Ever Considered Evergreen Hedges?

Articles on Hedges | Topics: hedges, hedge, bushes, bush

by Francis Dotson

Ever Considered Evergreen Hedges?

The advantage of using evergreens for hedges is they are "ever green." That means they can be used as windbreaks during the winter. They must be properly placed to keep snow from piling up on the driveway or walks. They are especially pretty when the ground is snow covered. They look lovely with Christmas lights and snow covering them. The lights glow on the snow and make a beautiful scene.

Deciduous plants lose their leaves during a portion of the growing season and therefore leaving gaps in your hedges, evergreens have year-round foliage. They can be found in different heights and colors and most need little maintenance. Arborvitae, juniper and holly are three examples of tall, medium and small shrubs of evergreen for privacy fencing.

The tall evergreen shrub called Emerald Arborvitae will grow to a height of 15 to 20 feet and needs little maintenance from you. It has flat long-lasting needles and had a dense growth. It has a spread of 4-6 feet and is narrow and upright in form.

The Irish Juniper is also used for privacy screens. It grows in a narrow, column form and stand together to for a colonnade of loose border evergreens. They will help to keep out unwanted sights, sounds, and nosy neighbors.

For smaller privacy fences, use "Little Red" holly. This can be used when the taller privacy trees are not practical. These practical little shrubs are great for privacy even though they are compact in nature. They grow into plants about 5' x 5' and will grow in partial shade or full sun. It is great to use around pools or hot tubs because there are no leaves or needles to clean up.

Some trees that usually grow to great heights in the forest can be kept trimmed to the height you want on your property. Eastern Hemlock and Eastern White Pine are two examples of trees that can go to 100 feet or more in their natural habitat, but can also be trimmed into a neat hedge. They look great and form a dense hedge with their feathery evergreen foliage.

аHistorical Quote

Here tulips bloom as they are told;
Unkempt about those hedges blows
An English unofficial rose;

—Rupert Brooke (1887–1915)

A beautiful example of an evergreen that can be used as a privacy screen or windbreaker is the Colorado Blue Spruce Tree. They can be grown in zones 3-7 and they have a delicious smell. They are prickly in texture and should be planted so they will have partial sun with moist and fertile soil. They are popular as Christmas trees for indoor decorating and then for replanting outside after the holiday. You will want to dig the hole before the ground freezes and do not let the dirt fall inside the hole, keeping it loose so it is easily workable when you fill in around your newly planted tree.

Other examples of evergreen hedge shrubs are Holly plants. They look more like boxwood shrubs and bear small, oval leaves. They can be allowed to grow tall enough to serve as privacy screens.

Boxwoods are the true formal hedge plant. Used extensively by the aristocrats in Europe for centuries, they are designed for formal garden design. They easily hold their shape when designed into topiary shapes and are perfect for the cut lines that are needed in a formal garden. They are used for mazes in the more formal gardens of Europe and can be pruned to nearly any shape you want them to be including animals or geometric shapes. Pruning is recommended two times a year, once in spring and another time in August. That will keep your boxwood fuzz-free.

Yew bushes are the classic hedge plants. They are needle bearing, tolerate shade, and grow tall enough to act as privacy screens. Their drawback is they are slow growers. They will grow about 9 inches a year.

Here is a warning about evergreen hedges. A heavy snowfall lying on top of your hedge can cause serious damage to your plant. When you receive a heavy snowfall, brush off the snow as soon as possible to keep the added weight off your evergreens. Avoid locating your evergreens where snow will drop from rooftops to give added weight to branches.

Evergreens are good for nearly all zones and can tolerate cold weather. They are beautiful to look at throughout the year.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Ever Considered Evergreen Hedges?" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by FlowersPlantsGardening.com.

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