Blue juniper in landscape design. Features of cultivation and reproduction of juniper Cossack

One of the modern trends in landscaping is the use of coniferous plants. The variety of their species and varieties allows you to solve even the most complex design problems, and pines, spruces and arborvitae are gradually winning their “place under the sun” in suburban areas. Juniper is also actively used in landscape design, a photo of the varieties of which can be seen below.

Juniper - close relative cypress, only it grows in more severe conditions than its counterpart. In the wild, there are about 70 species of this interesting conifer, but only about 15 are “cultivated”, among which there are dwarfs and giants, plants with compact crowns or spreading, varieties with erect or creeping trunks.

The color of junipers is very diverse, almost all shades of green are found here, as well as varieties with gray needles. And, unlike most prickly counterparts, the color of the needles of this genus varies depending on the season of the year - by autumn, the crown acquires a bronze or brownish hue. The shape of the needles also varies from species to species, and in some cases depends on the age of the shrub.

In addition to the variety of forms, juniper has another plus - its unpretentiousness. It can grow on stony soils as well as on heavy loams or nutrient-poor sandy soils. The only thing is that a relative of cypress will not take root in acidified or wetlands.

The cold hardiness of the "northern cypress" depends on the species, but most of the plants used in landscape design tolerate frost well, and only recently planted or young specimens need shelter for the winter.

Another nice feature of juniper is its amazing aroma. Moreover, varieties with scaly needles more actively saturate the air with phytoncides, while the smell of the owners of needle leaves is less pronounced.

Most representatives of the juniper genus lend themselves well to a haircut.

Species and varieties

There are about a hundred varieties of juniper on sale, bred by breeders or obtained in nature due to mutations. The most common are breeds based on the following types of juniper:

• • Common (Juniperus communis)- a strong sprawling shrub with prickly needles and a bluish bloom on it. Drought tolerant and exceptionally hardy.
  • Rock (Juniperus scopulorum)- ephedra native to North America. Unpretentious, but prefers places protected from the wind.
  • Virginian (Juniperus virginiana)- a tree native to North America, in nature reaches a gigantic size. This species is not afraid strong winds its wood is very durable. Unlike most relatives, shade-tolerant.
  • Cossack (Juniperus sabina)- shrub, up to one and a half meters high. It has scaly needles.
  • Medium (Juniperus media)- a rather large plant with an asymmetric crown and needles in the form of scales.

Common juniper
Juniper rocky
Red cedar

Juniper Cossack
Juniper Cossack
Juniper medium

Most popular varieties

Conifers used in landscape design, as a rule, have one important feature - slow growth. Junipers are no exception. From the whole variety, several of the most popular varieties can be distinguished, which, due to their properties, are suitable for solving most design tasks.

Low breed Juniperus chinensis "Stricta" forms a cone-shaped dense crown and grows no higher than two meters. The branches are covered with bluish-green needles. Ideal for creating an accent in compositions, in single plantings or as a hedge.

Juniperus squamata belongs to another category. "Blue Star", which rarely exceeds a meter in height and is used to decorate lawns and rock gardens. In addition to its modest size, the needles of an amazing silver-blue hue are a feature. Such a plant is able to decorate any composition.

Variety Juniperus media "Old Gold", on the contrary, has a golden color. This variety is also dwarf. It looks spectacular when planted alone on the lawn, as well as in combination with differently colored conifers.

Juniper Chinese "Strict"
Juniper average "Old Gold"

Columnar forms

Instances with a columnar crown shape are expressive in themselves. They are great for decorating alleys and creating hedges. In compositions, columnar junipers usually occupy a central place.

Juniper Chinese "Spartan"
Juniper virginsky "Skyrocket"

Perfectly combined with flowering representatives of the flora of the variety Juniperus chinensis "Olympia" And "Spartan", which have scaly needles of rich green color. A graceful crown of a bluish-green color has a breed of virgin juniper "Skyrocket".

Spreading and weeping forms

Spreading specimens look peculiar, they are usually used as soloist plants when decorating lawns, they are indispensable when decorating rocky slopes and large alpine hills. In such plants, the diameter of the crown often exceeds the height. For example, varieties Blue Alps" Juniperus chinensis with silver-blue spiny needles and "Glauka" Juniperus sabina with bluish-green forms quite picturesque forms.

Juniper Chinese "Blue Alps"
Juniper ordinary "Horstmann"

Breeds with a weeping crown shape stand a little apart, for example, "Horstmann"- a variety of Juniperus communis, with drooping branches and prickly needles. Such plants are good for decorating ponds or as a soloist.

Dwarfs

Despite their modest size, dwarf junipers are no less expressive. They are good in small areas and when creating small compositions. Dwarfs are indispensable on an alpine hill, near ponds, as ground cover plants.

Varieties of horizontal juniper, thanks to the branches creeping along the ground, look spectacular on lawns and in rockeries. Varieties often planted on rocky slopes "Tamariscifolia" Juniperus sabina, and "Green Carpet" Juniperus communis, forming a crown in the form of a flat dome.

Variety of colors

Shrubs and trees with an unusual eye-catching color bring liveliness to any composition. For example, bright yellow short "Gold Star" Juniperus media goes well with dark needles or foliage of other plants, and by autumn it takes on an interesting bronze hue. A variety Juniperus scopulorum Moonglow is one of the brightest blue junipers and looks spectacular in any environment.

Care of the "northern cypress"

Despite the fact that plants of this genus are quite unpretentious and able to grow with little or no human intervention, there are still some nuances.

Shrubs should be watered only during a period of prolonged drought, as well as in the first season after planting. Plant nutrition is not required.

Place and time of landing

Usually juniper is planted in the middle of spring or early autumn, but plants with a closed root system can be transplanted throughout the warm season. The location for this conifer must meet some requirements:

• A relative of cypress does not belong to shade-tolerant plants, with the exception of a few species, therefore it is planted in well-lit sunny places.
• Places of accumulation of water for juniper are not suitable. ground water should also be far from the surface.
• Some species need protection from the wind.
• Juniper needs space, he does not like tightness.

planting

Juniper Chinese "Stricta"

Planting pits are prepared in advance; their dimensions, as a rule, are twice the size of the root system of seedlings. It should be remembered about the intervals between plants - for dwarf forms, the intervals will be about half a meter, but large specimens are planted 2-3 meters apart.

Junipers are suitable for almost any soil, the preferred composition depends on the specific species. Fertile land is more suitable for large varieties, but it is better to keep dwarfs on a "starvation diet" - with an excess nutrients they lose their beauty.

But it's worth remembering general rule for: the soil should be light enough and moisture permeable. The supply of oxygen to the roots and the overall development of the plant depend on this.

A layer of broken brick or gravel is laid out at the bottom of the landing pit, this is especially important if the site is located in a lowland. Next, a layer of substrate is poured and the plant is placed, trying not to deepen the root neck. It is best to transplant junipers while maintaining an earthy coma. The pit is covered with prepared substrate and poured abundantly with water. The surface of the soil is usually mulched.

Wintering

Due to their high frost resistance, shelter from the cold is not required for these cypress relatives, except for newly planted specimens. As a shelter, use spruce branches or nonwoven fabric. At the end of winter, like all conifers, juniper should be covered from the sun - this helps to avoid browning of the needles.

Sometimes columnar and cone-shaped varieties suffer from snow - their branches simply cannot withstand the weight and break, so such plants are tied up in late autumn, pressing the shoots to the trunk.

Spectacular beauties of thuja in landscape design rightfully occupy a leading position among coniferous plants ....

Diseases and pests

Sometimes unpleasant situations happen when growing juniper - plants can be affected by fungal diseases and pests.

The most common disease is rust - orange growths on trunks and branches that appear in early summer. It affects not only juniper, but also other ornamental and fruit plants, so it is not recommended to plant "northern cypress" next to pears, apple trees and hawthorn. The affected areas of the shrub are removed, and the plant is treated with a fungicide solution. As a preventive measure, solutions of immunostimulants are used - they increase the resistance of representatives of the flora to diseases.

high humidity and low temperatures contribute to the emergence of another fungal disease- shute. It manifests itself in the form of yellowing or browning of last year's needles, and at the end of summer black round growths become visible on the surface of the needles. The specimens that are in the shade are most susceptible to this disease. Control measures include removing affected areas and spraying with fungicides.

Signs of the appearance of a spider mite are the presence of a thin web on the plant and yellow dots on the needles.

Drying, falling off of the needles, as well as the death of the bark may be evidence of the presence of scale insects, while the pests themselves can be seen with the naked eye - in the form of round or elongated shields about 1.5-2 mm in size.

Insecticides are used to control these pests. In case of aphids infestation, not only the plants themselves are treated, but also ant colonies - after all, it is they who “breed” the aphids. As a prevention of the appearance of insects, spraying with immunostimulants and weak solutions of insecticides is used.

Neighbor plants for juniper

Not all plants tolerate close proximity to conifers, for example, this applies to clematis, peonies, roses and other large flowering representatives of the flora. Small ground cover plants, on the contrary, live well near prickly counterparts and help shade their beauty.

Good neighbors for the "northern cypress" are spirea and boxwood, as well as different kind saxifrage. Heather and garden hydrangea live wonderfully next to the conifers, which you can learn more about. Cotoneaster and barberry create a background for large conifers, and some cereals complete the picture. Also, do not forget about small flowers.

Naturally, juniper looks good with other conifers or small spruces, for example.

More about landscape design

Of course, the possibility of using juniper to decorate the site depends on the overall stylistic decision. This plant is perfect for gardens with the correct geometry, decorated in English or scandinavian style, Japanese gardens or stone compositions are also hard to imagine without this conifer.

Common juniper "Compressa"

Depending on the idea, the "northern cypress" can serve as both a central plant and a background for others. Based on this, the shapes and colors of this wonderful shrub are selected.

Junipers in landscaping are the most current garden decor trend today, as this plant comes in many shapes, colors and sizes. This plant variety grows rather slowly, practically does not need a haircut and is unpretentious to different conditions growth. Juniper sometimes grows to the size of trees and reaches about 15 meters in height. Basically, they grow up to two meters, and there are also miniature shrubs, the height of which reaches 20 centimeters. This ornamental plant appearance very beautiful, that's why it is so often used in garden design. Arborescent junipers are used both in single and in group plantings of park plantings, with their help hedges are created in various squares and in summer cottages. Low-growing and dwarf plant varieties are mainly used in rock gardens and rockeries - rocky gardens, as in the photo.

Using juniper in the garden

In nature, more than 70 varieties of this plant are known, however, about 10-15 are used in landscape design. All varieties that are used in garden design are mostly frost-resistant, tolerate high temperature and unpretentious to growing conditions. However, there are also exceptions.

The most common varieties:

Juniper medium

This variety is a fairly large bush about 2-5 meters tall. It has a very beautiful asymmetrical shape. The needles are blue-green, scaly. In the shade and after pruning, the leaves become needle-like. The berries are blue in color and ripen by the second year. This shrub grows very quickly both in open areas and in partial shade on drained, rather fertile land. Handles shearing well.

An example of juniper decor

Juniper rocky

The rocky variety is used to decorate household plots, thereby allowing you to create repeating natural landscapes in landscape design. The rocky variety looks quite harmoniously on open lawns, where there is no additional elements decorating the garden, except that you can lay a few mossy boulders nearby. You can also shade the plant rock juniper by planting a couple of rose bushes. An unusual composition will turn out if you place this plant next to heather. However, the most popular option is the use of these coniferous plants in building a garden in Japanese style. Throughout the year, they do an excellent job of decorating the entire landscape. It is better to plant it on an alpine hill, provided that it is large.

Juniper Cossack.

The Cossack variety is a fast-growing dwarf shrub. The Cossack variety has creeping shoots and is very beautiful crown. In height, the Cossack variety reaches 0.4-0.8 meters, and in width - 1.5-2 meters. The needles of the Cossack juniper are scaly, in young plants they are emerald green, needle-shaped, when rubbed, they emit a pungent odor. The Cossack variety loves sunny territories, it is undemanding to soils. This plant is cold hardy. They are used in group and single plantings, on various rocky hills.

The combination of juniper with other plants

Junipers in the design of landscape design in themselves are not of particular interest - they look more beautiful and spectacular in combination with other, brighter plants like perennial flowers, trees and shrubs. When planting this plant in a permanent place, it must be taken into account that when you are close to each other, you will get a monotonous landscape, as in the photo. Only plants that are planted in compliance with some specific rules that set a clear rhythm can enhance the picturesqueness of the territory and complete the integrity of the entire composition.

The use of juniper in compositions

In stylized rocky areas, dwarf heathers and barberries complement aristocratic simplicity. They must be planted next to yellow and orange spireas if you want to create a composition near the pond. When designing a lawn located near the cottage, or during the design of the entrance the best neighbors for this plant there will be other conifers. The juniper, which is located next to a mountain pine or larch, looks impressive, an excellent batch will be undersized varieties of spruces in landscape design.

In a composition made with the use of stones, natural boulders or ordinary granite crumbs will rhyme perfectly, it has a more charismatic appearance than simply planted on the lawn. In landscape design, it must be taken into account that these evergreen conifers, as seen in the photo, are completely incompatible with lush perennial flowers and crops that have large inflorescences. However, unity can also be brought in such an alliance.

Juniper Uses

You just have to plan transitions between them, using various stones or clearings from creeping plants. A similar technique is in demand when decorating slides in an Alpine stylistic solution. Also in compositions with this plant, thuja is often used. Dark green thuja leaves gracefully complement the composition. At the same time, the thuja reaches a height of at least 3 meters, thereby favorably stands out against the background of the entire design of the garden.

Planting and caring for juniper

It is necessary to plant this plant in open areas at a distance of about 2 meters from each other, taking into account that after 10 years the bush begins to grow. And he needs free space, he does not like small areas. The planting depth is 70 centimeters with soil pouring.

For some species, drainage is required when planting, and preferences for soil mixtures in different varieties may be completely opposite. For example, Siberian juniper prefers sandy soil, while virgin juniper will start growing better on a clay substrate and black soil. All species are undemanding to the fertility of the earth. Dwarf varieties should not be grown on fertile soils at all - otherwise they will lose their shape. After planting, the soil is covered with peat or sawdust, the layer of which should reach 8 centimeters.

Caring for this plant is quite simple: in a dry summer period he needs watering several times during the season, in the evening the plant should be sprayed. Around young plants, from time to time loosen the ground after watering and weeding. This shrub is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. With the seed method, freshly harvested seeds are used, because they lose their germination after about a year. The first shoots can be obtained only after a few years. Creeping forms are propagated mainly by layering from young plants, and especially valuable breeds by grafting.

The shearing of this plant depends on the species, however, in any variety, dry branches must be removed. heat-loving varieties winter period mulch, and some tie, because they are not able to withstand the pressure of snow. Frost-resistant varieties do not need to be covered. Transplantation of this plant is usually carried out in the spring before the buds begin to bloom or already in the fall. But it is necessary to take into account the fact that all garden varieties do not tolerate transplantation well, and those taken from natural environment and may not take root at all, in particular, adult plants.

Diseases and properties of juniper

As you can see in the photo, juniper often suffers from rust disease. You can fight her. It is enough to use a solution of arceride, which is composed as follows: 10 liters of water are poured into 50 grams, and the plants are sprayed with this solution every 10 days until it recovers. Dangerous pests for trees and shrubs, in particular young ones, can be spider mites, mining moths, aphids, and juniper scale insects. All varieties of this plant, as seen in the photo, are famous for their useful properties. In areas where they are planted, the air will be much cleaner due to the evaporation of phytoncides. The berries of this plant are widely used in medicine, drugs based on them are prescribed during kidney diseases. The roots of the plant are often used in the treatment of tuberculosis, bronchitis and various skin diseases.

Everyone wants to create a real fairy tale on their site. Landscape design is complex issue, in which you need to understand not only how best to combine shapes and shades, but also how some types of plants will get along side by side. Forming their garden, many take the composition as the basis. This is very profitable solution, as it is very picky, retains its appearance even in cold weather and looks great with most other plants. But when planting such a shrub, there are pitfalls and not everyone will benefit from the neighborhood with juniper.

A variety of junipers will put anyone who decides to decorate their site with them into a stupor. Its variations allow you to create all sorts of compositions. covers the soil, the common juniper takes the form of a shrub, and the rocky juniper grows meters in height. But in order for such a plant to please with its excellent appearance and lush growth, it must be planted in the right place. This must be taken into account when combining it in the future with other shrubs and flowers, since open sunny areas will not be a good solution for everyone. Many plant juniper around the perimeter of the house, decorate the entrances to the yard and house with it, make it the central plant in the flower beds.

Do juniper need neighbors

When creating live compositions, everyone is limited only by their imagination. In matters of planting juniper, the opinions of many gardeners differ. Some believe that it is impossible to plant such a plant as an independent figure, that the juniper looks very boring without other plantings. Others see in such a bush a ready-made composition that other plants will only spoil. It is impossible to say what is right and what is wrong. Juniper can look good both on its own and with neighbors. And it’s better to find a middle ground: do not leave only juniper on the site, but also do not overdo it with the rest of the elements.

Before you decide what to plant next to the juniper, you need to carefully study these plants. First, the type of juniper plays a role. For example, horizontal juniper practically does not grow in height, which means it will not interfere with the growth of other plants. But the columnar juniper will create a shadow, so that light-loving flowers and shrubs next to it will not grow luxuriantly. Secondly, it is important to choose the right soil. Each variety of juniper prefers its own set of minerals and useful elements in the soil, and most importantly, it should also suit the neighboring plant. Thirdly, you need to choose what is combined with juniper in color. For example, bluish-blue juniper needles with pink, yellow and gold look great.

What to plant next to juniper

Juniper goes well with other conifers. And if you add pebbles or natural cobblestones to the composition, they will look very stylish and harmonious. Expanding the scope of what to plant next to the juniper, it is worth noting low shrubs (

Creeping juniper is one of the valuable coniferous shrubs. Its main difference from other familiar junipers is its appearance. This species is often used as an ornamental plant due to the many varieties with various shades of needles, pleasant aroma and the ability to complement various compositions with it.

External characteristics

The plant is a shrub that grows no more than 10 cm in height. Some types of creeping juniper reach 0.3-0.4 m in height and 2 m in width. The branches of the shrub grow and spread along the ground. Leaves are not available. Depending on the variety, each branch is covered with short needles or light green scales.

The love of gardeners for a plant is also that it likes open sun, it can easily adapt to any soil, can grow even in rocky places, is not demanding on moisture and does not lose its decorative appearance in the sun.

Varieties

Care rules

Rooted juniper creeping in the care is not difficult. You just have to follow some rules. Young growth should be watered regularly, but moderately. Adult bushes are drought-resistant, so they should be watered 2-3 times a month. In case of strong heat in the early morning or at sunset, the bushes are irrigated.

With the onset of spring, nitroammophoska plants are fed at the rate of 30-40 g of fertilizer per 1 m 2 of soil. Do not forget about weeding in trunk circle. In order not to waste time on this all the time, you can spend it with wood chips, forest needles, gravel, laying them on black geotextiles.

Juniper is affected by gray mold, mushroom rust. Eliminate them with special chemicals, diluted according to the instructions on the package. With timely processing, complete infection of the plant can be prevented.

To grow a healthy plant, the following rules must be observed:

1. In winter, protect branches from the weight of snow by tying them with twine.
2. Cover the plant in the heat.
3. To avoid burning, the bushes need to be sprayed and watered.
4. Spraying is carried out at a distance so that the juniper does not bend under the influence of water.
5. With the onset of spring, prune diseased, dry and damaged branches.
6. In the middle of summer, juniper is sharp.

reproduction

is a dioecious plant. Reproduction of creeping juniper is carried out by layering (performed only during the growing season), seeds and cuttings. The first two methods are used very rarely, especially seed, since it lends itself only to professionals, because seedlings appear only 1-3 years after sowing. Therefore, the main method of reproduction is cuttings.

Cuttings can be cut from bushes of 8 years of age at any time of the year, but preferably with the onset of spring.

The cut material (10 cm long) is first kept in wet burlap or water, after removing the needles from the bottom of the branch by about 5 cm, and then planted in the ground.

Rooting is carried out in a greenhouse (including in winter) at a slight slope. After planting, the seedling is closed plastic wrap and put in a dark place. In doing so, the following requirements are met:

• temperature 16-19º;
• scattered light;
• sufficient moisture of the substrate;
• regular spraying.

Subject to the conditions, after 1-1.5 months, the cuttings will start up the first roots, after which, after waiting some more time, in the summer, the cuttings are transplanted along with a clod of earth into open ground. Bushes are transplanted to a permanent place of residence only after 2-3 years.

The fruiting of creeping juniper occurs only after 2-3 years, with the formation of dark blue fruits on the female bushes.

Compliance with all the rules will allow you to grow healthy plant, which will certainly become the main focus of your garden.

Such bizarre junipers - video

Having once visited a juniper grove, you will never forget the aroma of juniper, which fills everything around with its aroma. This is a coniferous plant unusual shape grows in the mountain tropics, and beyond the Arctic Circle. Juniper is an unpretentious plant, resistant to drought and harsh winters, some varieties can grow in a humid environment. It has an extensive palette, as for a coniferous plant. Depending on the locality, juniper can be both a tree and a shrub. For example, low-growing and creeping species grow in the mountains and on the rocks, and 15-meter trees grow in Europe, America, and Central Asia.

juniper variety

juniper originally wild plant, however, in modern world is a decoration of personal plots. Fans of coniferous plants plant several varieties of juniper in their garden. Consider some varieties of a relative of cypress:

Veres or common juniper (Juniperus communis)

Grows in moorland, on dry mountain slopes and hills. Frost resistant. It tolerates shade well, but feels more comfortable in open sunny places. By planting this species along garden paths, stairs or in other passable places, you will not only decorate them, but also secure this area from the "fluidity" of the earth. This type juniper has strong phytoncides, breathing which is good for health.

Veres

Juniper Cossack (Juniperus Sabina)

Low-growing creeping plant up to 1.5 m. It lives in forests and groves of the steppe zone. A drought-resistant, winter-hardy, light-requiring shrub that is not demanding on soil and has soil-protective properties. It can grow in one place for more than 30 years. Designers advise planting to cover infertile soil, lawn, rocky gardens.

Cossack (Juniperus Sabina)

Stricta (Juniperus stricta)

Another name for Chinese juniper. A slow-growing variety with a narrow dense crown with a diameter of 70 cm. mature plant reaches 2 m in height. Life expectancy up to 100 years. The branches are uniform and slightly raised. The needles change from bluish-green in summer to grey-yellow in winter. Strict needs irrigation, as the dryness of the air negatively affects its crown. While the plant is young, it is necessary to wrap up from the cold and shelter from the sun, but over time, with the age of the tree, frost resistance increases. The needles grow slowly, so they require minimal pruning. Suitable for creating hedges, heather and Japanese gardens. For arranging terraces, the stricta is planted in containers or garden vases.

Stricta (Juniperus stricta)

It means "golden star". The crown is in the shape of a star of a yellow-golden hue, hence the name of the variety. Surprisingly, different types of needles can be combined on one bush: scaly and needle. The variety is small, by the age of 10 it reaches 1 m in height. To soil conditions and climate unpretentious, photophilous. In the first few years requires abundant watering. Easy to model and cut. The yellow color of the branch looks great in combination with dark green or emerald grasses and mosses. Suitable for planting in large garden vases.

Gold Star (Juniperus Gold Star)

Juniperus horizontalis

Horizontal or prostrate juniper. The needles are bright from silver-blue to gray-green. The cones are dark blue, almost black, and pluck in the second year. The wood is resistant to decay, so it can be planted near water bodies. Drought tolerant, but grows best in areas with high humidity. Variety used in decoration rocky garden, border design, as a soil fixer, around water bodies.

Juniper horizontalis (Juniperus horizontalis)

Skyrocket (Juniper Skyrocket)

A tree with an arrow-shaped crown up to 3 m high. The variety was bred in Holland in the middle of the 20th century. Grows in warm temperate climate. For landing, choose a place protected from the wind. It is frost-resistant, but is afraid of heavy snowfalls. The crown should be covered and tied, as the branches break under the weight of snow. The first 2-3 years, a juniper sapling can get burned from the scorching sun, so a small canopy is required. Young trees need regular watering. The juniper Skyrocket has a neat crown, ideal for creating hedges, alley plantings, decorating front porches.

Juniper Skyrocket (Juniper Skyrocket)

Andorra Compacta (Juniper Andorra Compacta)

Evergreen dwarf shrub with an airy rosette crown. The height of the juniper is only half a meter with a diameter of up to 1 m. The needles are dense and small grey-green, by winter the color changes to purple-brown. The fruits of the plant are small gray-blue. The branches are spreading, slightly raised. The seedling develops better on soil of medium moisture. After planting, mulch with peat, wood chips or sawdust. This type of juniper is used in the landscape design of small areas as a ground plant, in a single planting or group compositions. Roses are planted in the neighborhood of Andorra Compacta.

Juniper Andorra Compacta (Juniper Andorra Compacta)

Scaly juniper, a common species among dwarfs. The needles are like scales, hence the name of the variety, and prickly with a bright turquoise hue. Can be planted on "poor" soil. In a site with heavy soil, clay, add drainage with peat and sand, and in sandy and stony - humus and clay. Do not let the water stagnate after watering! The plant loves sunny areas. In landscape design, it looks spectacular due to its dense, non-spreading crown and compact size in compositions with other plants. Designers decorate terraces, balconies, roofs by planting seedlings in containers. Blue Star juniper winters well under soft snow cover and the aggressiveness of the spring sun is not dangerous for it.

Blue Star (Juniperus squamata Blue Star)

Blue Arrow (Juniperus scopulorum Blue Arrow)

It is also called rock juniper. Its difference is in a narrow crown in the form of a column with a sharp top, in the form of an arrow. The needles are soft scaly bright blue. The fruits of Blue Arrow are bluish-blue. An adult tree reaches a height of 2-2.5 m. In comparison with other junipers, mature tree it takes up little space on the site, since the branches are tightly pressed to the trunk and grow vertically from the ground itself. Using the features of the tree, designers plant seedlings to form front alleys and hedges.

Juniperus scopulorum Blue Arrow

Junipers in landscape design - styles and combinations

Juniper, due to the severity of forms, fits well into styles that are characterized by geometry, space and naturalness.

1. Japanese. In the Japanese style, they adhere to a certain arrangement of stones. Plants choose low and not flowering. Most types of juniper do not bloom, so the choice is not limited to one or two species.
2. English. The aristocracy of the English is visible in the style of parks and gardens: against the backdrop of a neat lawn of moss, heather, lichen, more large species juniper. In such a park, garden, the emphasis is on a coniferous plant with a bright color.
3. French. The basis of this style is the use of evergreens. geometric shape, their symmetrical arrangement on the territory.

Whatever style you adhere to in the design of a personal plot, it must be remembered that tree-like junipers additionally strengthen the slopes of the terraces, and ground cover and in the shape of a ball hide the unevenness of the plot.

Juniper varieties (video)

Juniper and other plants in the garden

Juniper in the garden, no matter how beautiful it is, is boring in itself. Plants with bright blooms add color to the juniper garden. However, it is necessary to adhere to the rules for planting conifers and ornamental plants in one area.

Remember, it is necessary to plant flowers, roses, clematis, chrysanthemums, peonies at a distance of 2 m from conifers so that the trees do not cover the sun's rays.

The gaps between the tree and flowers can be filled with decorative gravel or covered with ground-blooded plants - thyme, ryegrass, awl-shaped bryozoan, clover. They will not only create a background, but also protect against weeds. Mulching is another way to treat gaps. For this, peat, nut husks, needles from coniferous trees.

Different varieties of juniper in combination with the lawn

If the site has a stream, ponds, bright spireas will be companions to juniper. On stone areas, use herbal cloves, barberries, rejuvenated, styloid phlox. You can use the method when creating alpine slides: clearings planted with creeping plants. The main thing to remember is that juniper goes better with field or decorative flowers with small inflorescences.

In the spring, the second half of March, April, and in the fall, September, the first half of October, juniper is planted in the ground. A plant that has a closed root system, it is permissible to transplant the entire warm period. Please note that juniper is planted in sunny places. During planting, consider the characteristics of each type of juniper. There are varieties that thrive in dry, rocky soil, while others prefer moist soils. Some species require protection from the wind.

Landing technology:

• Depending on the variety, the conifer requires space. In this case, the size of the pit should exceed the size of the root system of the seedling by 2 times. The distance between the trees is at least 2-3 meters from each other, for dwarf trees, half a meter is enough.
• Experts add a mixture of peat, sand and coniferous soil, which was collected in the forest under pines and spruces, to the planting pit. Do not forget to make drainage from the remains of broken bricks or sand to strengthen the root system.

The most successful soil mixture: 2 parts of humus, peat and soddy soil and 1 part of sand. It is advisable to add 150 g of the Kemira Universal fertilizer (a broad-spectrum nutrient mineral) and 300 g of the Nitrofoska fertilizer (complex fertilizer, the main components of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), as well as the Epin biostimulator after planting, to the described mixture, in order to better got accustomed.

• We take out the seedling from the pot with the preservation of the earthy coma only when the pit is fully prepared. Straighten the roots and lay neatly in the hole.
• Bury the plant under the root.

Proper application of fertilizer

In our area, junipers are resistant to many diseases and do not need special feeding and spraying. It will be enough to water in dry times and “feed” with nitrogen and complex fertilizers several times during the season.

It is strictly forbidden to fertilize conifers with animal humus.

From such a "fertilizer" the roots of the juniper burn and the plant dies. The nutrition of the trunk will deteriorate and the plant will begin to dry out if the soil around the plant is loosened. For juniper, it is enough to mulch (cover) the soil with coniferous soil, which was previously collected in a pine forest.

Growing conifers from seeds

The collection of juniper seeds takes place at a certain time, at the end of summer. During this period, the seeds are not yet ripe, while in the fall they may be overripe. Immature seeds are more likely to germinate. harvested seeds you need to sow immediately, but be prepared that they will only sprout 2-3 years after sowing due to the hard shell.

Diseases and pests

Coniferous plants are also susceptible to diseases, mainly fungal, and pests.

Rust is the most common disease of conifers. Orange growths on trunks and branches that appear in early summer due to basidiomycetes are fungal sporulation organs. This disease affects not only juniper, but also cultivated plants, so you should not plant conifers next to decorative and fruit plants. Before treating the plant with a fungicide, remove diseased areas.

Schutte's disease is dangerous for coniferous trees, caused by a fungus. It is especially dangerous for young, up to 3 years, seedlings. There are varieties of the disease. The main symptom of the disease is a sharp change in color and the rapid fall of the needles. Fallen needles must be collected and burned. It also requires the removal of affected areas and treatment with fungicidal solutions.

During heavy snowfall, the crowns of tree-like juniper varieties can fall off (disintegrate). Therefore, in the fall, gardeners tie the crowns of trees in advance.

At the end of winter, beginning of spring, certain types may be exposed to active sunlight. Consequently, in late February and early March, the branches need a fabric shelter or canopy. The buds of a middle-aged conifer remain alive after sunburn or frost. shoots young plant, growing out hide damaged areas. If the kidneys are damaged severe frosts or direct sunlight, the plant will not "hide" them. In this case, human help will be required: cut bad branches to healthy places and process by special means.

Juniper in winter

Types of juniper shelter for the winter:

• Snow. A light snow coat is suitable for dwarf and creeping species. In order to avoid the death of the plant during heavy snowfall, it is recommended to make a protective frame, otherwise the plant will die.
• Lapnik. These are branches of coniferous trees, mostly spruce, which cover the juniper.
• Burlap, paper, light cotton fabric - all this can be covered with juniper and tied with a rope, while leaving the lower part of the crown open. It is forbidden to use the film, it will not allow the plant to "breathe" and it will disappear.

Juniper transforms the landscape. It is noteworthy that the coniferous plant takes the desired shape with the help of a haircut. Wanna have geometric figures Scandinavian garden or creeping shrubs Japanese garden? Then plant a juniper that will pay you with a healing aroma and a decorative look.