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Barberry plays one of the leading roles in landscape design, as it meets many of the requirements of the creators of garden compositions. The shrub, undemanding to soils and undemanding to care, is very decorative, especially varieties that have been bred recently. The variety of leaf colors and the plasticity of forms allows the species to be a member of interesting landscape ensembles made up of bushes, trees or flowers.
Barberry in the landscape design of the garden
Landscape art was enriched by the inclusion of barberry bushes in the landscape as early as the XNUMXth 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 breeding new plants with original color schemes that are more resistant to fungal diseases. Any landscape with a barberry is enlivened, regardless of the color shade of the bush. Gardeners are often attracted by the versatility in design, due to the variety of varieties, and the all-season decorativeness of all types of plants.
Barberry in gardens and parks is used for successful landscape finds, pursuing various goals:
- most often create hedges around the perimeter of the site or for its zoning;
- allocate paths with borders 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 area and the presence of a powerful superficial root system with a strong central core in the species, bushes are placed on the slopes to strengthen them.
A single tall barberry in landscape design, as in the photo, looks expressive against the background of grassy greenery, on a gravel bed or surrounded by low flowers.
In rocky gardens, varieties with a low cushion-shaped or rounded crown are also planted, as well as for oriental-style landscape design. The shrub is chosen in proportion to the size of the surrounding forms.
To decorate and accentuate garden paths, a magnificent landscape solution is borders made of undersized barberries with a spherical crown. You can try to create a round crown on your own at a bush that tolerates pruning well. The successful placement of a decorative barberry in landscape design will add individuality and charm to the garden.
Benefits of a barberry hedge
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 ornamental hedges look better trimmed.
A living wall made of barberry has undeniable advantages:
- undemanding drought-resistant shrub to the soil and natural phenomena;
- plant compactness;
- frost resistance;
- height options from 0,5 to 2,5 m;
- the plasticity of the bush, which can be easily formed when shearing, combined with various components of landscape design;
- all-season decorative effect;
- simple reproduction.
For some owners of summer cottages, barberry is not held 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 species must be treated with fungicides. Resistant to pathogens colorful varieties of barberry Thunberg. It is necessary to take note of the fact that over time the plant spreads on its own, disperses by seeds. It is advisable to remove the sprouts so as not to clog the site.
Varieties of barberry for hedges
There are many options for arranging a barberry live fence in landscape design, which are based on the diversity 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 more often chosen.
Barberry Atropurpurea
Attractive for a conspicuous element of landscape design with a tall crown with greenish and dark purple foliage that grows up to 2 m, spreads to the same diameter after 10 years. The shoots are arched, with spines up to 2-2,5 cm. The flowers are orange-yellow, smell pleasant, collected in hanging brushes. The plant tolerates pruning well, keeps its shape for a long time. Pruned 2 times per season. The purple color of the leaves in shading can turn into the usual dark green.
Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea
Despite the same name, the bushes are different, because they belong to different species. Barberry Thunberg Atropurpurea in landscape design is one of the most sought after, due to its colorfulness, endurance and resistance 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 autumn.
A dwarf variety of Thunberg barberry Atropurpurea Nana, recently bred in Holland, grows to only 40-60 cm. The leaves are dark purple, with a richer reddish tint in autumn.
Barberry Thunberg Admiration
The bush is undersized, very decorative, often used in landscape design. It captivates 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 cut.
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. On prickly flexible shoots forming a rounded crown, variegated leaves grow – irregular white stripes against a green background. The variety is tall, up to 2-3 m, growth up to 20 cm per year. Marble leaves turn pink-chestnut in autumn.
Barbara Tunberga Maria
A bright shrub with upright shoots up to 1,5 m high. The columnar crown strikes with a yellow-gold color of the leaves, which turn orange in September. Planted in a sunny spot, in the shade the color intensity decreases. Demanding for watering, develops well in moderately moist soil. Drought-tolerant, hardy. Yellow barberry in landscape design 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, weeds are removed. Watering is carried out 2 times a month. Most varieties of barberry tolerate short-term drought, although they look lush with regular watering. Feed 2 times per season with complex preparations for ornamental shrubs. Adult plants need one spring feeding.
For convenient pruning, a hedge is placed so that it is accessible from both sides. A photo of a hedge from a different barberry looks great, but when creating it, they take into account how similar the requirements of the varieties are for soil and placement, and other characteristics.
Trimming is started only in tight gloves, given the presence of spikes. Be sure to remove the old shoots, cutting them off the ground. Such care will ensure the uniform development of the bush, which is important for the appearance of the barberry in the landscape. Pruning also removes excessive thickening, which can lead to the development of diseases. 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 style of landscape design, the barberry may not be cut, but pruning is necessary for a neat appearance of the bush.
Spring and summer care includes the treatment of bushes with fungicides or conventional copper-based preparations to prevent fungal diseases. They also spray the soil under the bushes. The last treatment is carried out in early 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 padding;
- conifers, thujas, junipers and cypresses to enliven compositions;
- flowering shrubs;
- roses, spray asters, chrysanthemums;
- low flowers on rock gardens.
Conclusion
Barberry in landscape design is a bright element. Due to the different forms of the crown and the colors of the leaves, the plants bring a lively expressive touch to the garden complexes. Proper selection of a stable and hardy variety will make it easy to care for.
