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Barberry plays one of the leading roles in landscape design, since it meets many requirements of the creators of garden compositions. The shrub, not picky about soils and undemanding to care, is very decorative, especially the varieties that have been bred recently. The variety of colors of leaves and plasticity of forms allows the species to be a member of interesting landscape ensembles made up of bushes, trees or flowers.
Barberry in garden landscaping
Gardening art was enriched by the inclusion of barberry bushes in the landscape as early as the 18th century. Until today, 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 color solutions that are more resistant to fungal diseases. Any landscape with barberry comes alive, regardless of the color shade of the bush. Gardeners are often attracted by the versatility in design, thanks to the variety of varieties, and the all-season decorativeness of all plant species.
Barberry in gardens and parks is used for successful landscape finds, pursuing various purposes:
- most often create hedges around the perimeter of the site or for its zoning;
- highlight paths with curbs from undersized varieties;
- contrastingly frame lawns with barberries with reddish leaves;
- include as an element of rock gardens, rockeries, rose gardens, mixborders or flower beds, especially with flowers blooming 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 reservoir;
- planted as an edge in front of a group of tall decorative deciduous or coniferous trees;
- operating on the differences in the relief of a particular site and the presence of a powerful superficial root system with a strong central core in the species, they place the bushes on the slopes to strengthen them.
A single tall barberry in landscape design, as in the photo, looks impressive against the background of grassy greenery, on a gravel bed or surrounded by low flowers.
In rocky gardens, varieties are also planted with a low pillow-shaped or rounded crown, as well as for landscape design in an 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 the curbs of low-growing barberries with a spherical crown. You can try to create a round crown on your own from a bush that tolerates pruning well. Successful placement of decorative barberry in landscape design will give the garden individuality and charm.
Advantages of a barberry hedge
A shrub with densely growing shoots, equipped with thorns 1-2 cm long in different species, is excellent as a fence, enlivening the landscape. An impressive wall is obtained from tall varieties planted at a distance of 40-50 cm.
For garden zoning, design masters recommend planting small bushes with red leaves, often using the principle of contrast. These decorative hedges look better when trimmed.
A living wall made of barberry has undeniable advantages:
- undemanding drought-resistant shrubs to 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 formed when cutting, combined with various components of landscape design;
- all-season decorativeness;
- 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 a 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 type must be treated with fungicides. The colorful varieties of the Thunberg barberry are resistant to infectious agents. It is necessary to take into account the fact that over time the plant spreads on its own, is scattered by seeds. It is advisable to remove the sprouts so as not to clog the site.
Barberry varieties for hedges
There are many options for arranging a live barberry fence in landscape design, which are based on the variety 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;
- of the same height or wavy, when varieties of the same species of different sizes are planted, but of the same shade;
- trimmed or free growing.
For emotional balance, homogeneous plants are often chosen.
Common barberry Atropurpurea
Attractive for a noticeable element of landscape design with a high crown with greenish and dark purple foliage, which grows up to 2 m, spreads to the same diameter in 10 years. Shoots are arcuate, with spines up to 2-2.5 cm. The flowers are orange-yellow, have a pleasant smell, and are collected in hanging brushes. The plant tolerates pruning well, keeps its shape for a long time. Pruned 2 times per season. The magenta color of the leaves in shading can turn into a normal dark green.
Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea
Despite the same name, the bushes are different, because they belong to different types. Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea in landscape design is one of the most popular, thanks to its colorfulness, endurance and resistance of the species to powdery mildew and rust. The variety rises to 1.5 m, the leaves are red with a purple tint, turning into bright carmine in the fall.
Thunberg's dwarf barberry Atropurpurea Nana, recently bred in Holland, grows to only 40-60 cm. The leaves are dark purple, with a more intense reddish tint in autumn.
Barberry Thunberg Admiration
The bush is undersized, very decorative, often used in landscape design. Enchants with a rounded crown with small, up to 2 cm long leaves of a red-orange hue with a yellow border. The variety is slow-growing, drought-resistant. Easy to trim.
Barberry Thunberg Kelleriis
It is believed that the favorite of landscape design organizers was bred in Denmark on the basis of Thunberg and Ottawa barberries. Variegated leaves grow on thorny flexible shoots that form a rounded crown - irregular white stripes against a green background. The variety is tall, up to 2-3 m, an increase of 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 strikes with a yellow-gold color of the leaves, which in September acquire an orange hue. Planted in a sunny place, in the shade, the color intensity decreases. Demanding to watering, it develops well in moderately moist soil. It does not tolerate drought well, it is frost-hardy. In landscape design, yellow barberry is used for decorative hedges, in rocky gardens, in flower beds.
The subtleties of caring for a barberry hedge
The soil near young plants is systematically loosened, removed weeds... Watering is carried out 2 times a month. Most varieties of barberry tolerate short-term drought, although they look fuller with regular watering. They are fed 2 times a season with complex preparations for ornamental shrubs.One spring feeding is enough for adult plants.
For convenient pruning, place the hedge so that it can be accessed from both sides. A photo of a hedge made from different barberry looks great, but when creating it, they take into account how the same requirements for the varieties for soil and placement, and other characteristics are.
Trimming is started only with thick gloves, given the presence of thorns. Be sure to remove old shoots by cutting them off the ground. Such care will ensure uniform development of the bush, which is important for the appearance of the barberry in the landscape. Excessive thickening, which can lead to the development of diseases, is also removed by pruning. A haircut in the 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 can not be cut, but you need to prune for a neat look of the bush.
Spring and summer care includes treating bushes with fungicides or conventional copper-based preparations for the prevention of fungal diseases. The soil under the bushes is also sprayed. The last processing is carried out at the beginning of September.
Rules for combining with other plants
Barberry bushes in landscape design go well with other garden crops:
- tall trees, in which the bushes create lining;
- conifers, thujas, junipers and cypress trees to revive the compositions;
- flowering shrubs;
- roses, spray asters, chrysanthemums;
- low flowers on rock gardens.
Conclusion
Barberry in landscape design is a striking element. Thanks to the different crown shapes and leaf colors, the plants bring a lively expressive touch to the garden complexes. The correct selection of a stable and hardy variety will make caring for it not laborious.
