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It is quite possible to create a beautiful flower bed that will bloom all summer without much hassle if you pick up special varieties of perennials. They will not need to be planted every spring, while wasting money and precious time. In landscape design, it is customary to combine tall and low perennials. So, more often tall plants occupy a central place in the overall composition, while undersized plants flowers planted at the foot of the "green giants".
Also, undersized flowering plants can be used as an independent element of decor, decorating flower beds, lawns, ponds. Pick up the same undersized perennial flowers with a long flowering period for a non-professional is quite difficult, therefore, in the article we will present the most relevant, various varieties that meet the specified requirements.
Decorative linen
Anyone who has ever seen a field of flowering flax, for sure, was impressed by this beauty: the blue expanses resemble the surface of the sea, into which one involuntarily wants to plunge. Today, every florist can create something similar in his backyard thanks to decorative flax. There are over 100 perennial species of this wonderful plant. At the same time, the color of flowers, depending on the variety, can be diverse.
Alpine flax
The perennial plant has lanceolate leaves. The "Alpine" flower is pale blue, the inflorescence is simple. This variety is creeping and can be planted on slopes, along curbs, in flower beds, in combination with stone elements. The height of the creeping carpet does not exceed 20 cm.
Perennial undersized "Austrian" flax pleases with similar blue flowers. Its height does not exceed 30 cm.
Flax yellow
The yellow color of flowers is not traditional for flax, however, among the ornamental species, such plants are quite common. These include "Bell flax", "Head flax", "Yellow flax".
For example, "Flax yellow", the photo of which can be seen above, has umbrella-shaped flowers, up to 2 cm in diameter. Their color is golden yellow. The height of the ornamental plant does not exceed 40 cm.
Bell-shaped flax can be considered unique, since its flowers are more closed in comparison with other types of decorative flax. They really live up to the name and resemble small yellow bells. See a photo of this perennial below.
Blue varieties
In a wide variety of decorative flax, you can find varieties with a blue flower color, for example, "Narbon flax" or "Hard-haired flax". These low-growing plants do not exceed 40 cm in height. The flowers of "Narbon" flax are large enough, their diameter is 3-4 cm.
Blue and blue ornamental flax varieties should be grown in sunny areas. The crop prefers moist, uniform, nutritious soils. In the process of cultivation, plants must be regularly watered and fed with mineral, organic fertilizers. Perennial varieties are resistant to strong and prolonged frosts. They do not need to be dug up or covered for the winter.
The cited varieties of low-growing perennials bloom all summer, from June to September. During the flowering period, thin stems of decorative flax are abundantly strewn with flowers.All flax varieties, except for creeping flax, must be tied to a support or sown densely enough to get a dense, stable bush.
Thrift
A beautiful, perennial plant, the flowers of which fascinate with their brightness and grace. You can meet wild armeria in the vastness of Siberia, Mongolia, America. Florists prefer to grow decorative varieties in their gardens.
Alpine armeria
Alpine armeria is a type of ornamental plant that includes several varieties at once: "Alba", "Rosea", "Laucheana". The species is characterized by long (12-15 cm), xiphoid leaves, only 0.3 cm wide. Peduncles of these plants are undersized, 20-30 cm. At their top, one can see capitate, axillary inflorescences of various colors, depending on the variety. Alpine armeria blooms from June to August. Plants are resistant to lack of water and light.
In the above photo you can see an example of the design of a landscape design element using Alba Armeria, the flowers of which are painted white.
Armeria variety "Rosea" is unique for its carmine-pink color of flowers. You can see the inflorescences of this plant in the photo below.
Flowers of the "Laucheana" variety have a carmine-red color. You can see an example of the use of this variety in landscape design in the photo:
Armeria seaside
The seaside army can be found in the mountains, on the sea coasts and rocky areas. The leaves of this plant are short, up to 8 cm long, thin. Peduncles, towering 10-12 cm above the dense green cap, hold the spherical flowers of lilac-pink color. Armeria seaside blooms from May to August. Sometimes you can see its re-flowering in the fall.
In addition to the above, there are other types of armeria, for example, Siberian armeria, pseudo-armeria, beautiful armeria and some others. All these types of flowering herb are stunted, perennial. Their flowers, depending on the specific variety, are colored in different tones: from pink to lilac.
Armeria can be grown on any type of soil, however, sandy loam is the best soil for it. The plant is sown with seeds before winter or in spring. The culture is unpretentious and can successfully withstand heat and drought. For the winter, plants should be covered with spruce branches. It is necessary to divide and plant armeria every 2-3 years.
Pansies
Pansies are one of the most beautiful flowering plants. It is undersized, perennial and not whimsical at all, but at the same time it gives a lot of aesthetic pleasure. The variety of varieties with different flower colors is amazing. Looking at Pansies, you understand that all the most beautiful things in this world are created by nature itself.
Small-flowered varieties
All those flowers that the common man calls pansies, breeders call multi-flowered violets and are subdivided into types. So, there are small-flowered varieties, large-flowered, gigantic. Among the small-flowered varieties there are plants with straightened petals and the usual color of the flower. These include varieties "Snow Maiden", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Universal" and some others. So, the wonderful flowers of the "Little Red Riding Hood" variety can be seen below:
Of the small-flowered species, it is worth highlighting the Rococo variety. Its flowers have strongly corrugated, double petals. The culture is undersized, up to 20 cm high. The diameter of the flowers is 3-4 cm. These wonderful, amazing pansies can be planted in flower beds in combination with other tall and undersized plants. Photos of lilac and yellow-brown flowers of the variety "Rococo" are shown below.
The variety also has a bizarre flower shape "Flamenco"... Its petals are partially ruffled and resemble the waviness of a fluffy skirt in the famous dance of the same name. The name and photo of this variety allow you to personally assess the described conformity.
Among the small-flowered varieties, you can find pansies of various colors. The only thing that unites them all is the small diameter of the flower (no more than 4 cm). The peduncle of these varieties is quite long - 20 cm. In cultivation, such varieties are unpretentious, prone to self-propagation by involuntary sowing of mature seeds.
Large-flowered varieties
The very name "large-flowered" speaks about the peculiarities of this group of flowers. Varieties belonging to this species have a flower with a diameter of at least 5 cm.Examples of such flowering plants are varieties "Ice King", "Winter Sun", "Heavenly Queen", "Magic of March" and some others.
One of the large-flowered varieties is "Evening Heat". These plants have a brownish-red flower. On its top three petals there are specks of excellent color. The diameter of the flowers of this variety is 5.5-6 cm, the length of the pedicel is 9-10 cm.The total height of the bush is 10-15 cm.
Giant varieties
Pansies belonging to the "gigantic" species have very large flowers, the diameter of which is not less than 7 cm. The bushes of such plants are massive, taking into account the pedicel, their height can reach 25 cm. It is worth noting that all "gigantic" varieties have bright, but relatively uniform color. So, allocate "White", "Blue", "Golden Yellow" varieties.
For instance "Blue" pansies can be seen in the photo below. These flowers are blue in color, with rich purple spots located closer to the core. The edges of the petals are even. The length of the peduncle is 10-11 cm, the total height of the bush is 25 cm.
You can sow the seeds of pansies in open ground until the end of June, however, with such a sowing, flowers will delight the eye only for next year. It is much more convenient in this case to grow seedlings of these plants. Sowing seeds for seedlings can be carried out in February-March, diving plants into open ground in May. Culture drought resistant, undemanding to the nutrient content of the soil. However, in order for pansies to please for a long time with their beautiful large flowers, the plants need to be periodically fed with mineral fertilizers before and during flowering. Optimal regularity of watering: 3-4 times a week.
With proper care, pansies will amaze with their beauty from June to September. For the winter, the bushes must be cut and covered with spruce branches.
For more information on how to grow pansies correctly, see the video:
Gentian
The gentian is a genus of herbaceous, flowering plants. More than 90 varieties of these perennials can be grown in Russia. In nature, they are more often found in forests and parks. In landscape design, they are used to decorate flower beds, borders, footpaths, compositions using stone.
The gentian is often considered capricious, but in fact, only the composition of the soil on which it grows is very important for it. The soil should be as nutritious as possible with a high organic content. The plant is tolerant of drought. It is better to plant flowers in the shade, as direct sunlight can destroy them.
Gentian varieties are subdivided into some types, depending on the shape of the flower, the tallness of the plant. So, the smallest varieties belong to the species "stemless gentian."
Hohenstein
This gentian variety is one of the most popular. They are decorated with flower beds located in the shade of the garden. The plant is undersized, only 20 cm high. Its leaves are small, whole, squat. The peduncle of such plants is practically absent. The flower itself has the shape of a bell, painted in azure blue.
The gentian variety "Rannoch", which can be seen below, has a similar blue color and a similar flower shape.
Chinese gentian
The Chinese gentian is distinguished by the presence of pronounced light stripes on the flower calyx. Its main color is pale blue.The plant is undersized, no more than 20 cm high, great for decorating lawns, flower beds, front gardens.
Almost all low-growing gentian varieties have flowers of a blue or light purple hue. They are grown by sowing seeds. This perennial blooms from mid-summer to late autumn. The plant has a long, powerful root that goes deep into the ground, so you need to water the gentian abundantly. Plants older than 3 years cannot be transplanted, since they probably will not take root. In nature, flowers of this unique variety can grow in one place for 60 years. The gentian blooms from mid-summer to late autumn. The fruits of this plant are seed pods.
Daisies
Speaking of stunted perennials, it is necessary to mention daisies. These beautiful plants are presented in a large variety of varieties and are able to delight with their beauty throughout the summer. Daisies bloom in early spring as soon as the snow melts and continue to bloom throughout the summer season. A short break in flowering can be observed only in the middle of summer, when critically hot weather sets in.
In a wide variety of daisies, it is quite difficult to navigate, therefore, to simplify the selection, all varieties can be classified according to the shape of the flower (regular or spherical) and its color.
So, ordinary white flowers are typical for the varieties "Schneebal", "Snowy Spring", "Speedstar White". A photo of the last variety of flowers is shown below.
The height of these low-growing plants does not exceed 12 cm.The diameter of a radiant, white, large flower is 6 cm.
White flowers with red tips are found in the Habanera Series daisies. The diameter of these flowers is 6 cm, the height of the plants is 15 to 20 cm.
When choosing daisies with a spherical flower shape, you should pay attention to the "Tasso" varieties. Their flowers can be white, pink or red.
Daisies are very loved by many gardeners, because they are very unpretentious to the composition of the soil, they can grow in the sun and in partial shade. The culture is propagated by sowing seed. Plants are frost-resistant, do not require shelter and preparation for the winter season. You can use these wonderful flowers for framing flower beds, borders. Some aesthetes plant daisies in pots, decorating loggias, balconies, window sills with them.
Conclusion
White, yellow, red, blue and other shades of low-growing flowers can be combined with each other or combined with tall perennials. With their help, you can create beautiful flower beds, lawns, compositions using stone. In landscape design, it is important to set a goal and clearly represent your idea, and then there will certainly be planting material for the embodiment of the idea, because there are a huge number of different varieties of these wonderful plants. Using perennial plants in their landscape projects, man-made beauty will delight every year throughout the summer season.
