The use of mosses and lichens in the design of the garden
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How to use mosses and lichens to decorate the garden
Magnificent mosses have been decorating Japanese gardens for centuries.
In Kyoto, there is a unique moss garden called Sayhodzi, where about a hundred species of mosses and lichens grow. And to visit this garden, you have to register for a month. The main gardener of the Botanical Garden of the Moscow State University "Aptekarsky Ogorod", candidate of agricultural sciences, the author of books on gardening Anton Dubenyuk, tells how to use moss and lichens in the suburban area.
Mosses and lichens: clean environment indicators
The cultures of mosses and lichens are poorly understood and therefore quite important and of great interest to scientists. Very few specialists study these groups of plants. Mosses are spore plants, and lichens are a symbiosis of fungus and algae.
There are 20 thousand species of moss and 26 thousand species of lichens. These plants grow in different latitudes, including northern ones. Recall that it is mosses and lichens that perfectly tolerate the harsh conditions of the tundra.
For advanced gardeners
Of course, it's better that not a beginner, but a more experienced gardener, who would appreciate these cultures on merit, would be engaged in mosses and lichens. And with understanding would be to create an exotic mini-garden of these plants.
To buy mosses or lichens it is possible in nurseries, in floristic shops-so, moss is very claimed by florists. You can dig out in the places of deforestation, but in no case should you bring moss directly from the forest! Firstly, you are violating the natural ecosystem, and secondly, moss, most likely, will not get accustomed.
Where is the best way to use mosses and lichens? These plants demonstrate unusual aspects of garden decoration. Many have become accustomed to moss decorating bonsai, orchids in containers, but in the garden of moss and lichen one can find a place! They can be planted under coniferous trees or decorate them with places near evergreen or deciduous rhododendrons.
It is known that lichens are especially sensitive to environmental pollution, these are some kind of indicators of a clean environment. So if lichens appeared on your summer cottage, this is an excellent sign, which means that everything is fine with the environment. It is noteworthy that the restaurants of Finnish or experimental cuisine often serve lichen dishes.
At the recent exhibition "Mosses, lichens and azaleas" in the "Aptekarsky garden" examples of such design were shown - only there were azaleas instead of rhododendrons.
See also: Evergreen and winter-green plants herbaceous perennials and shrubs
Miniature gardens
Other fashionable in Europe direction-mini-landscapes, or miniature gardens, - which was also presented at the exhibition. Mosses and lichens are the best suited for the "construction" of such dwarf landscapes. They can be made together with children and put in your "mini-forest" to create entourage tiny houses, cars.
Such miniature gardens of moss and lichen can be located both in the shade, where these plants retain moisture better, and in the sun. Only on the sunny side should they be sprayed more often. Mosses and lichens come in different colors - gray, yellow, red, green!
Grow mosses and lichens slowly develop where there are no other competitive plants.
The most common type of moss is “kukushkin flax". As for lichens, the most common form is “Icelandic cetrarium"(This type of lichen is also called" Icelandic moss ").
By the way, this lichen became famous as a medicinal product, because it has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
Often moss is used to decorate garden paths, stones in the gardens. And to do this, prepare a variety of mixtures, which includes small pieces of live (or dry) moss, yogurt or kefir.
The mixture is made in proportion - one part of the moss to two parts of pure, without additives, yogurt.
Moss should be finely chopped or chopped.
Some landscape artists suggest adding a little water or beer, sugar, corn syrup to this mixture.
In cool, humid weather, a mixture similar to liquid sour cream, like a paint with a broad brush, is applied to the stones, the "seams" of the tracks. With this mixture, you can make drawings on fences. From time to time it is advisable to spray the pattern with water so that the moss grows faster.
See also: Landscaping - we make a stone alpine hill in the country
OUR COUNCIL
- Caring for mosses and lichens is not very difficult - these plants themselves are modest and unpretentious.
- They do not displace neighbors and spread spores.
- Well tolerate the harshest winters and do not require fertilizers.
- But they are very sensitive to moisture, so they should be sprayed periodically.
- Although lichens easily tolerate drought and extreme temperature fluctuations.
© Author: Natalia Grigorieva Photo: Igor Piskarev
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