Evergreens In Your Garden

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

How can they decorate your personal plot

Evergreens is a modern term that came from distant England. It means a variety of species with many different subspecies, usually artificially bred, ornamental conifers.

The very word "evergreen" initially emphasizes that these plants retain their green color throughout the year. Evergreens are widespread for their unpretentiousness in growth and transplantation, for winter hardiness, for their seasonal green color, which pleases us, especially in winter. And also because they are easy to cut, which allows you to form various shapes from such trees and shrubs, ranging from balls and pyramids to various exotic species.

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The main factors determining climate are seasonal fluctuations in temperature and precipitation (rain, snow, sleet and hail). The climate of the area depends on its latitude, relief and height above sea level, as well as proximity to the sea. Most of the climate classifications derive from the work of the Russian meteorologist Vladimir Keppen (1846-1940). Köppen divided the world into six main climatic zones: A, B, C, D, E and H.

A - humid tropical climate, B - dry, C - warm temperate, D - cold temperate, E - polar and H - alpine. Köppen further divided climates A, B, C, D and E into subgroups, taking into account seasonal temperature fluctuations and precipitation intensity. In defining the boundaries of climatic zones, he took into account the distribution of natural vegetation and soils. These indicators are often more accurate indicators than statistics on climatic conditions. Zone A, according to Köppen, includes tropical areas with year-round rains, as well as areas with a humid tropical climate and dry season.

The climatic conditions of our strip differ from those of European countries, where the climate is mild and temperate, where the winter temperature limit reaches only –18 ° С. We are located in an area where the maximum summer temperature reaches about + 35 ° C with increased dry air, and the maximum winter temperature is about –30 ° C with a small amount of snow cover.

Cold hardiness zones of USDA plants

Often, when describing a plant in international reference books on gardening, you can find references to different climatic zones. This is a fairly convenient and versatile way to indicate the maximum possible cold resistance of a plant. The definition of climatic zones was developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on minimum winter temperatures by region for agricultural needs, and later became used by gardeners. This system, first of all, is convenient for such large countries as the USA, Russia, Canada, etc., territories which lie in several climatic zones.

When deciding to purchase a particular plant, it should be borne in mind that a suitable frost resistance zone does not guarantee that this plant will grow successfully in your garden. Factors such as soil type, rainfall, day / night temperature differences, daylight hours, heat and humidity should always be considered. Many regions with completely different types of climate fall into the same zone due to the coincidence of the lowest temperatures. However, not all plants will grow equally well and develop in these regions.

Plant cold hardiness zone	Lowest temperatures (° C)
Zone 1	-45 and below
Zone 2	-45 … -40
Zone 3	-40 … -34
Zone 4	-34 … -29
Zone 5	-29 … -23
Zone 6	-23 … -18
Zone 7	-18 … -12
Zone 8	-12 … -7
Zone 9	-7 … -1
Zone 10	-1 … +4

The climate of the North-West of the Russian Federation is decisively influenced by the Atlantic, continental and Arctic air masses. In all seasons, temperate air masses dominate here. Atlantic cyclones often enter the territory. They bring sufficient moisture in all months of the year. Large cloudiness is also associated with this, which protects the surface of the earth from strong cooling in winter and drying out in summer. The geographical position and the nature of atmospheric circulation determine the climate of the North-West with moderately warm summers, rather long cold winters and an unstable weather regime. Precipitation falls from 600 to 750 mm. Two thirds of precipitation (450-500 mm) falls on the warm season (April - November).

Sufficient moisture has led to the development of a rather dense network of surface waters: rivers, lakes and swamps. High humidity lowers the temperature.

The average dates for the transition of daily air temperature through + 10 ° С are May 11 and September 20. And after + 15 ° С - June 15 and August 10. True, the dates of the transition of temperatures for individual years differ greatly, and these differences sometimes reach one month, both in spring and in autumn, especially in recent decades. Frosts in the air in spring usually end in the second decade of May, but in some years they are also possible in the first decade of June. In autumn, frosts begin on average from October 1, but sometimes they can be in the first ten days of September.

A stable snow cover on average forms in the first half of December, but it happens on November 1, it collapses at the end of March, and sometimes on April 15. The duration of its occurrence is up to 100 days. The thickness of the snow cover is on average up to 30 cm, although this figure has increased significantly in recent winters.

On the territory of the North-West, south-western, western and southern winds prevail. Although north, north-east and east winds do not bypass the zone either.

On the territory of the North-West, sod-podzolic soils are most widespread, followed by swampy soils and soddy-calcareous and soddy-alluvial soils are represented to a limited extent. They are all poor in humus.

The relief of the zone, despite the predominance of the flat character of the territory, is distinguished by significant diversity. There are lowlands and vast uplands. Strongly hilly areas pass in the south of the Pskov region, where the Vyazovsky (264 m) and Bezhanitsky (328 m) uplands with mountains are located. On the border of the Pskov and Leningrad regions is the Luga (200 m) upland. In the southeast lies the Valdai Upland with the Revenitsa Mountains.

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Hilly areas in comparison with plains are characterized by: lower temperatures, shorter frost-free period, increased precipitation, higher wind speeds, higher air humidity and cloudiness, increased frequency of blizzards, fogs, ice, rain and snowfalls, as well as higher altitude and duration of occurrence snow cover.

The Northwest Region is located in a forest zone. By the nature of the vegetation, its territory is divided into two subzones: coniferous forests - north of Pskov and mixed forests - south of this city. To the north of Pskov, pine and spruce massifs prevail, in places swampy, with an admixture of birch, alder and aspen. In the lowland and transitional areas, meadow-bog plants are developed. Heather and lingonberry forests prevail among pine forests, bilberry and lingonberry among spruce forests. The forests are rich in medicinal plants.

In the subzone of mixed forests, coniferous-broad-leaved massifs are most often found, where linden, oak, ash, maple, alder and others are mixed in significant quantities with conifers. Pine forests are common on sandy soils. On the slopes of river valleys and on watersheds, there are small areas of oak forests. The zone is characterized by bogs with pine trees growing in them and nearby. Shrubs grow in the gaps between the trees.

In open places, the most common are alder, juniper, willow of all types, less often bird cherry, honeysuckle, viburnum, mountain ash, buckthorn, elderberry, hazel. Large territories are occupied by hayfields and grazing lands, where cereal-forb and sedge-forb cover prevails.

Read the next part of the article: Composing Evergreens in Your Garden

Evergreens in your garden:

• Part 1. Evergreens in your garden

• Part 2. Arranging evergreens in your garden

• Part 3. Growing evergreens in your garden

• Part 4. Eating in your garden

• Part 5. Cypress in your garden

• Part 6 Junipers in your garden

• Part 7. Rhododendron, azalea and boxwood in your garden

• Part 8. Pines and yews in your garden

• Part 9. Thuja in your garden