A country or personal plot should bring not only a rich harvest of fruits and vegetables. It should contribute to a good rest of the owners. For this, various natural compositions are created from flowers, trees, stones, etc. A stunted shrub allows you to complement the landscape design with indescribably beautiful shapes and shades.
Today there is a huge variety of species of such plants. To choose the best option, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of experts. It is necessary to select a shrub in accordance with your taste preferences and the characteristics of the growth of each decorative species.
general characteristics
The undersized shrub is common today in landscape design. This is due to its variety of species, as well as a unique decorative effect. Such plants are able to create a separate composition, as well as serve as a backdrop for other plants. At the same time, the garden looks charming and original.
Almost all types of undersized shrubs are unpretentious in care. The only thing to consider when choosing a place to land is the need for sunlight. Some species like shaded areas under a fence or near buildings. Others prefer to grow almost in direct sunlight.
Fast-growing shrubs lush carpet spread on the ground, can form hedges. They are able to close unsightly areas or objects in the garden. They also reduce the number of weeds. The height of undersized shrubs does not exceed 1 m. Many species of ornamental plants fall into this category.
Varieties
There are many varieties of undersized shrubs. There are flowering, coniferous, fruit varieties. There is also a low-growing perennial that is resistant to frost, as well as annual plants.
In accordance with the seasons, four groups of shrubs are distinguished. In the spring, spirea, forsythia, and keria develop well. In summer, a huge number of plants will delight the eye. It can be barberry, heather. Almost all flowering species will do.
In the fall, the site will be decorated with viburnum, abelia, hawthorn, Japanese maple. In winter, coniferous varieties, holly, berry yew will look beautiful.
When choosing, it is necessary to take into account the growing conditions of the shrub. There are varieties that need a lot of sunlight, heat or moisture. In accordance with existing conditions, it is necessary to select one or another variety.
Flowering varieties
Flowering undersized shrubs can decorate a specific area in the garden. Flowers can have different sizes and colors. Most often, domestic gardeners choose plants such as common heather or Japanese quince, action.
Some gardeners grow on their site as a flowering shrub. However, this plant is not suitable for those gardeners in whom small children can walk on the site. It looks like a beautiful plant that releases a sea of light purple flowers. However, all parts of the top are very toxic. Therefore, such plants are planted in the garden, where visitors do not walk. Such a bush is better to just contemplate from afar.
Graceful action is a bush capable of growing up to 80 cm in height. The plant is almost completely unaffected by garden pests. Its white lush flowering branches of an openwork veil fall to the ground.
Heather (shrub) will bloom throughout the second half of summer. Its shoots are directed upwards. This plant loves sunlight. In such conditions, a gentle pink bloom will delight summer residents for a long time.
Hedge decoration
Plants such as Japanese quince, potentilla, blackberry, and buckthorn willow are suitable for decorating hedges. The first variant of the bush is characterized by flowering in late May. Bright scarlet flowers densely frame its branches. This is a perennial plant that is not afraid of frost. On arched branches there are thorns.
Shrubby cinquefoil is called a universal plant. Planting and care are characterized by simplicity. Potentilla grows on almost all types of soils. She can decorate the curb with her graceful shoots or form a hedge. Flowering is quite long. It can be contemplated for more than 100 days.
With the help of buckthorn willow, you can create a delicate, openwork hedge. This plant does not exceed 25 cm in height. But in the horizontal plane, it grows quite strongly. Shoots can take root. This gives the plant the appearance of a solid green carpet. He likes shaded, well-moistened areas. It is recommended to plant it near a fountain or stream.
Slow growing species
One of the slowest growing species is cotoneaster horizontal. This disadvantage is offset by its high decorative effect. The leaves of this plant in summer have a green color. However, by autumn it changes to purplish-orange hues.
Also, many gardeners like to grow this bush because of its bright coral red berries. They appear in the fall. Even during periods of frost, they do not crumble from the branches. In the first snow days, red berries look beautiful from under their white hats.
Cross-paired microbiota also slowly grows . It is an evergreen plant. It prefers dark places on the site. The needles do not tolerate falling onto their branches of direct sunlight. In this case, it begins to turn yellow and fall. Ideal for growing under the fence, in shady places near the house. This plant tolerates winter well, but does not like excessive watering.
Fast growing varieties
One of the fast-growing plants is considered to be apical pachisander. Planting and care require knowledge of the features of this shrub. Pachisandra loves shady places. It will not develop well in direct sunlight. Ideally plant a plant under the crowns of trees. In these places, pachisander creates a dense green carpet.
This plant quickly fills the free space. Flowering lasts a fairly short time. However, the decorativeness of the plant is high in ordinary times. Small white flowers adorn the branches of a shrub.
Also distinguished by the rapid growth of incised stefanander. It is able to cover almost any area with its green mass. Therefore, it is used to create carpet litter in gardens, as well as for hedges. The plant quickly wraps around its shoots of support. Stefanander is unpretentious in leaving.
Shrubs with berries
Fast-growing shrubs usually do not have pronounced decorative fruits. If the owners of the site prefer to see berries on their shrubs, a snowman should be preferred.
A distinctive feature of this plant is the presence on its branches of beautiful white or pale pink fruits. They remain on the bush throughout the winter. This plant prefers to grow on limestone soils. The care is unpretentious.
This type of shrub can be trimmed, forming from it a crown of the correct geometric shape. There are varieties of snowmobiles that form a dense green carpet. However, they do not tolerate frost.
Fruit bushes
One of the most famous fruit shrubs among summer residents is split blackberry. This undersized perennial can grow strongly in the horizontal plane. The length of the bush can reach 4 m. At the same time, the height of the plant does not exceed 80 cm. There are well-developed thorns on the branches.
From the shoots of this type of blackberry, a hedge can be formed. After a flowering period, edible fruits will appear on its branches. These are sweet, healthy berries. They can be consumed raw or covered with compotes and preserves.
In autumn, the leaves of the blackberry split change their color from dark green to bright purple. This is a beautiful, interesting plant. Due to the presence of edible fruits, split blackberries are very popular among gardeners.
Conifers
In landscaping, coniferous low-growing shrubs for the garden are actively used . One of the most popular species is spruce. For decorative purposes, a special look was bred. This is a small shrub, which reaches a height of about 30-50 cm. A hemispherical crown with densely folded branches perfectly complements with its dark green needles a country or personal plot.
Coniferous varieties are frost-resistant. They do not lose their decorative qualities even in winter. Coniferous undersized shrubs are unpretentious. They grow on almost all types of soil.
Also used by gardeners in landscape design, recumbent juniper. It does not grow above 60 cm. In width it grows up to 2 m. Its needles are dense, has a bluish tint. Juniper is unpretentious in leaving.
Other decorative options
In addition to the above types in landscape design, such an undersized shrub as St. John's wort is used. It is an easy-to-care plant. It grows well in almost all places on the site. Its bright yellow flowers look beautiful in the garden. St. John's wort is not afraid of harsh winters. If the owners can not provide constant care for the bush, you should choose St. John's wort. Even after drought, frost or excessive humidity, the plant is quickly restored.
It is recommended to plant different types of junipers in our climatic latitudes , decorative mountain pine (needs pruning to form a crown), cedar shrubs. Barberry, broom, turf and boxwood will also develop well. These plants take root well, do not require special care and delight their owners for a long time.
Having considered such an ornamental plant as a stunted shrub, as well as its existing species, especially the care, each gardener will be able to choose the best option for his personal garden or summer cottage.