The use of juniper in landscape design. Horizontal juniper in design Rocky juniper in garden design

Juniper is a very beautiful plant, belonging to the oldest cypress family, appearing on earth fifty million years ago. Starting from the mountain tropics and ending with the polar zone, about 70 varieties of this plant grow. Most junipers with small habitats are located on mountain plains. The inhabitants of mountain slopes and rocks are low-growing and creeping species of this plant. Juniper can sometimes reach 15 meters in height, mainly in the arid areas of central Asia, as well as America and Europe - this is the tree juniper. Let's take a closer look at the types.

Varieties of juniper used for landscaping

Common juniper, which is a tall, spreading shrub with needles that have a slightly bluish tint. Its needles are very prickly and needle-shaped. If we consider this type for landscaping suburban area, then garden forms are usually grown, such as dwarf and columnar shrubs. By the way, the most suitable for creating are dwarf,

but for creating hedges - columnar junipers. However, they are also suitable for group or single plantings. The most common forms of this type are Compressa, Green Carpet, Sentinel and Repanda.

Cossack juniper has scaly needles and is one of the most undemanding species. Typically, an adult plant reaches a height of one and a half meters, while its lower branches may have a needle-like shape. Most often used for planting in rockeries or lawns. It is also used to cover the soil. And its most common forms are Variegata, Tamariscifolia and Glauca.
Chinese juniper is a tree-like plant, the height of which can reach 8 - 10 meters with needle-shaped or scale-like needles, having a golden yellow color or various shades of green.

Most often used for group plantings or for rock gardens. The most common varieties include Stricta, Olympia and Blue Alps.
Juniper horizontalis is a creeping low bush with branches pressed to the ground and short needle-shaped or scale-like needles, the color of which can be different - it depends on the variety. The needles can have green, gray-green, blue or silver-blue shades.

The optimal use of this plant is for decorative borders, slopes or for the design of rocky terrain.
Juniper candy is a very miniature shrub no more than half a meter high with very beautiful silver-blue needles, it is a creeping plant species that occupies an area of no more than 3 square meters. An ideal plant for creating alpine slides.

Let's talk about the features of planting juniper

The fact is that any type of juniper (especially Cossack) needs special conditions during the planting process. First of all, you should always remember that this plant is planted exclusively in sunny areas, otherwise it will simply lose its decorative properties. The only exception to the rule is the common juniper. IN landscape design It is important to take into account that between these plants there should be a distance of at least half a meter (this is if the juniper is a small species) and one and a half to two meters for large plant species. Otherwise, subsequently there will be no distance between them, and they will begin to obscure each other. Another important point is that you should not plant them next to low-growing plants, which will lack both light and nutrition. The best option is to plant juniper around the perimeter of the house, as well as in front of the house.

Thus, you will get some kind of original hedge. Sometimes the plant is located in a checkerboard pattern throughout the area or, for example, near a rock garden. After which the pots with young plants are placed in the order in which they are planned to be planted. Container plants must be well saturated with moisture, for which they are kept in a container of water for two hours. Next, a hole is prepared, which should be slightly larger than the pot itself. Before planting plants, it is recommended to dig up the area to the depth of a shovel, clear it of any debris and fertilize it. A drainage layer is made at the bottom of the pit, for example, from sand or broken brick. The layer should have a thickness of 15 to 20 cm. Then the roots of the plants are covered with a soil mixture of turf, sand and peat, with peat making up two parts of the entire mixture, and the remaining components - one at a time. If the plants are large, the root collar at the time of planting should be located slightly higher than the edges of the soil surface.

The use of juniper in landscape design

Since this plant is unusually beautiful, it is widely used for landscaping. Tree varieties, for example, are used in group or single versions of park plantings. With the help of these plants you can create a wonderful hedge. Low-growing species, as well as dwarf ones, are most used in rock gardens and rockeries, i.e. in rocky gardens.

It is possible that juniper is planted to prevent erosion, because it holds the soil well. As a rule, tall columnar varieties with green or blue needles, imitating blue distances, are planted in the background,
It should be remembered that the plant absolutely cannot withstand gas pollution, because "loves" only ecologically clean areas. Therefore, for landscape design of a metropolis, the use of this plant excluded.

In what styles of landscape design is juniper appropriate?

Despite all the beauty of the evergreen plant, its harmonious presence is appropriate only in certain style areas of landscape design. For example, juniper will go well with the Scandinavian style, which is characterized by clear geometric shapes, as well as spaciousness and naturalness. Juniper, which has bright colored needles and is located against a background of moss, lichen and heather, will look extremely advantageous and impressive, acting as an expressive accent of the composition.
If the plot is registered in english style, then it is simply unthinkable without juniper. However, if for Scandinavian style The most suitable are dwarf varieties, but in this case larger species with calmer shades (green or blue) are appropriate. Those. the plant should not be an accent in this discreet style, but should serve as the final element to give the composition a finished look.

Juniper is also appropriate in styles such as Japanese and Oriental. Against the background of a riot of colors, the natural simplicity of this plant will have a shading function. To do this, designers recommend planting juniper next to heathers of bright colors.

For example, pampered ones, as well as peonies and clematis, should be planted at a distance from equal to at least two meters. Moreover, it is advisable to mulch and cover the spaces between the conifers, or use backfill with decorative chips.

Ground covers, for example, from evergreen plants such as thyme, bryozoan, tenacious, saxifrage, etc., are good for sod. This way they will create a background and at the same time protect from the appearance of weeds. Mulch and fill perform the same functions. Peat, walnut husks, pine litter, crushed bark, etc. are suitable for mulching.
If juniper is planted in a permanent place, it should not be placed at close range - the landscape will be monotonous. If the area is rocky, then you can very advantageously highlight the simplicity of the plants using barberries or dwarf heathers. On a sunny lawn, especially if there is a stream or flower garden nearby, yellow and orange spirea are perfect companions to junipers. When decorating the entrance, as well as the lawn in front of the house, juniper is best combined with other coniferous plants. If the composition uses stone (granite chips or natural boulders), it looks more original and charismatic.

IN winter time juniper, like any other coniferous plant, is the real king of the entire landscape, playing the most main role(of course, if he does not need shelter). The main thing is to remember that juniper will absolutely not be combined with lush crops and flowers with large inflorescences - this must be taken into account when creating landscape design. Of course, if you approach this issue skillfully, then you can achieve unity in this case, for example, using a stone with which to create transitions between these different plants. Or you can use clearings planted with creeping plants. This is a well-known technique when creating alpine slides.

From all of the above it follows...

Summarizing the above, it can be noted that planting juniper in the garden can solve several problems.

Flower beds, green lawns, hedges and large single shrubs are the basis of landscape design. But everyone wants to winter period When most plants bloom and lose their foliage, it is important that the landscaped area remains vibrant and attractive. This function is performed by coniferous compositions in landscape design and single evergreens. But some conifers do not get along next to each other and deciduous trees. To avoid annoying mistakes, professionals share their secrets with those who love gardening.

Flower beds and decorative perennials have long been used by gardeners in landscaping city yards and suburban areas. Abroad, gardens and vegetable gardens have long been abandoned in favor of neat beds decorative spicy greenery and compact vegetable crops. In the East, for many centuries the Japanese have been practicing a “rock garden” with sakura, red maple, wild grapes and low-growing conifers. The culture of gardening courtyards and thoughtful landscape design is actively taking root in our country.

Central Russia - natural environment many species of pine, larch, cedar and juniper. A little further south, Mediterranean cypresses, thujas and other heat-loving evergreen tree-like conifers are perfectly cultivated. Surprisingly, except blue spruce trees and some other pyramidal forms of this coniferous tree no other related plants were used. The exception was the resorts of Crimea and the North Caucasus, where still in Soviet times parks and alleys were decorated rare species evergreen forms.

Today, decorative forms of coniferous plants are increasingly used in landscape design and gardening of household plots. Asian and Mediterranean forms, through the efforts of domestic and Dutch breeders, are adapted to our climatic conditions. Although evergreen heat-loving plants are increasingly decorating our plots, many conifers native to Italy, Korea and Japan need to be sprinkled with sawdust on the roots and wrap the crowns for the winter, as in the photo.

It is very convenient to purchase cultivated compact forms for landscape design with coniferous compositions through catalogs and a specialized retail network. Although this is expensive in complex landscaping, it has its advantages:

the root system of a seedling in a pot or tub is protected;
each plant has a “passport” or brief instructions for care;
If you follow the recommendations for watering and cultivation, 100% rooting of the young conifer is guaranteed.

Attention! If in point of sale from a number of identical plants they offer slightly yellowed ones, do not buy - this is the first sign of the seedling dying! Even if planted in fertile soil and intensive watering, it will not be possible to revive it, with rare exceptions. Such material can only be taken for free - in addition to a batch of other plants to plant somewhere near the edge.

Coniferous composition on a summer cottage

If you are not sure that the acquired garden forms will take root, in the first year you can hire a professional gardener who will care for the “young growth”. When rooted thujas, juniper and ornamental spruces overwinter and in the spring they put out young, slightly colored branches - a signal that the conifers feel great in a new place and do not need careful care.

Advice. Do not forget that any tree-like plant during the period of active growth needs additional watering (especially in dry summers), fertilizing and wrapping the crown during frosts.

Competent care and thoughtful planting of young evergreen seedlings in landscape design using conifers is a guarantee that the site will be beautiful at any time of the year. The main thing is that they do not shade each other and do not oppress less viable forms with their phytoncides. For example, other conifers do not coexist near a single larch or gradually degrade.

Decorating a cottage with coniferous plants

Landscape design with coniferous plants

It is desirable that the basis of the composition be a single tall or medium-sized plant surrounded by 2-3 coniferous forms of contrasting forms. A green lawn or small gravel is an excellent background for such planting. It can be supplemented with compact flowering perennials or ornamental fruit-bearing shrubs, which can be adjusted annually by pruning.

Attention! You should not plant large conifers, fast-growing and spreading forms in the center of the site and under the windows of the building. Otherwise, in 5-6 years they will turn into forest wilds, creating excess shadow near the flowerbed or front garden.

Several identical conifers should not be planted randomly; it is better to place them along an alley or as a hedge. Compact spruce trees or similar plants combine perfectly with weeping deciduous trees near an artificial pond at the edge of the garden, as in the photo.

Landscape design in coniferous composition

Cottage design with coniferous plants

Variations of coniferous forms

For most people, coniferous plants are fir trees and pines, which are usually decorated as new year holidays. They also include Siberian and Lebanese cedars, but the difference is not known to ordinary people. What the branches of larch, thuja, cypress or juniper look like is anyone's guess.

This is interesting. Each variety of conifers has its own subspecies, with large variations in the color of cones or berries, crown shape and needle length. Italian weeping pine trees are the same as pine trees, but the needles can reach 20-30 cm in length. And there are coniferous forms with large purple cones and small red rose-like cones. For landscaping arboretums they use juniper with blue edible berries, and the variety with bright red fruits is poisonous. Young branches of decorative spruce trees can have a light green, golden or blue hue, examples are in the photo.

Coniferous composition on a summer cottage

Decorating a cottage with coniferous plants

When selecting coniferous compositions in landscape design, it is advisable to become more familiar with the species diversity of these relict plants. Botanists claim that conifers or gymnosperms reigned during the time of dinosaurs, replacing the era of tree-like horsetails and ferns. But they also find it difficult to answer how many natural varieties and subspecies these representatives of the kingdom of flora and fauna have.

Scientists annually discover new endemics in impenetrable virgin forests, which are used by breeders to breed decorative subspecies.

Landscape design with coniferous plants

Landscape design in coniferous composition

The main classification of conifers in nurseries is based on crown shape:

spherical;
ovoid,
spiral;
spreading flat-topped;
crying;
pyramidal;
columnar;
oval;
creeping (flat);
squat;
rare crown.

The following forms are also distinguished:

tall;
medium height;
short;
creeping.

Attention! Over time, low-growing plants will look like medium-sized ones, while dwarf and compact conifers will take up more space. You should not plant them densely, so as not to spoil the original idea in the landscape design.

Cottage design with coniferous plants

Coniferous composition on a summer cottage

How to compose compositions?

Conifers are quite unique plants in many respects. They rarely get sick and are subject to attacks by pests, and withstand the vagaries of the weather. Most of them do not require special fertile soil, although each species has its own preferences. Some shed their needles like larch, others bloom pink in landscape design, like the Crimean thuja. All these forms are classified as evergreens, and most purify the air, filling it with phytoncides that are destructive to pathogenic microflora. Compact trees, densely covered with needles, are quite impressive both in single plantings and in a general composition with other “neighbors”, as in the photo.

Decorating a cottage with coniferous plants

Landscape design with coniferous plants

The design of the site is usually divided into several zones, where certain types of plants will be in the center of the composition. Depending on the purpose, from a catalog or in a garden supermarket, you can choose or order different conifers. Most often they offer compact, dwarf and low-growing forms.

Attention! To suit your taste, you can choose any variety of pine, spruce, fir, cedar, larch, thuja, cypress or juniper. But there is one condition - they must be adapted and acclimatized to a specific region. Not all of them are organically perceived in the vicinity of decorative and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs.

Most evergreen forest beauties are in harmony with those trees and shrubs with which they usually coexist in the wild. These are oaks and birches, maples and rowan trees, hawthorn and rose hips.

Attention! You should not plant several conifers from different geographical zones nearby at once; this often looks unnatural.

“Northerners” can suppress stunted and dwarf forms native to the Mediterranean and Far Eastern regions with their phytoncides. And selective and hybrid forms will be oppressed by their natural relatives. Lebanese cedars and Siberian larches are considered the most “quarrelsome”.

Cottage design with coniferous plants

Coniferous composition on a summer cottage

Gardeners have noticed that most evergreens thrive in the shade, so they are planted behind the house on the north side. However, this does not apply to Mediterranean endemics and varieties of Christmas trees with light needles, which fade in the shade.

Cones are a natural dining area for many wild birds, which willingly flock to the site in winter and late autumn, filling the yard with joyful chirping. However, natural fertilizer after treating with seeds can spoil the appearance of a well-groomed coniferous composition in landscape design.

Most cultivated forms lend themselves well to “haircutting”; they can be given the most bizarre shapes - from elephants to precise spirals. But some coniferous plants get sick even if one branch is broken.

Decorating a cottage with coniferous plants

Landscape design with coniferous plants

Landscape design in coniferous composition

If you want to improve personal plot evergreen sculptures, you need to choose the right dense forms with small branches and short needles. You will also have to look for specialists who create real masterpieces. You should not experiment with living plants if you are not sure that such “creations” are within your power.

Take a close look at the examples in our photo gallery. Perhaps these ideas will inspire and suggest a new concept for the design of your site.

Video: How to use conifers in landscape design

Junipers are extremely popular in landscape design due to their huge variety of shapes, sizes and colors. They grow relatively slowly, require virtually no cutting and are unpretentious to growing conditions. Junipers can be trees and reach 15 meters in height. They can be either two-meter shrubs or very miniature shrubs only 20 centimeters high.

The shape of the juniper can be cone-shaped and weeping, spreading and columnar, funnel-shaped and cushion-shaped, spherical and fountain-like. They will decorate any site, any landscape design project, as they combine equally well not only with their coniferous counterparts, but also with deciduous shrubs and flowers. In addition, junipers have one irreplaceable quality - they are evergreens, therefore they are equally decorative at any time of the year.

For normal growth and development of juniper trees and shrubs, a sunny location, well-drained soil and deep but infrequent watering are required. In the shade, plants lose their decorative effect and become thinner. Once planted, juniper requires almost no maintenance and responds positively to pruning.

It is better to purchase junipers in nurseries, where you can get all the information about plants, from planting to care.

In landscape design, junipers are used as accent plants. But more often they are used in a group with other conifers. Junipers are beautiful plants for hedges of any height. And some dwarf species in combination with heather crops they decorate a rock garden or rock garden.

Junipers- one of the best ground cover plants. They are persistent, unpretentious and are worthy competitors to everything that tries to grow under them. They also look good next to each other and create the feeling of one big mass.

Juniper in the landscape

But not only creeping types of juniper are popular in garden design, some of them look great in single plantings. As a rule, such junipers should have some interesting shape or color. Junipers have an incredibly diverse palette of colors. Their needles can be bright green, silver-gray, golden yellow, and sometimes a combination of these colors on one plant. Now add to this the soft, fuzzy shape of the plant, and a whole sculpture appears in front of you.

Juniper trees and shrubs are characterized by a large number of species and varieties. Let's look at plants that are popular among designers of landscape studios when designing garden plots.

Common juniper(lat. Juniperus communis) is a cone-shaped tree about 8 m high, growing in our forests. In the landscape design of the site, juniper varieties are mainly used:

Horstmann– an original shrub up to 2 m high with a weeping crown shape. Prefers sunny places, needs support and is used in single plantings.
Suecica– very popular variety in landscape design. This is a slender multi-stemmed shrub with a dense columnar crown, the height of which in adulthood reaches 4 m. It is undemanding to the soil, winter-hardy, drought-resistant, and tolerates pruning well. Used in single plantings and in groups.
Hibernica – ornamental shrub about 3 m high with a columnar crown of bluish-green color. Suffering from sunburn, so better plant plant in partial shade.
Repanda– creeping form of juniper 0.2-0.4 m high. Coverage diameter – 2.0-2.5 m. The needles are dark green with silver stripes on the upper side. Well suited for planting in rock gardens or rockeries.

Chinese juniper(lat. Juniperus chinensis) is a tall tree or shrub with various forms crowns It is impossible to find a specific plant for sale, but there are many of its decorative forms:

Expansa Variegata– this variety of juniper has a variegated color. There are creamy inclusions on a dark green background. Its crown is funnel-shaped. The height of the bush is slightly more than a meter. This is a winter-hardy juniper; it does not burn in the sun. Used in rocky gardens and oriental style gardens.
Gold Coast- a shrub 1 m high with a spreading crown with a diameter of 2-3 m. Its needles have a golden-yellow color, which darkens slightly in winter. Juniper prefers a sunny planting location. Recommended for planting in groups with other conifers or mixed groups, in rock gardens and rockeries.
Old Gold- juniper, reaching a height of 1.5 m in our climatic conditions. The shrub retains the color of its greenish-yellow needles throughout the year. Prefers a well-lit planting site and is winter-hardy. In landscape design it is used in single and group plantings. Suitable for decorating any rocky garden.
Gold Star– a low-growing shrub up to 1 m high with a spreading crown. The edges of the needles are bright yellow. Looks great in single and group plantings.
Pfitzeriana- a shrub 2-3 m high with a widely spreading crown and prickly bluish-green needles. Tolerates winter well and does not burn in the sun. Recommended for single planting or in decorative groups with other shrubs.
Strict- a shrub with a narrow cone-shaped crown and bluish-green needles. The height of an adult plant is about 2.0-2.5 m. This winter-hardy variety, which burns in the sun. In winter, it is better to tie the branches so that they are not damaged by snow. Used in single and group plantings, suitable for heather gardens.

Juniper horizontal(lat. Juniperus horizontalis) is an evergreen low-growing shrub with a creeping crown. The following varieties are especially popular in landscape design:

Andorra Compacta is a low-growing shrub (0.3-0.4 m) with a cushion-shaped crown. The variety is slow-growing, winter-hardy, light-loving. Used in single and group plantings in rocky gardens.
Prince of Wales– this juniper has unusual shape crown, spread out with only a few branches. From above it looks like a crown. In garden design it is used as a ground cover plant. Its height is 0.2-0.3 m and its diameter is 1.5-2.0 m. This is one of the slowest growing varieties of juniper, which makes it almost irreplaceable in rock gardens or rockeries.
Glauca– creeping form of juniper. It has beautiful blue needles. The height of the bush is 0.2 m. Looks good on retaining walls and in rocky gardens. Winter-hardy, moisture-loving, does not tolerate dry air and extreme heat.
Blue Chip– a dwarf form of juniper 0.2 m high. It has silver-blue needles. One of the expensive varieties.

Rock juniper(lat. Juniperus scopulorum) is evergreen shrub or a tree up to 10 m high with a cone-shaped crown. IN garden landscaping The following varieties are used:

Juniper squamosus(lat. Juniperus squamata) is a densely branched shrub up to 1.5 m high. The most famous varieties in this crop are:

Blue Carpet- a very low creeping shrub, reaching a height of 0.3 m and a width of 1.2 m. The color of the needles is gray-blue. In landscape design it is used as a ground cover plant on alpine roller coaster or rockeries.
Blue Star- a wide shrub with raised shoots. The height of the juniper is 1 m, the diameter of the crown is 1.5-2.0 m. It is not the most frost-resistant form; it is recommended to cover the bush in winter. The needles burn in the sun. Applicable in border plantings and on rocky hills.
Meyeri- a form of juniper widely known among gardeners. This shrub, up to 2 m high, has bluish-white needles and a funnel-shaped crown. It is recommended to trim the Meyeri juniper once a year, this will stimulate the growth of new shoots and give the plant a good shape. It is used in group and single plantings, as well as in heather and rocky gardens.
Holger- spreading shrub with a wide crown. Its height reaches 1 m, and the crown diameter is 1.5-2.0 m. This decorative form juniper has an interesting coloring of needles. Adult shoots are silver-blue, and young growths are golden-yellow. Recommended for planting in rocky gardens.

Gray Owl

(lat. Juniperus sabina) is a creeping shrub up to 1.5 m high. The plant quickly grows in width and forms dense thickets. The most famous varieties of juniper are:

Habitus, descriptions of varieties, photographs of juniper can be found in the alphabetical index of plants for landscape designers.

Juniper has gained immense popularity in landscape design due to its unpretentiousness, as well as a wide variety of shapes and sizes. This article describes how it can be used to decorate a home plot, as well as park areas.

Why juniper

In general, coniferous crops began to be used for landscaping a site quite a long time ago, because they delight with their beauty at any time of the year. In the last few years, designers have also used juniper to decorate areas, since its unique appearance can significantly change the area being decorated. Its size, combining both dwarf species and specimens reaching the size of full-fledged trees, is capable of combining large number decorating styles available to evergreen perennial plant lovers.

Juniper

What varieties can be used for planting outside?

Cossack juniper, which is dwarf, is perfect for decorating rocky areas. This species is the most common and fastest growing, and therefore has gained great popularity among gardeners and professionals. Cossack juniper Variegata in landscape design differs from other varieties in that it extends along the ground, but at the same time its spreading crown has a stunning blue-green color and has a sharp pine smell.

Another good variety of creeping shrubs is the horizontal juniper, the needles of which have a deep gray-green color with a slight bluish haze. The plant reaches 0.5 m in height and is perfect for decorating the edges of borders. Also suitable for these purposes is the cup-shaped Siberian juniper, which has gray, prickly needles.

Pay attention! One of the tall varieties that goes well with any crop is Chinese juniper, reaching up to 10 m in height. The range of shades ranges from different tones of green to golden yellow.

Juniper virginiana is also suitable, which, as a rule, is represented by tall columnar species.

An interesting option for planting could be the common juniper Hortsmann, the crown of which, as it grows, looks as if drooping, forming unique shape plants.

Another view common juniper, which is distinguished by a chaotic pyramidal shape - Suetsika. This species reaches a size of up to 10 m in height.

Cultivation and planting methods

Juniperus variegata is one of the most unpretentious and frost-resistant plant species. It can be planted in stony, rocky, acidic, and also oily soil. This juniper is perfect for shady places.

To plant a shoot, you need to dig a hole several times larger than its roots, then add drainage in the form of old loose bricks or small stones to the bottom. If the soil type is acidic, then it is worth adding lime or dolomite flour. You should definitely loosen the soil, then place the shrubs. Before this, it is advisable to treat parts of the plant with a solution of potassium permanganate. It would not be bad if the seedling had a closed root system. It must be placed in the planting hole along with a lump of earth from the pot. After this, the roots are covered with sand. Well, in the end, fill the remaining space with sawdust or tree bark, because this can protect against the appearance of weeds.

For horizontal juniper, loamy or sandy loam soil types are best suited. Otherwise, all planting rules for junipers are the same.

Important! The main thing is to ensure good soil drainage, since shrubs do not like stagnant water. Also, do not plant them in clay soil.

Plant this type should be in a well-lit place in the spring.

Varieties of Chinese juniper are absolutely not shade-tolerant and will certainly die if planted in the wrong place. The ideal time for planting would be April or May, as well as the beginning of September.

In general, all types of shrubs require the same care and planting algorithm, but with the slight difference that some varieties are suitable only for specific soil types. And, despite the fact that most juniper varieties can grow in the shade, you still need to ensure constant sunlight.

For your information! In order for the seedlings to take root better, it is recommended to replace the soil around the roots with a sand-peat mixture.

Water the plant with special care. If it grows in a place where groundwater comes close to the surface of the earth, watering must be done so as not to flood the plant with water. In one season, it is worth providing the juniper with about 5 waterings. In the hot season, their number needs to be increased. In addition, the branches should be regularly sprayed with water to maintain beautiful view pine needles

Juniper in garden design

A summer cottage can be easily decorated using both creeping and upright growing varieties.

Flowerbed with juniper

Pay attention! Coniferous plants are used in almost any landscape design style. The main thing is to take into account their compatibility with other plants, and also that junipers should grow at a distance of 1 to 4 m from each other, depending on the specific species.

When decorating a flower bed, many people wonder what to plant next to the juniper? There are many options. Hydrangea and juniper growing next to each other will perfectly complement each other. But juniper and pear are a very dangerous neighborhood, as the fruit tree can easily wither. Ephedra is good place for the propagation of rust fungus, which affects many crops. It is best to plant other plants along with it, for example, tulips, roses, daffodils, other conifers, dogwood, honeysuckle, etc.

In addition, juniper will look advantageous on alpine slides. For an English-style garden, you can choose pyramidal and columnar varieties. If you have the proper skill, you can decorate the edges of the paths with junipers on a trunk or place such a beautiful shrub in the center of any compositions. A flowerbed with hostas and juniper would also be a good option.

Important! Dwarf species should be planted next to tall plants and, vice versa, so that they do not block the sun from each other.

Juniper for hedges

Compositions with juniper bushes are not limited to flower beds. You can also create hedges with your own hands, which will become an amazing variation of a fence. This creation looks good in combination with trees, such as birch, and also beautifully encloses the flowerbed area. Such a fence can also be created against a background of red brick.

To form it, you should pay attention to high-growing varieties of common, Virginia and Chinese junipers. But it’s worth remembering that the latter variety will have to be covered for the winter.

Important! To give the bush the necessary shape, you need to get garden shears and hedge trimmers. The sides are cut in May and September, but the top can be cut only after reaching 10 years of age.

Design ideas

There are many examples of how you can design a landscape using juniper.

An example of designing a flower bed in the English style

Cone-shaped juniper goes well with a small hydrangea shrub.

Creeping conifer along with hydrangea, similar to lilac.

By the way, lilac itself goes well with shade-tolerant juniper.

Compositions using hosta

This combination is distinguished by its conciseness and simplicity. Shade dark shades Barberry berries will also help with foliage.

Juniper hedges

Any fence can be designed in various options, How single wall, and in the form of a thinned row of trees, the crowns of which grow upward. Do not forget that in this way you can fence off the area from prying eyes.

The hedge will look very advantageous if you fence it with a decorative fence.

Thus, it is not surprising that ordinary gardeners and designers are giving increasing preference to this culture, because it really amazes with its great diversity unpretentious species, as well as possibilities for decoration.

Juniper is a very ancient plant of the cypress family. It is widespread on Earth and there are about 70 known species. It most often grows on mountain plains, although some varieties prefer deep, soft soil, others prefer rocky surfaces.

Growing horizontal juniper at home is not so difficult if you provide it the right conditions and choose varieties suitable for your climate. Those that are too heat-loving may freeze in winter, while those that are cold-resistant will feel unwell in the summer heat. Now we will tell you how to choose the right type of plant, variety and what is best to plant in your dacha.

Varieties of horizontal juniper and description

Creeping low-growing varieties, approximately 0.5 to 1 meter in height. We will talk about them, about the types of horizontal juniper. Horizontal juniper in landscape design is usually used as an element in the design of borders, creating living barriers, and framing rocky embankments in the garden. There are many options for its design use. It all depends on the overall style chosen in the garden design and on the specific variety of plant being planted.

Let's consider more varieties horizontal juniper, what are the characteristics and species characteristics of each, as well as how to plant horizontal juniper of one or another variety:

Juniper horizontal Blue Chip. One of the most popular and beloved varieties by gardeners. Its beautiful, dense shoots gracefully spread along the ground, creating the appearance of a living “carpet” on the site. Its height usually reaches 20 - 30 centimeters. As the name implies, the color of the needles is silver-blue. It has a pleasant aroma and a soft aesthetic appearance. Perfect for rocky gardens and rock gardens. It is preferable to plant it on sunny place, or in a slight shade. The planting depth in the prepared drainage layer is 20 cm.
Juniper horizontal Andora Compact. Slow growing shrub with light green needles. In winter it changes color to purple. Low - only about 0.4 m in height and 1 meter in diameter. Loves an abundance of light and warmth. Not recommended for planting on the shady side. But it adapts well to winter. Planted in slightly acidic or neutral soil. The depth of the drainage hole is about 20 cm. They are good for decorating rocky embankments in the garden, hills, and slopes. They can be used to trim taller bushes.
Juniper horizontal Prince of Wales. Small and graceful "European". It has densely growing blue needles, which change color to reddish in winter. Its height is only 0.15 m, and its diameter is approximately 2 m. This variety is quite slow-growing; it will take 10 years for it to complete its cycle. But it is durable and not too picky about the planting site. Can grow on dry rocky soil, and the landing site is chosen to be both a sunny area and a shaded area. When planting, a distance of 0.5 to 2 meters should be maintained between individual plants. Carefully planted at a depth of 70 cm with a drainage layer of sand about 20 cm. Does not tolerate drought well, so you need to ensure regular watering of the plant. Has high frost resistance.
Juniperus horizontalis Viltoni. This is a dense creeping bush. It reaches a height of 0.1 - 0.2 m. The diameter is about two meters. It has flexible branches of a bluish-green color, which, when spread across the ground, also create the appearance of a carpet. Thanks to this, it can be planted as a cover layer instead of regular grass. Also suitable for decorating a stone wall or rock garden. It can also be planted in a separate container as one of the central design elements. In general, it all depends on the garden design style chosen by the gardener. It needs to be planted on sunny side, or in slight shade. The distance between individual plants is maintained (0.5 - 2 m). It is also planted at a depth of 70 cm with a drainage layer of 20 cm. The soil needs to be slightly acidic or neutral. Does not tolerate dryness, so frequent watering is required. Many varieties do not tolerate blight, so they are covered with spruce branches and a layer of peat (at an early stage of growth).
Juniper horizontal Golden Carpet. Slow growing, creeping variety. Its needles are bright golden color. Its height rarely exceeds 0.15 m and its diameter is 1.5 m. The growth rate is 10 cm per year. Creates the effect of a beautiful golden carpet on garden plot. It will decorate a rock garden, a diverse garden composition, or become a beautiful separate element of landscape design when planted in a flower bed. It is not too picky about the soil and tolerates low temperatures well. Often used to decorate city streets. It is better to plant it on the sunny side, since in the shade the brightness of the golden color gradually fades. Planting horizontal juniper Golden Carpet is generally no different from the above varieties. Depth 70 cm, drainage layer 20 cm, maintaining a distance between individual plants - from 05 to 2 m.
Juniperus horizontalis Lime Glow. This is a dwarf decorative shrub. Its maximum height is 0.4 m, and its diameter is 2 m. In summer, its needles have green, and in winter it takes on a bronze tint. Selective to soil and prefers sand to soft rocks. Juniper horizontalis Lime Glow – frost-resistant variety resistant to prolonged drought. Can be planted on the sunny side or slightly in the shade. The rules for planting it are still the same: depth 70 cm, drainage layer 20 cm. A distance of 05 - 2 m is maintained between individual plants when planting. Despite its resistance to drought, regular watering must be observed. At an early stage of growth, in winter it is covered with spruce branches and peat.
Juniper horizontalis Nana. It can also be called “recumbent juniper”. At full height it reaches 30 cm, with a diameter of 1.5 m. It grows by 15 cm per year. Some varieties later grow up to 40 cm. It has a dense crown and bluish-green needles. It takes root well in any soil with sufficient moisture. Tolerates conditions easily low temperatures. You can plant both on the sunny side and in the shade. Landing rules and further care standard: planting depth – 70 cm, drainage layer – 20 cm, distance between bushes from 0.5 to 2 m. It is necessary to ensure timely watering and protect plants at an early stage of growth from winter cold (covering them with spruce branches and peat). Fertilize once a year. Preferably in late spring.

These are the most popular types of horizontal juniper used in landscape design of a garden, vegetable garden or street. Of course, there are more exotic varieties, but, unfortunately, they do very poorly in our climate and are more suitable for collection cultivation in greenhouses than for ordinary yard decoration.

More information about horizontal juniper

This article does not contain all the features of cultivation and planting, and the characteristics of varieties. Therefore, if you are interested in pruning horizontal juniper, the correct creation of greenhouse conditions at an early stage of growth in winter, replanting, propagation and other nuances, then it is better to study the variety you have chosen separately.

Horizontal juniper in landscape design, with a particular chosen style of garden, it can be planted, pruned and grown differently in different types of shade. It is recommended to become more familiar with each individual variety, its characteristics and care recommendations.

We also recommend looking at photos of horizontal juniper in landscape design in advance in order to visually evaluate the benefits of each variety and the appropriateness of planting it in your garden. You can also evaluate the relevance and aesthetics of their combination with. Moreover, it is advisable to look at the plants at their maximum growth so that the results meet your expectations. In any case, this wonderful fragrant plant, unpretentious and not too demanding on the soil, will serve as a good addition or become a highlight in the overall garden design.

Horizontal junipers
Landscape design option