Juniperus communis Repanda

Juniperus communis 'Repanda' is a common juniper that forms a remarkable mat in the sun. Prostrate, creeping horizontally, its long thorny branches dress the ground with extremely dense thread-like foliage, greenish-brown turning bronze in winter. This slow-growing conifer is extremely hardy and perfectly adapted to difficult conditions, even arid ones. It is an excellent ground cover, ideal for decorating a large slope or rockery. It appreciates full sun and well-drained soil, even tolerating poor, dry, and limestone soils.

Juniperus communis is an evergreen and thorny conifer belonging to the cypress family, which includes related species such as cypresses and Chamaecyparis. It is native to northern Europe, North America, and Asia Minor. In its natural environment, it has a quite variable habit, conical or spread out and prostrate, reaching a height of 6m (19ft 8in) and a spread of 3 to 4.5m (9ft 10in to 14ft 10in). This species appreciates poor, sandy, and/or limestone soils and is not afraid of arid conditions.

The 'Repanda' juniper, derived from this species, forms a prostrate shrub after 10 years, with a very spread out habit, measuring 20cm (7.9in) in height and 1 to 1.2m (3ft 4in to 3ft 11in) in spread. It grows slowly when young, at a rate of 5cm (2in) in width in one year. Growth accelerates slightly as it ages. An adult specimen will measure approximately 30cm (11.8in) in height and 2m (6ft 7in) in diameter. Its foliage consists of two types of leaves, the juveniles have a scale-like appearance while the adult leaves are needles. Its small, tightly packed juvenile leaves release a resinous and aromatic scent when rubbed. From spring to autumn, the foliage takes on a light green colour (due to new growth), then greenish-brown, gradually turning a beautiful bronze colour in winter. The fruits are borne by the female plants. They are scaly berries called cones; they are dark brown and rich in essential oil with numerous therapeutic properties. Its grey-brown bark hides a reddish-brown wood that peels with time. Junipers have a shallow root system that makes them fragile in the face of strong winds and difficult to associate with perennials.

The creeping juniper 'Repanda' is an extraordinary conifer, very undemanding, that conquers space in the most difficult areas of the garden as long as they are sunny. It can be adopted without reservation from the north to the south of our country, in plains as well as mountains and even by the seaside. Once established, this conifer discourages weeds due to the density of its foliage. It finds and makes its place on a large slope, among rocks, above a wall or low wall, or near a swimming pool, as it goes well with geometric lines and masonry structures. It can also be installed near a body of water, overlooking it, cascading down a rocky scree. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures to the dance of flowers. These plants with their reassuring permanence durably structure a bed, mark paths, border terraces, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. They go well with mahonias or wild-looking grasses with a very complementary temperament. The key is to play with volumes and colours.