Conifer flower beds: patterns with shrubs, perennials, flowers, photos

Content

1 Features of coniferous flower beds
2 Types of coniferous mixborders
3 What flowers go with conifers?
4 Rules for creating beautiful flower beds with conifers
5 Caring for coniferous flower beds
6 Schemes of flower beds of conifers, shrubs, perennials
7 Photos of flower beds of conifers, shrubs, and perennials
8 Conclusion

Schemes of flower beds made from conifers are of keen interest to summer residents who want to beautifully decorate their plot. Decorative coniferous plants are perfect for creating mixborders and bright flower beds, as they are combined with a wide variety of shrubs and perennial flowers.

Features of coniferous flower beds

Theoretically, any coniferous plants are suitable for creating flower beds, but in practice, junipers, low firs and thujas, as well as dwarf pine and spruce species are most often used. In order for the flower garden to look harmonious, it is necessary that the height of the conifers does not exceed 1.5 m, otherwise the trees will stand out too much from the background of other plants.

Some features of coniferous trees make them very attractive for planting in the garden as part of a flower bed.

Conifers do not require complex and careful care, like other plants that are well suited for planting with them.If you pay attention to preparing the soil and choosing the right site, then the flowerbed will cause a minimum of trouble later.
Coniferous plants remain attractive throughout the year. During the cold period, the complex flowerbed does not lose its beauty and still pleases the eye with fresh and rich green shades.
To maintain the beauty of the flower bed you do not need to put in significant effort. Decorative conifers grow neatly, they need to be trimmed rarely and in small volumes, the shapes of the mixborder are very easy to follow.
A coniferous flowerbed looks equally good both with a monochromatic and contrasting design. The bright green and emerald-bluish shades of the needles go well with the foliage of green shrubs and cheerful summer flowers.

The advantages of a coniferous flower bed include the fact that it can organically fit into almost any landscape. Mixborders with coniferous plants can be found in English and Japanese gardens, in forest compositions. Coniferous flower beds can not only decorate a site, but also delimit space. They are also used to decorate blank walls and high fences, to decorate deserted areas and to emphasize the lines of garden paths.

Types of coniferous mixborders

Stylish and neat conifers decorate any summer cottage if planted alone or combined with each other. But of particular interest in dacha design are flowers and conifers planted together in the form of evergreen flower beds - conifers, deciduous shrubs and perennial flowers grow well side by side.

Mixborders from shrubs and conifers

The combination of conifers and deciduous shrubs is a classic version of an evergreen garden mixborder. A flowerbed of conifers in front of the house looks good; such compositions are often planted near the walls of outbuildings, next to high blank fences, or as a hedge, covering the area from prying eyes.

Most often, conifers in this composition serve as the “skeleton” of the flower bed and are responsible for its contours and height. They are planted in the back of the mixborder if the flowerbed is pressed against a wall or fence, or in the center if the mixborder is located in the middle of the free space. The role of the lower tier is performed by shrubs, for example, elderberry and magnolia, hibiscus or lilac. When creating a composition, it is important to select plants so that as they grow, deciduous shrubs do not begin to rise above their coniferous “neighbors.”

There is another design option for a coniferous mixborder, in which shrubs act as the “skeleton” for the flowerbed, and conifers are located on the lower tier. In such mixborders, creeping varieties of junipers are usually used, which, even in adulthood, rarely rise above 1 m above the ground.

Attention! When creating a mixborder, it is important to take into account the subsequent growth of conifers and shrubs.

They need to be planted at short intervals so that as the trees and bushes grow, they do not block each other’s sunlight. In addition, a decent distance between plants is necessary to maintain good soil aeration - conifers and neighboring plants do not tolerate stagnant moisture.

Mixborders with conifers and perennials

Another interesting option for using coniferous plants as part of a flower bed is planting juniper, fir, pine or other trees together with flowering perennial plants and herbs. Composition has important advantages.

Evergreen conifers perfectly shade flowering perennials. Almost any flowers with delicate pastel or bright cheerful shades look advantageous against their background. The gardener does not have to think about how to draw attention to the flower bed; against the background of conifers, perennials immediately catch the eye.
A flowerbed of perennials and conifers remains attractive throughout the year. Even when the flowering period of perennial plants ends, the mixborder does not lose its expressiveness - during the cold period, the composition still remains the center of attention and acts as a bright spot in the garden.

When combining conifers and perennials, it is also important to take into account the height of the plants and arrange them so that the conifers rise above the flower bed. But this is most often quite easy to do; even young coniferous plants that have not yet reached their maximum dimensions usually rise noticeably above the flowers.

Mixborders of conifers, shrubs and flowers

The most complex, but most artistic option is a combination of conifers, deciduous shrubs and perennials in landscape design. Most often, large unoccupied areas of space are decorated with such compositions, since mixborders require quite a lot of space.

The complex flowerbed consists of 3 tiers. The role of the base, or skeleton, can be performed by both conifers and shrubs - this depends on the height of the specific plants.

The tallest plants are placed in the center if the flowerbed is double-sided, and in the background if the mixborder is pressed against a fence or wall.
The second level consists of plants of medium height, which create a beautiful and smooth transition from the upper tier to the lower one.
On the first level there are perennial flowers; they add bright colors and completeness to the composition.

With the help of three-tiered flower beds, uneven areas of the garden are often decorated, for example, so-called alpine slides are built, the distinctive feature of which is the presence of pronounced tiers. Compositions with a difference in height look organically on the banks of artificial reservoirs; they help to decorate the coastline.

When creating a mixborder, its elements must be positioned in such a way that the plants do not overlap each other, but also do not leave noticeable unoccupied spaces or sudden changes in height.

Important! In some cases, the distribution of roles between plants may change.

For example, tall spreading bushes of elderberry or lilac can become the “skeleton” of the composition; tall perennial phlox or delphiniums can be the middle tier, while creeping ground cover conifers will occupy the lower tier.

What flowers go with conifers?

The great advantage of coniferous mixborders is that for junipers, pines, spruces and firs it is enough to simply select “neighbors” that are undemanding to the growing conditions. Most shrubs have the same requirements for growing conditions as conifers - lilac and spirea, magnolia and jasmine, hibiscus, hydrangea and geranium.

As for flowers, they go well with conifers and grow without problems:

asters and ferns;
sages, phlox and irises;
echinacea, anemones and primrose;
goldenrod, daylilies and lilies;
bergenia and astilbe.

In the same area with conifers, many low-growing groundcover flowers maintain good health - carnations, violets, thyme, periwinkle, saxifrage and cinders, arabis and aubrietta. You can also plant daffodils, marigolds, petunias, daisies and tulips, lobelias and muscari as part of a mixborder; they will not only provide lush seasonal flowering, but will also mask the voids that are inevitable in the first couple of years after planting the flowerbed.

Rules for creating beautiful flower beds with conifers

Despite the fact that decorating a flower bed with conifers is considered quite simple, it is important to adhere to some rules when planning and creating a beautiful complex flower bed.

The first step is to assess the condition of the site and choose the right place for planting. You need to focus on the basic needs of conifers. The area should be well heated by the sun, but have light shading. The level of lighting is especially important to consider when placing a flower bed near a fence or wall, since the building may block the mixborder from the sun.
Conifers rarely need additional watering, but during periods of severe drought they need to be supplied with moisture. Therefore, the flowerbed should be accessible for artificial irrigation, and, in addition, nothing should interfere with the natural access of precipitation.
Coniferous plants tolerate poor soils well, but they are quite demanding in terms of soil density. Mixborders cannot be planted in a waterlogged area with dense soil; if the soil does not meet the requirements, it should be dug up and more sand or crushed stone added.
All elements of a multi-component mixborder must be combined with each other. Conifers, shrubs and perennials must be selected so that none of the plants feels overwhelmed, otherwise the flowerbed will not grow truly beautiful. Plant requirements for soil quality, moisture level and natural light must coincide.

Once the planting area and the composition of the flower bed have been determined, you need to carefully approach the design of the mixborder. You need to clearly understand exactly how the coniferous flowerbed will look on the site, from which points it will be visible, and in accordance with this, design its outlines and shapes. If you plan to plant a flowerbed with conifers with your own hands in the center of a free plot, then it is better to opt for a double-sided mixborder, otherwise the flowerbed will look unfavorable on one side.

You can combine the colors of plants when planting a coniferous flower bed completely freely. According to the classic rule, 2-3 shades are mixed together. But this recommendation can be violated if you are sure that the mixborder will not look too tacky.

According to the standard design scheme for flower beds with conifers in front of the house, the tallest plants are placed in the background or in the center, mid-level plants are placed in front of them, and the shortest shrubs and flowers are planted on the third tier. It is important to remember that the size of plants will change; you need to focus specifically on the height of adult conifers and shrubs, and not on the dimensions of the seedlings.

Advice! You can decorate a coniferous flowerbed with stones and make a rockery on your site.Large stones and small crushed stone not only help to draw the outlines of the flowerbed, but also protect the mixborder from weed.

Caring for coniferous flower beds

Conifer flower beds are popular not only because of their beauty, but also because they are very easy to care for. The gardener requires minimal effort to maintain the health and attractiveness of beautiful garden arrangements of shrubs, conifers and perennials.

Since conifers and plants suitable for planting together with them do not like waterlogging, almost no additional watering is required for the flower beds. It is necessary to supply the mixborder with additional moisture only during periods of severe summer drought.
It is enough to fertilize the flowerbed once a season - you need to use mineral fertilizers, for example, nitrogen or potassium. You should be careful with organic fertilizing; most often it harms the root system of coniferous plants.
A flower bed of conifers and other plants requires regular weeding. Decorating a flower bed with large and small stones slows down the growth of weeds, but does not stop them completely. Therefore, once a year it is recommended to carefully loosen the soil and remove all excess vegetation that takes away moisture and nutrients.
Conifer flower beds require regular pruning. Decorative pruning is necessary only when coniferous and deciduous shrubs begin to grow significantly, and the geometric contours of the flower bed are at risk. But sanitary pruning for mixborders must be carried out every season, during which all dried and weakened parts of the composition are removed.

It is also recommended to carry out preventive treatment of the flower bed with insecticides and fungicidal solutions once a season. Conifers and neighboring plants are susceptible to infection by fungi and pests, and preventing diseases is much easier than treating them.

As for preparing the flower bed for winter, coniferous mixborders are covered minimally for the winter. Plants need protection from bright winter sun and frost. Deciduous shrubs, suitable for joint planting with conifers in the middle zone, tolerate winter well without additional shelter. For tall coniferous plants, if necessary, use spruce branches, which are tied to tree branches. For flowers of the middle and lower level, protective frames are used, on which a natural blanket of snow rests.

Schemes of flower beds of conifers, shrubs, perennials

In landscape design, there are dozens of different mixborder schemes involving conifers. As an example, we can cite several of them - photos and diagrams of compositions from conifers and perennials will demonstrate how attractive and elegant mixborders can be.

In the center of the first composition there is a larch about 2 m high (3), in the lower right corner of the image there is a creeping juniper (1). The upper right corner is occupied by purple broom (5), and to the left are low shrubs of heartleaf bergenia (4) and horizontal cotoneaster (2).

The presented composition acquires a particularly beautiful decorative appearance twice a year. Bergenia produces purple, white or pink inflorescences in early spring, while broom flowers bloom in May and June.Another transformation of the flower bed occurs in late autumn with the arrival of frost - at this time the color of the leaves of the bergenia changes. Depending on the variety, a low-growing shrub may acquire a red tint or become covered with crimson spots and streaks on wide leaves.

Another interesting scheme for a mixborder of shrubs and conifers involves the use of medium-height conifers with flowering plants of the middle and lower levels. The silhouette of the flowerbed is set by cypress (2) and thuja (1), spirea (3) and scaly juniper (4) act as a frame, and spectacular irises (5) rise in the center of the composition.

A flowerbed can look attractive either against the wall of a house or at a gate, or near a resting place in free space. Mixborder flowering occurs not only in spring, but also in mid-summer, when the inflorescences of pink spirea bloom.

The third option for a flower bed of conifers presents a planting scheme with names, where the composition is made in cool bluish-gray shades and is suitable for an island arrangement or for planting along garden paths. The tallest element of the composition is prickly spruce (3), the middle tier is represented by scaly juniper (1) and virginiana juniper (2). On the lower tier there is a low-growing gray fescue (4) and blue carnation (6).

The mixborder is an excellent example of a coniferous flower bed, made in monotonous, soft shades. In winter, such a composition will become a bright spot in the garden, and in summer it will create a visual feeling of pleasant coolness. Bluish-gray coniferous plants favorably set off the dim flowering of carnations and serve as a background of a similar shade for it.

Photos of flower beds of conifers, shrubs, and perennials

In addition to diagrams of coniferous compositions, photos of flower beds made of conifers and perennials will help you appreciate the beauty of complex mixborders. When creating your own flowerbed, you can use ready-made composition options or design your own flowerbed with conifers, starting from existing options.

Conclusion

Patterns of flower beds made from conifers help you create an attractive and stylish landscape design at your summer cottage. Coniferous mixborders are ideal for planting in the garden because they require minimal care and at the same time delight with their beauty throughout the year.