Criteria for the selection of trees and shrubs for landscape design
The choice of trees or shrubs for use in landscape design should be based on some principles that guarantee the possibility of their fullest use in the future.
The key criteria in this case will be:
- the possible functionality of a particular instance;
- its compatibility with another plant or group of plants;
- dimensions of adult plants;
- the direction of their growth.
Various types and varieties of elderberry are also used in landscape design.
Functions
The functionality of any bushy or tree-like culture is its ability to advantageously complement a specific section of the garden or local area. So, for open areas, you can use large bushes and trees, and for decorating a gazebo or pergola, it is better to choose more compact varieties of a bizarre shape (it is possible to use shrubs with liana-shaped shoots). Evergreen thuja or separate spherical bushes are often planted along the paths or on the border with neighbors.
Compatibility with other plants
An excessive number of trees or large spreading bushes will hide other decorative elements of the site from the eyes, creating the impression of an impassable jungle. For this reason, if trees are already growing next to the house, then it is better to supplement them with medium-sized shrubs, which will harmoniously fit into the overall picture.
Important! When choosing a pair for a particular tree or bush, it is worth considering the possible seasonal changes in these plants. It is highly desirable that when group planting, the life rhythms of the cultures used at least partially coincide
It is possible to build an ensemble of plants according to the principle of contrast, when varieties with a different set of characteristics visually interact with each other. Contrast can capture several characteristics at once (for example, bush shape, leaf size, color or shape of inflorescences), or emphasize only one of the listed criteria.
A combination of plants always has a semantic meaning, based on the shape of their crown and leaves, as well as the abundance and brightness of flowering. For example, thuja and spiraea, buzulnik and ornamental cereals will contrast favorably with each other.
Dimensions (edit)
The sizes of the crops selected for landscaping also play an important role in landscape design. In small areas, the main emphasis can be made on the bushes, and in large areas, a variety of group tree plantings can be used.
It is better to start filling the projected volume with vegetation with the largest available specimens, gradually adding to them the medium and smallest ones. Reverse order is much more difficult, not to mention the fact that such a solution would be devoid of any logic.
Find out which varieties of spruce are best suited for landscaping.
A maximally balanced composition will be obtained if the number of specimens grows with a decrease in the significance of the structural element, that is, when planting small bushes in groups, there should be more than large trees.
Direction of growth
If the crown of most ornamental trees is spherical or vertical, then the shrubs can also have almost horizontal shoots. Dividing the bushes into groups depending on the direction of growth of the branches also helps them choose the most profitable pairs from among other plants.
Vertical bushes resemble trees, as they have a well-defined trunk and a clearly marked crown (for example, hawthorn).It is better to plant them next to lower, spherical "congeners", because in combination with trees, they can visually "drown out" each other.
The crown width of horizontal shrubs is much greater than the height of their stem; branches are located almost horizontally in relation to the soil line. A classic example of this group can be considered a horizontal juniper, which, unlike vertical bushes, will perfectly complement woody plants.
Recommended reading
Dwarf pines in landscape design
The term "globular bushes" can include all varieties of shrubs with a rounded crown, such as lilac or viburnum.
They go well with the previous two types, although in this case, too, much depends on the location of a particular culture.
Using trees and bushes with different directions of shoot growth, it is possible to advantageously equip the space of the personal plot, creating real artistic masterpieces from seemingly ordinary cultures.
Height and habit are the basis for the spatial organization of the composition
The height and volume of plants are parameters that determine the vertical structure of the compositions, give it interest or, conversely, carry boredom, are responsible for the balance of mass and the effect of filling. They are guided by height and volume, determining the place of the plant in the composition, creating a linear or non-linear vertical structure.
Taking into account different heights and volumes allows you to successfully include the plant in a specific composition, and create a link with the garden as a whole. Tall plants are planted in the background or middle ground, create a visual and vertical center of the composition, used for accentuation, and in compositions with the task of masking or with a one-sided view or linear structure - as a spectacular high background. Low-growing plants are used in the foreground and as filler. Plants are always selected from high to low.
Branch graphics, contours, line patterns are those parameters that are also known as plant habit. They determine the style and nature of the composition, set the main motives and reveal the idea.
Strict lines or shapes for regular gardens and natural softness for a natural style, playing with geometry and the ratio of contours, airy lightness or massiveness, managing optical effects and "traps", achieving a balance of elements with different visual "weights" - all these are parameters of ensembles, on which affects the physiognomic type of plants. And selection by habit is one of the most important plant selection criteria for any composition, setting the tone for the entire design and creating the basis of the style.
What types of fences need plantings
Let's list the main ones:
Chain-link grids. When you look at them from the side, you can't see the fence at all, some pillars stand and that's it. Trees along the fence of this type, shrubs around it visually act as a visible wall of the fence. Ornamental beans, hops, wild grapes, actinidia will do.
It is recommended to plant curly species near the fence, which will entwine the net and subsequently become a kind of green "wall".
Forged. They look pretty, but again, they don't protect from prying eyes. Dense planting of trees and shrubs solves this problem. Such a fence goes well with conifers.
To decorate the site, it is better to choose unpretentious frost-resistant types of crops.
Wooden. Even the classic board fence looks elegant thanks to the plants. Allowable planting along such fences of apple trees, cherries, plums, pears. What else can you plant near a wooden fence? For example, lilac, barberry, elderberry.
It is not recommended to decorate the fence with plants that require certain conditions for active growth.
From corrugated board. Not only does the aesthetic appearance of such fences leave much to be desired, but they also glow in the sun.A good green disguise is essential. The best choice would be rose hips, raspberries, vines.
Do not plant close to the corrugated board, as it quickly heats up under the influence of the sun.
Brick and concrete. Plants add a sense of softness and warmth to the general perception of such barriers. Any slender trees will not look bad.
Shrubs and actively blooming tall flowers will look good.
Important! Keep in mind that plant roots grow gradually, they can cling to each other and harm the base of the fence. Therefore, it is necessary to plant trees and shrubs with a powerful root system at a distance of at least 3 meters from the fence.
This is especially true for concrete and brick barriers.
The main types of plants for landscape design
It is customary to divide crops into several main groups according to tier, each plant species is assigned a specific role.
The correct choice of ornamental plants, their placement and the skillful use of small architectural forms in landscape design are the key to an aesthetically attractive site.
Trees
A lonely tree always attracts attention. For gardening they grow: low and creeping conifers (junipers, thuja, pines, spruces);
low and creeping conifers (junipers, thuja, pines, spruces);
- from the fruit, the most decorative types of apple trees, pears, stone fruit trees with dense beautiful bark, even standard crown are chosen;
- deciduous are more often used for single planting;
- along the fence for the hedge, medium-sized species with a dense crown are chosen.
In landscape design, trees are the main material; they are used to complement an already created beautiful picture.
Trees are necessary for longline landscaping, conifers decorate rockeries, go well with flowering shrubs.
Note! Landings along the paths maintain the compositional rhythm, create shady alleys
Shrubs
Group landings often become the axis of the composition. Single decorative views are used to create accents. For decoration, flowering shrubs are chosen, creeping forms and amenable to formative pruning. Shrubs are often placed next to trees, used as a connecting link with a combination of herbaceous plants, planting the site is divided into zones.
A beautiful landscape cannot be imagined without shrubs that delight with carved and variegated foliage that changes color in the autumn. For accents, lush flowering bushes and types of bright leaves and fruits are chosen.
When choosing crops, the size and direction of plant growth are taken into account. Growing vertically, they resemble trees that grow in breadth - a good option for zoning planting.
Plants and shrubs for landscaping should be very carefully selected in order to create a chic and complete composition on the site.
Important! It is better to plant low-growing shrubs in groups so that they do not dissolve in the overall composition.
Ampel plants
The plant got its name from the word "ampel" (hanging pots). A wide variety of lianas are conventionally divided into two groups:
- curly ones are able to climb a support, a cord due to antennae or aerial roots;
- creeping ones direct shoots along the surface of the earth in different directions.
Ampel plants can be called the favorites of many gardeners without a shadow of a doubt.
Climbing cultures are used to decorate small architectural forms, fences. They create green canopies from plants that protect from the sun. Ampel plants decorate waterfalls, retaining walls, alpine slides.
Aquatic plants
Water lilies, calamus, duckweed and other plants with floating leaves regulate the gas composition of water and create a favorable environment for the inhabitants of reservoirs. Susak, bedhead, reeds, strengthen the banks with powerful roots, form beautiful thickets.
Pond decoration with plants.
Perennials
Unpretentious perennial grasses and herbaceous shrubs form a green cover in summer cottages and parks. Ground cover perennial crops are used as a background, color spots. Floral perennials are grown for border and zoning planting. There are a great many perennials, for landscape design they choose:
- water-loving;
- drought-resistant;
- light-loving;
- shade-tolerant.
Planting along the fence
Having bought a summer cottage or a plot for building a house, the first thing that an owner usually does is install a fence. First rough, and then permanent, solid, designed to serve for many years.
However, no matter how beautiful it is, a solid canvas will look dull, monotonous and uninteresting. And even a smooth, neatly trimmed lawn will not smooth out the impression of emptiness.
To correct the above shortcomings, it is enough to correctly plant ornamental plants along the fence. Moreover, there are many options for creating compositions.
The main thing is to follow some rules:
trees and shrubs must be planted at such a distance from the fence that the roots do not damage its base
Usually it is 3-5 m for trees and 1-1.5 m for shrubs, while the dimensions of the planted plants should be taken into account;
shade from the fence and from the plantings should be taken into account;
the number of plants and planting density should correspond to the dimensions of the site, do not overload it .. If the fence is transparent, for example, a chain-link mesh, and you would like to close yourself from neighbors or an unpleasant view, then you can create a solid hedge
If the fence is transparent, for example, a chain-link mesh, and you would like to close yourself off from neighbors or an unpleasant view, then you can create a solid hedge.
Spirea
Hydrangea
It is best to use plants such as blackthorn, chokeberry, spirea, hydrangea, bubblegum, irga, hawthorn, privet, forsythia, derain, barberry, lilac, thuja and others.
Derain
Thuja
Looks good hedge of roses, but she needs constant care.
Usually it is a single-row hedge in which the plants are planted in a previously dug trench (up to 50 cm deep) at a distance of 0.2 to 0.8 m, depending on the height of the shrub. To get a beautiful bushy hedge, it needs to be trimmed. Moreover, the sooner and more often, the better, but do not forget that each plant has a different growth rate, which will determine the frequency of pruning.
You can increase the height of a blind fence by planting trees along it. When the crowns close, the plants are sheared, but this is a rather laborious process. Linden is best clipped from hardwood, and elm can also be used.
It is very fashionable now to create compositions from decorative conifers with a slight interspersed with deciduous trees and flowers. It can also be positioned along the fence.
In the background, higher forms are planted: thuja (mostly columnar), dwarf pines, yews, cypress trees. In the foreground there are undersized and creeping junipers, dwarf thuja, low spruces. Somewhere in the middle, you can place a low-growing deciduous plant on a trunk with a weeping crown (willow, birch).
If you hesitate before choosing which trees to plant along the fence, it is better to give preference to decorative forms of conifers or deciduous trees with a high stem.
Another interesting option is palmette. It is not easy to create, however, it is a very effective solution for the sunny side of the fence. It is a tree with a flat crown, located along the fence. For these purposes, pear, apple, mountain ash, vines are suitable.
The latter can also be used as a decoration for a fence. For example, a maiden five-leaf grape will completely close the fence in a couple of seasons.
Actinidia, lemongrass, ivy and others are also used from vines.
Another option is to create a mixborder along the fence from perennial and annual plants, flowering and decorative deciduous.In the background, it is worth planting low shrubs or trees.
In addition, do not forget that all the planting should be in harmony with all the elements of the garden.
What is the style of your garden?
One of the most important criteria when choosing plants is the style of the site.
Strict
If the house and the rest of the garden are strict and decorated in a classic style, then the plantings along the paths should also be neat, have a well-defined structure and a balanced layout. Symmetry also plays an important role. In the photo above, shrubs of the same shape create a wonderful effect. Live evergreen hedges can also separate paths from unstructured and natural plantings.
Herbs, evergreens, perennials and annuals: anything will do for paths
Informal style
This type of plot requires an even deeper understanding of gardening than a formal one: planting that simulates wildlife requires patience and careful maintenance. On the other hand, this option is a great creative opportunity! The main thing is to think outside the box and not be afraid to experiment.
Everything is possible, if you are careful
No matter how played out your imagination in the arrangement of the "podzabornaya" territory, do not forget about the main thing: if you ennobled it, then it did not become yours. This land, as it was, will remain the property of the SNT board - rarely any of the summer residents, when building a fence, retreats deep into the site in order to allocate an additional allotment for a street front garden.
Therefore, before planting a strip of land along the road with any crops (especially shrubs, trees), take the trouble to coordinate your plans with the chairman of your horticultural association. He can prohibit "littering" an already narrow street with plants that will interfere with the passage of fire-fighting equipment and pose a threat to their violent growth for power lines.
If today you decide not to bother yourself with such approvals, then tomorrow, upon arrival at the dacha, you can find all your shrub trees cut down - the board members have the right to do so.
It will not be superfluous to discuss your plans with your neighbors. Will two cars be able to pass freely on your street if you plant flower bushes near the fence? Will your hedge scratch your neighbor's car when he leaves the site? Will your maples-lindens cast a thick shadow on someone else's fence - perhaps the neighbors want to decorate their netting with a light-loving liana?
The empty land on the outside of the fence can be transformed by a wide variety of cultures - it all depends on your imagination. But if a neighbor drives his Zhiguli through your daisies, there will be no one to make a claim - you were ennobling the public territory on a good basis.
What flowers can be planted along the path in the country?
There is always a lot of work at the dacha, and yet any gardener wants elegant flowers to bring joy and give a good mood. Novice growers are advised by their more experienced comrades to opt for plants that do not need careful care.
In late autumn, crocus, daffodil, hyacinth and tulip bulbs are planted in the open parts of the garden. The most unpretentious are:
- asters;
- phlox;
- gladioli;
- forget-me-nots;
- carnations;
- pansies;
- rudbeckia.
These flowers are planted along the path in the garden, they look great, their flowering time is from early June to mid September. Some field species combine perfectly with garden crops. What wildflowers to plant along the path in the country? Ideal for this purpose:
- cornflowers;
- lavender;
- manna;
- bells;
- spurge.
The selection and planting of plants, taking into account the flowering periods, will allow you to enjoy the blooming beauty from early spring to late autumn.
What flowers are planted along the path to the house in spring?
If in the fall there was not enough time for planting, then in the spring they begin to plant flowers along the path to the house with tulips and hyacinths. As soon as the spring sun has warmed the soil, you can plant crocuses and daffodils. In early May, the time for peonies, phloxes and hosts comes. They bloom with the arrival of summer. The most unpretentious flower species that are planted in spring are irises. These plants will decorate the garden throughout the summer season.
Oxalis Depp takes root and grows well on any soil. Its elegant leaves look very impressive both in the sun and in shaded areas. The pink flowers of oxalis are in perfect harmony with the bright green color of the leaves. This plant propagates by bulbs, which are dug out for the winter.
Absolutely not capricious, everyone's favorite marigolds grow into lush bumps. If you plant plants close to each other, you get a dense flower strip. Marigolds also bloom until late autumn. For the design of the paths, experts advise choosing undersized varieties.
Nasturtium loves the warmth of the sun. This species is planted at the end of spring. Nasturtium is quite demanding, if it does not have enough light, it will wither. The soil for nasturtium requires fertile and well-moistened. Light-loving verbena, on the contrary, does not tolerate excess moisture. Verbena seeds are sown in April in open ground and covered with foil.
Perennials - the choice of an experienced gardener
In perennial plants, the upper deciduous part dies with the arrival of the autumn cold, and the root system falls asleep before spring. The sun's rays, warming the soil, awaken the plant from hibernation, and it again pleases the eye with lush flowering. What perennial flowers are planted along the path in the country?
The most popular perennials include:
- Arabis is a honey plant loved by bees (depending on the variety, it gives white, red, pink, purple flowers).
- Tenacious is an evergreen undersized plant that forms a lush carpet (depending on the season and weather, the leaves change color from dark green to purple).
- Gravilat - large attractive orange flowers (prepares buds for flowering even under the snow cover).
- Sedum is a bright light-loving plant (they cannot stand even the slightest shading, they grow in one place for 5-6 years).
The list of beautiful perennial flowers along the paths in the country is endless. Their combinations with other floral and deciduous crops are inexhaustible, this is what perennial borders are remarkable for.
Countryside path design in a rural style
What could be better than walking along a winding path surrounded by bright, fragrant summer flowers! To create a garden path in a rustic style, it is possible to pick up plants with an unpretentious character. The path itself is best laid out with stone, but you can imitate stone tiles using a concrete mold.
The space between the stones is planted with a ground cover variety Sedum caustic. This species grows rapidly, filling the voids with dense emerald foliage. By the middle of summer, the path will be decorated with a golden set of small flowers. Along the path they are planted in small groups, alternating between themselves, purple Echinacea, brilliant Rudbeckia and Lobelia, Sage. From tall plants, you can choose Delphinium, heart-leaved Katran, Chinese Miscanthus.
There are countless options for solving garden paths, it all depends on the desire, imagination and hard work of the owner of the site.
What are your favorite flowers? Leave your message at! And also watch a video about the design of flower beds along the path.
Landing along the tracks
The main pivot of the site planning is the paths. It is they, like a thread, that connect the individual elements together, combining them into one integral composition.
Therefore, it is very important to correctly complete their design.
Moreover, it should be understood that landings along the road, which we are used to seeing in the city and outside the city, are generally not acceptable for a summer residence or a country estate. Indeed, in the latter case, the plants are perceived at close range. Therefore, a natural question arises: what to plant along the path?
The classic option is the creation of a border or a bed of annual and perennial low plants, a breakdown of small ribbon flower beds.
However, we will pay more attention to the tree and shrub design.
There is no sense in a solid hedge. Only if you want to completely hide any unattractive view, for example, a farm building. But if the path passes through the lawn on which there are flower beds, beautiful groups, then it is only necessary to emphasize the line.
To do this, you can create a low, about 30 cm high sheared boxwood border (in warm regions, since the plant is thermophilic and does not tolerate frost well without appropriate shelter), a low-growing form of thuja, which is periodically cut from an early age.
At the intersections of the paths, you can install a large stone and plant maiden grapes, directing some of the shoots to the boulder. Such a composition will become a kind of accent, which in autumn will be even more expressive due to the red foliage.
You can also plant individual specimens of creeping junipers and other conifers along the path.
A sparse ordinary planting of a columnar thuja will give solemnity, but the path should have a width of at least 1.5 m. Low-growing spherical shapes will also perfectly fit into the overall look.
As in the case of planting along the fence, it is worth observing the distance to the edge of the path. If it has a hard surface and a concrete board, then the norm for trees is 0.7-1.5 m, for shrubs - 0.5-1 m. For gravel surfaces, this figure may be less.
Decoration of garden paths
Mixborder scheme along the track.
Garden paths can be decorated in the form of borders, mixborders, garden plants and flowers. The boundaries of the tracks can be clearly defined, straight, with smooth shapes or blurred. If you prefer crisp lines, trim the plants along the paths with garden shears or create a flower cut.
For a straight path, the following planting scheme from the presented plants is suitable:
- A spherical western thuja is planted in the background.
- In front of the path, plant, alternating, early thyme and subulate phlox.
If the stone or tiled path is curved, then it can be decorated with an elegant mixborder made of ash geranium, barberry, roses, juniper, Japanese astilba or other bright plants. This will create a festive atmosphere in the yard for a long time.
If there are paths with a soft surface, for example gravel or mulched, framing with ornamental shrubs in combination with unpretentious perennials is suitable. The soft surface with winding directions will be pleasant to walk in the summer. But such paths require special care, especially in winter: a snow plow is not suitable for removing snow from it - you will have to use the good old method, use a shovel for this purpose.
Thus, for soft tracks, the following types of landing are suitable:
Placing lawns and flower beds along the path.
- Lungwort.
- Barberry.
- Crown chubushnik.
- Derain is white.
- Bubbles.
- Aconite and delphinium.
- Iris.
- The cuff is soft.
If your summer cottage is located in a forest zone, then it is better to choose shade-resistant plants for decorating the paths. These include all types of lilies of the valley, ferns, lungwort, kupena. Walking along such paths, you seem to plunge into mysterious and enigmatic fairy-tale times.
What to plant along the path in the country
To decorate the paths, it is allowed to use a variety of types of plantings. As a rule, they can also be planted along fences.Such plantings along the fences protect the interior space from prying eyes. They give shade and serve as an additional decoration.
But plants that can be planted along fences are not always suitable for decorating summer cottages. Therefore, you should consider the main groups of plants and their features:
When deciding what to plant along the path in the country, you can opt for the trees. They will not provide shading for the path, and will delight with fruits in the body and in the fall. However, trees have a very powerful root system that can destroy the path. Therefore, it is recommended to choose plants of small size. But in any case, the plant should be at a distance of several meters from the path. Accordingly, there is a lot of free space. And it can be perfectly decorated with other types of plants;
Shrubs. It's a great choice. There are a lot of options for what to plant along the path to the house. Among the shrubs, fruit and ornamental ones can be distinguished. Currant stands out among the fruit bushes. These are quite lush plants that are extremely unpretentious and grow quickly. Therefore, in two to three years, full-fledged currant bushes will grow along the paths. Among other fast-growing plants, it is necessary to highlight the mock-orange, irgu and the like. They will create a real hedge. Due to this, these shrubs can be planted along the fence;
A border of flowers along the path in the country will be a very beautiful solution. Moreover, for the climatic conditions of the regions of central Russia, you can always pick up bright and very beautiful flowers. For example, a daylily. This plant has different flowering periods. Therefore, you can plant different varieties of daylily. When one type of flowers finishes blooming, start another. In addition, the daylily forms a beautiful continuous frame of the garden path.
Rose bushes, tulips, dahlias will be interesting options. In general, any type of plant can be used to create a floral border along the paths on the site. The main thing is that they grow in bushes. When leaving, cutting, such bushes will be even, have the same height and shape