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Among the plants that are used in the design of landscape design, there are many varieties. Some flowers serve as a frame for more expressive representatives. And some are just that. Our article is about the beautiful gladioli, which are rightfully considered royal flowers.
The number of modern varieties of gladioli used in landscape design includes more than 200 items. However, designers are not always happy to include this flower in their compositions. Its regality simultaneously serves as a decoration of the site, but also an obstacle to widespread use. The main nuance is commensurability. In single plantings, the gladiolus loses its majesty, and if the group turns out to be too large, the composition becomes chaotic. Therefore, only a well-balanced proportion of components will decorate the site.
What is the best way to use gladiolus in landscape design? It is believed that gladioli are grown for cutting. Gorgeous bouquets are present at all holidays and significant events. But even in the landscape design of the site, you can make unique combinations using gladiolus (skewer).
The duet of gladioli with dahlias or phlox looks great in landscape design. When drawing up combinations, the color of the flowers and the size of the stems are taken into account.
What types to choose
Gladiolus belongs to the perennials of the iris family. It is a corm plant with an upright stem and luxurious flowers. They are located in a variety of ways:
- spiral;
- unilateral;
- spike-shaped;
- bilateral.
The shape of the petals can be simple or corrugated, and flowering varies in the number of tones in one variety. Flower sizes can also be classified:
- small – up to 7 cm;
- small-flowered – up to 10 cm;
- mid-flowered – up to 12 cm;
- large-flowered – up to 15 cm;
- giant – over 17 cm.
The skewer propagates vegetatively and by seeds. Bulbs are planted in flowerbed compositions of landscape design. Some adult specimens reach sizes up to 170 cm in height, which allows the flower to take a dominant position in the project.
How best to place on the site
From experience, many designers know that gladioli should be classified as rather capricious flowers. They require constant attention and proper care. But if at least once you try to create gladularia on the site (the so-called flower beds of gladioli), then in the future no difficulties will stop you. And these flowers will forever settle on your site. Choosing new varieties for planting is not at all difficult.
Gladioli for use in landscape design can be ordered from the photo. Creating a gladularia with the selection of varieties is a rather laborious task, but the result is worth all the effort. The main condition that will have to be met is commensurability. Do not overdo it with the number and variety of shades, otherwise gladioli in landscape design will resemble an exhibition pavilion. But even a small number of colors will simply be lost.
Recommendations of designers for the design of gladularia:
- Consider the short-term flowering of the skewer. In order for the flower beds to please the eye all season long, it is necessary to frame gladioli in landscape design projects. Bulbs of different flowering periods are well combined. For example, for spring flowering, choose original varieties of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths. In summer, let irises and peonies bloom in place of the gladularia, and then the time of gladioli will come. We will again have to combine gladioli with different flowering periods in landscape design. In this case, the majesty of the gladularia will continue until the autumn representatives – chrysanthemums, hydrangeas or asters.
- Try to keep the proportions of height in landscape design. Do not plant tall flowers, such as dahlias, next to the skewer. Visually, they will switch attention, and the composition will seem mixed.
- For group planting, 10-15 plants of the same variety are enough. Gladiolus in landscape design look good in a group. Be sure to consider the color combination of neighboring plants in order to withstand a harmonious transition of shades. The flashy variety of bright colors is tiring.
- If the gladularia is located in the foreground, try to make the background uniform in structure and color of the plants. Perfect combinations with conifers, ornamental shrubs, evergreens.
- To make it easier to dig up the bulbs, place the plants in the landscaping next to the annuals. So, you can easily remove the bulb for storage without damaging the roots of neighboring flowers.
- Be sure to use undersized species in landscape design. They do a great job as border plants for lawns and paths. You can play with smooth transitions of shades or plant gladioli densely with alternating contrasting colors. So that the frame of gladioli does not lose its attractiveness in the autumn, add a decorative fence or designer props. They will help preserve the splendor of heavy inflorescences.
- Do not try to combine small-flowered and large-flowered varieties of gladioli nearby. Larger inflorescences will divert attention from small ones, which will lose their attractiveness.
What other plants are combined with gladioli in landscape design? Of the high ones, attention should be paid to ageratums, zinnias, phloxes, asters, lavatheria, dimorphoteca, undersized tobacco. If you still decide to plant perennials, then it’s good to take oregano, solidago, rue or sage. Do not forget the hosta, undersized daylilies are a great option for decorating the area around the gazebo. It all depends on the style of your landscaping project.
When decorating a front mixborder in landscape design, a skewer is used in combination with stones, conifers, and undersized junipers. Planted gladioli in containers and landscape rockeries. To veil the lower part of the trunk, small pebbles, gravel, multi-colored shells are well suited. Behind the small views of the skewers in landscape design, the view of the “second floor” is often used. Plant taller plants or the same gladioli, but taller species.
It should be borne in mind that you will have to change the landing site every year. With a lack of planting material, the bulb is cut so that each part has a kidney.
The main representatives of a beautiful flower
Spike (gladiolus) is divided into two varieties – hybrid and wild. In professional landscape design, hybrid gladioli are used. The second category is common in the wild. Although all decorative and hybrid varieties are bred by breeders on the basis of wild ones. Some types of beautiful gladioli:
Swamp green
It looks good when decorating rock gardens, near water bodies. It reaches a height of 60 cm, the color of the flowers is dark purple, the arrangement is one-sided, the number of flowers is 8 pieces per stem. In nature, it is found in swampy meadows, from where it got its name.
Byzantine
It also has a one-sided arrangement of inflorescences and a stem height of 60 cm, but smaller flowers – up to 5 pieces. The color of the petals is a wonderful crimson hue with a white stripe in the middle. Summer flowering period. In nature, it grows on the edges.
Kochi
The average height of the plant is up to 65 cm. The inflorescences are small, located on one side, the color is dark purple-violet. The number of flowers on the stem is 8 pieces. Found in mountainous areas in alpine meadows.
Sowing
Beautiful gladiolus for landscape design. Stem height 80 cm, bilateral loose inflorescence of amazing shades from pink to purple. There is a white stripe in the middle of the petal. The number of flowers on the stem reaches 10 pieces. Summer flowering period.
Tiled
It has a large number of flowers on the stem – up to 14 pieces in a one-sided arrangement. The inflorescence is dense, beautiful. Plant height 80 cm, found in dry meadows. Blooms in early summer.
Conclusion
Despite all the capriciousness and exactingness of gladioli, these flowers are always present in landscape design. No plant can replace their charm and sophisticated beauty.
Gladiolus are perfectly combined with other species, but they can create a unique composition on their own.
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