Long-term Landscaping: Why Choosing the Perfect Hedge is Very Important

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

by Yayoi Zamora

Choosing a hedge may not seem like a big deal to many, but in reality it is a long-term investment and one of the most important decisions you will make about the structure and overall look of your garden space. When selecting the perfect hedge for your garden, you need to take into consideration both your current and future needs.

A hedge is an excellent way to mark the boundaries of your property and a much more attractive option than some wood or chain fencing. Hedges can also be used to shelter outdoor spaces from the wind and to give your yard some privacy. Hedges also give your garden structure and work well as natural dividers. The uses, as you can see, are many.

When you first think about planting, you need to assess your needs. Is your hedge merely decorative or is it also going to be serving a practical purpose? Once you decide on that, you can work on your garden plan.

It is important to carefully plan out your garden before you begin planting. Hedges will be with you for decades or even longer if you care for them properly, so you need to think about the best place to situate them. Remember that hedges do grow and widen over the years so you want to ensure that you have enough space for that to occur. This can be a big problem near paths and driveways so measure carefully and ensure you have enough room for this growth.

You also need to choose a variety of hedge that suits your climate and the overall look you are going for. As with all plants, there are some hedge plants more suited to certain climates than others. You need to determine what types of hedge plants will thrive in your climate. Your local garden center should be able to offer you advice on this. There are also many good online resources now to help you research all sorts of different plans and shrubs.

Keeping climate in mind is important when choosing a hedge plant, but so is the look you are seeking in your garden. Depending on the type of look you are going for, you'll need to find a hedge plant that can hold those specific shapes and designs. You need to know what look you are going for to make the most informed choice.

Bit of History

Through winter-time we call on spring,
And through the spring on summer call,
And when abounding hedges ring
Declare that winter’s best of all;
And after that there’s nothing good
Because the spring-time has not come....

—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

There are two main types of hedge designs: formal and informal. Most people probably think of formal designs when they think of hedges. The formal, traditional and sharp-edged designs of the formal hedge don't need to be limiting or stuffy. Nowadays you can offset the formality of these kinds of structure by mixing the straight and sharp lines of these hedges with more wild plant groupings.

Informal hedges are also an option if you want a more modern or contemporary feeling for your garden. Hedges used to be limited to a few varieties of plants, but now people use all different sorts of plants to make hedge lines – the only limit is your imagination!

Color is something else important to consider when choosing hedge plants. Though you may find vibrant colors attractive at first, you may tire of them eventually. A good rule of thumb is to stick with the traditional green for your hedges and use other plants to give your garden its color. It may seem boring initially, but in the long run it will allow you to change the look and feel of your garden using annuals instead of having to alter the overall structure of your yard space.

Hedges are not maintenance free plants. You need to make sure that you care for them properly, including trimming them into a suitable shape. They are a much more natural divider than fencing, but they do require more of a time investment so you'll need to make sure that you have the time to devote to your new hedges before you begin planting.

Hedges are a long-term landscaping investment. Because you will have them in your garden for so long, you need to make sure that you are doing your research and choosing the best hedge type and design for the long haul.

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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Long-term Landscaping: Why Choosing the Perfect Hedge is Very Important" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by FlowersPlantsGardening.com.

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