Evergreens: trees and shrubs in garden landscape design. Evergreen long-livers of the earth - coniferous trees Separately - about conifers

Sometimes, looking at evergreen coniferous trees, people wonder: why does a person have such a short life on earth? Intelligent creatures that can think, feel and create live on average 70-80 years, and ordinary trees live more than a thousand. Perhaps someday the dream of eternal life will come true, and then people will be able to enjoy the environment to the fullest. Until this time comes, it’s worth getting to know different types of coniferous trees better in order to decorate your summer cottage with them.

It is these evergreens that fit harmoniously into any landscape design. Their strict and sophisticated forms stand out clearly on the green lawn in summer. And in cold weather, they refresh a country house with rich greenery and a pleasant resinous aroma. Many gardeners grow evergreen beauties on their plots, because their diversity is truly impressive. They are tall and dwarf. They are found in the form of a pyramid or cone. Therefore, the unforgettable landscape of coniferous trees remains in the hearts of grateful people forever. Let's take a closer look at the most popular types.

Among the huge number of long-lived conifers, unique specimens are especially impressive: the “Old Tikko” spruce in Sweden (over 9 thousand years old), the “Methuselah” pine in the USA (about 5 thousand years old). In total, there are up to 20 such trees on the planet.

The people's favorite - spruce

There is probably not a person on earth who has not heard about this tree. Many poems and songs have been written about him, paintings and fairy tales have been written. The plant is associated with various holidays, customs, and sometimes with bad omens. Because of this, the plant suffers from excessive cutting, which brings a lot of grief to nature lovers.

Spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree that belongs to the Pine family and can grow to a height of 35 meters. It has a pyramidal or triangular crown shape, ending with a sharp tip. The branches are located along the entire trunk, so it is practically invisible from the side. They grow dark green needles with a glossy shiny coating, which are much shorter than those of pine.

The tree is found almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the main component of the Russian taiga, where it grows next to oak, pine, hazel and. There are about 50 species of spruce in nature. Some of them successfully take root on the lawns of country houses. The following types are especially widely used.

The spruce roots are close to the soil surface, so a strong hurricane wind can knock it down. Therefore, the tree should not be planted near residential premises.

Akrokona

This type of spruce is characterized by a wide conical crown with hanging branches. Considered slow growing. In 30 years it grows up to 4 meters in height. The diameter of the plant is about 3 m. It prefers shaded places. Spruce tolerates cold temperatures well. In the summer heat it needs watering.

Inverse

The tree has a columnar crown and cascading weeping branches that, like a train, touch the ground. Grows up to a maximum of 8 meters. The diameter of an adult plant is about 2.5 m.

European Maxwelly

Dwarf shrub in the form of a wide cone. It tolerates winter frosts and shaded areas without problems. Grows up to a meter in height. The diameter of an adult bush is 2 m.

Glauka Globoza

The famous spruce stands out with its blue needles. Grows in height up to 2 meters. Used in many countries to decorate the landscapes of urban and suburban areas. Due to the fact that the tree can be trimmed, original blue balls are made from it, which delight their fans all year round.

Fir - a tree with purple cones

An evergreen representative of the genus "Pine". It differs from its close relatives in the characteristics of its needles:

• softness;
• shine;
• flat shape.

White stripes are visible on the underside of each needle, which gives the plant a festive look. The fir tree is decorated with purple cones, which is its main highlight. It grows slowly for 10 years, after which growth accelerates. Lives about 400 years. Breeders have developed decorative varieties that are used to decorate urban and suburban areas.

Since the needles of the tree have healing properties, growing fir in your summer cottage is a great idea. It helps in the fight against colds, radiculitis and wound healing.

Columnaris

The tree has a straight trunk and a narrow crown, reminiscent of a column. Grows up to 10 meters. The dense branches point upward, giving the tree a majestic character.

Prostrata

This fir is famous for its long branches spread above the ground, which can reach 2.5 meters in length.

Argenta

The variety is characterized by original silver needles, the tips of which are painted whitish. Every spring, shoots of a luminescent yellow color emerge from its buds. This unusual combination creates a stunning view on the site of a country house. And it lasts almost a whole month.

Nana

A dwarf tree that grows only up to 50 cm. The diameter of an adult plant is 1 m. The crown is rounded, slightly flattened. It takes root wonderfully in small areas.

Majestic cedar

Since time immemorial, these trees have been considered a symbol of greatness. In their natural environment, they grow at an altitude of 3 km above sea level and resemble real giants. They grow up to 50 meters. They live for more than two centuries.

Despite its greatness, this is a unique tree because it can decorate any garden landscape. If you plant it at the front entrance, an atmosphere of some kind of celebration is created. The spacious lawns provide the comfort of home.

Some dwarf varieties are used for growing bonsai plants. To create original landscapes, species that vary are widely used:

• needle color;
• length of needles;
• the size of the tree.

When choosing a suitable species, it is advisable to first become acquainted with the plant. The following varieties are used for home cultivation:

Mysterious larch

Many people think that if a tree is called larch, it means it is not a conifer. Actually this is not true. The plant is a representative of the Pine family, but unlike its relatives, it loses its needles in the fall.

Larch grows up to 50 m in height. In this case, the trunk reaches 1 m in diameter. The branches grow in a chaotic manner, with a barely noticeable slope. As a result, a cone-shaped crown is formed. The needles are noticeably flattened, soft to the touch, and bright green in color. In the natural environment there are 14 different varieties. The following types are used for garden design:

This diversity allows you to create magnificent landscapes on the territory of summer cottages.

Majestic pine

Biologists count more than a hundred different varieties of this evergreen plant. Moreover, the distinctive feature is the number of needles on one bunch. The pine tree often grows to a height of 50 meters. The straight trunk is covered with reddish-brown, cracking bark. Long needles are located on the spreading branches of the tree and have a rich aroma. Pine lives for about 600 years and tolerates cold and summer heat well.

Planting a pine tree should be done quickly, since its roots can dry out in a quarter of an hour. Such a plant does not take root in a new territory.

For garden decoration, breeders have created original miniature species:

Without a doubt, such evergreen living decorations are suitable for creating landscape rock gardens or mixborders. In any case, pine can become the calling card of a summer cottage.

Her Majesty - Thuja

An evergreen tree of this type is almost always used to decorate city parks and green areas. Recently, this plant has been widely used to decorate home gardens. It is valued by gardeners for its ability to withstand severe winter frosts, drought and high humidity.

The thuja tree is distinguished by lush branches on which scaly leaves of a dark green color are located. Every year the plant is covered with miniature cones that resemble scattered beads on green fabric. In addition to traditional forms, thujas come in:

• dwarf;
• weeping;
• creeping.

Most often, seedlings called “Occidentalis” are used for garden plot design. The tree can grow up to 7 m in height, and create a crown of about 2 m. Another species - “Cloth of Gold” - has a golden hue of needles. It takes root well in shady areas of the garden.

A medium-sized variety – “Columna” amazes with its needles of dark green coloring with a glossy tint. It does not disappear even in winter, for which it is highly valued by lovers of green spaces. "Columna"

The compact appearance of the thuja tree - "Holmstrup" has a conical shape, despite its height - 3 m. It tolerates cold winters wonderfully, can be pruned and is used as a hedge. Another giant – “Smaragd” – grows up to approximately 4 m. The diameter of an adult tree is up to 1.5 m. The needles are juicy, dark green in color with a shiny tint. Such a beauty will surely decorate the garden landscape of greenery lovers.

Having become more familiar with the majestic coniferous trees, it is easy to choose the appropriate option. And let the suburban area turn into a green oasis of joy, where persistent coniferous trees grow.

Conifers in landscape design - video

And got the best answer

Answer from GIRLS[expert]
Conifers
What trees are evergreen?


The fruits of these trees are protected by bark, such as cones, or they are simply small and hard, which also protects them from freezing.
Source:

Answer from QUEEN[guru]
Christmas tree))

Answer from Yoara[guru]
pine spruce fir larch thuja fir tree cypress cedar

Answer from Fireguard[guru]
to4nee, vse semeistvo hvoinih. tak zhe tropi4eskie derev"ya (pal"ma k primeru)

Answer from Nastena[guru]

Answer from Oliya Vdovichenko[guru]
Strictly speaking, plants are either deciduous or evergreen. That is, everything that does not shed its leaves for a certain season is evergreen.
In mid-latitudes, only coniferous trees are evergreen, but among them there is an exception - larch, a deciduous plant.
The warmer and milder the climate, the less reason the trees have to shed their leaves - they do not have to endure the harsh period of winter frosts. Therefore, all tropical and many subtropical trees are evergreen. Many of them are grown as indoor plants: ficus, boxwood, bay laurel, all kinds of palm trees, dracaenas, bottle trees (pachyra, pachypodium, bocarnea), etc.

Answer from Anna -[active]
Actually, there are no evergreen trees. It’s just that in conifers the crown change occurs gradually, so we don’t notice this process.

Answer from Alyonk@[guru]
What trees are evergreen?
Evergreens retain their foliage even in winter, which is not the case with trees with falling leaves.
The most famous and beloved tree that is always green is the spruce that we decorate for the New Year. The same is true for pine, thuja, fir, and cedar. The leaves of these trees are narrow, small, unlike those that fall, sometimes they even take the form of needles: this makes it easier to withstand the cold.
The fruits of these trees are protected by bark, such as cones, or they are simply small and hard, which also protects them from freezing

Answer from Olka[guru]
pine

Answer from Yoilva Muradyan[newbie]
and palm tree

Answer from 3 answers[guru]

Due to the varied colors of leaves and needles, evergreen trees and shrubs You can create interesting compositions in the garden.

Evergreen conifers and deciduous trees and shrubs, which we did not pay attention to for some time, are now coming back into fashion, they are planted to add variety to the color scheme of the garden. Conifers, for example, have many different varieties with unusual colors. They will be an ideal refuge for birds.

Yes and among evergreen deciduous you can find varieties and species that attract our attention with their decorative leaves - shiny, with a white or yellowish border, like the decorative forms of euonymus, oleaster and many other trees.

Combinations with evergreen trees and shrubs

Multi-colored flowers planted in front of it will help to revive a tall green hedge. evergreens: juniper "Compressa" and ivy in pots; Fortune's euonymus; periwinkle and funkia (hosta) (hosta) as ground cover; weeping cypress pea; hybrid sucker, common holly; Chinese juniper. Red-leaved barberry interspersed with boxwood in a low hedge can complement the picture.

Prickly spruce is famous for its decorative silver-blue needles, which is why it is called blue spruce. A bright contrast is provided by the dwarf blue spruce with the creeping yellow-leaved euonymus Fortune. Creeping euonymus can creep upward like ivy. The silvery edge of its leaves stands out especially brightly against the background of dark tree trunks.

Holly has shiny, dark green leaves edged with yellowish-white that add color to the tree and garden year-round. In the fall, red berries will also be added, which birds love to feast on. Privet has been known for over 130 years. This shrub with yellowish, oval-shaped leaves deserves a solo show.

A variety of evergreens work well when planted in front of deciduous trees and shrubs. In summer, their restrained colors blend harmoniously into the overall color scheme; in autumn they create lovely contrasts, for example, with red foliage or red fruits of other plants; in winter, among bare trees, they generally become the main decoration of the garden.

Yellow, white and silver leaves (especially needles) significantly enliven the dark corners of the garden. First of all, different varieties of evergreen creeping euonymus are suitable as ground cover here. To select taller plants, holly varieties that can grow in a shady location are suitable. Ivy and some varieties of euonymus, for example, “Emerald's Gold” and “Variegatus”, will climb up the walls and supports. They are especially impressive against the background of the dark bark of tree trunks. Climbing onto a pergola or trellis, they form good protection from the wind and prying eyes.

Variegated evergreens are suitable not only for mixed group plantings. They are no less interesting as soloists, especially if they have an unusual growth form, for example, columnar or weeping. The color of a particular variety is often clear from its name. For example, if the name contains the word “Aurea” or “Gold”, we are talking about a yellow-colored variety, for blue varieties the word “Glauca” is typical, for variegated silver-green varieties - “Varigata” and “Maculata”.

Planting and care

When allocating space in the garden for evergreen trees and shrubs, you need to take into account that they are more sensitive to winter cold than deciduous ones, so a place protected from northern and eastern winds is better suited for them. It is advisable to plant seedlings of trees with yellow needles in partial shade; if you plant them in an open sunny place, you will have to take care of protection from the winds and winter sun - the bright sun burns the needles, and in the shade they turn green.

The preferred time for planting is spring or autumn, then the plants take root quickly; if the seedlings are purchased with a ball of earth, then they can be planted at any time. In winter, conifers and deciduous evergreens are shaded to reduce evaporation through the leaves. In autumn, they are watered well throughout the fall so that in winter their leaves or needles do not wither or dry out.

Pruning in the first years is not necessary at all, with the exception of shape cutting, as well as the removal of dried branches.

In addition to flower crops, interest and demand for evergreen and coniferous trees and shrubs has recently grown. And this is understandable. Because they look the same all year round, they support the composition of the garden or plot, which in itself is very profitable and attractive. In addition, these plants are very beautiful and combine harmoniously both in a group and individually.

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Grape

In gardens and personal plots, you can choose a warmer place for planting grapes, for example, on the sunny side of the house, garden pavilion, or veranda. It is recommended to plant grapes along the border of the site. The vines formed in one line will not take up much space and at the same time will be well lit from all sides. Near buildings, grapes must be placed so that they are not exposed to water flowing from the roofs. On level areas it is necessary to make ridges with good drainage due to drainage furrows. Some gardeners, following the experience of their colleagues from the western regions of the country, dig deep planting holes and fill them with organic fertilizers and fertilized soil. The holes, dug in waterproof clay, are a kind of closed vessel that is filled with water during the monsoon rains. In fertile soil, the root system of grapes develops well at first, but as soon as waterlogging begins, it suffocates. Deep holes can play a positive role on soils where good natural drainage, permeable subsoil is provided, or reclamation artificial drainage is possible. Planting grapes

You can quickly restore an outdated grape bush using the layering method (“katavlak”). For this purpose, healthy vines of a neighboring bush are placed in grooves dug to the place where the dead bush used to grow, and covered with earth. The top is brought to the surface, from which a new bush then grows. Lignified vines are laid on layering in the spring, and green ones - in July. They are not separated from the mother bush for two to three years. A frozen or very old bush can be restored by short pruning to healthy above-ground parts or by pruning to the “black head” of an underground trunk. In the latter case, the underground trunk is freed from the ground and completely cut down. Not far from the surface, new shoots grow from dormant buds, due to which a new bush is formed. Neglected and severely frost-damaged grape bushes are restored due to stronger fatty shoots formed in the lower part of the old wood and the removal of weakened sleeves. But before removing the sleeve, a replacement is formed. Grape care

A gardener starting to grow grapes needs to thoroughly study the structure of the grapevine and the biology of this interesting plant. Grapes are vine (climbing) plants and require support. But it can spread along the ground and take root, as is observed with Amur grapes in a wild state. The roots and above-ground part of the stem grow quickly, branch strongly and reach large sizes. Under natural conditions, without human intervention, a branched bush of grapes grows with many vines of different orders, which begins to bear fruit late and produces crops irregularly. In cultivation, grapes are shaped and the bushes are given a shape that is easy to care for, ensuring a high yield of high-quality bunches. Planting lemongrass

Schisandra chinensis, or schisandra, has several names - lemon tree, red grapes, gomisha (Japanese), cochinta, kozyanta (Nanai), kolchita (Ulch), usimtya (Udege), uchampu (Oroch). In terms of structure, systemic relationship, center of origin and distribution, Schisandra chinensis has nothing in common with the real citrus plant lemon, but all its organs (roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, berries) exude the aroma of lemon, hence the name Schisandra. The schisandra vine that clings or wraps around a support, along with Amur grapes and three types of actinidia, is an original plant of the Far Eastern taiga. Its fruits, like real lemons, are too sour to be consumed fresh, but they have medicinal properties and a pleasant aroma, and this has attracted a lot of attention to it. The taste of Schisandra chinensis berries improves somewhat after frost. Local hunters who consume such fruits claim that they relieve fatigue, invigorate the body and improve vision. The consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia, compiled back in 1596, states: “the fruit of Chinese lemongrass has five tastes, classified as the first category of medicinal substances. The pulp of lemongrass is sour and sweet, the seeds are bitter and astringent, and in general the taste of the fruit is salty. Thus, All five tastes are present in it." Grow lemongrass

The way out for creating a diverse landscape is to use evergreen forms of plants in its design: from decorative mosses and lichens creeping along the ground and stones to such giants as cypress.

The range of such plants is huge. These are not only the usual conifers: spruce and fir of various species, all kinds of thuja, their direct relatives cypress and juniper. But also quite exotic representatives of deciduous trees, such as rhododendrons, cherry laurel, boxwood, mahonia, ivy and periwinkle.

Such a variety of species allows you to shape the landscape, even if the size of the plot is the notorious “6 acres”. Certain types of thuja and juniper will act as creators of living borders and internal partitions. Their large forms will serve as a means of camouflaging outbuildings, verandas, gazebos, or as standout details of the landscape. An example is a large blue spruce or thuja smaragd in a south-facing corner of the site. Why south? So that during the hottest time of the day in summer, low-growing forms of evergreen miniature trees and shrubs, which do not like direct sunlight, are sheltered from their influence under the canopy of these larger brothers.

Separately, it is worth dwelling on vines, and first of all, on common ivy.

This plant, unpretentious to the soil and its moisture content, is capable of “climbing” even to a height of 20 meters, using its aerial “mustache” roots. Even the roughness of a brick wall can serve as support for it.

Green forms of ivy are frost-resistant enough to survive the winter of the European part of the country.

The variegated Colchian ivy is more critical to frost; the vine can freeze.

It should be remembered that ivy can “strangle” any plant if it is allowed to grow uncontrollably, so it is better to use it as an independent crop.

This vine is not difficult to care for and easily tolerates both sunlight and life on the north side of the building. Watering is moderate, in the absence of rain no more than 2 times a week.

Periwinkle

The periwinkle is big. This is a typically creeping plant with a stem length of no more than 40 cm. Smooth oval-shaped leaves, with a fine fringe along the outer edge, are located on the stem in pairs, opposite each other.

Growing and branching, it covers the ground with a continuous carpet. It has large lobe-shaped petals and lilac-colored flowers; flowering begins in late spring - early summer. Resistant to frost, preserves well under snow.

Shade-tolerant creeping plant. It goes well with the low-growing thuja variety spherical Danica, forming a lower tier covering the soil, looks great in contrast with its yellow-green needles.

Or with the same color of needles of the small-sized Danika Aurea.

Combining different things

The best solution when forming local areas of the garden would be a combination of coniferous and deciduous plants. Stones placed among bushes and trees will bring even greater variety. Especially if they are arranged in tiers with flowers and bushes, and even above the water in the form of mini-ponds.

For better formation of tiers, you should also use trellis stands woven from thin shoots of bamboo or dead branches of hard trees, on which climbing evergreen perennials will rise from the flower bed.

The unsurpassed aesthetics of small forms of Japanese gardens, perfected over centuries, can serve as examples.

Separately - about conifers

The creation of a “shock” accent of one large form of coniferous tree has already been mentioned. Now let's consider the possibility of planting a small group of such plants, with all its advantages.

• Neighborhood with others like oneself better reveals decorative properties
• Plants tolerate wintering more easily
• In the warm season, located in close proximity to the place of rest, they emit shock doses of phytoncides into the atmosphere, ridding the environment of pathogenic forms.
• Planted close to each other, over time, as a result of regular cutting, they form a hedge that is impassable for humans and animals.

For normal development of conifers, it is better to orient them during planting along a line from south to north. This way they will be in the zone of optimal light exposure even for the lower branches.

Types of hedges

Naming a phenomenon means understanding it better. Therefore, it is worth indicating the names of hedges.

• Border. Created from low-growing species, it serves to limit paths and flower beds.
• It consists of bushes of high and medium height from 0.7 to 2 meters. Limits garden plots, front gardens, parks
• Bosquet. The living wall is more than 2 meters tall. Provide shade and protection for garden boundaries. If there is already an artificial fence around the site, then hops, campsis, virgin grapes, and climbing types of honeysuckle can be used to form a bosquet. As they grow, they form a barrier no worse than tall trees.
• Formable hedge. Requires regular pruning once given shape. The shape of the trimmed bushes depends only on the skill and imagination of the gardener.

Conclusion

Only by using a combination of deciduous and coniferous trees in the landscape design of a garden or park can you fully realize the potential of this green recreation area, regardless of the time of year.