Conifers such as thuja, yew and cypress often lead a shadowy existence, as they are not very colorful and are usually constantly covered in their needlework. But through clever combinations they can become an enriching backdrop for many different plants.
How can you combine conifers sensibly with other plants?
Conifers such as thuja, yew and cypress can be combined well with other plant species through clever combinations. Pay attention to suitable location requirements and growth heights. Suitable planting partners are rhododendron, cranesbill, hosta, small evergreen, fairy flower, forest aster, magnificent candle and roses.
What factors should you consider when combining conifers?
In order to enjoy a successful combination, you should first consider the following conifer factors:
- Needles: green, yellow-green, gray-green or blue-green
- Location requirements: partially shaded, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil
- Growth height: up to over 100 m
Conifers are present all year round. You can therefore easily combine them with other plants - regardless of when they reach the peak of their external appearance.
When combining conifers, it is advisable to ensure that their planting partners prefer a similar location.
Depending on the type and without appropriate pruning, conifers can reach dizzying heights. Not all plants feel at home in this present, which can quickly seem overwhelming. Consider this when choosing companion plants.
Combine conifers in the bed or in the bucket
Numerous other woody plants that do not like full sun and dryness harmonize with conifers. Flowering trees are particularly suitable, as they stand out more intensely close to the darker conifers and create beautiful contrasts with their lighter colors. Furthermore, flowering ground covers and foliage perennials such as hostas also receive a remarkable boost when combined with conifers.
Excellent matches for conifers include:
- Rhododendron
- Storksbill
- Funkie
- Small Periwinkle
- Elf Flower
- Forest Aster
- Magnificent candle
- Roses
Combine thuja with rhododendron
Whether in front of a massive thuja hedge or next to a solitary thuja - the rhododendron suits this conifer. They both prefer partially shaded locations on a nutrient-rich and moist substrate. If the rhododendron stands in front of the thuja, it has the ideal background to light up optically when it is in bloom.
Combine yew with hosta
The dark green robe of the yew contrasts particularly well with white striped or white variegated hostas. The light-dark contrast turns even neglected areas of the garden into an eye-catcher. The climax is finally reached when the hostas shoot up their long inflorescences.
Combine thuja with cranesbill
Storksbills like to cover the ground and produce their magical flower shells all summer long. Whether white, pink or purple cranesbill, they are all suitable for interacting with the thuja, which prefers to stay simply in the background with its needle-like dress. It is important that you place the cranesbill in front of the thuja so that it is not completely in the shade and people miss it.
Combine conifers as a bouquet in the vase
Individual branches of conifers and even their fruit decorations can be used to attractively embed bouquets of flowers. The branches covered with needles should either form the base of the bouquet or be inserted here and there in between. All flowers that have large flowers go well with conifers. Additionally, you can accentuate the bouquet with a few rosehip branches or ferns.
- Roses
- Rosehips
- Phlox
- Astilbene
- hydrangeas
- Ferns such as sickle fern and leather fern
