The Important Role of Conifers in Landscaping
Conifer trees and shrubs come in a wide range of sizes, shapes
and textures. When we choose plants for our landscape, we
like to use plants that change through the season. On the
other hand, we use conifers because they don’t change
much at all. They are our structure, our solid points in the
design.
While deciduous trees create open spaces by loosing their
foliage in the fall, conifers provide privacy even in the
winter. Most plants, even evergreens, have their down time
when they don’t look their best. Conifers, however,
maintain the same appearance through the whole year and complement
other plants. They also help to keep the garden looking balanced
and in proportion through the seasonal changes. They can be
used as background (a hedge behind a perennial border), a
screen between properties, an accent plant or a focal point.
Gardens that are planted mainly with conifers are refreshingly
simple and calming.
Choosing the right conifer that is going to fit the setting
is the key. Many species have a large number of varieties.
Each varies in shape, texture, and colour but mainly in size.
It is hard to say when you see the plant in the nursery how
big is it going to become. Finding out all the details is
very important. For a small conifer, I would like to recommend
Tsuga canadensis 'Jeddeloh' Canadian Hemlock. Its fine needles
complement its gracefully arching branches. This small shrub
is a great addition to rock gardens. As a focal point, a rather
large tree, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula' Yellow Cypress,
is an excellent choice. It grows up to 40 feet and is striking
with its distinct, graceful, weeping habit. It is often used
near water around a patio or as a lawn specimen.
Another aspect of planting conifers is the possibility of
shaping them. Even though we are increasingly moving away
from symmetrical gardens where pathways and hedges were traditionally
the main aspect of the design, trimmed hedges are still common
parts of our front yards. A mass of greenery with a strict
cut helps to create very attractive wild looking gardens because
contrasts will enhance the looser form of other plants. Hedges
require regular maintenance and fertilising. A conifer hedge
should be trimmed three times during the growing season and
should not be trimmed during winter months. Ideally, every
hedge should be wider at the bottom and smaller at the top.
The reason is that if we create a hedge that is smaller at
the bottom, the bottom part of the hedge is going to be shaded
by the top, and therefore will loose its greenery and looks
bare at the base. I am sure that you have seen hedges like
that before.
Conifers have as important a role in our gardens as they
do in nature. Used to provide shade, separate sections of
gardens or as a focal point they enhance the overall look
of any garden style.
Viktorie Hladik
Horticulturist
Landscape Designer
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