Coniferous plants in your garden - this is the original landscape design, beautiful aroma, as well as the daily pleasure of seeing evergreen, fluffy twigs. However, the question arises, which plants are best to choose for your site? Fir trees, pines and cedars are amazing, but it will take a very long time to wait until they become adults. However, there is an alternative. Any kind of juniper, and there are a lot of them, can become a real highlight of your garden. In addition, representatives of this family grow much faster and are quite unpretentious.
Extraordinary variety of shapes
No wonder gardeners loved this plant so much. Just a couple of junipers on the site will give you a delicate aroma that delights you on a warm summer evening. And also amateurs note the unpretentiousness that any variety of juniper possesses. To find two identical in principle is very difficult, because there are a huge number of interesting shapes, original colors and textures of needles.
The genus of junipers includes about 60 varieties of plants of all shapes and sizes. They grow throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere, starting from the mountain tropics and right up to the polar zone. In addition, each species has its own range. For example, a variety of juniper, which is characterized by stunting and creeping appearance, is a characteristic inhabitant of rocks and mountain slopes.
general description
How to understand that this plant is in front of you? It is enough to know its distinctive features. Any kind of juniper is an evergreen tree or shrub. Moreover, it can be tree-like or crawl on the ground in the form of a carpet. The crown is pyramidal or conical.
The evergreen plant blooms in June, and bears fruit in August. Cones or berries contain loose flesh. Many owners make blanks, then to use these fruits for medicinal purposes.
Juniper Planting
We propose the following scheme for considering this topic. First, let's talk about planting and care, and then about the features of each variety separately. So, seedlings are planted when they are already strong young plants. At least 36 months must pass from the time of germination. Spring is best suited for this, namely April-May.
All varieties of thuja and junipers land along with a large lump of land. It is preliminary recommended to prepare a hole, the depth of which should be twice as large as the height of the seedling itself. Broken bricks are laid out at the bottom of the hole. The basal circle is covered with mulching material. It can be peat or foliage. The layer thickness should be at least 10 cm. Although this plant is unpretentious, for better rooting, it is desirable to replace ordinary garden soil with a nutrient mixture. It can be bought at a specialty store. In addition, nitroammophosk is added to the substrate.
Group landing
Depending on your preferences, you can decorate your site with a single coniferous plant or a whole group. For example, a fence made of coniferous shrubs. In addition, you can create a composition of three or four junipers in the center of the plot, which will be the highlight and centerpiece of your garden. However, if you are doing a group landing, certain rules must be followed. Gather information in advance about what size the plants will be in adulthood. This will leave enough space between them. It is not recommended to plant the juniper too close so that they do not drown each other.
Plant care
Varieties of arborvitae and junipers attract gardeners not only for their decorative appearance, but also for their minimal care requirements. In the summer cottage there are enough tender plants that require regular transplanting, pruning, top dressing, props and much more. In this regard, the juniper is a real persistent tin soldier who requires almost nothing from his master. With the first heat, nitroammophoska, about 40 g per m 2 , is introduced into the soil. You can do nothing more during the year. If the soil is completely rocky and poor, then this rule can be violated, but even in this case it is not recommended to feed more than twice during the warm season.
Watering and pruning
Any variety of thuja, cypress, juniper is characterized by high drought tolerance. But if the summer is very hot, then without water the plant will at least lose its decorative effect. Therefore, do not forget to periodically shed the root zone. These plants are very sprayed. This procedure is performed in the morning or evening.
But pruning is a completely optional procedure, so focus on the appearance of the plant and your taste. But if you form a hedge out of it, you will have to regularly remove all protruding shoots. Juniper winters usually well, it is frost-resistant. But young plants must be covered.
Juniper
In our summer cottages far from all varieties of juniper are found. Photos and names of the most popular of them we will provide in our article today, so that you have guidelines for choosing seedlings. So, it is called ordinary because of its widespread and unpretentiousness. Withstands almost any conditions, winter cold and dry summers. It will grow in the form of a tree or a spreading shrub up to 6 meters in height. The branching is chaotic, blooms with yellow flowers, in the place of which berries are formed. The plant is very beautiful at any time of the year.
Three main subspecies
They are quite popular among summer residents in Russia, so let's move on to the description.
Gold Cone - This plant looks like a candle. It does not need complex care, tolerates winter well and does not tolerate waterlogging at all. Planting is carried out in early spring, after which it will be necessary to shade the seedling from direct sunlight. For winter, it is recommended to tie the crown.
Hibernika. It is simply amazing that so different plants are close relatives and belong to the same species. This exotic beauty will definitely become the main attraction of your garden. The main difference from the previous subspecies is the spiny, tender needles that envelop the trunk, like the finest strings. The shrub will grow on any soil, but it is very demanding on lighting. Therefore, choose the most sunny place.
Green Carpet. This variety of juniper, whose name translates as "green carpet", is very different from previous counterparts. If they had an elongated shape, then this view can only be formed into a round ball. It goes well with stones and can be used as a groundcover. It grows well in well-lit places.
Juniper Chinese
It is widely distributed from Korea to the north of China. Even in nature, there are dozens of varieties of this variety, and most of them perfectly tolerate the conditions of Russia. It’s hard to believe that all this is Chinese juniper. Varieties, photos of which we will consider today, can be used to decorate your garden plot. Their needles are mostly prickly and small.
Blaauw is a very interesting species, the main feature is its blue branches. Believe me, such a rare shade will set it apart from all the plants in the garden. This type of juniper can be planted anywhere, even in a small shade. However, it is more demanding on the quality of the soil. Only drained, light and non-acidic soils are suitable for the plant.
BlueAlps is another very interesting species that has a pleasant bluish tint. This juniper will grow perfectly both in the shade and in the sun, but in the first case its hue will be rather dull. But there is a significant advantage. The plant is completely undemanding to soil and watering.
Variegata is another amazing plant. If you need not a center figure in the garden, but an interesting design of the corner of the flower bed, then it is best to designate it with the help of an expressive shrub. This kind of copes with this task best. Distinctive features are small size, spreading branches and yellowish spots that are scattered around the entire perimeter of the plant. The only condition is fresh, nutritious and non-acidic soils. Optimize the soil in your area, and this beautiful juniper will grow. Varieties, photos and names (handsome conifers are very popular) can be found including in specialized stores or on the sites of online stores.
Juniper Cossack
This species is widespread in landscape design. Depending on the variety, it can be a bush up to one and a half meters in size or a huge tree from 4 to 6 meters high. And the width of the crown for some can reach 10 meters. Designers are very fond of Cossack juniper. Varieties of it are undemanding to soils, endure heat and cold, wind and drought, and also have strong phytoncide properties. Varieties of Cossack juniper open up a whole world in which you will surely find what you like.
Hicksii. The maximum height of the shrub is 1.5 meters and a width of 2. It is characterized by high winter hardiness.
Broadmoor. Height is not more than 60 cm, but in width willingly grows to three meters, forming an emerald carpet.
Blue Danube The needles of this plant have a bluish tint. The shrub does not exceed 60 cm in height, and spreads up to 3 meters in width. Looks good along the paths in the garden.
Southern Juniper
It is called differently archa. Approximately 21 species of junipers are found in Central Asia. Especially a lot of it in the mountains. If you plan to organize an alpine hill in your garden, then archa will be for you an ideal basis for composition. These are very unpretentious plants that grow in crevices of rocks, gradually expanding them with their roots. The shape of juniper plants is extremely interesting. These are bizarrely curved or straight trees, as well as creeping, spiral, twisted forms of shrubs.
Archa grows very slowly and practically does not give a shadow. Its needles exude phytoncides, they completely purify the air from pathogenic bacteria. You can plant any juniper at home. Varieties, photos, planting and care are information that you additionally receive along with the seedlings. However, mountain juniper is a too long-growing plant to grow it on its site.
Varieties of thuja
Juniper and thuja are separate genera that are part of the cypress family. But if the genus of junipers includes at least 60 species, then thuja is only five. It can also look like a lush shrub or tree with the most bizarre shape. Her crown is spherical or pyramidal, there are also weeping thuja. If you are now planning the landscape of your garden, then be sure to think about placing at least one coniferous tree or shrub on its territory. It is beautiful, fashionable and modern.
Thuja western
Considering the varieties of thuja and junipers (see the photo in our article), it should be noted that the most popular are tree-like forms. Still, spectacular evergreen and long-lived handsome men conquer at first sight. Among them, I want to note the western one, which is a tree reaching a height of 15-20 meters. The width of the crown is up to 5 meters. It grows well in partial shade and in the sun, undemanding to soils and care, grows well in humid and cold areas. But the drought and heat can not stand. Can live up to 1 thousand years.
Other popular varieties
Arbor vitae. An Asian species that most often takes the form of a bush. The maximum height is 18 meters, its branches are flat and grow vertically, not horizontally. Very thermophilic, resistant to drought, but not winter hardy.
Giant or folded - a very beautiful shrub that resembles cypress. It grows rapidly at about 30 cm per year. Forms a crown of a pyramidal shape, height - up to 15 meters. The needles have a dark green color and a strong aroma. Winter-hardy and wind-resistant, grows well in humid areas.
Korean thuja is another spectacular, but heat-loving shrub with a wide crown and sprawling branches, as well as soft needles. The color of the needles is silver on one side and dark green on the other. It grows only in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frosts below -10.
Japanese thuja - a very spectacular tree, reaches a height of 18 meters. Frost-resistant, can survive in the most extreme conditions. But it cannot grow in cities due to the fact that it is very sensitive to clean air.
Instead of a conclusion
The juniper family is amazing and diverse. Representatives of the same species can grow into huge trees or spread along the ground like grass. However, they are united by high decorativeness and resistance to various diseases, undemanding to growing conditions. Even if you visit the summer cottage far from every day, juniper will completely do without you. Care for any representative of this huge family is about the same.
It is necessary to choose a sunny place for him, on which the plant will not lack lighting. After planting, be sure to mulch the soil well. Now it remains only to occasionally water the plant, and also to top dress in the spring. All of these species are very responsive to mineral fertilizers, but organics need to be used in limited quantities every few years.
In accordance with the above descriptions, you can choose the most interesting varieties of juniper for your site. The photo and name will allow you to plan in advance the purchase of the most attractive seedlings, which means to make your garden unusual and original.