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Barberry plays one of the leading roles in landscape design, since it meets many of the requirements of the creators of garden compositions. The shrub, not picky about soils and undemanding to care, is very decorative, especially varieties that have been bred recently. The variety of leaf colors and plasticity of shapes allows the species to be a participant in interesting landscape ensembles made up of bushes, trees or flowers.
Barberry in garden landscape design
Landscape art was enriched by the inclusion of barberry bushes in the landscape back in the 18th century. To this day, the species is used in different landscape styles, with numerous varieties with a wide range of leaf colors and crown shapes. Breeders continue to work on developing new plants with original colors that are more resistant to fungal diseases. Any landscape with barberry is enlivened, regardless of the color shade of the bush.Gardeners are often attracted by the versatility in design, due to the variety of varieties, and the all-season decorative properties of all types of plants.
Barberry in gardens and parks is used for successful landscape finds, pursuing various goals:
- Most often, hedges are created along the perimeter of the site or for zoning it;
- highlight paths with borders of low-growing varieties;
- the lawns are framed in contrast with barberries with reddish leaves;
- include as an element of rock gardens, rockeries, rose gardens, mixborders or flower beds, especially with flowers that bloom in autumn;
- use a bush with a rich, unusual shade of leaves as a tapeworm to create a spectacular accent on the lawn or on the shore of a pond;
- planted as an edge in front of a group of tall decorative deciduous or coniferous trees;
- taking into account the differences in the relief of a particular area and the presence of a powerful superficial root system in the species with a strong central core, bushes are placed on the slopes to strengthen them.
A single tall barberry in a landscape design, as in the photo, looks expressive against a background of herbal greenery, in a gravel bed or surrounded by low flowers.
In rocky gardens, varieties with a low cushion-shaped or rounded crown are also planted, as for landscape design in oriental style. The shrub is chosen in proportion to the size of the surrounding forms.
To decorate and accentuate garden paths, an excellent landscape solution is borders made of low-growing barberries with a spherical crown. You can try to create a round crown on your own on a bush that tolerates pruning well. Successful placement of decorative barberries in landscape design will add individuality and charm to the garden.
Advantages of a barberry hedge
A shrub with densely growing shoots equipped with thorns 1-2 cm long in different species, it is excellent as a fence, enlivening the landscape landscape. An impressive wall is made of tall varieties planted at a distance of 40-50 cm.
To zone a garden, design masters recommend planting small bushes with red leaves, often using the principle of contrast. These ornamental hedges look better trimmed.
A living wall made of barberry has undeniable advantages:
- undemandingness of the drought-resistant shrub to the soil and natural phenomena;
- compactness of the plant;
- frost resistance;
- height options from 0.5 to 2.5 m;
- the plasticity of the bush, which can be easily shaped when pruned, combined with various components of landscape design;
- all-season decorative;
- simple reproduction.
Some owners of summer cottages do not hold barberry in high esteem due to the presence of thorns, which complicates the care of this spectacular element of landscape design. Another feature of the common barberry species is its high susceptibility to fungal diseases, rust and powdery mildew. Bushes of this species must be treated with fungicides. Colorful varieties of Thunberg barberry are resistant to pathogens. We should also take note that over time the plant spreads independently and is dispersed by seeds. It is advisable to remove the sprouts so as not to litter the area.
Barberry varieties for hedges
There are many options for constructing a living barberry fence in landscape design, which are based on the diversity of its varieties:
- low, up to 0.4-0.5 m, or high, up to 2.5-3 m;
- contrasting shades, green and yellow, variegated or reddish brown;
- the same height or wavy, when planting varieties of the same type, different in size, but of the same shade;
- trimmed or free-growing.
For emotional balance, homogeneous plants are often chosen.
Barberry Atropurpurea
Attractive as a prominent element of landscape design with a tall crown with greenish and dark purple foliage that grows up to 2 m, spreading to the same diameter after 10 years. The shoots are arched, with spines up to 2-2.5 cm. The flowers are orange-yellow, smell pleasant, collected in hanging racemes. The plant tolerates pruning well and keeps its shape for a long time. Pruned 2 times per season. The purple color of the leaves in the shade can turn into a regular dark green.
Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea
Despite the same name, the bushes are different, because they belong to different species. Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea in landscape design is one of the most sought after due to its colorfulness, hardiness and resistance to powdery mildew and rust. The variety grows up to 1.5 m, the leaves are red with a purple tint, turning into bright carmine in the fall.
The dwarf Thunberg barberry variety Atropurpurea Nana, recently bred in Holland, grows to only 40-60 cm. The leaves are dark purple, with a richer reddish tint in autumn.
Barberry Thunberg Admiration
The bush is low-growing, very decorative, often used in landscape design.It captivates with its rounded crown with small, up to 2 cm long, red-orange leaves with a yellow border. The variety is slow-growing and drought-resistant. Easy to trim.
Barberry Thunberg Kelleriis
It is believed that the favorite of landscape design organizers was bred in Denmark based on the Thunberg and Ottawa barberries. On prickly flexible shoots that form a rounded crown, variegated leaves grow - irregular white stripes on a green background. The variety is tall, up to 2-3 m, growth up to 20 cm per year. Marble leaves turn pink-chestnut in autumn.
Barberry Thunberg Maria
A bright shrub with erect shoots up to 1.5 m high. The columnar crown impresses with the yellow-golden color of the leaves, which acquire an orange hue in September. Plant in a sunny place; in the shade the color intensity decreases. It requires watering and grows well in moderately moist soil. Does not tolerate drought well, is frost-resistant. Yellow barberry in landscape design is used for decorative hedges, in rocky gardens, and in flower beds.
The subtleties of caring for a barberry hedge
The soil near young plants is systematically loosened and removed weeds. Watering is carried out 2 times a month. Most varieties of barberry can tolerate short-term drought, although they look more luxuriant with regular watering. Feed twice a season with complex preparations for ornamental shrubs. For adult plants, one spring feeding is enough.
For convenient pruning, place the hedge so that it can be accessed from both sides. A photo of a hedge made from different barberries looks great, but when creating it, they take into account how similar the varieties have requirements for soil and location, and other characteristics.
When pruning, proceed only with thick gloves, given the presence of thorns. Be sure to remove old shoots by cutting them off near the ground. Such care will ensure uniform development of the bush, which is important for the appearance of barberry in the landscape. Pruning also removes excessive thickening, which can lead to the development of diseases. Trimming in summer will make the hedge more expressive, since it is on the young shoots that the characteristic features of the variety appear. Depending on the landscape design style, barberry does not need to be cut, but pruning is necessary for a neat appearance of the bush.
Care in spring and summer includes treating bushes with fungicides or conventional copper-based preparations to prevent fungal diseases. The soil under the bushes is also sprayed. The last treatment is carried out in early September.
Rules for combination with other plants
Barberry bushes in landscape design combine well with other garden crops:
- tall trees whose bushes create padding;
- conifers, thujas, junipers and cypresses to enliven compositions;
- flowering shrubs;
- roses, bush asters, chrysanthemums;
- low flowers in rock gardens.
Conclusion
Barberry in landscape design is a bright element. Thanks to different crown shapes and leaf colors, plants add a lively, expressive touch to garden complexes. The correct selection of a stable and hardy variety will make caring for it not labor-intensive.
