Selection of trees and shrubs is one of the important stages of landscaping. Particular care should be taken to select plants that form the basis of green spaces (mass plantings in forest parks, parks, gardens, alleys, hedges, etc.), since errors made in the selection of species are discovered many years after planting and must be corrected very hard.
Factors influencing plant selection :
The functional purpose of the object and compliance with this purpose of the basic biological and environmental properties of plants - growth rate, wind, gas, dust, smoke, salt resistance;
Requirements for lighting conditions, moisture supply, soils, thermal conditions, etc., resistance to pruning, durability;
Sanitary and hygienic properties of plants - the ability to absorb gases, dust, noise, create shade, influence the ionization and phytoncide of the air;
Windproof qualities;
The appearance and decorative qualities of plants - habit, size, density and shape of crowns, texture, color of foliage, needles and bark, shape of trunks and branches, color and shape of inflorescences and fruits, aroma of plants, duration and time of flowering (all of these parameters must be considered taking into account age and seasonal changes in plants).
In the selection of trees and shrubs to create holistic compositions, certain principles are followed.
Ecological principle
The basis for choosing plants is the correspondence of the existing growing conditions with those in which a particular species was grown. The zoning of the assortment of plants is used, which is based on the suitability of the species for cultivation in a given climatic zone. To do this, four factors are taken into account:
Sum of active temperatures for a period with temperatures more than 10 °C;
Growing season calculated from the date of temperature transition through 5 °C to the date of the first autumn frost;
Characteristics of winter based on the average temperature in January;
Atmospheric humidification based on the average annual ratio of precipitation in a given location to its evaporation rate.
Plants of the local flora and some introduced species from places with similar climatic conditions are most consistent with the climatic and other features of the green area. In urban environments, it is important to choose species with the most effective impact on the environment from a suitable assortment.
The following breeds are more valuable:
- with high phytoncidal activity(common spruce, Siberian fir, common juniper, prickly spruce, English oak, Norway maple, silver and downy birch, Manchurian walnut, trembling poplar, bird cherry, common hazel, common barberry, Canadian serviceberry);
- ionizing air: English oak, common spruce, red maple, Siberian larch, rowan, common lilac, Scots pine.
- possessing sufficient gas-resistant and dust-retaining properties: small-leaved and large-leaved linden, Norway maple, prickly spruce; white poplar, Canadian poplar, brittle willow (the most dust-resistant species are those with sticky secretions and pubescent leaves).
Thus, the ecological principle requires the following conditions:
Correspondence of biological characteristics of plants to growing conditions.
Taking into account the influence of plants on the environment, i.e. phytoncidal, dust-, wind-, gas-, noise-protective and other properties of plants.
According to indicators of stability and longevity of a species in given natural conditions, species of trees and shrubs are divided into main, additional and limited assortments.
Main range- woody plants that are most resistant to urban conditions and are used in large quantities when creating large areas in parks and forest parks, planting in squares and boulevards, when landscaping streets and highways, as well as for intra-block landscaping. They are provided with a mother stock for mass reproduction and should be mandatory (available) in the assortment of nurseries supplying the capital with planting material. Their share in the total number of green spaces is 75-80%.
Representatives: weeping birch, downy birch, common spruce, small-leaved linden, European larch, rowan, laurel poplar, black, blood-red hawthorn, willow, caragana tree, gray alder.
Additional assortment t - less common species of trees and shrubs, which, due to the complexity of reproduction, biological characteristics and decorative qualities, are used in city landscaping in limited quantities. The decorative qualities of plants of this group are of significant value in single plantings and the formation of groups.
Representatives: large-leaved linden, black alder, aspen, Siberian fir, common pine, Siberian apple tree, red elderberry, white dogwood, common honeysuckle, edible, five-stamen willow, brilliant cotoneaster, Kuril tea, bush alder, fluffy, needle rose, Hungarian lilac, red and black currants, meadowsweet.
Limited assortment- species of trees and shrubs rarely used in landscaping, usually imported from abroad. These are plants that are not adapted to the climatic and environmental conditions of the landscaped area. The value of these species lies in the variety of forms and varieties, the unusualness of the species, which is of interest when forming landscape compositions of landscaping objects. However, the lack of source material for propagation and the lack of experience in growing and maintaining them in an urban environment determine their use in single copies.
Phytocenotic principle
This principle is based on taking into account the mutual influence of trees and shrubs, i.e. their compatibility in phytocenoses or compositions. Favorable and unfavorable relationships develop between plants.
There are allelopathic, biotrophic, phytophysical, mechanical, physiological and genetic mutual influence of plants.
Allelopathic the influence is determined by the biochemical nature of phytoncides and their concentration, manifested in the combination and proportion of certain species in the phytocenosis. For example, increasing the distance between common ash and English oak weakens the negative effect of ash on oak (Table 1).
Table 1. Interaction of trees and shrubs in mixed plantings
| Caragana tree | Inhibits growth | Black currant, bird cherry |
| Silver birch | English oak, Scots pine, Siberian spruce | |
| Red elderberry | Scots pine, balsam poplar | |
| Rough elm | English oak | |
| English oak | Rough elm, balsam poplar, downy ash, green, common | |
| Siberian spruce | Tatarian maple, common lilac, wrinkled rose | |
| Ash maple | Scots pine, green ash | |
| Tatarian maple | English oak, white turf | |
| Scots pine | Rough elm, English oak, trembling poplar, ash maple, downy ash, common bird cherry | |
| Bird cherry | Caragana tree, Scots pine | |
| Fluffy ash | English oak | |
| Caragana tree | Improves growth | Trembling poplar, balsam |
| Ash maple | Turf white | |
| Siberian spruce | Rowan ash, downy ash | |
| Elf angustifolia | Fluffy ash | |
| Siberian larch | Downy ash, English oak, small-leaved linden, Scots pine, rough elm | |
| Common raspberry | Mountain ash |
Combination of breeds biotrophic This feature makes it possible to improve the soil in coniferous plantations. The admixture of silver birch, small-leaved linden, and red elderberry promotes intensive circulation of nitrogen and ash elements, increasing the content of mobile nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil.
Breeds should be combined, taking into account the biophysical (phytophysical) influence. They do this in order to ensure maximum use of environmental resources (light, heat, moisture, etc.) and optimize the growth conditions of the main species by growing accompanying plants next to them. For example, Norway maple and small-leaved linden are excellent companions of pedunculate oak; Mountain ash is a companion species for Scots pine and birch. Associated rocks provide lateral shading, thereby stimulating the growth of the main rocks in height as a result of the closure and horizontal interaction of the crowns (Table 2).
Table 2. Combination of trees and shrubs according to phytophysical characteristics
| Type of planting | Related breeds |
| Elnik | Siberian fir, Scots pine, trembling poplar, pedunculate oak, small-leaved linden, common hazel, silver birch |
| Pine forest | Caragana tree, silver birch, common juniper, Norway maple |
| Larch | Tatarian honeysuckle, wrinkled rose, Siberian spruce, Nippon spirea, Siberian fir |
| Dubrava | Small-leaved linden, Norway maple, field maple, Ussuri pear, bird cherry, common hazel, common viburnum |
| Bereznyak | Scots pine, Norway maple, Siberian spruce, Siberian fir, mock orange, Tatarian honeysuckle, cinnamon rose. |
Mechanical the influence is manifested in the mutual clashing of tree crowns when they are swayed by the wind, as well as in mutual support.
Physiological(during the fusion of roots and organisms) and genetic(during pollination of flowers) plant interactions reflect the specifics of intraspecific and interspecific relationships, which also need to be taken into account when selecting breeds.
Taxonomic principle
It is based on the fact that in joint plantings of trees and shrubs of different species, but of the same genera, their decorative qualities are enhanced and emphasized (the shape of the trunk and crown, the nature of branching, the texture and color of foliage, bark, inflorescences and fruits), thereby creating artistic unity. So, among the Norway maple plantings, other types of maple also look great, and the same can be said about other species, especially conifers. The concentration of several forms of the same plant genus in certain areas of the park makes it possible to create compositions with special decorative expressiveness, for example, rose gardens, sirengarias, themed gardens of spireas, mock oranges, hawthorns, turfs, junipers, and willows.
Artistic and decorative principle
The selection of species is aimed at creating plant compositions that emphasize the best decorative qualities of certain plants, at achieving their best combinations in organic unity with the terrain and surrounding structures and making a green object a work of art.
The implementation of this task is achieved through the correct use of artistic design, subordination of parts, balance, rhythm, contrasts and nuances, perspectives, color and light, surrounding surfaces, proportionality of all parts that make up a single whole, i.e. through the correct application of the basic principles of constructing compositions of park landscapes.
Color is of great importance in the formation of compositional groups; it affects the selection of trees and shrubs, and chiaroscuro - on the compositional solution of the object, on its orientation, on the change of open, semi-open and closed spaces.
In addition to taking into account the above principles, one should take into account the availability of the assortment of interest in nearby nurseries of the given climatic zone where the designed facility is located.
A group is plantings assembled into an independent composition, located isolated from the massif. Groups are arboreal, shrubby and mixed.
It is recommended to create groups of an odd number of trees and avoid precise staggered placement. The group is built on the principle of multi-tiers. Oak is rarely found in groups; it is more suitable for a single accent. Shrubs decorate well the lower part of the group and tree trunks, making it dense and slender. They are also added to create contrasting combinations of foliage or flower colors, to combine trees into a single composition, to create groups of long-term flowering.
Trees in a group can be placed symmetrically in relation to each other or asymmetrically, in a free order. Planting must be done taking into account the biological characteristics of each plant. Groups are divided into contrasting and neutral. The core of the group is created from one or more trees, usually taller ones, and can be pure or mixed in composition. When using several species, you need to choose foliage that is similar in color.
Landscape groups consisting of trees, shrubs, perennial and annual flowers are formed both on the basis of existing plantings and by creating them from scratch. The first method allows you to achieve the effect of decorative value much earlier. Before this design, as in the case of group design, the same visual inspection of the site is carried out. In addition to all the above factors, the placement of shrubs plays a big role here. In this case, old, low-value, diseased specimens are not taken into account (they are removed). To create landscape groups, the presence of flowering shrubs is necessary. Their placement, like other breeds, should only be landscape (no rows!) or group. In the absence or deficiency of these shrubs, planting is planned. The placement of flowers, stones, decorative filling from natural materials depends on the situation, and therefore is different and unique in each case.
However, there are a few rules:
· Ensuring that the group is decorative throughout the year, especially from spring to autumn.
· Flowering must be gradual (spotted or in clumps - depending on the placement of plants) and from spring to autumn. This is achieved by selecting different types of flowers, trees and shrubs with different flowering periods.
· Avoid rhythm, regularity and monotony when placing all elements of the composition.
· The same principles of color selection are used: contrast; in one color scheme (white garden, blue garden, pink garden).
If you imagine the flowering sequence of some types of trees and shrubs, you will get something like the following picture. In early spring the following flowers bloom: willow, Norway maple, bird cherry, spirea; somewhat later: apple tree, lilac, rowan, honeysuckle, hawthorn, viburnum, barberry, horse chestnut; at the beginning of summer - yellow acacia, jasmine, rose hips; midsummer: linden. Skillful arrangement will allow for continuous flowering. When creating groups, tall shrubs should be placed closer to the trees, and low, flowering ones should be placed along the periphery of the groups, observing tiering. Low-growing shrubs cannot be planted inside several tall ones - lack of lighting will lead to death. As an option, it is possible to create a landscape group consisting of trees and annual flowers or shrubs and annual flowers. In this case, the flowering of the summer trees should be simultaneous, and the flower garden should be clear in shape and bright, harmonious in relation to the tree and shrub species. The design of the flower garden is either determined by the situation or planned in advance, along with trees and shrubs. The lawn also plays a significant role
A group is a combination of woody plants of one or more species, located isolated in the open space of the park.
In Russian parks of the 18th-19th centuries. groups were created mainly from 7-10-17 species of birch, linden, oak, pine, spruce, larch, ash, elm, with the inclusion of rowan), bird cherry, and turf. Often the groups were bordered by lilacs, spirea, honeysuckle, and rose hips. In the early period of development of the landscape style in Russia, mainly groups of pure composition were created; at present (with the expansion of the range) preference is given to mixed groups.
The most common combinations of breeds in groups in parks of the 18th-19th centuries. there were spruce and birch; spruce and rowan; birch and pine; linden, spruce, birch; larch, ash; maple, willow, ash, etc.
It is quite rare to see oak in mixed groups. Since the 18th century. and to this day oaks are predominantly planted in tapeworms or pure groups.
Groups with the participation of conifers are usually compositional centers, and therefore are introduced to a limited extent.
The inclusion of shrubs completes the composition of the group, complementing it with the color of leaves, branches, and flowers. Groups of trees are bordered by shrubs in the following cases: to create groups that are chromatic in color (shrubs with bright, variegated colors or beautifully flowering ones are introduced); to create a dense, leafy group down to the ground; to combine a group of trees into a single composition; to create an expressive silhouette, outline, volume of groups; to create groups of long flowering.
In each park, depending on its function and the nature of the landscape, the group structures are specific. The most typical for the Tauride Garden are groups of 3-10 trees; the Slavyanka Valley area in Pavlovsk - 2-6 copies, for the Parade Field - 9-18, the White Birch area - 100-200, the Field of Mars - 5-10 bushes.
In parks there are groups with the number of trees and shrubs from 2 to 25-30 or more, and the quality of the group depends not on the number of its constituent specimens, but on the selection of plant species and their placement. A group of 2 trees (recognized, according to the literature, as unsuccessful) in nature often makes a good impression: majestic hundred-year-old oaks (Alexandria Park); Norway maples against the backdrop of an array of Scots spruce (Zelenogorsk); common spruce and warty birch; Norway spruce and goat willow (Shuvalovsky Park).
Creating groups of 2 specimens of different species requires careful selection of breeds.
By size, groups are divided into small, medium and large, taking into account the area of open space and the park itself. A group consisting of 2-5 trees of size II or III (for fast-growing up to 20 years and slow-growing up to 30 years) is small for each park (crown projection area 25-60 m2); groups aged 50 years and older (100 m2 or more) can be classified as average, correlating the category with the size of the open space. A group with a diameter of over 50 m (650 m2 or more) is large for any area of the park. The size of the groups can be determined by the cross-sectional projection area of its crowns. Correlating these sizes with the area of the park, we can give the following division of groups by size: small - crown projection diameter no more than 25 m, medium - no more than 50, large - up to 80 m. The height of the group is determined by the tallest tree (height in the park landscape is relative value and is estimated by comparison).
| Classification of groups according to external characteristics: A - structure: coarse, medium, fine; B - density: 0.8, 0.3; B - planting form: simple, complex; G - color: dark, light; D - habit: symmetrical, asymmetrical; E - value: large crown projection area, small |
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| Classification of groups by species composition: 1 - pure groups: a, b - deciduous, c, d - coniferous; 2 - mixed groups: d - deciduous, f - coniferous, g - mixed |
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| Schemes for constructing groups: A 1 - group, 2 - core of the group, 3 - subgroups; B - diversity of perception of the group (viewpoints 1 and 2); B - groups with different forms of lumens; G (viewpoints 1 and 2) - spruce and linden in the foreground, willow in the foreground |
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| Shrubs in groups: 1 - enrichment of color, texture; 2 - flowering duration; 3 - creation of a monolith: a - during the development of new territories, b - during the reconstruction of old ones |
By dendrological composition groups can be pure or mixed. Groups with a small number of specimens from 2 to 5-7 are more often pure, for example, groups of the river valley. Slavyanka; in the Tauride Garden; on the Champ de Mars.
Groups of 10 to 20 plants are predominantly mixed in composition (Paradnoe Pole area in Pavlovsk, Verkhniy Park in Lomonosov).
The following relationship is observed between the number of specimens and breeds in groups:
Pavlovsk Park: a group of 4 trees includes 1 species; out of 5 - from 1 to 4 breeds; 8 - from 1 to 3; 6 - from 1 to 4; 11-3 breeds; 16 - 4; 19 -5, etc.
Catherine Park in Pushkin: a group of 2 trees includes 1 species, of 3 - 1-3 species; 6 - 1-2; from 11 - 5 breeds, etc.
Groups of mixed composition have potential compositional variability and are highly complex in construction. The basis for constructing such groups can be the species composition of woody plants of a certain forest type, characteristic of local physical and geographical conditions.
It should be taken into account that in mixed groups there is a loss of decorative qualities in the case of combining trees and shrubs with different durability or as a result of unfavorable mutual influences. A change in the composition of the group leads to a change in its decorative appearance.
In historical parks, mixed groups are formed mainly by forest-forming species. In modern practice of gardening and park construction, the composition of mixed groups is represented by a wider range. Let's look at examples of positive combinations of woody plants.
English oak, small-leaved linden, Norway maple (the admixture of maple should be no more than 20%); small-leaved linden, Norway maple, smooth elm, drooping birch; Scots pine, Norway maple, small-leaved linden; Siberian larch, common ash, Norway maple, small-leaved linden; common spruce, pedunculate oak, small-leaved linden, rowan (a group with a small number of specimens, oak admixture no more than 20%); Scots pine and Norway spruce; Scots pine and Siberian larch; Siberian larch and common spruce.
A special category consists of groups created in forest plantations through landscape felling. Groups with an area of more than 0.3 hectares represent small areas of forest (White Birch area in Pavlovsky Park).
The arrangement of trees and shrubs (construction) in groups is of great importance for the formation of a healthy, viable phytocenosis and artistic appearance.
Trees in groups can be placed at equal distances, symmetrically with respect to each other or asymmetrically (free arrangement).
They are dense, openwork, often united in quincus-type triplets.
The distance between trees is designed taking into account the biological characteristics of each species. For example, for light-loving species (birch, ash, pine), 3-5-7 m, for shade-tolerant (maple, linden) -1 -1.5-2-3-5 m. Despite the shade tolerance of spruce and fir, with insufficient When exposed to light, they lose their lower branches, so in large groups a distance of 3-4 m is recommended for fir, 4-5 m for spruce, and 0.4 to 2 m for thuja and junipers.
In groups with a small number of specimens (2-5), plants almost do not suffer from a lack of light. When plants are planted close together (0.5 m), skeletal branches oriented inward to the group die off; when the distance between trees is 5-7 m, the crowns develop evenly.
With an increase in the number of trees in a pure group, their location in the plan is less important; in mixed ones, it is advisable to build separate subgroups of plants by species.
Shrubs in groups are placed 0.5-3 m from each other, depending on their size. Large ones (hawthorn, lilac) are planted at a distance of 1-3 m from each other; medium (types and varieties of roses, snowberry) - 0.8-1.5; small (Thunberg barberry, some types of spirea) - 0.1-0.7 m.
Woody plants that form the core of medium and large groups are planted at a closer distance (sometimes up to 0.7-0.8 m) compared to the periphery of the group, where plants are sometimes planted 3-5-8-10 m from the core of the group and 3-5 m from each other. This achieves high decorativeness of the groups - healthy, well-developed crowns of trees and shrubs.
When placing plants at a distance of 8-14 m, the group may lose its significance and become an area with a single type of spatial structure.
In groups of trees of 2-3 species, fast-growing light-loving plants occupy the upper tier, and shade-tolerant plants with slow growth occupy the second; trees placed along the edge of the group develop more evenly.
Thus, according to their structure, groups are divided into regular and irregular, contrasting and neutral (built on the nuances of one decorative feature), according to color, structure, shape, which, in turn, are divided into those with a “core” and those without it. The core of the group is formed from one or more plants, usually taller ones. It can be pure or mixed in composition. More often they are observed to be pure in composition and calm in color, less often - bright or variegated. When composing a core of several species, plants are selected that are similar in foliage color and structure, creating a smooth transition from light to darker trees and forming a compact base of the group.
When forming a core of coniferous trees surrounded by deciduous trees, a distance of 4-8 m is allowed between plants.
In cases where the core is created from trees with an openwork light crown, the group gives the impression of being bright and joyful; from trees with a thick, dark crown - strict, solemn.
Trees arranged in subgroups in large mixed groups are in the best conditions for their development (nutrition area), which enhances the decorative value of the volume of the component. In rare cases, such groups are built without a core. Small mixed groups are created taking into account the assessment of the decorative qualities of each specimen and, for the most part, do not have a nucleus.
By planting density (or structure) plants in groups can be divided into: a) dense, or dense, b) loose, or openwork, c) groups with gaps.
Dense groups form a monolithic volume, devoid of end-to-end visibility, and therefore isolating the space. The plantings in such groups are usually close together, there are plantings in the second tier and at the edge - in a word, they are built in such a way as to obtain a dense mass of greenery. To build a dense dark group, trees of the appropriate structure (with dense branching and foliage) and color are planted, 0.5-3.5 m from each other, or a multi-tiered group of complex shapes is created from trees of different ages so that the crown of one tree is projected onto another and covered the gaps between the trees. Such groups are made up of shade-tolerant breeds, and they are medium and large in size. Using various types of trees and shrubs, it is possible to achieve one or another density (density) of a mixed group. It is more difficult to arrange groups of rocks that are pure in composition and dense without gaps.
To place shrubs under the canopy of tree plantations, shade-tolerant species are selected, such as Siberian dogwood, snowberry, alpine currant, golden currant, common honeysuckle, common juniper, red elderberry, common viburnum, etc. Shrubs that cannot tolerate shading are planted at a distance of 2- 5-10 m from trees. At the same time, they grow and develop better and look healthy. Shrubs near trees (0.3-1 m) develop worse, and near trees with a shallow root system they die.
Shrubs bordering a group can cover it with a ring if it is an element of a regular composition. In a landscape composition, this gives the impression of artificiality and deprives the group of interesting volumes - protrusions, recesses. The group is more picturesque when placing shrubs in one or more places. Shrubs are planted in 3-5 or 7-12 specimens.
Loose, or openwork, groups are represented by sparse plantings, allowing each plant to develop well. They have end-to-end visibility (that’s why they are also called see-through), that is, through the trunks and crowns of trees the background of the landscape is visible - a meadow, water, a wall of plantings.
To build openwork groups, trees are planted at a distance of 3 to 9 m from each other. They are formed mainly from light-loving species (pine, birch, larch), as well as shade-tolerant species (fir, spruce, linden) - with sparse placement of trees. Openwork groups consist of 3-10 specimens with a planting interval of 0.5-3-5-11 m. In this case, openwork is created due to the thin structure of highly elevated crowns and the sparse arrangement of trees.
To create openwork groups of shrubs, plants with a fine structure are selected and planted at a distance of 2-3 m or more from each other.
Groups with gaps represent a structural variant of openwork, less often dense groups. In terms of the number of copies, they differ from openwork groups. The group often includes shrubs. In composition, they can be pure or mixed, from light-loving and shade-tolerant plants.
The amount of clearance in a small group is 0.5-3-5 m (for mature trees), but no more, otherwise unity and integrity are disrupted. In large groups, the clearance can reach 5-9 m.
Groups of shrubs are often created as continuous ones, but sometimes, in order to open a view of a tree, shrub, or flower garden, the group is broken with a small gap up to 2-3 m in size.
The most typical methods for constructing groups:
1. Regular placement of plants (quincus, simple rows, checkerboard order, circle, horseshoe, etc.)
2. Close arrangement of plants or planting in one pit - group bouquets (mixed and pure in composition).
3. Creation of “tent”-type groups of pure composition from seedlings of different ages.
4. Creation of mixed groups of the “tent” type from trees and shrubs.
5. Creation of groups with free placement of trees - pure and mixed species.
6. Creation of groups of extended compositions, designed for 2-3 main viewpoints (groups along roads, arch groups on roads).
7. Groups formed in combination with tapeworms.
The shape of the group is one of the main decorative qualities. It influences the character of the landscape and depends on the selection of trees and shrubs and their arrangement. Of plants with regular and irregular types of crowns, groups with symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, spherical, pointed and contrasting (single-tiered simple and multi-tiered complex) are arranged.
With an appropriate arrangement of plants, the group changes shape depending on the viewpoint (up to 3-5 options). The silhouette of large groups (with the participation of tall trees with a pyramidal, columnar shape) is built with 2-3 verticals. The most interesting in landscape parks are asymmetrical groups with greater height in relation to width and a clearly defined silhouette.
Architectonics of the group determined by the type of branching, the thickness of the branches, the location of the foliage, the size and shape of the leaf blades of woody plants. There are groups with coarse, medium, fine and mixed structure. The background most often serves as trees that are similar in structure. The arrangement of groups is determined by their purpose in the landscape. To increase the depth of perspective, trees with a coarse structure are planted in the foreground, and trees with a fine structure in the background.
The colorfulness of the group depends on the species that compose it and is a very important quality, on which the effect of the composition sometimes completely depends. In parks there are both monochromatic groups (50-70%) and contrasting (30-35%) color groups. The color effect of the group is usually designed for different seasons of the year.
By purpose in the landscape the following are distinguished:
Groups that are the main compositional center of the park picture. They are placed in so-called pockets, in clearings, completing the perspective, securing the turns of paths, near the water;
Groups that create a backdrop for a structure or other accents;
Groups as a transition from an array to an open space;
Groups that form park scenes - “frames” that delimit the space into separate views and groups that create multifaceted perspectives;
Groups at the edge of an array or curtain, highlighted as accents.
All considered properties of tree groups must be taken into account when analyzing and evaluating them. In this case, as a rule, the first thing that is perceived is the degree of brightness of the group, its size, height, shape, structure and colorfulness. In some cases, only one quality stands out in particular relief and produces an effect - size, shape or color. With the combined influence of these qualities, the picturesqueness and expressiveness of the group increase. These qualities could also include the aroma and rustle of leaves, designed for the sense of smell and hearing of a person.
When creating groups - components of a park landscape, one should use the experience accumulated in gardening, silvicultural and silvicultural practice.
Age of tree and shrub groups. The composition of rocks determines the longevity of groups. L. Rubtsov divides breeds according to durability into 3 categories: small, medium and large. Trees of low durability begin to decay in the second half of the first century, for example, many poplars, birches, bird cherry trees, apple trees, pear trees, and rowan trees. Trees of average durability - from the second century of life, most of our forest-forming species (spruce, fir, maple) can be attributed to them. Trees of great durability - starting from the third century, these include oak, ash, Manchurian walnut, larch.
When designing parks, it is necessary to take into account the lifespan of the species that make up the groups. The different durability of the plants that make up a group leads to the destruction of the structure of the intended artistic composition. L. Rubtsov gives an example of a group of Schwedler maple and black poplar f. pyramidal (the maple enters a period of full development at 30 years old, and the poplar becomes decrepit by the age of 50; replacing the poplar with a more durable pyramidal oak could preserve the composition).
Dynamics of tree development in a group:
When compiling groups, it is necessary to represent the course of growth and development of the woody plants that comprise them.
Fast-growing tree species reach the culmination of their age sooner and stop growing, while slow-growing tree species do so later.
Unfavorable growing conditions (soil compaction, trampling, lack of nutrients, etc.) lead to stunted growth, dry tops, and premature death of plantings. A particularly large amount of nutrients is needed during the period of increased growth (10-40 years), when the bulk of branches and leaves are formed.
Trees rarely live to their full age. The cause of their death is wind blows, forest fires, recreational loads, and in the city - a whole range of unfavorable factors.
The aging process of a tree is externally expressed by a gradual and, moreover, steady weakening of its vital activity - the death of branches, a decrease in the amount of foliage, and a weakening of growth. The process of dying off of skeletal branches in mature trees, as observations show, begins with dry apex, which is first observed on the weakest skeletal branches of higher orders.
In medium and large groups of the same age, the aging process begins earlier in trees located in the middle of the group, in which death occurs in separate sectors of the crown, starting from the weakest and poorly oriented skeletal branches and ending with the strong ones.
From tree species that live up to 200 years, it is possible to create long-lasting groups that for decades give the same effect (mature trees), and therefore, in general, preserving the intended character of the park picture. The duration of the effect of such a group should be assessed not only in weeks, years, but also throughout the life of the tree - this is the so-called “permanent” effect.
Trees up to 25-30 years of age change their appearance quite noticeably, and then the effect produced becomes more or less constant over many years and even intensifies. In long-lived woody plants, this period can last 100-300 years, in short-lived ones - 50-70 years. At the end of this period, the decorative effect is lost - the trees, reaching their maximum age, gradually die off. Shrubs have different life spans; they change their appearance annually for up to 6-15 years, then an equilibrium occurs in development and, finally, gradual death.
According to I. Malko, the annual death of trees occurs at approximately 2%, and shrubs - 4-5% of the total.
Shrubs are less durable than trees, but some live up to 100-400 years. As Kozhevnikov points out, rosehip bushes live up to 400 years (age limit), hazel - 100, juniper - 300, small lingonberry bushes - 300 or more years. Shrubs in gardens rarely survive to their maximum age, as they lose their decorative value, and they are usually rejuvenated or replaced.
In old age, shrubs bare their trunks, raise their crowns high and take on a sloppy appearance (for example, common mock orange, middle spirea, Tatarian honeysuckle, wrinkled rose, etc.). Some shrubs, despite their great age, retain their decorative properties for a long time (Siberian hawthorn, round-leaved serviceberry, etc.).
During the formation of the park, fast-growing species or species with low durability are of particular importance, which are then gradually removed to make way for plants with medium and long durability.
Basic park compositions should be created from durable rocks. In large parks, tree plantations mainly consist of species of medium and long durability.
examples.
Group- a combination of woody plants of one or more species, located isolated in the open space of the park.
The most common combinations of breeds in groups in parks of the 18th-19th centuries. there were spruce and birch; spruce and rowan; birch and pine; linden, spruce, birch; larch, ash; maple, willow, ash, etc. Groups containing conifers are usually compositional centers, and therefore are introduced to a limited extent. The inclusion of shrubs completes the composition of the group, complementing it with the color of leaves, branches, and flowers.
Groups of trees are bordered by shrubs in the following cases:
- for creating chromatic color groups (shrubs with bright, variegated colors or beautifully flowering ones are introduced);
- to create a dense, leafy group down to the ground ;
- to combine a group of trees into a single composition ;
- for creating an expressive silhouette, outline, volume of groups ;
- for creating long-flowering groups .
Based on size, the groups are divided into
-small consisting of 2-5 trees of size II or III (for fast-growing up to 20 years and slow-growing up to 30 years, with a crown projection area of 25-60 m2);
- average- groups aged 50 years and older (100 m2 or more);
- large- a group with a diameter of over 50 m (650 m2 or more).
Correlating these sizes with the area of the park, we can give the following division of groups by size:
- small- crown projection diameter no more than 25 m,
- average- no more than 50,
- large- up to 80 m.
Classification of groups by species composition: 1 - pure groups: a, b - deciduous, c, d - coniferous; 2 - mixed groups: d - deciduous, f - coniferous, g - mixed
By dendrological composition there are groups
- clean (from 2 to 5-7)
- mixed (from 10 to 20)
Groups of mixed composition have potential compositional variability and are highly complex in construction. The basis for constructing such groups can be the species composition of woody plants of a certain forest type, characteristic of local physical and geographical conditions.
It should be taken into account that in mixed groups there is a loss of decorative qualities in the case of combining trees and shrubs with different durability or as a result of unfavorable mutual influences. A change in the composition of the group leads to a change in its decorative appearance.
In historical parks, mixed groups are formed mainly by forest-forming species. In modern practice of gardening and park construction, the composition of mixed groups is represented by a wider range.
A special category consists of groups created in forest plantations through landscape felling. The arrangement of trees and shrubs (construction) in groups is of great importance for the formation of a healthy, viable phytocenosis and artistic appearance. Trees in groups can be placed at equal distances, symmetrically with respect to each other or asymmetrically (free arrangement). They are dense , openwork , often combined by quincus-type triplets. The distance between trees is designed taking into account the biological characteristics of each species.
When placing plants at a distance of 8-14 m, the group may lose its significance and become an area with a single type of spatial structure.
In groups of trees of 2-3 species, fast-growing light-loving plants occupy the upper tier, and shade-tolerant plants with slow growth occupy the second; trees placed along the edge of the group develop more evenly.
Thus, according to the construction of the groups, they are divided into regular And irregular , contrasting And neutral (built on the nuances of one decorative feature), according to blossom , structure , form , which, in turn, are divided into those that have a “core” and those that do not. The core of the group is formed from one or more plants, usually taller ones. When composing a core of several species, plants are selected that are similar in foliage color and structure, creating a smooth transition from light to darker trees and forming a compact base of the group. When forming a core from coniferous trees surrounded by deciduous trees, a distance of 4-8 m is allowed between plants. In cases where the core is created from trees with an openwork light crown, the group gives the impression of being bright and joyful; from trees with a thick, dark crown - strict, solemn.
Trees arranged in subgroups in large mixed groups are in the best conditions for their development (nutrition area), which enhances the decorative value of the volume of the component. In rare cases, such groups are built without a core. Small mixed groups are created taking into account the assessment of the decorative qualities of each specimen and, for the most part, do not have a nucleus.
Shrubs in groups: 1 - enrichment of color, texture; 2 - flowering duration; 3 - creation of a monolith: a - during the development of new territories, b - during the reconstruction of old ones
By planting density(or structure) plants in groups can be divided into:
- dense, or thick ,
- loose , or openwork ,
- groups with gaps.
Dense groups form a monolithic volume, devoid of end-to-end visibility, and therefore isolating the space. Planting places in such groups are usually close together; there are plantings in the second tier and in the edge to obtain a dense mass of greenery. To build a dense dark group, trees of the appropriate structure (with dense branching and foliage) and color are planted, 0.5-3.5 m from each other, or a multi-tiered group of complex shapes is created from trees of different ages so that the crown of one tree is projected onto another and covered the gaps between the trees. Such groups are made up of shade-tolerant breeds, and they are medium and large in size. Using various types of trees and shrubs, it is possible to achieve one or another density (density) of a mixed group. It is more difficult to arrange groups of rocks that are pure in composition and dense without gaps.
To place shrubs under the canopy of tree plantations, shade-tolerant species are selected, such as Siberian dogwood, snowberry, alpine currant, golden currant, common honeysuckle, common juniper, red elderberry, common viburnum, etc. Shrubs that cannot tolerate shading are planted at a distance of 2- 5-10 m from trees. At the same time, they grow and develop better and look healthy. Shrubs near trees (0.3-1 m) develop worse, and near trees with a shallow root system they die.
Shrubs bordering a group can cover it with a ring if it is an element of a regular composition. In a landscape composition, this gives the impression of artificiality and deprives the group of interesting volumes - protrusions, recesses. The group is more picturesque when placing shrubs in one or more places. Shrubs are planted in 3-5 or 7-12 specimens.
Loose, or openwork, groups are represented by sparse plantings, allowing each plant to develop well. They have end-to-end visibility (see-through).
To build openwork groups, trees are planted at a distance of 3 to 9 m from each other. They are formed mainly from light-loving species (pine, birch, larch), as well as shade-tolerant species (fir, spruce, linden) - with sparse placement of trees. Openwork groups consist of 3-10 specimens with a planting interval of 0.5-3-5-11 m. In this case, openwork is created due to the thin structure of highly elevated crowns and the sparse arrangement of trees.
To create openwork groups of shrubs, plants with a fine structure are selected and planted at a distance of 2-3 m or more from each other.
Groups with gaps represent a structural variant of openwork, less often dense groups. In terms of the number of copies, they differ from openwork groups. The group often includes shrubs. In composition, they can be pure or mixed, from light-loving and shade-tolerant plants.
The amount of clearance in a small group is 0.5-3-5 m (for mature trees), but no more, otherwise unity and integrity are disrupted. In large groups, the clearance can reach 5-9 m.
Groups of shrubs are often created as continuous ones, but sometimes, in order to open a view of a tree, shrub, or flower garden, the group is broken with a small gap up to 2-3 m in size.
The most typical techniques for constructing groups:
1. Regular placement of plants (quincus, simple rows, checkerboard order, circle, horseshoe, etc.)
2. Close arrangement of plants or planting in one pit - group bouquets (mixed and pure in composition).
3. Creation of “tent”-type groups of pure composition from seedlings of different ages.
4. Creation of mixed groups of the “tent” type from trees and shrubs.
5. Creation of groups with free placement of trees - pure and mixed species.
6. Creation of groups of extended compositions, designed for 2-3 main viewpoints (groups along roads, arch groups on roads).
7. Groups formed in combination with tapeworms.
The shape of the group influences the character of the landscape and depends on the selection of trees and shrubs and their arrangement. Of plants with regular and irregular types of crowns, groups with symmetrical and asymmetrical balance, spherical, pointed and contrasting (single-tiered simple and multi-tiered complex) are arranged.
With an appropriate arrangement of plants, the group changes shape depending on the viewpoint (up to 3-5 options). The silhouette of large groups (with the participation of tall trees with a pyramidal, columnar shape) is built with 2-3 verticals. The most interesting in landscape parks are asymmetrical groups with greater height in relation to width and a clearly defined silhouette.
Architectonics of the group determined by the type of branching, the thickness of the branches, the location of the foliage, the size and shape of the leaf blades of woody plants. There are different groups with rough , average , thin And mixed structure . The background most often serves as trees that are similar in structure. The arrangement of groups is determined by their purpose in the landscape. To increase the depth of perspective, trees with a coarse structure are planted in the foreground, and trees with a fine structure in the background.
The colorfulness of a group depends on its constituent species and is a very important quality, on which the effect of the composition sometimes completely depends.
By purpose they stand out in the landscape:
Groups that are the main compositional center of the park picture. They are placed in so-called pockets, in clearings, completing the perspective, securing the turns of paths, near the water;
Groups that create a backdrop for a structure or other accents;
Groups as a transition from an array to an open space;
Groups that form park scenes - “frames” that delimit the space into separate views and groups that create multifaceted perspectives;
Groups at the edge of an array or curtain, highlighted as accents.
Age of tree and shrub groups. The composition of rocks determines the longevity of groups.
Durability:
- small begin to decay in the second half of the first century (many poplars, birches, bird cherry trees, apple trees, pear trees, rowan trees)
- average become decrepit from the second century of life (spruce, fir, maple)
- big have been decaying since the third century (oak, ash, Manchurian walnut, larch).
When compiling groups, it is necessary to represent the course of growth and development of the woody plants that comprise them. Fast growing woody breeds reach the culmination of age sooner and stop growing, while slow-growing breeds do so later.
Unfavorable growing conditions(soil compaction, trampling, lack of nutrients, etc.) lead to stunted growth, the appearance of dry tops, and premature death of plantings. A particularly large amount of nutrients is needed during the period of increased growth (10-40 years), when the bulk of branches and leaves are formed. Trees rarely live to their full age. The cause of their death is wind blows, forest fires, recreational loads, and in the city - a whole range of unfavorable factors.
In medium and large groups of the same age, the aging process begins earlier in trees located in the middle of the group, in which death occurs in separate sectors of the crown, starting from the weakest and poorly oriented skeletal branches and ending with the strong ones.
From tree species that live up to 200 years, it is possible to create long-lasting groups that for decades give the same effect (mature trees), and therefore, in general, preserving the intended character of the park picture. Trees up to 25-30 years of age change their appearance quite noticeably, and then the effect produced becomes more or less constant over many years and even intensifies. In long-lived woody plants, this period can last 100-300 years, in short-lived ones - 50-70 years. At the end of this period, the decorative effect is lost - the trees, reaching their maximum age, gradually die off. Shrubs have different life spans; they change their appearance annually for up to 6-15 years, then an equilibrium occurs in development and, finally, gradual death.
Shrubs are less durable than trees, but some live up to 100-400 years. Shrubs in gardens rarely survive to their maximum age, as they lose their decorative value, and they are usually rejuvenated or replaced. Some shrubs, despite their great age, retain their decorative properties for a long time (Siberian hawthorn, round-leaved serviceberry, etc.). During the formation of the park, fast-growing species or species with low durability are of particular importance, which are then gradually removed to make way for plants with medium and long durability. Basic park compositions should be created from durable rocks. In large parks, tree plantations mainly consist of species of medium and long durability.
65. Shrub groups for creating compositions and contents
plantings. Give examples(see question #64).
Shrubs around a tree group are placed in a ring or semi-ring on the most visible side. They make the group dense and slender, forming a smooth transition to the lawn. In groups, trees and shrubs should be placed in such a way that the taller ones are behind the shorter ones, and the darker colored leaves and needles are behind the light ones, those with less elegant flowers are behind the more luxuriantly blooming ones, etc. When designing a group that can be viewed only from On the one hand, the same order is followed, but the background is made more stretched. With this arrangement, groups are perceived as a single whole. Independent shrub groups create usually and abundantly flowering species. A large group of five or six species, distinguished by beautiful autumn leaf color and brightly colored fruit, is always spectacular. When selecting plants for shrub groups, it is necessary to take into account the intensity of their growth and development characteristics. Shrubs with openwork and dense crowns should not be combined into one group.
66. Groups of trees and shrubs(see question No. 64)
Dutch garden.
The modern Dutch style involves a small garden, the center of which is a lawn bordered by a flower bed of flowers, decorative deciduous and flowering shrubs. A hedge is planted along the fence. She is short, cropped, and quite transparent. There are few trees in the Dutch garden, but all of them have a beautifully formed crown. This garden is dominated by species of trees and shrubs with beautiful, original foliage and unusual bark texture. Lots of perennials and flowers. In spring, the garden is decorated with exquisite daffodils, colorful tulips, and fragrant hyacinths. In addition, the Dutch style implies the presence of many attributes of rural life: a well, a small windmill, a garden wheelbarrow with flowers. The garden sculpture is represented by many funny gnomes, animals and birds, and pots of tulips. The Dutch garden is characterized by:
Geometry in garden planning, but the house generally does not belong to the axis of symmetry
Plants dominate other elements of the garden
Small size, comfort and coziness
French regular garden.
The regular style has clear symmetry in the garden layout, mirroring relative to the axial composition, and straight lines. The French garden is characterized by extraordinary luxury. It is characterized by straight wide alleys, trimmed trees and shrubs, strict bosquets, carpeted flower beds framed by parterre lawns, regular geometric pools with cascades and fountains, and an abundance of sculptures. The regular style involves extensive parterres that emphasize the construction of the main compositional axis with the opening of a distant perspective, the primacy and architecture of the house.
The French regular garden is characterized by:
Axial division of the garden
Visual expansion of space
Dividing the territory into functional zones
Dominance of a house built in a classical style
Topiary cutting of green spaces
The advantage of lawns and evergreens over flower beds and flower beds
Italian garden.
An Italian garden is characterized by a lot of white stone, stairs, balustrades, olive groves, antique sculptures, tubs, and a terraced landscape. A clear layout with strict geometric shapes and stone-paved paths prevails here. At the head of such a garden is a regular geometrically shaped pond with a decorative fountain, often several levels of ponds due to the terraced style of the garden. Flower beds also have strict geometry - square, circle, oval. Low-cut boxwood often serves as a border. Most ornamental crops grow in beautiful containers or terracotta pots, large tubs that are displayed near the stairs connecting the terraces. Trees and shrubs are characteristic of this style, trimmed in the shape of a pyramid, ball, column or cube, exotic birds, elements of ancient architecture. An Italian garden cannot be imagined without sculptures: they decorate a pond or fountain, luxurious flower beds, secluded grottoes. Mountainous territory implies the construction of a garden on terraces, the construction of retaining walls to retain the soil, and the construction of beautiful stairs connecting the garden areas. The Italian garden is characterized by:
- symmetry in the garden
- setting up a garden on terraces using retaining walls
- decorative architecture (stone paving, sculptures, stairs, etc.)
- a large amount of water architecture
- use of topiary art
Islamic Garden (Chor-Bak).
The basis of the Muslim garden includes the so-called “chor-bagh” (“four gardens”), which symbolize the Garden of Eden, in which 4 sacred rivers originate and divide it into 4 parts. An Islamic garden project consists of one or more squares. A large square is divided into 4 smaller ones, etc. The geometric layout is emphasized by paths, plants and narrow, small channels with water. Each square has a small fountain or pool in the center, lined with marble, glass or multi-colored ceramic tiles. Water in Islam is given a special, sacred role. It is the source of life and purification. Therefore, in such a garden fountains gurgle, splashes of water sparkle in the sun; Bright, beautiful flowers and herbs bloom. An exotic attribute of such a garden are cages with singing birds. Orange or pomegranate trees provide cooling shade. Traditionally, vegetables are planted in the Muslim garden. A decorative bed with a variety of herbs can be organized even in the front area. An Islamic garden is characterized by:
Clear geometry (“chor-bagh”) and ornamentation in the arrangement of flower beds and gardens
Small, regular geometrically shaped pools
Use of glazed tiles and mosaics
Spicy plants
71. English landscape garden.
This garden is characterized by serpentine paths with a low lawn, or covered with gravel screenings, sand, crushed brick chips or wood chips. There are almost no flowers in the English garden; they are planted in groups near a pond or house. The contours of the shores of the reservoir are natural, close to natural. The simplest aquatic plants grow in its waters. The English style landscape is characterized by beautiful streams with overgrown banks. The garden is decorated mainly with plants with a natural crown shape, characteristic leaf texture, the combination of their shape and color is taken into account, even the autumn color of the foliage. Mixborders near the house are planted mainly with meadow flowers, forest perennial plants, whose leaves are more beautiful in ornamentation and color than flowers. Mainly used for plants in pastel colors, yellow, silver-white. The house in such a garden is not the basis, but, on the contrary, is buried among the greenery of trees. Everything in the design of such a garden creates the impression of interconnectedness and balance. Small architectural forms are usually made of gray stone or wood. An English landscape garden is characterized by:
Imitating the naturalness of nature, the absence of boundaries that would separate the garden and the surrounding nature
Smoothness of relief lines, paths and ponds, plants
Contrast of shadow and light, special attention to the texture of leaves, crowns
Movement in everything - in winding paths, among swaying plants, near natural reservoirs
The main role of tapeworms and groups of trees in the landscape
Lack of elegance, predominance of ideas of romanticism and sentimentalism
Moorish garden.
The Moorish garden is characterized by lush flower beds with fragrant flowers and beautiful mosaic paving of areas in rest areas and the bottom of small but long geometrically shaped pools. The basis for the Moorish garden is Islamic traditions: an abundance of pools, the worship of water, which gives coolness on a hot day, beautiful mosaics with a predominance of shades of blue and a fountain - a symbol of immortality and purification. The big difference between the Moorish style and others is the absence of a lawn. The basis for covering the garden is paving with a clear pattern of tiles or stones. But if there is a lawn, it is done in the Moorish style - it is almost never mowed, and the grasses are dominated by poppies, Iberis, eschscholzia, small daisies, pyrethrum and cornflower. A rose garden occupies a special place in the garden. It is in a bosquet and lies around the perimeter of the square of a small pool. Trees and shrubs in a Moorish garden are not pruned, but are left to grow freely. In the center of the bosquet, a standard rose is mainly placed. Roses are planted with a well-defined aroma, mainly orange, red, yellow varieties. In such a bosquet, park furniture with a large abundance of pillows is placed. This is a place of relaxation and solitude.
The stone walls surrounding the Moorish garden are decorated with thickets of climbing roses, bougainvillea, clematis, and lush hydrangeas. Flower beds consist of bright annuals - salvias, marigolds, gatsanias. The Moorish garden is characterized by:
The beauty of flowering, the abundance of exotic plants
The inherent presence of water and its architectural features
Green or flowering galleries, green hedges
The presence of an unusual lawn, an abundance of paving
Country garden.
This is a rustic garden with many flowers of every color. It is characterized by simple plants - bells, daisies, mallows, cornflowers, pyrethrums, screens of echinocystes, sweet peas, farbintes (morning glory). They grow mainly not in flower beds, but in thickets. A rustic garden blends well with nature. The main thing in it is the simplicity of materials and forms. If the house is made of wood, then small architectural forms are created from wood, with a pronounced wood texture. For a house made of stone or brick, garden elements made of the same material are more suitable. Sheds, gazebos, and outbuildings in this garden are always surrounded by thickets of climbing roses, elderberries and hops, sweet peas and maiden grapes. Mallows, flocks of cosmos and marigolds are planted near the porch. Along the wicker wooden fence, mallows, dahlias, delphiniums, foxgloves, and sunflowers are planted. In the best places of the garden there are well-groomed vegetable beds where vegetables and “healthy” flowers are grown - calendula, marigolds, nasturtium. In the summer, indoor plants are brought into the garden, placed on the veranda, hanging on the fence, branches of apple trees. In the design of the garden, household items are used - wheelbarrows, watering cans, buckets, an old cart wheel, etc. A rural garden is characterized by:
Design of flower beds from lushly blooming perennials and annuals that do not require special care, in a natural style
Simplicity of materials and forms
Combination of beauty and benefit
The main element of landscaping structures, the main design of volumetric garden architecture is a group
one or more species located isolated in the open space of the park. It consists of at least three specimens of woody or shrubby plants. The selection of plants in a group is based either on a soft combination or on a contrasting ratio, depending on their decorative qualities.
The appearance of the groups may vary. In texture, the groups range from openwork to dense, in shape - from columnar crowns bursting upward to weeping. If there are several groups in the garden, it is recommended to make them homogeneous to avoid a variegated composition. Groups of the same breed, planted in the form of bouquets, enhance the artistic qualities of the breed used. You can combine deciduous and coniferous species. It is better if the edges of the groups are uneven and protruding. It is possible to use triangular groups that break away from the background. When planting young trees in groups, uneven outlines of the groups are not difficult to achieve, but when the trees grow, they will smooth out the protrusions with their crowns. No matter how the groups are built, almost each of them requires two simple rules: the group should not have three or more trees in a row and the distances between the trees should not be the same. The species diversity of the garden does not mean the unsystematic mixing of many species throughout the territory. Most of the trees in the garden should consist of one species. Some tree species are good without impurities, for example birch. As a small mix she is good in groups where another breed is dominant. A group of three trees of different species is usually perceived worse than a group of two identical trees and a third of a different species. The sameness of combinations should be avoided, i.e. monotonous variety. Each group must have its own identity. Trees and shrubs should be placed so that powerful tall species are in the center or in the background and do not cover trees of the second and third size. In groups of different breeds, breeds should not be allowed to merge into monotonous sameness. Then the meaning of heterogeneous groups is lost. It is important that one breed emphasizes the characteristics of the other.
Monotony should not be allowed. The shape of the group, its size, the selection of rocks and their placement depend on the distance from which the groups will be viewed. According to the requirements, in the background the groups should be larger, the number of trees of the same species should be larger, the silhouette contrasts should be sharper, while in the foreground groups flowering trees bordered by flowering bushes are very good. The texture and color of the trunks, the pattern of branches and foliage are of great importance. The density of the groups depends on biological and decorative requirements. Light-loving and spreading species should be planted less often than shade-tolerant or narrow-leaved species. The gaps between trees and shrubs should be significant. Below are approximate distances in meters between trees in groups, based on growth:
Between trees of the first size of the same species - 3-6 m
Between different trees of the first magnitude - 4-8 m
Between trees of the first and second magnitude - 4-8 m
Between trees of the second and third magnitude - 1-4 m
Between first size trees and bushes – 3-5 m
Between trees of the second or third magnitude and
bushes - 1-4 m
Based on the composition of the rocks, the groups are divided into pure and mixed. Groups of pure species are either coniferous or deciduous. Mixed groups consist of coniferous and deciduous species. Preference should be given to groups that are pure in composition, as this will not violate the integrity of the landscape and their natural appearance. Groups can be represented by the following types (Fig. 2):
According to the structure of the crowns: coarse (oak), medium (elm) and thin (willow);
By crown density: dense (spruce) and loose (pine);
In form: single-tier and multi-tier;
By crown color: dark (fir), light (willow) and bright (turf);
