Your landscape design can look beautiful and attractive not only in the summer, when everything blooms and pleases with a variety of colors, but also in the off-season, and even in winter. To do this, it is enough to plant dwarf conifers on the site. They will help create unique compositions that will contrast in the midst of an abundance of flowers, and against a background of white snow. How to use dwarf coniferous plantations in landscaping, read on.

Advantages and disadvantages of using dwarf conifers

Coniferous dwarf plantations are an ideal solution for decorating the landscape outside the window. These cultures today lead fashion trends in landscape design and are widely popular among designers, due to their many advantages.

• Such popularity is explained by:
• high decorative qualities;
• undemanding and easy to care for;
• the ability to harmonize space as part of any composition;
• compactness of parameters: thanks to its miniature indicators of height and width, such a plant will not take up much space on your site. At the same time, undersized varieties are an exact copy of a full-fledged plant of the genus conifers, that is, you can plant both pine, spruce, and juniper in your garden.
• the possibility of cultivation both in an open area and in pots. If the culture grows in a container, it is freely moved depending on what landscape requirements it is worth focusing on. Also, the plant can be brought into the room without problems and decorated instead of a Christmas tree;
• endurance to frost with cold;
• environmental friendliness. They are recommended to be planted for air purification.

• Among the few shortcomings can be identified:
• susceptibility to fungal diseases;
• the fragility of branches and shoots, which leads to damage under the weight of snow, and this directly affects the deterioration of decorative qualities;
• the ability to lose a bright color under the influence of direct sunlight;
• low productivity when grafting.

Varieties of conifers

Thanks to the efforts of breeders, the owners of garden and summer cottages have the opportunity to decorate their landscapes with exact stunts of large trees. Such plants can gracefully decorate any landscape design. They tactfully and organically emphasize the style and relief of the exterior, giving the territory a special appeal. On garden plots, you can often find small juniper, pine, spruce, larch, thuja, fir and other conifers. Read more about the cultivation features and characteristics of each species and variety, read on.

Pine trees

The most popular are miniature breeding species of mountain and common pines, because they are particularly attractive due to their long needles and dense, fast-growing shoots.

Important! The listed varieties are highly frost-resistant, which makes their agricultural technology possible in any region.

Among the most common plant varieties are the following:

• Pumilio. Attractive small trees with miniature dimensions: the diameter of the crown and the height of the crop vary within 3 m. The shoots have different lengths, like the needles, and their growth is directed upwards. The plant is undemanding and unpretentious, can grow even on poor types of soil cover. Widely popular in landscaping rock gardens and small rocky slopes;
• Mugus. An evergreen tree whose height and diameter do not exceed two meters. It features a lush crown of dark green color. It will look impressive both in single landings and in mixborders;
• Gnome. A variety that lives up to its name: grows in the form of a miniature shrub, its parameters fluctuate within 1-2 m. Against the background of small growth, a long, up to 5 cm, needles, painted in a bright green glossy shade, stand out spectacularly. Among the advantages are fast-growing shoots, in which 3-5 young twigs grow on one branch per year;
• "Pug". The variety is the owner of bluish needles, which brings particularly exquisite accents to the landscape design. The tree is distinguished by a special short stature: in 10 years it will stretch only half a meter, such will be the width of the lush crown. The plant is excellent for cultivation in containers, which eliminates the landscape from static;
• Winter Gold. Dwarf chameleon pine: in summer, its needles are bright green, and in winter, rich yellow. The plant is quite compact: 0.5 m tall with the same width.

Ate

Spruce can boast an even greater variety of dwarf forms than pine.

Among the most popular are worth noting:

• "Nest". This variety fully justifies its name: it grows in the form of a bush, the crown of which forms a kind of nest. The branches are densely covered with short bright green needles. The bush reaches a height of 0.5 m, a width of about 1 m. It will be an excellent decoration of an alpine hill. Feels good when grown in a container;
• Little Gem. An elegant plant with a hemispherical crown, which is formed by thin shoots, covered with numerous needles of a saturated green color. Widely used as a standard form. The rock garden will be gracefully decorated;
• Glauka Globosa. It is distinguished by a pyramidal crown, covered with an unusual color of needles: the needles of the plant are white and blue, which will undoubtedly give your landscape design a special charm. The height of the tree reaches 3 m, as well as the width. Perfect for zoning space, will become a spectacular hedge;
• Daisy White. A variety of dwarf spruce, which is characterized by a contrasting change in the color of the needles: in the spring they are pale yellow, and with the onset of summer they become saturated green. Widely used to decorate alpine slides and rockeries.

Junipers

The varietal variety of miniature junipers helps to give the landscape design special colors. So, you can plant one variety or combine in a composition with different varieties.

Important! If your children often suffer from colds, viral infections (SARS, flu), they need to play near juniper. The plant secretes special essential oils that enhance immunity, and have the ability to reduce pathogens.

Among the most common:

• Viltoni. This is a popular dwarf variety of horizontal juniper, whose height does not exceed 10 cm, and no one can determine the diameter of the crown, since the culture grows very slowly and spreads on the ground. Landscape designers advise planting Wiltoni in large groups. Also, the variety can be used for landscaping rocky slopes;
• Green Carpet. Another miniature plant, the maximum height of which is about 10 cm. The branches are decorated with light green, not prickly and soft needles. Among the advantages of the variety are high frost resistance: juniper tolerates a temperature drop to -40 ° C without problems;
• Golden Carpet. A variety that is distinguished by a solid, in comparison with the previous varieties, height - 15 cm. The needles of the culture have a golden hue;
• Blue Carpet. The plant forming a flat shrub reaching 30 cm, with a crown diameter of about 1.5 m. Its needles are colored blue. But it is worth remembering that this variety is very prickly;
• "Repanda". Dwarf creeping juniper with a maximum height of 30 cm and a diameter of 1.5 m. It tolerates frost and cold, is used to decorate verandas and roofs;
• Ice Blue. A miniature juniper, whose branches creep along the ground, forming a kind of rug of a blue-green hue, with rather impressive width parameters - about 2.5 m, while the maximum height of such a cover is only 15 cm.

Larch trees

Despite its name, larch is a common coniferous tree species of the genus woody plants.

Among the most popular undersized breeding varieties of culture are the following:

• Bullets. A small ornamental shrub, which is distinguished by a weeping crown, which is formed by thin shoots hanging down. The maximum height of the plant is no more than 2 m. The color of its needles harmoniously combines gray, green and blue colors, which create an effective palette. With the onset of autumn, the needles acquire a yellow color. Due to such features, as well as unpretentiousness in care, the plant is widely popular among landscape designers and gardeners;
• Kornik. Another low-growing larch variety, which, like the previous one, grows to a maximum of 2 m. But this plant forms a crown in the form of a ball, the shoots of which are directed strictly up and are densely covered with bright green needles. Looks great at any time of the year;
• Repance. A variety of creeping dwarf larch, the height of which is no more than 1.5 m.The hanging down and creeping shoots are covered with bright green, gathered in bunches of needles, which, with the onset of autumn, acquires brownish-yellow hues, and falls off altogether in winter. The plant can be cultivated in containers. It is perfect for creating landscapes decorated in Japanese style;
• Blue Dwarf. A very tiny tree, the growth and width of which does not exceed 60 cm. It can be grafted onto a stump. Thin shoots are densely covered with prickly blue-gray needles, due to which the plant is widely used to harmonize space. In winter, the needles fall off.

Tui

Tui belong to widespread coniferous plants that have a special decorative effect. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, gardeners and landscape designers now have the opportunity to green areas and dwarf forms of this culture.

Important! When buying dwarf seedlings, carefully inspect their rhizome, as well as the trunk and shoots, in order to determine the presence of diseases or pests. If you find alarming facts (chopped off roots, thickening of branches in certain places, peeling of the bark), you should refuse to buy.

Among the popular:

• Danica. A variety that forms an ideal ball with a maximum height and width of 1 m. Thin shoots are densely covered with bright green scales, which gives the plant a fluffy appearance;
• Little Champion. Already in the name itself it is indicated that we will talk about a low-growing variety of thuja - not higher than 1 m. The crown of the plant is conical. This variety is particularly decorative because it is a "chameleon": in the warm season, its needles are painted in beige, with the onset of autumn it acquires brown tones, and in winter it becomes bronze;
• Teeny Tim. A plant whose crown forms a hemispherical shrub densely covered with green needles. The variety fully justifies its belonging to dwarf ones, since its growth does not exceed 50 cm. It looks great against the background of stones;
• "Globa Nana". A miniature shrub that does not grow above 60 cm, and its thin, densely and densely covered with yellow-green needles shoots, form a spherical crown. This variety is an excellent solution for landscaping an alpine hill.

Fir

If you are among the connoisseurs and collectors of conifers, then you can not do without planting fir - an attractive plant that will not only delight the eye, but also the sense of smell with its delicate aroma of needles. Breeders took care of the full satisfaction of your preferences and bred a lot of undersized varieties of fir.

Did you know? The peculiarity of firs is that their cones grow up, while in other conifers they grow vertically down.

Among the most popular:

• Silberlock. This is an original and unique miniature plant, the conical shape of the crown of which is covered with intricately curved silver needles (the bottom is painted in whitish tones), due to which the name “silver curl” is attached to the culture. Such graceful paints create a visual effect, as if the plant is always sprinkled with light frost, which looks particularly impressive against the background of a variety of colors or strict green tones. The variety is especially decorative in the period of formation and ripening of cones, the color of which is deep purple. The maximum height of the spherical tree is 1.8 m;
• "Diamond". This is not a breeding, but a natural dwarf plant, and already in this fact lies its uniqueness. Crohn variety takes on a pillow shape and is densely covered with short and thick soft needles. The top of the needles is saturated green, the bottom with longitudinal white-blue stripes. Among the advantages of the plant, it is worth noting that its needles have a strong pleasant aroma. The height of the tree ranges from 40-60 cm;
• Oberon. A variety that, like its predecessor, does not grow above 60 cm. Its crown takes the form of a dome. Bright green needles with curled edges tightly cover the shoots. The species is widely used for landscaping alpine slides, Japanese or heather gardens;
• "Molly". In a dwarf family, it can rightfully be considered a giant, since it grows from 3 to 7 m, but at the same time differs in slow growth: annual growth rates are about 6 or 7 cm. In diameter, the plant reaches 3 m. It is appreciated due to the peculiarity of being covered with blue-violet cones, which very effective against the background of deep green needles. Also among the advantages of the variety, it is worth noting its ability to independently form, without scraps, the correct symmetric pyramidal crown.

Tsugi

Coniferous highly decorative trees that belong to the Pine family. In nature, there are about 10 species of this plant, as for breeding varieties, there are already more than 60, including low-growing ones.

Important! Adult Tsugi trees are distinguished by good winter hardiness, but young crops (up to 5 years old) should be additionally looked after and carried out the preparation for winter.

Among which it is worth highlighting:

• "Cole's Prostrate." A dwarf variety of Tsugi, with an average width and height of 1 m, which the plant reaches only 10 years after planting. A sprawling crown is formed by creeping shoots covered with olive-green needles;
• "Pendula". Another selective low-growing weeping Tsuga, which forms a straight, multi-stemmed, wide crown, covered with dark green needles. The shoots extend from the trunk in a horizontal direction. Tree growth does not exceed 2 m. It is used, as a rule, in single plantings. Looks great in combination with stones;
• "Nana". Dwarf Tsuga, up to 1 m high. The ends of horizontally located, widely spread shoots are directed down. Dark green glossy needles are tightly strung on short splayed branches. The plant is characterized by high winter hardiness;
• "Minute". This is a real dwarf conifer, since it does not grow more than 50 cm in height and width. The crown can be characterized as uneven and compressed. The high decorativeness of the plant is explained by its long needles - about 10 cm, which look quite contrasted against the background of the small height of the tsugi. The needles are painted in dark green tones, and its bottom is distinguished by stripes of white color.

How to choose the right one for design

Dwarf conifers are plants that give you the opportunity to design the landscape design of your site as correctly as possible. Thanks to their compact size and slow growth, you can easily predict what the exterior will look like after a few years.

Did you know? Coniferous trees have long been considered a symbol of constancy.

When selecting dwarf evergreen varieties, decide for what purpose you will use them: as a tapeworm or for landscaping a floral arrangement and harmonizing group plantings of conifers and deciduous crops.

So, any of the above plants is suitable as a tapeworm. The main thing is to choose harmonious textured plantings for him. If the undersized coniferous specimen grows surrounded by other cultures, it is important to select such neighbors for it so that against their background the dwarf variety does not get lost and simply does not die.

What to combine dwarf conifers

It is advisable to create compositions by combining different types of miniature conifers, for example, combine varieties with different colors of needles (silver, blue, yellow, bright and dark green). Such a composition will look very original and elegant.

Did you know? The coniferous tree - the giant sequoia - is the largest in the world: its height can reach 120 m and the trunk diameter 23 m. Such dimensions allowed craftsmen to use the culture in an original way: even dance floors and restaurants were built on the stumps of the sequoia.

If you want to complement the already created design of a rock garden, rockery, Japanese or heather garden with a miniature coniferous plant, then choose a variety that will ideally satisfy criteria such as texture, color, type and shape of greenery. For example, conifers with a spherical crown are perfectly combined with carpet plants: mosses, stonecrops, youngsters, catnip, alissums. Weeping and creeping crops (junipers, thuja, spruce, etc.) can be perfectly represented in compositions with plants covered with curly foliage, for example, silver stachis, small periwinkle, thyme, and tenacity.

If you decide to plant a dwarf variety of coniferous tree or shrub in a flowerbed, decorate the lawn, then add such a plant with stony accents, and plant roses or barberries next door.

Did you know? Larch trees belong to long-lived plants: their average age is 300–400 years, but there are specimens that have reached the 800th anniversary. Perhaps this is due to high rates of resistance to frost: the plant calmly withstands a temperature drop of -70 ° C.

How to care

Caring for dwarf landings is not difficult. In order for your miniature plant to maintain an attractive decorative look, water it regularly in summer (recommended 2 times a week) and shade the crown, if it grows in the open sun in order to protect the needles from burns. Also periodically loosen the soil and clean it of weeds, which can trigger fungal diseases.

For the winter, cover the crown with burlap or lapnik, and mulch the soil around the plant with leaves, sawdust, peat or straw. In the spring, it is recommended to inspect the culture and conduct sanitary pruning of damaged or dried branches. Such simple rules are the key to the longevity of a miniature plant and its attractiveness.

Important! In order for the young plant to quickly acclimatize under the new conditions, add a growth stimulant, for example, Kornevin, to the water for irrigation.

Creating a bright and attractive landscape design is impossible without planting fragile, but prickly dwarf coniferous stands. These plants give the landscape a static and stable feel. Even during the winter cold, they can revive the landscape design and give it bright colors. And the unpretentiousness and undemanding low-growing conifers in the care only adds to their advantages.