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Skillfully placing rhododendrons in the landscape design of the garden, you can transform it beyond recognition. These beautiful shrubs bloom in late spring, when tulips and daffodils are already withering and other plants are just waking up. They amaze with the brightness and abundance of flowers, some smell unobtrusive and gentle.
Features of rhododendrons in landscape design
In Japan, rhododendrons have been cultivated since ancient times; the Japanese consider these flowers to be a symbol of pleasure and deceit. Beautiful shrubs can be found in the landscaping of many Japanese gardens. Rhododendrons or azaleas came to Russia as a gift to the emperor in 1860.
Rhododendrons are divided into 3 groups:
- deciduous;
- evergreen;
- semi-evergreen.
Deciduous shrubs shed their foliage for the winter; they grow best in the temperate climate of central Russia. Evergreens change foliage once every 2 years. Semi-evergreens drop one part of the foliage for the winter, and the other for the spring.
It is easy to distinguish evergreen rhododendrons in the garden landscape in the photo by the dense leathery leaves. Interestingly, at an air temperature below 0 ° C, such leaf plates roll up into a tube - the bush reduces the area of moisture evaporation and remains viable until spring.
A rare plant in garden landscaping has such a rich palette of colors as rhododendron. There are varieties with flowers of various shades:
- yellow;
- white;
- red;
- salmon;
- purple;
- purple;
- pink;
- orange;
- burgundy.
Rhododendrons have a large distribution area. In Russia, they are found in the wild in the Far East, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Siberia. They belong to the Heather family, which also includes cranberries and blueberries.
Rhododendrons bloom very beautifully. Large bell-shaped corollas of various shades bloom in lush fireworks, hiding foliage underneath. One brush contains several colors. There are varieties with wavy, corrugated flower petals, double or bizarrely curved corollas.
Recommendations for planting rhododendrons in the landscape
For those gardeners who love flowers, but do not have a well-lit flower bed on the site, rhododendrons will be a real godsend. These shrubs grow beautifully and bloom in the shade on the north side of the house, which is difficult to decorate with any vegetation.
In nature, rhododendrons grow in the undergrowth where there is partial shade. When planting in the landscape design of the garden, this must be taken into account, from 10 am to 4 pm the direct sun should not shine on the bushes. It is good to plant bushes around an artificial reservoir, they love coolness and moisture. Ornamental evergreen species need a little morning or evening sun.
Deciduous rhododendrons are less capricious and can grow in a well-lit area of the garden. Evergreens thrive in the shade of buildings or large trees. Plants are sensitive to care, and with improper care they may not bloom for a long time.
Species rhododendrons are propagated by seeds, hybrid varieties are propagated by cuttings or seedlings from garden centers. Plants easily tolerate transplanting at a young age.Their seeds are light-sensitive; when sowing, they cannot be embedded in the soil. Photosynthesis occurs when light enters, this process helps germination of seedlings.
Rules for combining rhododendrons with other plants
Rhododendrons in garden landscaping grow wonderfully under pines and fruit trees. They do not like birch, maple and plants with a shallow root system, which will be competitors for them in the struggle for water and food. It is undesirable to plant bushes on the lawn. The grass in the trunk circle will take away nutrients and moisture. Young shoots will not be able to develop in shade and will die off.
The success of growing rhododendrons in a garden landscape depends on the correct substrate. It is prepared from the following components, taken in equal proportions:
- garden land;
- rotted coniferous litter from under the pine;
- sour peat.
Better yet, instead of garden soil, add pine forest litter that contains mycorrhiza. Azalea roots cannot receive nutrients from the soil, they are helped in this by the mycorrhizal fungus.
Rhododendrons go well in landscape design with conifers. Low-growing shrubs are planted in the foreground in groups of 3-5 pcs. The groups are placed in accordance with the color of the flowers, avoiding bright contrasts. White inflorescences are combined with any shade, without creating excessive variegation in landscape design. Flowering of each individual variety lasts two weeks.
Conifers and rhododendrons in landscape design
Conifers are good companions for rhododendrons in landscape design. Such a composition looks beautiful in spring - evergreen pines, firs, junipers alternate with bushes covered with flowers. In autumn, some rhododendrons change the color of their foliage, and the conifers remain green or bluish-gray - this gives the landscape design a special charm.
In deciduous species, the color range of inflorescences is bright, fiery - orange, lemon, yellow. Evergreen varieties most often have white, purple, pink, burgundy flowers. They can be successfully combined in a single garden landscape design composition, thanks to the contrast of cold and warm colors. In the fall, evergreen rhododendrons remain with green leaves, while deciduous ones change color to red, orange or yellow. It also looks very beautiful against the background of evergreen pines or fir trees.
It is advisable for a novice florist to buy seedlings of species rhododendrons, which are easy to care for. Having gained experience, you can move on to evergreen species and varieties. Rhododendron of the Finnish selection of the University of Helsinki has good frost resistance.
Landscape tricks with rhododendrons in the garden
There is no particular difference in grooming between deciduous and evergreen rhododendrons. Only the landing site in the garden landscape design for deciduous varieties can be chosen more sunny. These ornamental shrubs tolerate heat and cold well, do not grow only on alkaline and neutral soils. And also in areas where irrigation water contains a lot of lime. It is best to use rainwater or spring water for irrigation.
There are many beautiful rhododendron species and cultivars, regionalized for landscape design. They differ not only in the color of flowers, but also in the period of flowering. For example, the Daurian rhododendron blooms early, in early May. Having planted several varieties with different flowering periods, you can observe this miracle in your garden for a month and a half.And the Pontic rhododendron is one of the most winter-hardy, also its other advantage is the wonderful aroma of blossoming flowers.
Rhododendrons with conifers in garden landscaping not only go well, but also have general care requirements. They do not like rotted manure and sawdust. Lime stones, which reduce the acidity of the soil, should not be used to decorate the near-trunk circle of plants. It is advisable to check this indicator using a special device - an acid meter. The soil becomes neutral over time, as in the rest of the garden, and it needs to be acidified.
The hardest time for azaleas is February-March. If evergreen shrubs are exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day, flower buds and leaves can be burned. To prevent this from happening, the plants need to be shaded and watered with warm water at the root. To increase the decorative properties of rhododendrons in landscape design will help feeding once every 2-3 years. If they are applied in moderation, the bushes will give less growth, they will begin to branch better and bloom more luxuriantly.
Conclusion
Rhododendrons in garden landscaping look unusual and beautiful. These shrubs are unpretentious to care for - they easily tolerate a slight drought, summer heat and winter frosts. Flower buds and leaves may suffer from burns in February or March. The shrubs do not need frequent feeding; even a novice gardener can provide them with care. It is important to buy zoned varieties or hardy natural species for decorating landscape design, then every spring the garden will be decorated with beautiful flowers.
