Which conifers love shade. Shade-loving shrubs and trees for the garden

Hello, my dear! Not long ago, at one of the garden exhibitions, I unwittingly overheard a dialogue between two lovely ladies. “Look, what a wonderful Christmas tree!” - one of them clasped her hands. “This is not a Christmas tree, but a pine tree,” said the second one with conviction. Of course, I couldn’t resist being curious: the coniferous plant they liked turned out to be Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). It seems like a minor problem: gardeners are simply not familiar with this species, which is not yet very common among us. However, if they unknowingly put her in unsuitable conditions- and inevitable death awaits the hemlock.

Attention

Communicating with familiar summer residents, I have long noticed that many are extremely imprudent in purchasing conifers for their plots. I liked it and bought it, without thinking at all that each species (and often variety) needs certain conditions, without which the plant will develop poorly and possibly die.

Of course, more than one encyclopedia has been written about conifers. They discuss in detail the agricultural technology corresponding to each type, including a lot of details related to the characteristics of individual varieties. But, be honest, my dears, have any of you mastered these fundamental works? Can you, standing near the counter and looking at a pretty Christmas tree, remember what was written about it, for example, on page 327? That is why it is worth remembering a few simple rules that will help you quickly navigate at the right time. I was convinced of this from my own experience.

Canadian hemlock. Photo: flickr.com/TheNickster

Pines

Let's start with the pine trees. There are about 100 species, but the most commonly found varieties on sale are Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), mountain pine (P. mugo) and Weymouth pine (P. strobus). Most of them need good lighting. If you have a heavily shaded area, then it is better to avoid purchasing these plants. True, s. Weymouth also tolerates partial shade. Moreover, some varieties with variegated needles are not recommended to be planted in the sun to avoid burns. But in general - “let there always be sunshine”! As for the soil, even poor ones will do. The main thing is that it is dry: pine trees will not grow in swampy areas and in places with close groundwater.

Mountain pine. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Attention

Ate

Let's move on now to the spruce trees. They have half as many species as pine trees - “only” about 50. And even less are sold here! These are common spruce (Picea abies), prickly spruce (P. pungens), Serbian spruce (P. omorica) and Canadian or gray spruce (P. glauca), or rather, their numerous varieties. For the most part, they prefer not to fry in the sun. Moreover, at a young age they can even get burns if you put them on open place, - just like kids on the beach. This is especially true for Canadian spruce: shade is not just desirable for its varieties - it is necessary. The exception is the prickly spruce: it requires more light. But you are unlikely to confuse it with the others - this is the familiar “blue tree”. Otherwise, the needs of the prickly beauties are similar: they all love moisture. And, first of all, this concerns not the soil, as you probably thought, but air humidity. Spruce trees do not tolerate “Vetroduy” very well, and in open field they probably won't like it.

Prickly spruce. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Junipers

As for junipers, in terms of the number of species they are located approximately in the middle between spruces and pines - there are more than 70 of them. But in gardens (and therefore on sale) there are no more than a dozen: Cossack juniper (Juniperus sabina), common juniper (J. communis), scaly (J. squamata), horizontal (J. horizontalis), rock (J. scopulorum), Virginia (J. virginiana) and Chinese (J. chinensis). Still too much? Is it difficult to remember? And you don’t even need to learn this list by heart! Take note that junipers love light. In the shadows they themselves will become a “pale shadow”. Everything except the common juniper: it is no stranger to it, since it is a native inhabitant of the undergrowth, where it gets little sun. The remaining species grow in nature on mountain slopes. As for the soil, junipers are undemanding to it. Although excessively damp areas, of course, are not suitable for them!

Red cedar. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Attention

Perhaps some of you will not even learn this brief information: You already have to keep a lot in your head. But I still want to decorate the area with conifers! In this case, I offer you a lifesaver - the western thuja (Thuja occidentalis). Wherever you plant it, it will not disappoint your expectations. In the sun and in the shade, in a humid place or in a dry area - the thuja will adapt everywhere. True, varieties with yellow and variegated needles still require good lighting.

Thuja. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Of course, the list of conifers is not limited to this, but we just started with old acquaintances. The turn will come to firs, larches, and cypress trees.

Oh, yes, I almost forgot about the already mentioned Canadian hemlock! Remember well: this “young lady” is shade-loving. In the most literal sense of the word. This means that under no circumstances should you plant it in an open place: under the hot rays of the sun it will “melt”, like the Snow Maiden from a fairy tale. But in a damp place, under the canopy of large trees, it will show itself in all its glory, delighting everyone who sees it. Just like those lovely ladies at the garden show.

Evergreens decorate the garden and improve the health of the air. Often, if you feel unwell, walks through a coniferous forest or park area are recommended. These are hardy and beautiful trees, but in the garden they feel a little different than in wildlife. Despite their unpretentiousness, they will still need to be given attention and care.

Coniferous plants for the garden and cottage

All coniferous plants are highly decorative and look great in group and single plantings. Saturated green they provide year-round attractiveness to the garden. However, not all conifers are evergreen. Among them there are those that shed their leaves for the winter. But for most representatives, the renewal of needles occurs unnoticed: in place of the fallen one, a new one immediately grows.

Tall

Tall conifers can play a major role in garden design. They serve as a background for other plants and are effective in compositions with deciduous trees and shrubs. They are often a solo plant in the garden. Small size plot is not a reason to refuse tall conifers. In order to long years To decorate the local area, it is enough to plant one tree. In 10–15 years it will become an accent in the garden, invariably attracting attention.

Juniper Skyrocket

Evergreen conifers are an excellent choice for creating hedges, decorating rock gardens and rockeries

A vigorous shrub, notable for its cone-shaped crown. At the age of 10 years it reaches 3 meters in height. IN landscape design Most often used in single plantings and as a vertical element of group compositions. With a tree height of 5–7 m, the diameter of its trunk is at least 1 m.

Sun-loving, does not tolerate shade. Prefers fertile, breathable soils. Winter-hardy, drought-resistant, has a powerful root system. The needles are small, with a bluish tint. Suitable for growing in urban environments.

In recent years, the Hoopsie spruce has been considered a favorite among gardeners.

A representative of tall conifers, with a luxurious cone-shaped crown with blue needles. Grows up to 15 m tall, unpretentious and hardy. The diameter of the trunk of an adult plant can reach 5 m. It is distinguished by the rigidity of its needles, which is why it has the second name “prickly”.

The strong branches of spruce can withstand significant snow loads. The tree tolerates difficult urban conditions well and is recommended for planting in parks and other recreation areas. Remarkably high growth rates: annual growth of at least 20–30 cm. In the garden it is most impressive in single plantings. It is undemanding to soil quality and does not tolerate waterlogging.

The columnar crown of the thuja Brabant allows the plant to be used as a hedge

In the Russian climate it grows up to 3.5 m. Not suitable for landscaping areas in regions with arid climates. It is moisture-loving and tolerates air pollution well. Recommended for creating hedges in cities and towns. Thuja Brabant can be planted in both sunny and shaded areas of the garden.

The tree is evergreen, the lower branches are located almost at ground level. Needles bright green color, medium hardness. The crown is narrow pyramidal in shape, dense. On average, per year it grows by 10 cm in width and 30 cm in height. The fruits are brown cones, 8–12 mm long, oval in shape with widening at the base. Looks great in single and group plantings, recommended for forming alleys and hedges.

The difficult Russian climate is not an obstacle to the growth and development of Unicolor fir

Known as a tree with beautiful needles, a dense pyramidal crown, oval dark purple cones 80–120 mm long. The single-colored fir has much larger and brighter needles than other members of the genus. The average length of the needles is 70 mm. Distinctive feature- same color on both sides. Fir grows up to 40 m in height with an annual growth of 15–20 cm.

Grows well on sandy loams and loams, prefers well-lit places. It is highly drought-resistant and recommended for planting in the southern regions. Among all types of fir, it has a reputation as the most hardy and resistant to adverse environmental factors.

European cedar pine looks good and takes root near bodies of water

A close relative of Siberian pine, which is often confused with cedar due to its external similarity. It grows up to 25 m in height, the trunk diameter of an adult plant is 100–150 cm. It is shade-loving, but can grow on sunny places. The needles are long, elastic, dark green with a bluish tint on the back of the needles.

European pine blooms in June, the fruits are cones dark brown. This tree is a long-liver, with an average lifespan of 300–500 years.

Canadian yew needles are sickle-shaped

A shade-loving tall plant growing up to 2.5 m tall. The needles are thick, dark green, longer at the base of the branches than at the top. The crown is pyramidal, up to 2 m in diameter.

Can be molded well. The plant is frost-resistant, with an annual growth of up to 5 cm. The bark, branches and needles are poisonous due to the presence of an alkaloid toxin. The wood is hard and durable.

Low-growing (dwarf)

Dwarf conifers for the garden are the product of many years of selection by specialists from different countries. Plants of this type are rarely found in nature. Low conifers are one of the spectacular plants for the garden, and at the same time the most problematic. The reason is that when wrong choice places for planting, dwarf ones can give good annual growth. The plant in this case may be taller than defined by the standard.

The golden needles of the thuja Amber Glow change color depending on the time of year.

A low-growing shrub with a spherical crown and golden needles. Average height is 80–90 cm, annual growth is within 5–6 cm.

To save decorative properties The shrub must be planted in sunny areas of the garden. In the shade, the needles take on a green tint.

Amber Glow has good frost resistance, but requires shelter for the winter. The bush looks great as a soloist and in a composition with flowers and deciduous plants. Heather gardens are also recommended.

Tuyu eastern Aurea Nana can be grown in containers to decorate terraces

An evergreen tree with a beautiful ovoid crown, dense and branched. Feature: pointed crown. Grows up to 170 cm tall. Annual growth is 5–6 cm. Crown diameter is 80–90 cm. The needles are golden-green in the warm season, with a bronze tint in winter.

The plant is unpretentious and grows well on any soil, except rocky and heavy clay. Prefers well-lit places, moist, breathable soils.

Possible planting in partial shade. For normal plant development, regular watering is necessary. Small thuja is suitable for forming low hedges; in urban environments it is grown as a border.

Thuja occidentalis Caespitosa

In 1923, Thuja Caespitosa was discovered in the greenhouse of the Irish Botanical Garden in Dublin, its origin unknown.

One of the shortest coniferous plants, reaching a height of no more than 40 cm. The crown is dense, cushion-shaped, semicircular in shape. It is characterized by low growth intensity: by the age of 15 it is a tree 30 cm high with a crown width of 35–40 cm. The branches are erect, the needles are dense.

Thuja occidentalis Danica

With regular pruning, the crown of Danica's thuja becomes dense.

Dwarf thuja, characterized by extremely slow growth. By the age of 20 it reaches 60 cm in height and the same in crown diameter.

In the warm season, the needles of the tree are bright green, and with the onset of cold weather they become brown tint. It is recommended to plant in places protected from the wind, in partial shade.

The plant needs shelter in winter and protection from sunburn in summer. The root system is superficial and requires regular watering in the first two years after planting. Tree trunk circle It is recommended to mulch thujas to retain moisture.

IN modern gardens Thuja occidentalis Joseri is widely used due to its unusual crown shape

Evergreen low-growing thuja, bred by Polish breeders. It has a spherical dense crown.

A multi-stemmed plant with thick scaly needles that change by autumn green color to bronze-brown. The tree is frost-resistant, but in the first 3–4 years after planting it needs shelter for the winter.

It tolerates crown molding well and exhibits small annual growth. Planting on well-drained fertile soils is recommended. Tuya Hoseri requires regular watering.

Creeping

Creeping conifers are also called creeping conifers. The most common area of ​​application in landscape design is decorating gardens and adjacent areas as a “prickly lawn”. Some species of juniper are horizontal and reach a height of only a few centimeters and are used as ground cover plants. Creeping conifers of medium height make spectacular evergreen borders.

Ground cover juniper Blue Chip is characterized by high winter hardiness

Juniper horizontal blue chip - one of popular varieties creeping conifers. A plant with small and dense needles of a silver-blue color. It grows quickly, forming a continuous prickly carpet.

The shrub is characterized average speed growth, by the age of 10 it reaches 20 cm in height with a crown width of 30–50 cm. Shoots grow evenly in different sides, the tops are slightly raised above the ground level.

Juniper Blue Chip is a powerful air purifier that improves the health of the atmosphere within a radius of 10 m from the place of growth. Widely used for decorating rock gardens and rock gardens, feels good on rocky soils.

It is drought-resistant, but to obtain high decorative value the plant requires watering. The soil should be well-drained; stagnation of moisture is undesirable. Photophilous, recommended for planting in rocky gardens, decorating retaining walls and small hills.

The branches of the flat crown of the Green Carpet juniper are pressed tightly to the ground

Dwarf juniper Green Carpet has a soft, dense light green pine needles. The shoots are arranged horizontally, intertwined with each other, covering the soil with a dense fluffy carpet. By the age of 10 it grows up to 20 cm in height. The crown is wide and flat, reaching 150 cm in diameter. Planting on sandy and calcareous soils and sandy loam is recommended.

The plant grows well in sunny places, but prefers partial shade. During the summer heat, sunburn is possible. It lends itself well to molding, after which the crown becomes denser and more beautiful.

Not a single weed survives under the dense carpet of Green Carpet juniper branches.

Frost-resistant juniper Prince of Wales is unpretentious to the soil

The low-growing creeping juniper Prince of Wales grows to only 15 cm in height. In this case, the crown diameter reaches 250 cm.

Effective in group and single plantings, recommended for decorating rocky hills and rock gardens. It is characterized by high winter hardiness, does not freeze out in Siberian conditions and Far East. When used as a ground cover plant, the recommended planting scheme is 2–3 bushes per 1 m2.

In the first few years of life, the crown has a cushion shape, later creeping shoots grow. Fruits with small cone-shaped berries. In the warm season, the needles are green with a bluish tint; in winter they take on bronze tones.

During the hot period, the common juniper Depressa Aurea needs abundant watering and crown sprinkling

short coniferous shrub Depressa Aurea has a high growth rate among creeping plants. Annual growth up to 15 cm. Maximum height adult plant - 50 cm, crown diameter - 200 cm.

The branches are slightly raised upward, the tips hang down to the ground. The needles are thick, golden-yellow in color, and over time they begin to prevail brown tones. In the cold season it turns brown. The plant is undemanding to soil quality, winter-hardy, grows well in shade and partial shade.

The slow-growing juniper variety Golden Carpet was bred by breeders in 1992

Juniper horizontal Golden Carpet is one of the popular creeping plants for decorating rock gardens, garden compositions and forming coniferous flower beds.

The height of the bush does not exceed 15 cm, the diameter of the crown is 150 cm. The needles are thick, golden in the upper part of the shoots, and yellow-green in the lower part, facing the ground. It is recommended to plant in places well lit by the sun: in the shade this plant loses its decorative effect. Grows well in any soil, but prefers moist and well-drained soil.

Photo gallery: conifers in landscape design

Coniferous plants are widely used in landscape design not only due to their decorative properties. Representatives of this group are distinguished by good winter hardiness, are shade-tolerant, and saturate the air with healing phytoncides.

Dwarf forms of conifers are popular in the design of alpine slides

Dwarf species will enliven and decorate a rocky hill. The crown of these plants tolerates pruning well and holds its shape for a long time. As an accent, 1–3 medium-sized conifers are planted, emphasizing the decorative nature of the rock garden.

As a background for coniferous composition lawn is often used

A composition of coniferous trees with a cone-shaped and spherical crown is a decoration for any area. These plants go well with deciduous trees and shrubs.

When combining conifers and flowers in a flower bed, it is necessary to take into account the soil requirements of the plants

Single plantings of conifers add a touch of presentability to flower beds. With bright green needles they emphasize and set off the beauty of flowering flower beds.

When creating a composition of conifers, the tallest specimens are placed in the background

A frequently used technique is a combination of medium- and tall-growing conifers with creeping ones. In this way they create in the garden spectacular plot taiga

Coniferous plants tolerate topiary cutting well

The art of crown formation will help you create a uniquely beautiful plant in your garden. It will become the highlight of any composition, emphasizing the respectability and well-groomed nature of the site.

Coniferous ornamental plants decorate the garden path all year round

Low conifers with a spherical crown are original prickly flower beds, most spectacular in single plantings. This technique can be used when designing garden paths and paths.

Tall coniferous trees can delimit garden compositions

Tall conifers are an excellent backdrop for rock gardens and rockeries, rocky areas, and flower beds.

Coniferous plants are widely used in landscaping parks

Tall and dwarf conifers are an integral element of large-scale compositions. Look great against the backdrop of well-groomed lawns.

Coniferous hedges are not only beautiful, but also functional

Linear plantings of tall conifers help to zone the area and create an effective but passable barrier.

The layout of the garden is determined by many subtleties and nuances. Often landscape designers solve a large variety of problems related to garden landscaping. is certainly an interesting and at the same time difficult task. When constructing it, great attention is paid to the selection planting material.

If you are faced with shadow zones, there is no reason to be upset. Often, this area can become a key element of the garden. In order for it to be decorative, it is necessary to carefully select the assortment for the shady garden. At correct selection planting material, this zone will acquire bright shades.

The material for such a garden is forest crops. Most of the plants that are used to create a garden can be easily found in the forest.

When selecting an assortment, Special attention worth paying attention to color And invoice foliage. Don't forget about the combination of shapes. Flowering in these gardens is expressed in calm tones, minimum bright colors. Flower beds of this type have calm shades. To make the landscaped area look a little more contrasting, it is recommended to use decorative foliage plants with edging white(elegantisima). This technique helps expand perspective and create depth. With the right arrangement of trees and shrubs, even a shady area can turn into a beautiful, blooming oasis.

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Shade garden care consists of systematic feeding mineral fertilizers, the soil should be acidic and fertile.

Coniferous shade-tolerant plants

What else, if not coniferous plants, contribute to the creation of a garden that is decorative throughout the year. There are many conifers that grow and develop well in the shade:

To diversify the planting coniferous material, you can also use Canadian yew, drooping arborvitae and balsam fir.

Shade-tolerant shrubs

The range of plants for such a garden also includes shade-resistant shrubs. Shrubs that grow in the shade are no different beautiful flowering, most have decorative foliage: Fortune's euonymus, white dogwood, hazel, common privet, white snowberry, viburnum-leaved bladderwort, holly-leaved mahonia, etc.

Shade-loving perennials

The following will feel great in partial shade: Astilbe, wood anemone, aquilegia, dicentra, primrose, peony, scilla, sedum. Plants in this group include almost all forest plants. They spend most of their lives growing in exactly these conditions.

For areas where darkness prevails most of the day, the following are perfect: bergenia, periwinkle, volzhanka, saxifrage, lily of the valley, lungwort, hellebore, ferns, foxglove, Rogersia, hosta, pachysandra, etc.

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Coniferous plants- one of the most undemanding and decorative plants in the garden: they are beautiful all year round, durable, do not lose their decorative value for decades, do not require special care, do not require regular pruning and shaping, supports, systematic feeding and spraying, unlike deciduous shrubs do not need rejuvenation.

If conifers are planted in accordance with the requirements for growing conditions, then caring for them comes down to the following:

• watering during drought or regular watering on dry sandy soils;
• applying (optional, but desirable) nitrogen (or better yet complete) fertilizers in spring and summer 2-3 times per season;
• winter shelter for non-winter-hardy species;
• pruning dried and heavily exposed old branches.

If you plant only winter-hardy species (and their range is quite diverse), we can say that coniferous plants require the least care compared to all other types of plants for decoration.

Omitting biotas that are not frost-resistant in the conditions of central Russia, cypresses, cryptomerias and other conifers, we will give a brief description of winter-hardy conifers and the features of their use in decoration.

Spruce. All spruces are quite unpretentious, grow well in the shade and in the sun, prefer moderately moist soils: they cannot tolerate stagnant water, and do not like dry soils. Blue and silver forms need sun; in the shade the color is lost. Prickly spruce, Serbian and others large species planted in groups, in small gardens - singly on the lawn. Low and dwarf species and forms look good in coniferous gardens and rockeries. The most popular spruce is conical shape They ate gray, or Canadian, “Konica”. Numerous forms of gray spruce differ both in height (from 0.8 m to 4 m) and crown shape, and in the color of the needles (from light and dark green to bluish and golden). Of the various forms of common spruce, or European spruce, for private gardens, the low ones are of greatest interest. decorative forms: serpentine - 'Virgata' (up to 5 m high), nest-shaped - 'Nidiformis' (1 m), cushion-shaped - 'Echiniformis', 'Maxwelii', etc. (0.6 m), prostrate - 'Procumbens' (0, 5 m) and various dwarf forms with varied colors of needles.

- light-loving, fast-growing breed, not demanding on soil. European and fine-scaled or Japanese larches have garden forms: “colored”, dwarf, creeping, weeping and serpentine. Good for single planting and in groups low species- V rocky garden and on the lawn. Tall forms are not recommended to be planted in small gardens.

Liarsuga (pseudo-suga)- a fast-growing, tall breed, extremely unpretentious. Light-loving, undemanding to soils, tolerates city conditions. Used for group and single plantings. Low and dwarf forms are planted in the coniferous garden and on a rocky hill.

Varieties of popular cypress trees - pea and Lawson - can grow in light shade on fertile soil, are moisture-loving, and do not tolerate drying well. There are more than a hundred garden forms, differing in the size and shape of the crown, the color of the needles; dwarfs for rocky slides, compact plants medium-sized and trees above 5 m. Outwardly very similar to thuja. Cypress trees are still relatively rare in our gardens. And, accordingly, there is little data on the winter hardiness of these plants. It is better to cover them for the winter while their size allows, in order to avoid damage or death of the plant. At the same time, it turned out that the pea cypress ‘Boulevard’, previously considered indoor plant, winters near Moscow without shelter.

All types of junipers have similar growing conditions: they are photophilous, tolerate light shade, are very unpretentious, can grow on limestone, rocky slopes, sand, although they prefer garden soils moderate humidity, tolerate drought better than other conifers. Among the junipers there are both creeping and columnar forms. They are planted in rocky gardens, orchards natural style, dense groups and tapeworms.

— tall tree with a beautiful conical crown, similar to spruce. Unpretentious, shade-tolerant. Prefers deeply cultivated soils with moderate moisture. Beautiful in alleys, in free-form groups and in single plantings. Low and dwarf forms are appropriate in a rocky garden.

- a fast-growing tree. Very unpretentious, grows on poor sandy soils. Extraordinarily light-loving, cannot tolerate shadows. Tolerates drought well. Scots pine is used in single or group plantings. In small gardens, low garden forms, spherical and columnar, and dwarf are planted.

Low-growing mountain pine and its dwarf forms also light-loving and unpretentious. Planted in rocky gardens, on a sandy slope.

It is shade-tolerant. Does not tolerate stagnant moisture and drought. Not demanding on soils. Fast growing breed, relatively resistant to smoke and soot. There are low and dwarf forms, forms with bluish needles. Planted singly or in groups, in the coniferous garden and in the rocky garden.

European cedar pine, or European cedar(not to be confused with true cedar - Atlas, Himalayan, Lebanese, which do not winter here) - a slowly growing, tall, majestic tree. When young, it is shade-tolerant and grows in moderately moist soils. Decorative dwarf forms with a height of 0.4 to 0.8 meters are planted on alpine hills.

- shrub 3-5 meters high. Photophilous, undemanding to soils. Sensitive to dry air and soil. Used in rocky gardens and on slopes. The form with bluish needles is the most spectacular.

- An extremely slow growing plant. Unpretentious, extremely shade-tolerant. It grows in moderately moist soils containing lime, but can also grow in dry soils. Drought resistant. By the way, drought-resistant and at the same time shade-tolerant plant- rare in flora. Can grow in extreme conditions, under the canopy of large trees. It is suitable for industrial areas, tolerates air pollution, and grows well in normal conditions. There are about a hundred varieties, from ground cover plants to columnar trees. The shrub form of yew berry is widely used for hedges, free and trimmed (it tolerates pruning well). The columnar shape is an exceptionally graceful solitaire.

Grows in sun and partial shade in any sufficiently moist, nutritious soil. Tolerates excess moisture; in dry, shady places the crown thins out. It tolerates pruning well and is planted in hedges. A large number of variety of garden forms allows you to use thuja in all kinds of decorative designs. The frequent browning of large areas of needles significantly reduces the decorative value of plants. In the conditions of central Russia, only thuja occidentalis and its forms are frost-resistant. Thuja eastern and folded (giant) freeze slightly.

The most unpretentious and decorative are yews, spruces, firs, junipers and pines. These coniferous plants have so many garden forms and species, completely different from each other, that by choosing only from them, you can design a garden to suit every taste.

When using thujas and cypress trees in decoration, some caution is required, which is explained by the large number of garden forms that are similar to each other. In the absence of catalogs in Russian, it is impossible to reliably identify the plant and, therefore, it is impossible to find out its final size, crown shape, care features and degree of winter hardiness.

Garden forms of coniferous plants (spherical, weeping, columnar, “colored”, etc.) are more demanding on growing conditions than natural views and, as a rule, more light-loving and less winter-hardy. Grafted standard forms will require more attention than rooted ones.

Coniferous plants with correct form crowns (conical, columnar, spherical, pyramidal) have asymmetry relative to the cardinal directions: the northern side of the plants looks worse, the branches are shorter and less frequent than on the southern side. It is advisable to place conifers so that the view is from the southern, more advantageous side.

Conifers grow at different rates. When planting them in a single composition, it is necessary to take into account not only the final sizes that the plants will reach in a few decades, but also the growth rate, otherwise after a few years you may find that the fast-growing plants in the foreground have overtaken the growth and are overshadowing the slow-growing conifers, which are in final version should be higher than the first ones, but after many years. Similar growing conditions for most conifers make it possible to plant them together without violating the principle of biological unity.

Worth knowing and remembering

For normal development, coniferous plants need a sufficiently deep (at least 60 cm) layer of moisture-absorbing and breathable structural soil. When planting conifers on heavy clay soils at the bottom landing pit lay a 20-centimeter layer of drainage consisting of a mixture of gravel (pebbles, crushed stone, broken brick, etc.) with sand.

Cypress and thuja trees are very sensitive to soil and air moisture and cannot tolerate overdrying. In some species, even a single overdrying of the soil can lead to yellowing and death of part of the needles (pea cypress). Weekly spraying and watering is recommended: 1-2 buckets per plant. In dry summers, the amount and frequency of watering and spraying is doubled (*). The remaining conifers only need additional watering during drought. Spruce, fir, and larches are watered at the rate of 1-2 buckets (depending on size) per week per plant throughout the dry period. Junipers, yews, pseudo-hemlocks and young pines - 2-3 times throughout the summer. Mature pines do not need additional watering even during drought.

Forms of coniferous plants with atypical needle colors (yellow, bronze, golden, dove-blue, silver) lose their color partially or completely in the shade, but this does not apply to white-variegated plants.

Very young pines can grow in partial shade, but if over time they do not make their way to the sun, they will wither and die.

For the first year or two after planting, it is better to cover young coniferous plants with spruce branches and snow on top for the winter. Adult plants (from those listed above) are quite frost-resistant and do not need shelter.

You should never buy coniferous plants with exposed roots; they will certainly die. Seedlings must be packed with a lump of earth or in a container. Unlike deciduous plants Conifers cannot restore turgor when soaked in water. In a dying coniferous plant, the needles can remain for a long time without falling off, creating the illusion of a living plant. For this reason, you need to carefully examine the coniferous plant, and buy it only if fresh growth is visible and the tips of the branches remain flexible and do not break. At the same time, some browning or browning of the needles in the fall is quite natural; the plant is preparing for winter, so it is better to buy conifers in the spring, when root growth is visible current year, and not in the fall, when it is difficult to distinguish a dying plant from one preparing for winter.

The use of coniferous plants in garden design is very diverse. Coniferous plants can be planted in free-form groups and individually on the lawn, in small modular compositions of 3-5 plants, in a separate garden of coniferous plants as the undergrowth of a coniferous forest, in hedges and alleys, low and dwarf forms - in a rocky garden and on slopes. In small gardens you should not plant a lot of tall conifers (spruce, fir, larch, cedar). Over time, they grow into large trees that take up a lot of space, provide complete shade, and, as a result, suppress surrounding plants. The most suitable assortment of conifers for such a garden is low growing plants creeping and columnar shape in combination with 2-3 large plants or, if the size of the plot does not allow even this, with at least one tall conifer as an accent. A garden of only low coniferous plants can turn out to be boring. Most conifers have a naturally beautiful crown shape and do not need shaping. But spruce, arborvitae, junipers and yews can be trimmed to create hedges or topiaries in a regularly laid out garden. Some plants are only corrected to their natural shape: thuja is usually cut in the form of a cone, thuja western f. globosa - in the form of a ball, although they can be shaped differently. Formed yew, due to its slow growth, can retain its given shape for a long time.

A hedge of clipped conifers, common in Western countries, will require additional care compared to free-growing ones. In addition, the trimmed thuja hedge in good condition It is not found often, usually it is covered in brown spots that stand out on a smooth, regular surface. A free-form hedge makes it easier to hide imperfections. A trimmed hedge of the shrubby form of yew berry is impeccable, but it grows too slowly and in our climate does not exceed 120 cm.

A garden of coniferous plants on a rocky hill is a common design option. As a rule, low, dwarf and creeping forms are planted. Relatively tall plants are only columnar. The taller the plant, the narrower the crown should be. The growing conditions here are special. Groundwater is far away, but rainwater quickly flows down the slopes without having time to be absorbed, so there is always a lack of moisture. Of the lovers of dry soils, only pine and Cossack juniper are the only ones that prefer dry soils; for other conifers, overdrying is not beneficial. The watering problem can be solved by digging 2-3 vessels with small holes in the bottom next to the planted plants. They water by filling the vessels with water, which is slowly absorbed into the ground through the holes and gets to the roots, and not to the foot of the rocky hill, as happens when the usual way glaze. Convenient to use as vessels plastic bottles from under water, cut to a height of 12-15 cm. They are easy to assemble required quantity, it is not difficult to pierce the holes, they will not be damaged by frozen water in winter, and a narrow neck can be disguised.

A garden of coniferous plants does not require special care, but even the most unpretentious plants overgrown with weeds. Conifers on well-groomed black soil look, of course, beautiful, but maintaining a coniferous garden weed-free is not easy. Planting properly selected ground cover plants greatly simplifies care. Frequently planted sedums, sedums, awl-shaped phlox, carnations, arabises, aubriet and others ground cover plants- not really good option: plants with small narrow leaves do not form an expressive contrasting combination with needles. In addition, the listed plants require different growing conditions than conifers. Ground cover requires dry soil, poor in organic matter, but containing lime. Conifers need moist and nutritious soil. Moreover, conifers will shade groundcovers, which are very demanding on lighting conditions. It is easier to weed everything than to select weeds from ground cover.

Forest ground cover plants are more consistent with coniferous plants in their agrotechnical requirements. Grows in shade and partial shade in damp nutritious soils. The best of them is the hoof. Evergreen heart-shaped shiny dark green leaves create a beautiful backdrop, forming with the needles contrasting combination. Hoofed grass easily reproduces by dividing rhizomes and seeds; in 2-3 years it forms a dense cover under which weeds do not grow. You can plant a tenacious plant that covers the ground well, but flower stalks up to 25 cm high can obscure creeping types of coniferous plants. Under the lowest conifers, you can plant small-leaved loosestrife (meadow tea) tightly pressed to the ground. Its rapidly growing shoots cover the ground with a dense carpet in one summer. It is very good when you need to cover a large area in a short time. Ground cover species of speedwells are used in the same way as loosestrife. Periwinkle is somewhat tall, can obscure low species of conifers and does not suppress weeds at all. Lilies of the valley are appropriate under large trees with thick trunks. You should not plant yellow and variegated plants as ground cover: a calm dark green background most advantageously emphasizes the shape of the crown and the color of the needles.

Under conifers above 1.5-2 m, you can plant creeping shrubs - mahonia, cotoneaster, honeysuckle. The combination of conifers and heathers is successful, especially since natural conditions they often grow together. Erics are more picky and will only create additional problems.

Conifers look very beautiful next to boulders and stone blocks. The use of crushed stone or pebbles as a background or mulch to prevent weed growth is very controversial. Keeping crushed stone clean when pine needles fall throughout the year can be more difficult than weeding.

Plants with colored needles will decorate any garden. They are usually used as accents, planted singly or in small groups. Blue, white-variegated and silver conifers surrounded by plants with dark needles are especially picturesque. The fascination with the “colored” forms of coniferous plants is understandable - they are all beautiful. Only conifers of yellow and especially bronze color often cause bewilderment: separately standing plant with yellow needles it looks very impressive, but planted among plants of natural green color it seems sick or dead.

They try to plant elegant gray-blue or silver plants closer to the front, forgetting that if dark green plants are planted behind them, the garden space is visually reduced. To make the garden seem larger, bright green plants are planted in the foreground, and plants with muted gray-green and gray-blue color- behind.

(*) It should be noted that the recommended fertilizers, loosening, additional watering and spraying of moisture-loving conifers will, of course, benefit all plants, especially young ones. If you don’t do this, nothing bad will happen to conifers, except that they will be somewhat stunted in growth compared to more well-groomed specimens. The only unfavorable thing is stagnant waterlogging for all conifers and prolonged drying out of moisture-loving species, and the lack of moisture will only affect the needles (yellowing and dying in the depths of the crown), artificially aging the plant, which can be interesting. So conifers can sometimes be left for any period of time without any care.

Larch. They are the direct opposite of shade-tolerant. Their crowns are loose, openwork, letting in a lot of light. Such trees do not create very strong shading. It is not difficult to give examples of light-loving trees - larch, Scots pine, birch. If the forest is dense enough, then these trees grow only in the upper tier. They cannot tolerate even slight shade.

For green plants light - necessary condition life. But different plants need different amounts of light. Some thrive in heavy shade, while others can only thrive in full light. This also applies to trees that grow in the forest. Among them there are both light-loving and shade-tolerant. To be more precise, there are trees of varying degrees of light-loving and shade-tolerant. Some of them need a lot of light, others less, others even less, etc. In short, our tree species can be ranked according to their light requirements - from the most light-loving to the most shade-tolerant.

A dense dense crown, strongly shading the soil, is an indicator that the tree is clearly shade-tolerant and has little requirement for light. These are the crowns that can be seen in spruce, fir, linden, Siberian cedar. All these trees are shade tolerant. They can grow in shade, under the canopy of other trees. So, spruce grows under a pine canopy, and linden even grows under a spruce canopy. The position of a tree in a particular tier of the forest also indicates its relationship to light. Shade-tolerant trees are located in the lower tiers, and light-loving trees are located in the upper tiers. Consequently, the requirement for light can be judged not only by the density of the crown.

Light-loving and shade-tolerant tree species also differ in some other characteristics. For example, shade-tolerant coniferous trees have thin bark, and individual needles live quite a long time. All this can be observed in spruce and fir. How thin the bark of these trees is is clearly visible on the stump. Spruce needles remain on the branches for 5-7 years, fir even longer, 10-12. For those who love light coniferous trees the situation is different. Pine and larch have rather thick bark, and the needles do not live long. Larch needles remain on the tree for a particularly short time - only a few months, from spring to autumn. Pine needles live longer, usually 2-3 years.

The rate at which a tree grows in height at a young age also differs between light-loving and shade-tolerant tree species. The former grow quickly in their youth (pine, larch), while the latter grow slowly (spruce, fir). Light-loving trees seem to be in a hurry to rise upward as quickly as possible, while shade-tolerant trees do not show haste and grow little in height. However, this only happens at the beginning of a tree’s life, in the first few decades. As adults, the roles change. Light-loving trees slow down their growth, while shade-tolerant trees, on the contrary, speed up. Ultimately, both end up on approximately the same level.

What does that range of tree species look like in terms of light requirements that we talked about at the beginning? The most demanding trees are considered to be various types of larch (Siberian, Daurian, etc.). Next come Scots pine and birch. They are followed by oak, which cannot be classified as either light-loving or shade-tolerant tree species. The row continues further with spruce, fir and linden. The most shade-tolerant are yew and boxwood. These trees do not grow in the middle zone of the European part of the country. They are distributed mainly in the Caucasus. They can be seen, for example, in the protected yew-boxwood grove in the vicinity of Sochi.