Garden hedges ideas
Best fast-growing hedges: 10 ideas for structure and boundaries
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Fast-growing hedges offer a quick way to transform and reinvent your garden. Whether you are in search of something to define the boundaries of your property, to provide privacy and screening or to help support your local wildlife, hedges are a versatile addition to the garden.
They can also be used to provide your backyard ideas with structure and shape, helping to add height or visual interest – you could even try topiary for which fast-growing hedges are ideal.
'Fast-growing hedges can be sheared into geometric shapes or allowed to grow naturally. Always select a plant that has the desired shape and mature size to help minimize pruning,' says garden expert Melinda Myers , 'If you like the formal sheared look consider plants that tolerate this type of pruning. For an informal or natural look that would befit cottage garden ideas, keep pruning to a minimum. Consider hedging plants that also provide flowers, fall color and fruit if it fits in your landscape design.'
Fast-growing hedges
When you want to add a hedge to your garden, the thought of having to wait a decade for it to establish is probably not what you had in mind. On the other hand, fully grown hedges are an expensive purchase, especially if you want to have a long section of hedge between yourself and a neighbor's property.
Therefore, fast-growing hedges are an ideal solution that will quickly establish and grow – your only challenge will be to keep them in check, however this is easily done with regular pruning and shaping. Pruning at regular intervals will also keep your hedge looking beautifully manicured.
Hedges are also a great choice for creating boundaries and should be factored in when you're thinking about how to plan a garden. 'Plant fast-growing hedges for your boundaries – they are good for wildlife and the environment by absorbing pollution.
Use mixed wildlife hedging in rural areas and dense evergreens in the urban environment,' recommends Period Living garden expert Leigh Clapp.
1. Best plant to create purple fast-growing hedges
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Often known as 'the purple bush', loropetalum shrubs make for eye-catching fast-growing hedges. Its beautiful purple leaves offer a stunning contrast to the other brown and greens that define the garden.
Growing in hardiness zones 7 to 11 without any additional care, these pretty fast-growing hedges do best when they are planted in full sun, as it is the light from the sun that causes its leaves to be that beautiful purple shade. Loropetalum will also be more likely to thrive in gardens that are subject to long, hot summers, so are best avoided in cooler areas. However, if you live in cooler regions, there are still plenty of fast-growing hedges that you can plant in your garden.
2. The best fast growing hedges for sweet scent
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Mock orange, also known as Philadelphus, are adored for their dainty sweet-smelling flowers which bloom in summer.
A brilliant addition to sensory garden ideas, mock orange shrubs are a reasonably hardy shrub and can be grown anywhere from zones 4 to 7. Plus it is relatively easy to care for.
Growing more than two feet per year, mock orange are exceptionally fast-growing hedges and if left unchecked will quickly reach more than 12 foot tall. As with all fast-growing hedges pruning is vital.
'Mock orange is a deservedly popular medium-sized deciduous shrub with highly perfumed cascades of pure white flowers for many weeks through May to July,' says Leigh Clapp, 'It grows in sun or part shade in any fertile, well-drained soil, including coastal gardens.'
3. Best fast-growing hedges for winter color
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A favorite of winter garden ideas, cornus, or as it is more commonly known red twig dogwood, makes for a vibrant display on its own or as part of a hedge.
Creating a bank of crimson stems, these fast-growing hedges look just as good in winter as they do in the height of spring – in fact, they may even look better.
'During the summer, it blooms flowers and berries. It has red bark that looks beautiful year-round,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, expert small space gardener and consultant at HouseGrail .
With it's dense twiggy structure, it is also great to use as part of garden privacy ideas, plus since dogwood are very easy to propagate – simply cut a branch that's about the thickness of a pencil and put in a pot of quickly – it is a very affordable to quickly grow your hedges.
4. Best fast-growing hedges for year-round privacy
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If you're trying to select the best hedges or best trees for privacy and screening in a backyard, then opting for an evergreen variety is a must. The shrubby honeysuckle is an excellent choice for fast-growing hedges, as its dense leaves and branches provide year-round greenery and screening.
'The shrubby honeysuckle can grow between 15-23 inches in a year, so if you don’t want a tall shrub, make sure to keep it trimmed,' says Emilly.
'The shrubby honeysuckle is an evergreen that becomes denser as you clip it. It has tiny leaves that may produce flowers in the spring and berries in the autumn.'
It is worth noting that shrubby honeysuckle can be invasive so if you decide to grow it in your garden, then it's vital that you keep it in check with regular pruning.
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These pretty fast-growing hedges are loved for their colorful and sweet smelling flowers. 'Lilac is a beautiful addition to the garden with its sweet fragrant smell and draping lavender blooms that cascades from the shrub,' says Tammy Sons from TN Nursery .
For the best chance of a healthy plant, pick a spot with fertile, well-drained soil and lots of sun. In the right conditions, lilacs can grow around two feet per year, plus they are fairly hardy and will thrive in zones 3 through to 7.
'The lilac makes a great choice if you’re looking for fast-growing hedges,' says Emilly Barbosa Fernandes, 'but if you don’t trim it back, it will grow out of control'.
Therefore, it is vital that you know how to prune lilac before adding these fast-growing hedges into your garden.
6. Prettiest fast-growing hedges
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If you want fast-growing hedges that also bring beauty to the garden, then camellia hedges are perfect. Blossoming with beautiful rose-like flowers in late winter or early spring, they create a stunning addition to winter garden ideas and will help to brighten those darker days.
Camellias are also some of the best winter plants for pots and borders and as an evergreen, they keep their leaves all year round. This means that when they are grown as a hedge they are perfect to incorporate into your garden privacy ideas.
As with any addition to your garden, knowing how to care for them is vital. With camellias, there is particular importance on knowing how to prune camellias as this will keep these fast-growing hedges under control and looking their best.
7. Best fast-growing hedges for early spring color
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Forsythia is a great choice for fast-growing hedges.
It's one of the hardiest fast-growing hedges, being tolerant to both drought and salt and hardy from zones 5 through to 8. It will reach heights of up to 10 feet and will grow approximately two feet per year.
Regardless of its durability, it is the flowers that sway homeowners towards these fast-growing hedges. 'One of the first spring bloomers, they erupt in lemony yellow clusters that welcome the coming season,' says Tammy Sons. However, be careful when pruning as the flowers grow on last year's growth. Therefore, it is important to prune at the end of the flowering period rather than wait until the following fall.
8. Best fast-growing hedges for greenery
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Laurel is a classic choice to create a quintessential green hedge in your garden. With its large glossy green leaves, it creates a dense border which is ideal for use in front yard landscaping ideas.
‘The laurel grows roughly 11 inches per year and can be grown as both hedging plants and topiary.
If you’re looking for flowers in the summer, the cherry laurel is a good choice,’ says Emilly.
Smartly clipped laurel hedges and topiary are characteristic of English garden ideas and offer a good alternative to the slower-growing box hedges.
9. Best fast-growing hedges for wildlife
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If you're looking for fast-growing hedges that will help to encourage wildlife into your garden, then the hawthorn is your best option. 'One of the most common hedgerow shrubs across the UK but also grows well in the North American states,' says Leigh Clapp. The hawthorn will grow between one and two feet per year meaning it will quickly establish itself as a defined part of your garden.
Also known as the thornapple, it is descended from the rose family and is loved for its pretty nectar-rich flowers and bright red-orange fall berries. 'The Hawthorn provides food for some 150 different insect species and is tolerant of pollution and exposed sites,' continues Leigh Clapp.
This makes hawthorn the ideal addition to your favorite wildlife garden ideas.
If grown at the border of your property, the thorny branches on these fast-growing hedges also brings with it an element of added security to your home while simultaneously offering a safe space for birds to nest come spring.
10. Best fast-growing flowering hedge for color
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One of our favorite fast-growing flowering trees, Callistemon also makes for a beautiful fast-growing hedge. Growing approximately a foot per year, this stunning plant explodes in an array of vibrant, feathering flowers in spring, and makes for the perfect accompaniment for other tropical garden ideas.
You can also use all of these fast-growing hedging ideas to obscure or complement the harder landscaping in your garden, such as garden wall ideas. Growing a hedge will create a softer and more natural backdrop to your garden as well as offering beneficial food and habitat for wildlife.
Pick fast-growing hedges with beautiful flowers for added interest.
What is a good privacy hedge?
Camellia, laurel and hawthorn are all good privacy hedges. These fast-growing hedges are all evergreen and reach a good height.
Evergreen shrubs and evergreen trees for gardens make for the best hedges for privacy as you don't want your privacy to be compromised when the leaves fall off in fall. You will also want to select fast-growing hedges to ensure that you aren't waiting years to achieve the level of privacy you desire.
When should you plant hedges?
You should plant hedges in late fall, however, you can plant them up until late winter, though avoid planting if the ground is water-logged, frozen or frost is imminent.
The optimum planting time for individual fast-growing hedges will vary depending on the species you purchase, so you should always double check the planting directions.
Having graduated with a first class degree in English Literature, Holly started her career as a features writer and sub-editor at Period Living magazine, Homes & Gardens' sister title.
Working on Period Living brought with it insight into the complexities of owning and caring for period homes, from interior decorating through to choosing the right windows and the challenges of extending. This has led to a passion for traditional interiors, particularly the country-look. Writing for the Homes & Gardens website as a content editor, alongside regular features for Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors magazines, has enabled her to broaden her writing to incorporate her interests in gardening, wildlife and nature.
41 Incredible Garden Hedge Ideas for Your Yard (PHOTOS)
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Welcome to our gallery featuring a collection of incredible garden hedge ideas to use in your own yard.
Hedges can be a great way to add natural borders or dividers to your yard. Picture, if you will, the towering hedges on the grounds of an English estate or bordering the yard of a quaint cottage.
Many different plants can be utilized to create hedges; some you may never have expected. Layering different shades, textures, and shapes are just a few of the things that can completely change the look of your garden.
Hedges can be manipulated to fit any landscape setting or any shape for that matter. Topiaries can add a touch of elegance or whimsy to a garden depending on the shape.
Hedges can be strictly decorative or they can instill privacy in a busy neighborhood. They can be functional or just plain fun – hedge maze, anyone? Even adding a small hedge to the edge of a flower bed can be a lovely and simple way bring more interest and frame the space.
We’ve collected a varied array of hedges to interest and inspire your creative landscaping ideas.
Whether you live in a quiet country cottage or a sprawling estate complete with lavish gardens – if you’re looking for a more controlled, manicured look or just want something natural and easy to take care of, we’ve found something for you.
Find more backyard ideas in our definitive guide to backyards!
The structured cubes of these hedges add a rigid uniformity to this yard that mimics the stone steps they surround.
The sculptured shape of the rounded hedges in this garden complement the round brick patio the surround. Adding a loose, more natural divider around the space, the taller hedges are softer versions of the more traditional squared hedge.
Utilizing low hedges to border pathways creates natural flow through a garden while offering an unobstructed view of the beautiful garden beds they surround.
The opposing shapes in this garden create an interesting visual while the layered, flat hedges break up the large space.
Using small hedges to create the lines of this gridded garden bed adds definition and structure to the natural shapes of the flowers.
Different bushes used to create hedges can add a welcome texture change to a garden. The smooth texture of the hedges on the right contrast the loose, leafy look of the hedges on the left.
These hedges create a softly flowing border around this patio adding a sense of privacy to the relaxing spot.
Hedges don’t necessarily need to be made from bushes. Hostas and large flowering bushes can also create the same feeling. In this garden the manicured hedges are countered by the wild shapes of the flowers.
The combination of hedges and the lines of manicured trees make a regal entrance path that leads up to the beautiful house in the background. Partnering squared hedges with the rounded trees creates a lovely balance in shapes when using similar materials.
Choosing to use a denser, leafier bush for these hedges adds a definite sense of privacy to the small garden. The addition of the wrought iron fence adds a classical touch to the imposing hedge.
Sculptured hedges are a great substitute for the traditional hedge, or sculpture even. A hedge can be shaped into anything that may suit the needs of your particular space.
Organically shaped, these hedges create an interesting and eye-catching arched pathway.
Bordering these squared hedges with bursts of loose, wild herbs and plants softens the hedges. This makes the space more visual interesting and creates an organically shaped walkway.
This rounded hedges offers a lovely edge to this lush green lawn. The contrasting light and dark of the leaves balances the change in shades the surrounds the hedge.
The use of these low hedges to surround the flower beds while backing them with the tall, imposing hedges adds a sense of balance to this garden.
The hedge surrounding this small patio offers the needed privacy of living in a neighborhood while creating the illusion of seclusion and peace.
The many contrasting shapes and colors of this garden and the use of hedges creates much visual interest. The garden in the background is a great example of using different shapes to complement each other.
The vertical flow of the branches and leaves makes these rounded hedges appear taller and draws the eye upward instead of settling on the hedge.
Even hedges are beautiful in the autumn. Despite the loss of leaves, keeping hedges shaped can still add interest to a garden and achieve the desired look of a hedge.
Using a hedge to enhance this already beautiful bench brings this space to a whole new level. The gracefully arching hedge in the back makes this stone bench seem more intimate.
Surrounding this garden with low hedges not only divides the different beds but it also adds form and structure to the wildly growing plants it borders.
The clean, flat lines of this hedge balance out the beautifully arching water and curves of the fountain base. The small potted flowering trees add additional points of interest.
The straight lines of this path and bordering hedge create an ordered sense of calm and balance each other well.
These colorful flowers, backed by an orderly hedge forms a lovely mini-border along the side of this path. Using brightly color flowers can add interest to a bland hedge.
Layering different sizes and shapes of hedges attracts visual interest.
The small hedge not only keeps the flowers in check, it also forms a clean line with the lawn making up keep easier.
This keyhole hedge makes a natural entrance without compromising the beauty of the hedge. It also maintains the privacy of the garden beyond.
The whimsical entrance created by the arched hedge leads into a fitting garden. The quaint wooden gate is a nice added touch.
Surrounding this garden bed and private bench with large, leafy hedges adds a charming touch to this small corner of the yard.
Matching the color of the edge to the grass allows for the gorgeous flowers to stand out even more against their green canvas.
The glossy leaves of these hedges add a touch of luxury to this quiet path. The white wrought iron gate is a nice contrast to the green of the foliage.
The small, spindly hedge in the foreground complements the climbing vine running along the front of the house while adding a difference in texture and density.
This snow-covered hedge is a beautiful addition to any winter yard.
Picking a hedge that will keep its leaves year-round can ensure a touch of green even in the depths of the winter months.
Repeating the round shapes throughout this garden helps keep a uniform theme despite the changes in direction and material.
The dark green of the tall hedge in the center of the garden acts as an anchor for the lines of bright green radiating outward from it. It also helps to balance to amount of lighter green that could otherwise become overwhelming.
The waving lines of this hedge creates pockets of interest along this swooping pathway. Bordering something as structured as the stone wall in the background with something with lots of movement keeps a garden from becoming too stiff and uniform.
The elegant scrollwork in this gate contrasts the sharp shapes of the manicured hedges in the background.
Keeping hedges shaped and clean is wonderful but allowing them to grow out and spread can be just as lovely. In this case, it gives this archway and hedged garden and care-free feel.
Picking an unconventional bush for hedges, such as the pretty flowering bushes above, can be a welcome change to traditional hedges. This one looks beautiful even as the seasons change.
These leafy hedges stand out against the white wall they border. The leafiness matches the shapes of the other smaller plants, tying the entire garden together.
This attractive waterway, bordered by tall, imposing hedges, provides an added sense of calm to the scene.
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Top 15 Best Hedge Plants
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We present to your attention a selection of the best plants in our opinion for creating a living fence on your site.
| 1. Thuja. Evergreen tree or shrub. In the conditions of the middle lane, it can reach a height of 3 m. It is widely used to create hedges. The optimal planting distance is 80-100 cm. It can be planted in two rows in a checkerboard pattern. In a temperate climate, among the various forms of thuja, the thuja western “Smaragd” and “Emerald” feel best. Among other plants used to create hedges, thuja has its advantages and disadvantages | |
| Advantages:
Drawbacks: disadvantages of arborvitae include its burnout in the bright sun, while the needles lose their decorative effect and become brown. | |
| 2. Juniper. Common, Cossack, virgin, scaly, and Chinese junipers are used to create hedges. All of them have their own characteristics, but their main advantages are the same: | |
Of the shortcomings of juniper, one can single out its need for good lighting. Otherwise, the bushes become loose and lose their decorative effect. Like all conifers, juniper has a rather slow growth, although this is a minus or plus for a hedge - a moot point. |
|
| 3. Berry yew. Evergreen coniferous plant. Great for creating a living fence and for good reason: | |
The yew has one drawback - all its parts are poisonous. |
|
| 4. Lawson Cypress is one of the most beautiful coniferous plants. | |
| Benefits:
Disadvantages: prefers well-lit areas (goes bald in the shade), requires regular watering and spraying. |
|
| 5. Derain white. | |
Perhaps the only feature of turf that can be called its disadvantage is the need for regular cutting. If this condition is not observed, the bush is exposed in the lower part, it looks sloppy. |
|
Fast-growing deciduous shrub up to 3 m high. Very beautiful, retains its decorative effect even in winter, thanks to bright red shoots. Blossoms twice a season, in the fall, along with young flowers, rounded white berries appear. The shrub has many virtues , among which: | 6. | |
| Benefits:
has no defects. |
|
Califolia vesicle. Spectacular shrub with spreading drooping branches and large ornamental leaves. It reaches a height of 3 m. With proper care, a vesicle hedge will become a real highlight of your garden. | 7. Coronal mock orange A beautifully flowering fragrant shrub up to 3 m high. It is frost-resistant and unpretentious, excellent for the conditions of the middle lane. | |
The plant has no significant shortcomings, it should only be noted that well-lit places should be chosen for planting mock orange, and the soil should not be compacted and waterlogged. |
|
In addition to the already listed advantages of mock orange, the following should be noted: | 8. Spirea. A very ornamental shrub with beautiful abundant flowers. A spirea hedge can reach a height of 1.5 m. The plant has many advantages, including: |
Varieties available
Thuja occidentalis Smaragd
Thuja occidentalis Holmstrup
- Lush, graceful flowering.
- Handles shearing well.
- Able to take various forms.
- By combining varieties with different flowering periods, a continuously flowering hedge can be created.
- A wide range of varieties with different colors of inflorescences.
- Undemanding to soils
To maintain a neat appearance of the shrub, it is recommended to trim the faded inflorescences.
| 9. Thunberg barberry. Great for hedges because it: | |
The plant has its own disadvantages . For example, the presence of long sharp spines complicates the care of the shrub. With a lack of sunlight, the decorative effect of the leaves is lost. |
|
The plant propagates easily and appears where its growth is undesirable. | 10. Privet. Fast growing, shade-tolerant shrub up to 2-2.5 m high. The plant deserves special attention for the following reasons: | |
The only drawback of privet is poisonous fruits. Do not choose this plant if you have children. |
|
| 11. Cotoneaster brilliant. Densely leafy deciduous shrub up to 0.5 to 1.5 meters high. Undoubted Benefits of Cotoneaster: | |
Cotoneaster branches are fairly fast growing so regular pruning is essential to maintain the shape and attractiveness of the shrub. |
|
| 12. Blood red hawthorn. Unpretentious deciduous shrub, characterized by high longevity. The undoubted advantages of the plant are: | |
Irregular shearing of hawthorn can expose the underside of the bush. |
|
| 13. Lilac. Very ornamental flowering shrub. To create a hedge, the use of undemanding, frost-resistant, drought-resistant varieties, such as Meyer's, Amur and Hungarian lilacs, is recommended. The advantage of lilac over other shrubs is as follows: | |
disadvantages of lilacs include the need for annual cutting of root shoots; a short flowering period, after which the decorativeness of the plant is significantly reduced. |
|
| 14. | |
Every 4-5 years the plant needs a rejuvenating pruning. Requires watering during dry periods. |
|
Shrub cinquefoil. A very decorative compact shrub that blooms from early summer to autumn. The main advantages of the plant: | 15. Hydrangea. Incredibly beautiful shrub with large leaves and very lush flowering. Paniculata and tree varieties are great for creating hedges. Hydrangea Benefits: | |
At the same time, hydrangea is rather capricious, requires frequent watering, needs shelter for the winter, and is demanding on the composition of the soil. The plant needs pruning, since flowering occurs only on the shoots of the current year. |
|
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hedges. Ideas and options
Photo by the author.
How to make the site cozy and hide the corners of the rest from prying eyes? How to disguise an unsightly shed or a boring blank fence? How can you protect your favorite garden from strong winds or how to keep the snow around the rose garden? The simplest solution to such issues is the creation of hedges from ornamental plants. Hedges vary significantly in shape and height, can be multi-row and consist of one or more plant species. There are many ideas, but in this article I will talk about how in a short time I solved the problem of decorating and protecting the borders of the site using popular vines. In addition, I would like to offer several options for creating combined hedges and share my experience in caring for ornamental shrubs.
Express solution: decorative creepers
Our house is located on the outskirts of a small, quiet village with stunning views of the picturesque surroundings. The initial desire to maintain a sense of spaciousness and unity with the surrounding nature determined the decision to choose a metal mesh as a material for building a fence. However, from the side of the street, protection from road dust and long glances was required to control compliance with a strict village dress code. Opposite the house, along a low fence, two specimens of girlish grapes were planted, which in a few years turned the “transparent” fence into a reliable and beautiful wall.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia ( Parthenocissus quinquefolia ) planting is a great way to quickly decorate vertical surfaces in any material. This powerful perennial vine is super hardy and hardy, can grow in unfavorable soil conditions and is disease and pest resistant. Due to their rapid growth, adult girlish grapes can be called an aggressive plant, so restraining pruning is indispensable.
A couple of times during the summer I have to shorten the regrown shoots, but I will never give up this wonderful plant for two reasons. Firstly, a dark green fence made of girlish grapes serves as an excellent backdrop for compositions from any plants. And secondly, in autumn the leaves of the grapes acquire a spectacular color and a large crimson-red wall becomes a bright decoration of our entire small street.
When making hedges, other types of vines can be used for variety, such as winter-hardy Amur grapes ( Vitis amurensis ) or climbing honeysuckle varieties ( Lonicera caprifolium or L. periclymenum ). However, these plants are more demanding on soil moisture and fertility, so when planting it is better to fill the hole with a mixture of compost, garden soil and sand (1:3:1). During June flowering, honeysuckle is distinguished by the grace of flowers and candy-sweet aroma, so it can take its rightful place in the recreation area. When placing this creeper, it is necessary to provide the plant with good ventilation and lighting for 5-6 hours.
To prevent powdery mildew in wet weather, I spray my honeysuckles with bio-fungicides (Fitosporin, Alirin, etc.).
For vertical gardening in express mode, the closest relatives of clematis - princes ( Atragene ) are perfect. These sprinter lianas have many advantages: they are unpretentious, do not need shelter and “cunning” pruning, bloom profusely in early summer with numerous flowers that turn into cute fluffy seed balls. When decorating a decorative wall in the courtyard, I tried to combine the varieties of princes with large-flowered clematis hybrids. The idea turned out to be successful - clematis blooming on the shoots of the current year against the backdrop of openwork foliage of princes look very attractive. For these vines to grow well, regular feeding and mulching with compost is shown to prevent overheating of the root system. Usually I apply a complex mineral fertilizer with trace elements and spray clematis twice in June with a water-soluble fertilizer with succinic acid.
All of the ornamental vines mentioned above can be planted near mesh fences, but not everyone will be comfortable near solid fences. "Universal Soldier" - girlish grapes grow well in the shade and in full sun, against a concrete wall or corrugated fence. Ornamental grapes can be placed at a distance of two or more meters between plants in a row. To help a young vine quickly decorate a vertical surface, you should use a coarse mesh of any material. The first two or three years after planting, it is advisable to tie up the growing shoots horizontally and pinch them for better branching.
“Non-boring” bush hedge
The appearance of the fence on our site coincided with the beginning of my ardent passion for ornamental gardening. The long “border” strip has become a place for testing and placing a small collection of various species and varieties of ornamental deciduous and flowering shrubs. For more than twenty years, an original hedge has been formed from plants with a variety of foliage colors, which is essentially a single-row mixborder.
A combined hedge on a spacious plot looks natural, harmonizes with the surrounding landscape and is an unusual backdrop for fruit and berry crops. In keeping with the established tradition of naming zones in our area with “loud” names, I call this place the “Uffizi Gallery” for its richness of color and constantly changing “exposition” throughout the season.
Many types of plants are suitable for creating a “non-boring” free-growing hedge. When choosing, one should take into account the requirements of a particular plant for lighting, soil conditions and, of course, the habitus of an adult specimen. A translucent mesh fence allows you to plant any variegated varieties of shrubs, which only with sufficient lighting can manifest themselves in all their glory. However, when planning landings, it is better to avoid excessive “variegation” and try to select successful color combinations. The basis of the combined hedges are green-leaved shrubs, with which you can combine the brightest colors, give the composition a special rhythm and give it the charm of simplicity and naturalness.
The beauty is also that, if desired, you can change the shape of green-leaved shrubs with the help of pruning and thereby change the general appearance of the site.
Traditional shrubs for hedges
An ideal hedge replaces a blank fence in its intended purpose, but it performs not only enclosing and camouflage functions, but also serves as protection from noise, wind and dust. Due to their dense dense crown and the presence of thorns, hawthorn and barberry are the most popular shrubs for creating impenetrable and reliable living walls. Most of the zoned species and varieties of hawthorn are tall shrubs that are unpretentious to soil conditions and bloom and bear fruit in good light. For planting a compact two-meter hedge, a single-petal hawthorn is perfect ( Crataegus monogyna ), soft ( C. submollis ) and common ( C. laevigata ). All these species and their cultivars are distinguished by active shoot formation and, with regular shearing, grow a very dense crown.
Hawthorn fruits are not only decorative, but also have healing properties. True, in order to get a crop, you will have to wait, since the hawthorn usually begins to bear fruit 6–8 years after planting.
Common barberry ( Berberis vulgaris ) and hybrid Ottawa barberry ( B. x ottawensis ) are highly ornamental unpretentious two-meter shrubs that are constantly in demand among gardeners. Barberries are winter-hardy, undemanding to the soil, but grow best on light loam with good drainage. My combination hedge includes two varieties of Ottawa barberry: red-purple "Superba" ("Superba") and handsome "Silver Miles" ("Silver Maelz") with silver-white strokes and specks on maroon-red leaves. All barberries tolerate pruning well. But they are especially good as part of a landscape-style mixborder, when their arched shoots are decorated with bright orange-red fruits.
One of the first shrubs I planted along the fence was a yellow acacia or tree caragana ( Caragana arborescens ).
In our village, the yellow locust is traditionally used to fence patios and apiaries. Karagana is an excellent honey plant, it is drought-resistant and undemanding, grows well on alkaline soils and is able to quickly recover from radical pruning. To create a dense hedge, yellow acacia is planted at a distance of 35–60 centimeters between plants. And with a great need for planting material, it can be easily propagated by layering and cuttings.
It is always interesting for me to use ordinary “wild plants” in compositions with popular ornamental deciduous shrubs. So, for example, having planted Tatar honeysuckle, which is widespread in our area, as part of a mixborder, I discovered a universal plant that is also suitable for planting a hedge. Tatar honeysuckle ( Lonicera tatarica ) is highly resistant to adverse factors: it is drought-resistant, tolerates waterlogging and salinization of the soil, and can grow in partial shade. The crown of the Tatar honeysuckle is quite dense and with minimal pruning, you can easily maintain a neat trapezoidal shape.
During flowering, this “simple” turns into an exotic “diva” thanks to unusual flowers in inflorescences. There are several varieties of Tatar honeysuckle, differing in the habit of the bushes, the size of the leaves and the color of the flowers.
Caragana and honeysuckle in wet weather can be affected by fungal diseases, but preventive fungicide treatments from mid-June help to avoid leaf damage.
Powdery mildew resistant golden currant ( Ribes aureum ) is a hardy, drought-resistant shrub up to two meters tall. Openwork small leaves of golden currant are similar to gooseberry leaves, numerous berries taste like blueberries and, depending on the variety, are orange or cherry-black. Golden currants are especially attractive during flowering, when the bush is covered with lovely yellow flowers with a strong sweet aroma. This relative of the common currant is a valuable plant for creating very dense honey-bearing hedges. For pollination, you need to plant several copies of different varieties and do not cut the bush too much if you want to get berries.
Cotoneaster lucidus ( Cotoneaster lucidus ) is a plant without faults, ideal for hedges and borders of medium height. This type of cotoneaster looks flawless all season: glossy leaves of the correct form, graceful small flowers, pretty black berries and original bright autumn color. The advantage of cotoneaster is not only a high shoot-forming ability, but also shade tolerance, due to which the bush does not become bare from below. The popularity of this plant in urban landscaping proves its unpretentiousness and ability to adapt to any conditions, although cotoneaster prefers loose, fertile soil and a sunny place.
Bright accents of variegated and ornamental flowering shrubs
Before talking about my variegated shrubs, I would like to share my impressions of one plant, which I met several years ago. This wonderful shrub is not found in our area, called by geographers “meadow steppe”, but I acquired it, as they say, “for the collection”.
Winged euonymus ( Euonymus alatus ) with unusual tetrahedral shoots after planting in calcareous black soil quickly began to grow and at first seemed a modest “extra” in the hedge. However, in the autumn a small miracle happened - the euonymus “changed clothes” into the brightest pink-crimson “outfit”, which I had not seen before. Now three varietal spindle trees grow in my garden, which in October turn into a magnificent decoration of the entire site.
Of the variegated shrubs in light colors that fit well into landscape hedges, white sod ( Cornus alba ) is worth noting. There are a lot of varieties of white derain, but I want to highlight “Elegantissima” (“Elegantissima”), “Sibirica Variegata” (“Sibirica Variegata”), “Ivory Halo” (“Ivory Halo”) with light green leaves with a creamy white border, as well as a compact “Cream Cracker” (“Cream Cracker”). My favorite varieties are the yellow-leafed "Aurea" ("Aurea") and the green-golden "Gouchaultii" ("Gusholti"), and also the bright "Spaethii" ("Shpeti") with light green leaves with an uneven yellow border on young growths.
To dilute this motley “company”, you can use the green-leaved turf “Baton Rouge” (“Baton Rouge”) or the elegant “Kesselringii” (“Kesselrings”) with wine-black bark on young shoots. The color of the shoots of white deren is a separate “song”, which is especially impressive in winter, when bright shades are unusually good on a snow-white background. At this time, red turf does not lag behind in terms of decorativeness ( C. sanguinea ), whose yellow shoots are decorated with an orange-red blush, or offspring derain ( C. sericea ) “Flaviramea” (“Flavirameya”) with mustard-green branches. All of these types of turf prefer moist, humus-rich soils, while variegated varieties require a sunny location.
The fast-growing and unpretentious califolia vesicle has long been loved by gardeners, and its red and variegated varieties are now at the peak of garden fashion. The species plant Physocarpus opulifolius is widely used to create wind and snow protection strips along roads or to strengthen slopes.
I dug up my first vesicle seedling in the nearest forest plantation from the village. The species plant is a three-meter shrub with large light green matte leaves next to which the yellow-leaved varieties of the vesicle "Luteus" ("Luteus"), "Dart's Gold" ("Darts Gold") or "Nugget" ("Nugget") look most advantageous . In full sun, the foliage of these varieties gradually burns out and the leaves that glowed bright yellow in May become golden-light green. The recently emerged mid-sized variety "Golden Anny" ("Golden Annie") practically does not fade and stands out with elegant marbled green-yellow foliage.
It is known that the dark color visually distances the object, so purple-red vesicles give the compositions depth and expressiveness. My old-timer vesicles were purchased without a cultivar, but I'm guessing they are the popular black-purple Diabolo, green-burgundy Summer Wine, and wine-red-purple Red Baron” (“Red Baron”). Until recently, my favorite variety was "Diable d'Or" ("Diabl Dor") with shiny orange-scarlet young leaves, decorated with burgundy edging.
Now my favorite is the vesicle "Chameleon" ("Chameleon") with a complex contrasting color of medium-sized foliage, which is not possible to describe briefly. This variety can rightfully be called unique, as the color of its foliage changes throughout the season. "Chameleon" deserves a front seat in a flower garden or mixborder.
Dark-leaved vesicles only show their high decorative qualities to the full extent in sufficient light, and for best growth they need fertile, well-drained soil. Caring for vesicles, however, as for all the shrubs described above, is very simple and does not require special knowledge and experience: applying complex spring fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season, weeding and loosening after rains, preventive treatments against insect pests, mulching in the fall with any organic material (peat, compost, foliage, cut grass). If you want to give the shrubs a neat shape, I carry out a formative pruning in June, and if a rejuvenating pruning is required, then the best time to work is the end of October or March.
A number of ornamental flowering shrubs are used as companion plants for vesicles. As part of a hedge, medium-sized varieties of mock oranges with a dense crown, small foliage and abundant flowering are always appropriate. Mock oranges are versatile and unpretentious “decorators”. In any combination with their help, it is easy to neutralize too bright colors or, conversely, focus on expressive colors. For example, next to the red-leaved hazel, the mock orange variety “Aureus” (“Aureus”) looks much more interesting. You can also use various types of spirea: willow, gray, Vangutta, Thunberg or Douglas spirea. True, when choosing a spirea, one must take into account the fact that many species give a large number of shoots, which means they require either a spacious place or work to limit growth in breadth.
The lilac, the “Queen of the May Garden”, can also be given a place of honor in the combination hedge located in a sunny area. To restrain the growth and formation of a dense crown of the common lilac, certain pruning skills and experience are required.
