Coniferous plants in your garden are an original design of the landscape, a wonderful aroma, as well as a daily pleasure from contemplating evergreen, fluffy twigs. However, the question arises, which plants are best to choose for your site? Spruces, pines and cedars are amazing, but it will take a very long time until they become adults. However, there is an alternative. Any variety of juniper, and there are many of them, can be a real highlight of your garden. In addition, representatives of this family grow much faster and are quite unpretentious.
An extraordinary variety of shapes
No wonder gardeners love this plant so much. Just a couple of junipers on the site will give you a delicate aroma that pleases on a warm summer evening. And also lovers note the unpretentiousness that any variety of juniper possesses. In principle, it is very difficult to find two identical ones, since there are a huge number of interesting shapes, original colors and textures of needles.
The genus of junipers includes about 60 varieties of plants of all shapes and sizes. They grow all overthe length of the Northern Hemisphere, starting from the mountain tropics and up to the polar zone. Moreover, each species has its own range. For example, a variety of juniper, which is characterized by short stature and creeping appearance, is a characteristic inhabitant of rocks and mountain slopes.
General Description
How to understand that this is the plant in front of you? It is enough to know its distinctive features. Any variety of juniper is an evergreen tree or shrub. At the same time, it can be tree-like or crawl along the ground in the form of a carpet. The crown is pyramidal or conical.
Evergreen blooms in June and bears fruit in August. Cones or berries contain loose pulp. Many owners make preparations in order to later use these fruits for medicinal purposes.
Planting juniper
We propose the following scheme for considering this topic. First, let's talk about planting and care, and then about the features of each variety separately. So, seedlings are planted when they are already mature young plants. From the moment of germination, at least 36 months must pass. The best time for this is spring, namely April-May.
All varieties of thuja and junipers are planted together with a large clod of earth. It is preliminary recommended to prepare a hole, the depth of which should be twice as large as the height of the seedling itself. A broken brick must be laid out at the bottom of the hole. The root circle is covered with mulching material. It could be peator foliage. The layer thickness should be at least 10 cm. Although this plant is unpretentious, for better rooting it is advisable to replace ordinary garden soil with a nutrient mixture. It can be bought at a specialized store. In addition, nitroammophoska is added to the substrate.
Group boarding
Depending on your preferences, you can decorate your site with a single coniferous plant or a whole group. For example, a fence made of coniferous shrubs. In addition, you can create a composition of three or four junipers in the center of the site, which will be the highlight and centerpiece of your garden. Be that as it may, if you are making a group landing, certain rules must be observed. Collect information in advance about what size the plants will be in adult form. This will leave enough space between them. It is not recommended to plant junipers too close, so that they do not drown out each other.
Plant care
Varieties of thuja and junipers attract gardeners not only with their decorative appearance, but also with minimal care requirements. There are enough tender plants in the summer cottage that require regular transplanting, pruning, top dressing, props and much more. In this regard, the juniper is a real steadfast tin soldier, which requires almost nothing from its owner. With the first heat, nitroammophoska is introduced into the soil, approximately 40 g per m2. You can do nothing more during the year. If the soil is very stony and poor,then you can break this rule, but in this case it is not recommended to feed more than twice during the warm season.
Water and pruning
Any variety of arborvitae, cypresses, junipers is highly drought-resistant. But if the summer is very hot, then without water the plant will at least lose its decorative effect. Therefore, do not forget to periodically shed the root zone. These plants are very fond of spraying. This procedure is performed in the morning or evening.
But pruning is a completely optional procedure, so be guided by the appearance of the plant and your taste. But if you form a hedge from it, then you will have to regularly remove all protruding shoots. Juniper usually winters well, it is frost-resistant. But young plants must be covered.
Common juniper
On our summer cottages, not all varieties of juniper are found. We will give a photo and the name of the most popular of them in our today's article so that you have guidelines for choosing seedlings. So, it is called ordinary because of its wide distribution and unpretentiousness. Withstands almost any conditions, winter cold and dry summer. It will grow as a tree or spreading shrub up to 6 meters in height. Branching is chaotic, blooms with yellow flowers, in place of which berries are formed. The plant is very beautiful at any time of the year
Three main subspecies
They are quite popular among summer residents in Russia, so let'slet's move on to the description.
Gold Cone - this plant looks like a candle in shape. It does not need complex care, it tolerates winter well and does not tolerate waterlogging at all. Planting is carried out in early spring, after which it will be necessary to shade the seedling from direct sunlight. It is recommended to tie the crown for the winter.
Hibernika. It is simply amazing that such different plants are close relatives and belong to the same species. This exotic handsome man will definitely become the main attraction of your garden. The main difference from the previous subspecies is the non-thorny, delicate needles that envelop the trunk like the thinnest threads. The shrub will grow in any soil, but it is very picky about lighting. Therefore, choose the most sunny place.
Green Carpet. This variety of juniper, whose name translates as "green carpet", is very different from its previous counterparts. If those had an elongated shape, then this type can only be formed into a round ball. It goes well with stones and can be used as a ground cover. Grows well in well-lit areas.
Chinese juniper
It is widely distributed from Korea to northern China. Even in nature, there are dozens of varieties of this variety, and most of them perfectly tolerate the conditions of Russia. It's hard to believe that it's all Chinese juniper. The varieties, the photos of which we will consider today, can be used to decorate your garden.site. Their needles are mostly prickly and small.
Blaauw is a very interesting species, its main feature is its blue branches. Believe me, such a rare shade will set it apart from all the plants in the garden. This type of juniper can be planted anywhere, even in a small shade. However, it is more demanding on the quality of the soil. Only drained, light and non-acidic soils are suitable for the plant.
BlueAlps is another very interesting species that has a pleasant bluish tint. This juniper will grow well both in the shade and in the sun, but in the first case, its shade will be rather dull. But there is also a significant advantage. The plant is completely undemanding to soil and watering.
Variegata is another amazing plant. If you do not need a central figure in the garden, but an interesting design of the corner part of the flower bed, then it is best to designate it with an expressive shrub. With this task, this type copes best. Distinctive features are small size, spreading branches and yellowish spots that are scattered around the entire perimeter of the plant. The only condition is fresh, nutritious and non-acidic soil. Optimize the soil in your area, and you will grow this beautiful juniper. Varieties, photos and names (coniferous beauties are very popular) can be found, including in specialized stores or on the websites of online stores.
Cossack Juniper
This species is widespread in landscape design. Depending on the variety, it may be a shrub.up to one and a half meters in size or a huge tree from 4 to 6 meters high. And the width of the crown in some can reach 10 meters. Designers are very fond of Cossack juniper. Its varieties are undemanding to soils, endure heat and cold, winds and droughts, and also have strong phytoncidal properties. Varieties of Cossack juniper open up a whole world in which you are sure to find what you like.
Hicksii. The maximum height of the shrub is 1.5 meters, and the width is 2. It is characterized by high winter hardiness.
Broadmoor. The height is not more than 60 cm, but in width it willingly grows up to three meters, forming an emerald carpet.
Blue Danube. The needles of this plant have a bluish tint. The shrub does not exceed 60 cm in height, and spreads up to 3 meters in width. Looks good along paths in the garden.
Southern variety of juniper
She is called differently archa. Approximately 21 species of junipers are found in Central Asia. Especially a lot of it in the mountains. If you are planning to organize an alpine slide in your garden, then juniper will be an ideal basis for your composition. These are very unpretentious plants that grow in the crevices of rocks, gradually expanding them with their roots. In form, juniper plants are extremely interesting. These are bizarrely curved or straight trees, as well as creeping, spiral, twisted forms of shrubs.
Juniper grows very slowly and practically does not give a shadow. Its needles exude phytoncides, they completely purify the air frompathogenic bacteria. You can plant any juniper at home. Varieties, photos, planting and care - this is information that you will additionally receive along with seedlings. However, mountain juniper is too long-growing plant to grow it on your site.
Tui varieties
Juniper and thuja are separate genera belonging to the cypress family. But if the genus of junipers includes at least 60 species, then there are only five thuja. It can also look like a lush shrub or tree with the most bizarre shape. Its crown is spherical or pyramidal, there are also weeping thuja. If you are now planning the landscape of your garden, then be sure to think about placing at least one coniferous tree or shrub on its territory. It is beautiful, trendy and modern.
Western thuja
Considering the varieties of thuja and juniper (see photo in our article), it should be noted that tree-like forms are the most popular. Still, spectacular evergreen and long-lived beauties conquer at first sight. Among them, I would like to note the thuja western, which is a tree reaching a height of 15-20 meters. Crown width - up to 5 meters. It grows well in partial shade and in the sun, it is undemanding to soils and care, it grows well in humid and cold areas. But it does not tolerate drought and heat. Can live up to 1 thousand years.
Other popular varieties
Thuja orientalis. Asian species, which is most often shapedbush. The maximum height is 18 meters, its branches are flat and grow vertically, not horizontally. Very thermophilic, drought tolerant but not winter hardy.
Giant or folded - a very beautiful shrub that resembles a cypress. It grows rapidly at about 30 cm per year. Forms a pyramidal crown, height - up to 15 meters. The needles are dark green in color and have a strong aroma. Winter-hardy and wind-resistant, grows well in humid areas.
Korean thuja is another spectacular but heat-loving shrub with a wide crown and sprawling branches, as well as soft needles. The color of the needles is silver on one side and dark green on the other. It grows only in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frosts below -10.
Japanese thuja is a very spectacular tree, reaching a height of 18 meters. Frost-resistant, can survive in the most extreme conditions. But it cannot grow in cities due to the fact that it is very sensitive to the purity of the air.
Instead of a conclusion
The juniper family is amazing and diverse. Representatives of the same species can grow into huge trees or spread along the ground like grass. However, they are united by high decorativeness and resistance to a variety of diseases, undemanding to growing conditions. Even if you visit the summer cottage far from every day, the juniper will do without you. Care for any member of this huge family is about the same.
It is necessary to choose a sunny place for it, where the plant will not lacklighting. Be sure to mulch the soil well after planting. Now it remains only to occasionally water the plant, and also to fertilize in the spring. All of the listed species are very responsive to mineral fertilizers, but organic matter should be used in limited quantities every few years.
In accordance with the descriptions given, you can choose the most interesting varieties of juniper for your site. The photo and the name will allow you to plan in advance the purchase of the most attractive seedlings, which means making your garden unusual and original.
