soil with thawed snow.

Species of conifers

As described above, conifers and shrubs look great even in the cold season. It is in winter and autumn that the whole beauty of their appearance is revealed. Already at the end of October, they begin to stand out against the yellowed leaves of hardwood. And since there are a large number of species of these plants, you need to know which of them are most harmoniously suitable for creating landscape design.

Yew

This is a type of evergreen plants, the height of which in natural conditions can vary from 5 to 20 m. The bark often casts red. The crown always remains round and has a significant density. The needles constantly remain saturated green, dense. The length of the needles varies from 1 to 3 cm. The main difference between yew and other types of conifers is the absence of resin channels.

This feature will appeal to those who do not like coniferous aroma. The culture tolerates pruning and retains an artificially created shape for a long time. Usually found in rock gardens and topiary compositions. Yew breeds are perfectly combined with juniper, quince and western arborvitae.

Cypress

The most popular family in landscape design. A distinctive feature of this culture is that it can be used as a single landing. The object of admiration of the people around is the crown, which in shape resembles a pyramid. The tree tolerates pruning perfectly and maintains the created appearance for a long time. It is the correct pruning of branches that allows you to regulate the development and growth of the plant.

Varieties that have a low threshold for frost resistance are often exposed in pots outdoors in the summer. Those that can withstand a sharp drop in temperature can be used as hedges. The aroma exuded by cypress trees repels undesirable insects - flies and mosquitoes. This allows you to relax in the country without fear of being bitten.

Pine

These plants are considered universal. Especially popular among residents of the northern regions. Trees tolerate both prolonged drought and severe frosts. They count a huge number of species. The most popular is the dwarf variety, which is successfully used to create rock gardens and rockeries. In addition, pines can please with various shades of needles. Their color depends on the choice of variety.

• The main advantages:
• compact size;
• dense crown, which allows you to grow plants that prefer partial shade;
• beautiful appearance;
• a huge variety of varieties;
• resistance even to severe frosts;
• pleasant and healing aroma;
• unpretentiousness to soil.

Tall

Tall conifers are suitable for the vast territory of the infield. The main advantage of this culture is that it plays the role of a dominant. The rest of the plants will only complement it. The main drawback is fast growth. However, it can be slowed by pruning or pinching the branches. Artificially create a crown shape every year.

Did you know? Unlike a gardener, a landscape designer focuses solely on planning, not caring for plants.

Of the most popular types, in landscape design is often used:

1. Cedar. In the first few years after landing, the growth rate is very slow. The main feature of this coniferous tree is that it bears fruit with specific cones. In the garden you can use European, Siberian or Korean cedar. The tree loves sunlight very much. Therefore, they select a site with the maximum presence of sunlight during the day.
2. Junipers, arborvitae and fir. Perfect for organizing hedges or placing at the very entrance to the living room.
3. Spruce and pine.

The choice of a suitable species of tall coniferous trees always remains with the owner of the site. However, before landing it is better to consult with experts in landscape design.

Medium

Most suburban areas have a small territory. Therefore, planting large trees is not always appropriate.

That is why mid-coniferous species are often chosen, such as:

1. Golden yew. A distinctive feature of this plant is the color of the needles. In a young seedling, it is always golden, and by the time of growing up it acquires a green-yellow hue. This tree perfectly develops in the conditions of the minimum natural lighting.
2. Nana. This is a kind of fluffy pine. Her crown remains a characteristic dark green color throughout the year. The plant has an attractive appearance and is unpretentious in care.
3. Yew berry. A feature of this culture is fruiting. Berries of a bright red hue appear on it, which give it a decorative look.
4. Navaki. It is one of the varieties of bonsai. It usually grows in Japan. The main feature of the plant is its plasticity. If the crown needs to be trimmed, then it can be given almost any shape.
5. Panderosis. This is a special type of coniferous tree with fluffy and long needles. The people often find an alternative name - "yellow pine." Initially, in natural conditions, it could be found only in the warm parts of the country. But, breeders were able to develop special varieties that perfectly tolerate minimum temperatures in the winter season.

Most often, such trees are planted to create a hedge on a personal plot. You can place them at the entrance to various buildings. Allowed to use for design compositions.

Dwarf

Such species are especially appreciated among owners of small land plots. This is not a complete list. However, it is enough to choose the suitable option for your own site.

Among the most common types and varieties can be distinguished:

1. Spruce Konika. The main feature of the plant is its slow growth. There is a significant drawback. Spruce does not tolerate low temperatures. In order to prevent the death of culture in the winter, it is often grown in pots or covered with special materials when planting in open ground.
2. Mountain pine. Another bright representative of coniferous dwarf tree species. She prefers to grow in a semi-shaded place and does not require close attention. Although the plant tolerates pruning perfectly, even without it it looks great. If you remove the side branches, the pine will begin to grow up. Her crown will form in the form of a hat. In appearance, this variety is very similar to Japanese bonsai.
3. Negroes. This is a very attractive dwarf pine. Its feature is cones, which acquire a characteristic lilac hue at the time of ripening. From afar, they are sometimes confused with unusual flowers.
4. Balkan pine. In the natural habitat, it sometimes reaches a height of 3 m. To avoid significant growth and create a beautiful crown shape, gardeners perform pinching of shoots.
5. Velda. Belongs to the category of creeping conifers. If pruning is not done on time, then the shoots can grow up to 3 m in length.
6. Pygmy. A pine tree that has dense and very beautiful needles. Needles are located on small branches, are thick and fixed in bundles.

How to compose compositions and choose neighbors

Despite the popularity of the idea of ​​using conifers in landscape design, there is no consensus on their choice and composition. There are hundreds of variations that are used by masters throughout the country. You can create both artificially formed plantings and those that look like in the wild. Therefore, gardeners often find compromises, which allows not only to ennoble the site, but also to create a natural landscape.

An ideal option is a location in which a conifer looks like it grew in nature. Despite this, it is constantly necessary to care for him. Without cropping, it can spoil the appearance of the site. Accordingly, this situation and the variety of options have led to the fact that during planning do not apply any strict rules. For example, if you plant two spruce trees away from the buildings, then they will look relaxed. But, if they are placed at the gate, they will look quite natural.

It should also be remembered that the tree looks beautiful only from the south side.. In the north, it has fewer and shorter needles. An alternative option for choosing a plant is the choice of the one you like most. In this case, the care will bring not only beauty to the summer cottage, but also allow you to usefully spend your free time caring for the plantings.

Applications of conifers in the landscape

Coniferous plantations will be perfectly combined with other plants that the gardener plans to plant on his estate. They perfectly tolerate the neighborhood with shrubs and deciduous trees. And yet, some restrictions and rules when creating landscape design must be considered. After all, a fast-growing variety can spoil the whole look.

Did you know? In his spare time from managing the empire and wars, Caesar spent a lot of time in the garden. Here he personally created the first landscape design compositions.

Rockery

Translated, this term means "stone garden." A feature of this design is that it is possible to safely realize any ideas. If it is properly equipped, then even the house will be completely transformed, and it will certainly become the highlight of the whole territory. This gives the impression that the owner has a great taste and understands the beautiful.In total, there are 3 most popular stylistic variations of the rockery: European, English and Japanese. In the first two cases, the emphasis is on planted plants. In the Japanese style, they prefer stones.

In addition to conifers, rockeries often use other cultures. They are selected based on the flowering period. For example, you can plant crocuses that bloom in spring. Change their tulips. And in the summer, phloxes begin to please with flowers. The most popular when creating a rockery are ground cover crops and saxifrages. In addition to beauty, such designs with planted conifers give and benefit to the human body. The air around this place is saturated with healing trace elements.

Alpine hill

The coniferous landscape can be created using the style, which is called alpine slide in landscape design. Once this design is fully completed, it will resemble in appearance a piece of mountainous terrain. However, it will remain beautiful throughout the year. In this case, trees that differ in the color of the needles are often used. The maximum height of the rock garden should be no more than 1.5 m. If the territory is small and there is not enough space allocated for it, then this indicator should drop to 0.8 m. More than 1.5 m, trees are recommended to be used if the site is area exceeds 50 m².

The following species and varieties of coniferous crops are often used to organize rock gardens:

• fir (Oberon or Diamond);
• pine trees (Winter Gold, Pug or Pumilio);
• Juniper (Green Carpet, which means Green Carpet);
• western thuja (Danica, etc.)
• Canadian spruce (Konika);
• ordinary spruce (Wils Zwerg or Nidiformis).

To create a special combination, you need to experiment with the shape of the crown and the color of the needles. Ground cover varieties are usually placed in the foreground. The highest grade will become the dominant part of the rock garden. And as an average element, shrubs or dwarf varieties are often used, the height of which does not exceed 0.8 m.

Also, they allow the planting of some flowers, for example:

• edelweiss;
• diasion;
• liverwort;
• lobelia;
• yarrow;
• heicher;
• sagebrush;
• heather.

It is worth understanding that it is very difficult to create a decorative rock garden with your own hands. On the other hand, it can capture and captivate a person so that he will not only be proud of his creation, but also in the future will gain a new hobby. Such a composition will allow you to recreate part of the Carpathian, Alpine, Crimean or Caucasian mountains on your site.

Hedgerow and Mixborder

Country version of landscape design - hedge. With proper implementation, the composition turns out to be beautiful and unusual, decorates any yard. To create it, you need to plant trees in such a way as to create a kind of difficult or even insurmountable wall. To form a planting, crops are planted in a checkerboard pattern. The number of rows varies from 2 to 3. When arranging a hedge, you should not immediately expect a result. After all, plants should grow, thereby creating the likeness of a fence. To make the wall solid, it is recommended to use varieties with the same color of needles.

As plants for planting, the following are often used:

1. High hedge. Spruce, pine and fir.
2. Average height. Thuja, juniper, cypress, yew and araucaria.
3. Low hedge. Dwarf thuja and pine, cypress and juniper.

A mixborder of conifers looks great in front of the house itself. Often it is created as a living fence of the territory or decoration of any fence. To organize the composition, you can choose not only different varieties, but also their height and color of the needles.

Despite the variety of ideas, you should adhere to some strict rules of arrangement, namely:

1. Those plants that in the future will grow above the rest are placed in the background or along the edges.
2. You can not plant plants in strict geometric proportions. The only main feature of the mixborder is the cascade. This is a gradual decrease in crop height. In addition, the crowns of tall coniferous varieties should not form one height.
3. A mandatory requirement is the observance of the naturalness of the stands. They should look like they are growing in the wild. Accordingly, for large varieties will need a large free space, and undersized - less.

It is worth remembering that plants can be alternated. In other words, one species, for example, juniper, can grow both in the third and in the first row in one composition. This will make the mixborder design natural and beautiful.

Forest style coniferous composition

This option is literally a recreation of a separate particle of real nature. For its arrangement, you can plant lilacs, then supplement it with mountain pine and Canadian spruce. Free space can be planted with low shrubs, for example, barberry or juniper. Such a corner looks quite natural and will become a real decoration of a personal plot.

Lawn elements

If a lawn was created on the territory of the infield, then the conifer can diversify it. This is a small plant that spreads over the surface of the earth. For decoration, usually choose high-growing or medium-height crops. The main condition is the presence of a dense and lush crown. You can use varieties with a pyramidal, spherical or arrow-shaped form. Coniferous species are best planted as single crops. In this case, a neatly trimmed lawn will become a kind of carpet and background for the rest of the trees.

Group landings

This element of landscape design successfully replaces popular flower beds and flower beds. The main condition for group planting should be the correspondence not only of the shape of the selected conifers, but also of the shade of their needles.

Important! The main condition for the correct creation of a group planting is that the size of adult plants should be taken into account in advance. Indeed, many cultures can grow more than 30 m.

A combination of low-growing shrubs with columnar and spherical trees is considered an excellent example of original placement. In this case, you can use thawed, silver spruce and juniper. A beautiful visual effect is obtained by combining coniferous and deciduous species. The former are successfully combined with hydrangea.

Topiary art

Another type of landscape design that can be successfully implemented on your personal plot. In this case, it is recommended to use an evergreen variety that tolerates pruning well. Indeed, in this particular embodiment, real figures and even statues are created from trees. The popularity of softwood in topiary art is due to the fact that, thanks to the thick crown, the most unusual forms are obtained from them. At the same time, they can be formed all year round. A private house is ideal for this style.

For landscaping, conifers of shrubs and trees are best suited. With their help, you can create a large number of different styles and compositions. Such evergreen plantings not only delight the beauty of the people around them, but also do not require any special care throughout the year. Only 2-3 species of plants can transform the territory beyond recognition. They are able to turn the cottage into a really cozy and secluded place to relax.