Badan: photo of flowers in landscape design on the site

Each grower dreams of decorating his site and creating exquisite “live” 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 care and at the same time blends perfectly with other plants in the garden. Badan in landscape design has been used recently and so far it has not become widespread.

What does badan look like

Badan is a perennial herbaceous shrub, a member of the Saxifrage family. Culture has about 10 varieties. Of these, two can be found on the territory of Our Country, and the rest grow in Central, 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 bergenia is fibrous, strongly branched, but in the end the processes are all connected into a vertical root.

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 rosette. They have a rounded or heart-shaped shape, a shiny surface, for which the people gave the name “elephant ears” to badan. There may be vague serrations 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 allows it to be used in landscape design. The shade of the leaves of the badan is dark or light green, depending on the variety. With the advent of autumn, it acquires a reddish tint.

The flowers of the badan are small in size, about 2 cm in diameter. They are collected in inflorescences of the paniculate-thyroid type. The shade of the petals can be:

• pink;
• raspberry;
• white;
• red.

At the same time, the color of flowers and peduncles sometimes differs, creating an unusual contrast. The combination is a milky shade with a dark ruby.

Badan can grow in one place without a transplant for 10-12 years

Bergenia is ideal for planting along paths, as well as foreground in flowerbeds 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 for 5-6 years, is able to cover an area of ​​0,5 square meters. m. When placing seedlings 9 pcs. per 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.

Badan can also be used as a spectacular border. To do this, it is enough to plant seedlings in a row at a distance of 25-30 cm, and already in the third year they will close, and after 5 years its width will be 60-80 cm. restrain the growth of weeds from the outside.

When using bergenia, 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 increases.

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 similar to each other in many ways. But they also have characteristic differences. Therefore, each should be considered separately.

The most beautiful views:

1. Heart-leaved bergenia. This type of culture got its name from the shape of the leaves. The height of the perennial does not exceed 40 cm. The leaves are of a dense structure, dark green in color. The flowering period begins in the last decade of May. The inflorescences are racemose, somewhat inclined, the color of the petals is in pink and lilac tones. This species has high winter hardiness and easily withstands temperatures as low as -40 degrees, therefore it is considered one of the most popular species in landscape design. Cultivated since 1779. Flowering time – 3 weeks.

   

2. Fatty-leaved badan. The height of this plant reaches 50 cm. The leaf plates are broadly oval, up to 35 cm long. Their surface is leathery. The life span of each leaf is 2-3 years. The flowering period occurs in May-June, depending on the region of cultivation. Peduncles of this species are resistant to cutting. The color of the petals can be pink, cream lilac. Flowers in thick-leaved bergenia are bell-shaped with petals up to 12 mm long. The inflorescences are dense, so they look spectacular when combined with hostas in landscape design. Flowering time – 20-28 days.

   

3. Pacific badan. The perennial forms ovate, bare leaves of a light green color with a shiny surface and a convex central vein. The edge of the plates is slightly notched, which goes well with other garden crops in landscape design. The petiolate leaves of the Pacific bergenia 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. Renewal of overwintered leaves occurs annually. At the same time, they acquire a reddish-brown hue, which gives the shrub an elegant look. The flowering of the Pacific badan occurs in early spring after the snow melts. Its duration is 2-4 weeks.

   

4. Badan Schmidt. The perennial is obtained by crossing the ciliary and thick-leaved species, so it is impossible to meet it in natural conditions. The plant is widely used in landscape design in Europe. The shrub has a 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 Schmidt bergenia plates with a serrated 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.

   

5. Badan Stretch. 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 is later in July-August. The color of the petals can be white or lilac-pink. Inflorescences racemose.

   

In landscape design, hybrid varieties obtained on the basis of wild forms of bergenia are in demand. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, they differ in a variety of colors, bush height, leaf length and flowering time.

Important! Badan with rocky boulders looks perfect.

The most beautiful varieties:

• «evening glow“- 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 in a light green color;

  

• «Baby Doll “- the plant is compact, 30 cm high, the flowers have the ability to change shade from light pink to beige, the foliage is round, light green;

  

• «belfry“- the shrub grows up to 50 cm in height, its leaves have a beautiful emerald color, the color of the petals is pink, the view 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;

  

• «Mother Hulda“- a spreading shrub, with reddish peduncles, inflorescences are racemose, white, the shade of the leaves with the advent of cold weather changes from marsh to lilac-crimson.

  

Photo in landscape design

Depending on the placement of badan on the site, cottage, in the garden, it may look different. How it looks in landscape design, and what compositions you can create 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 also ideal with stony boulders

What colors go with badan

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. The Far Eastern maple can also serve as a background for it.

Landscape design experts recommend combining bergenia in the garden with mountain ash, bird cherry, Chinese magnolia vine, rhododendron, and euonymus. When creating group compositions, you need to select partners who can complement each other in terms of flowering and shade of foliage.

This perennial goes well with such horticultural crops:

• small-bulb spring flowers (scillas, crocuses);
• white flowers;
• lilies;
• hosts;
• irises;
• grouse;
• bathing suits;
• lunar resurrecting;
• Honeysuckle;
• perennial carnations;
• geranium;
• Carpathian bell;
• undersized phloxes.

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 the same characteristics as this culture. And its unpretentiousness allows even novice gardeners to grow bergenia, since caring for it does not involve complex actions, but at the same time, the plant retains its decorative effect throughout the year.