SolveYourProblem
Hedges Article Series
I
Want To Create
The Perfect Hedge
Advantage
of 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.
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.
