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Every florist dreams of decorating his plot and creating exquisite "living" compositions on it that will delight the eye every year. Perennials are ideal for this. And one of them is badan or bergenia (Bergenia). The culture has decorative qualities, is unpretentious in maintenance and at the same time ideally combines with other plants in the garden. Badan in landscape design has been used recently and has not yet become widespread.
What does badan look like
Badan is a perennial herbaceous shrub, representative of the Saxifrage family. The culture has about 10 varieties. Two of them can be found on the territory of Russia, and the rest grow in Central and Central Asia.
The plant forms a powerful root system close to the soil surface. It consists of thick brown shoots with a diameter of 3.5 cm. They grow up to several meters in length. The root system of the berry is fibrous, highly branched, but in the end, the processes are all connected to form a vertical root.
The perennial forms a thick leafless stem of a greenish-red hue. Its height depends on the species and can reach 15-50 cm. The plant has dense thickened leaves, which are collected in a basal rosette. They have a rounded or heart-shaped shape, a shiny surface, for which the badan was popularly called "elephant ears". Vague serration may be present along the edge. The length of the leaves varies from 3 to 35 cm, and the width is 2.5-30 cm.
The plates are evergreen, so the plant retains its decorative effect throughout the year, which makes it possible to use it in landscape design. The shade of the leaves of the badan is dark or light green, depending on the variety. With the arrival of autumn, it acquires a reddish tint.
The flowers of the berry are small in size, about 2 cm in diameter. They are collected in paniculate-thyroid inflorescences. The shade of the petals can be:
- pink;
- crimson;
- white;
- red.
At the same time, the color of flowers and peduncles sometimes differs, creating an unusual contrast. The combination is milky with dark ruby.
Badan can grow in one place without a transplant for 10-12 years
Bergenia is ideal for planting along paths and as a foreground in flower beds and flower beds. In landscape design, the plant is also used to decorate ponds, and as one of the elements of a large mixborder.
The use of badan in the country allows you to mask unsightly areas. A single perennial bush, growing over 5-6 years, is capable of covering an area of 0.5 sq. m. When placing seedlings 9 pcs. for 1 sq. m of area, you can achieve complete closure of plants after 4 years. Such a living lawn in landscape design should be used at the foot of a large-scale meter.
You can also use badan as a spectacular border. To do this, it is enough to plant seedlings in a row at a distance of 25-30 cm, and in the third year they will close, and after 5 years its width will be 60-80 cm.Use such a border in landscape design can be used to delimit individual zones, duplicate the fence, which will allow restrain the growth of weeds from the outside.
When using badan, it must be borne in mind that when planted in a shady place, the plant will actively grow greens, but to the detriment of flowering.And if placed in a sunny place, the size of the leaves will decrease, but the number of peduncles will increase.
The most beautiful species and varieties
Among the 10 known species, only a few have gained popularity as an ornamental plant for landscaping. They are very similar to each other. But they also have characteristic differences. Therefore, each should be considered separately.
The most beautiful views:
- Heart-leaved incense... This type of culture gets its name from the shape of the leaves. The height of the perennial does not exceed 40 cm. Leaves of a dense structure, dark green shade. The flowering period begins in the last decade of May. Inflorescences racemose, somewhat bent, the color of the petals in pink-lilac tones. This species has high winter hardiness and easily withstands a drop in temperature to -40 degrees, therefore it is considered one of the most popular species in landscape design. It has been cultivated since 1779. Duration of flowering is 3 weeks.
- Thick-leaved incense... The height of this plant reaches 50 cm. The leaf plates are broadly oval, up to 35 cm long. Their surface is leathery. The lifespan of each leaf is 2-3 years. The flowering period begins in May-June, depending on the growing region. Peduncles of this species are resistant to cutting. The color of the petals can be pink, cream lilac. Flowers in a thick-leaved bell-shaped bergamot with petals up to 12 mm long. The inflorescences are dense, so they look spectacular when combined with hosts in landscape design. Flowering duration is 20-28 days.
- Pacific badan... Perennial forms ovoid bare leaves of light green color with a shiny surface and a convex central vein. The edge of the plates is slightly serrated, chambered, which is perfectly combined with other horticultural crops in landscape design. Petiolate leaves of the Pacific berry are collected in a basal rosette. Their length is 20 cm, and their width is about 9 cm. The petioles of this species are much shorter than the plates. Overwintered leaves are renewed annually. At the same time, they acquire a reddish-brown hue, which gives the shrub an elegant look. Blooming of the Pacific berry occurs in early spring after the snow melts. Its duration is 2-4 weeks.
- Badan Schmidt... The perennial is obtained as a result of crossing the ciliated and thick-leaved species, therefore it is impossible to meet it in natural conditions. The plant is widely used in landscape design in European countries. The shrub has strong growth. It forms oval-shaped leaves of a dark green saturated shade, the length of which reaches 25 cm and the width is 15 cm. The plates of Schmidt's badan with a jagged edge have long petioles. The flowers are bright pink in color, located on short inflorescences, which initially droop, and then acquire a vertical or horizontal position. By the arrival of cold weather, the shade of the foliage becomes red with a brown tint.
- Badan Strechi... The shrub has lanceolate oblong leaves with a serrated edge. Their length reaches 10 cm, and their width is 5 cm. The height of an adult plant reaches 40 cm. Flowering later in July-August. The color of the petals can be white or lilac-pink. Inflorescences are racemose.
In landscape design, hybrid varieties derived from wild forms of badan are in demand. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, they differ in a variety of colors, bushes height, leaf length and flowering period.
Important! Badan with rocky boulders looks perfect.
The most beautiful varieties:
- «Abendglut"- the height of the shrub is 25-30 cm, the shade of the petals is pink-red, the flowers can sometimes be semi-double, the color of the leaves is light green, and by autumn it acquires a bronze tint;
- «Bressingham white"- the height of the badan is 30 cm, the petals are white, the leaves are rounded, light green in color;
- «Baby doll "- a compact plant, 30 cm high, flowers have the ability to change shade from light pink to beige, foliage is round, light green;
- «Glockenturm"- the shrub grows up to 50 cm in height, its leaves are of a beautiful emerald color, the color of the petals is pink, the species is suitable for cutting;
- «Scheekoenigin"- a tall hybrid (50 cm), has light peduncles, the edges of the leaf plates are wavy, the color of the petals can vary from white to slightly pinkish;
- «Frau holle"- a spreading shrub with reddish peduncles, racemose inflorescences, white, the shade of the leaves with the arrival of cold weather changes from marsh to lilac-crimson.
Photo in landscape design
Depending on the location of the badan on the site, dacha, in the garden, it may look different. How it looks in landscape design, and what compositions can be created with it, is clearly shown in the proposed photos.
Culture looks good as a tapeworm
Badan looks spectacular along the garden paths
Bergenia can be planted near water bodies
Badan is perfect with rocky boulders
What colors does badan combine with
This shrub can act as a tapeworm in landscape design, as well as grow in group plantings. In the first case, it looks great against the background of a green lawn. Various types of conifers can successfully emphasize the beauty of a perennial. Far Eastern maple can also serve as a background for it.
Landscape design experts recommend combining incense in the garden with mountain ash, bird cherry, Chinese magnolia vine, rhododendron, euonymus. When creating group compositions, you need to select partners who can complement each other in terms of flowering time and shade of foliage.
This perennial goes well with such garden crops:
- small-bulbous spring flowers (woodlands, crocuses);
- white flowers;
- lilies;
- hosts;
- irises;
- hazel grouses;
- swimwear;
- lunar coming to life;
- lungwort;
- perennial carnations;
- geraniums;
- Carpathian bell;
- undersized phlox.
Conclusion
Badan in landscape design in our country is still not widespread enough, but the popularity of the plant is already gaining momentum. After all, few perennials can boast of the same characteristics as this culture. And its unpretentiousness allows even novice gardeners to grow badan, since caring for it does not imply complex actions, but at the same time the plant retains its decorative effect throughout the year.
