SolveYourProblem
Hedges Article Series
I
Want To Create
The Perfect Hedge
Hedges:
A Fencing Alternative
In a world of increased industrial activity
and an overabundance of “manufactured” beauty, people are becoming
more and more interested in the natural world. It is only natural
then, that when considering how to divide their property from
others; consumers are skipping past the chain link fencing
and going directly to the garden center.
The
idea of using trees and shrubs as enclosures or to mark
off space is not a new one. Hedges were used in 16th century
Italian gardens to make avenues for travel within the garden,
and hedgerows, which are simply lines of bushes or trees of
the same species planted close enough for their limbs to intertwine,
have been in use in England for more than seven hundred years.
Hedges used as an alternative to fencing fulfill many more
purposes than simply serving as a property line. They can keep
wind and erosion to a minimum, cut out noise from traffic,
and helps keep the neighborhood kids from running through your
newly laid grass. Hedges also help to restore native plant
life, which may have been dwindling because of construction
and development. Also, as a natural habitat for all manner
of insects, you will hear more songbirds early in the morning
as they catch breakfast. Financially speaking, a hedge fence
is usually less expensive than chain-link, won’t rust and break,
and rarely needs replacing.
If you’ve made the decision to use hedges as an alternative
to traditional fencing, there are a few things to keep in mind
before you go in search of shrubs to plant. First, confirm
in your mind that you will have the time to work with the hedges
after work or on the weekends. Newly planted flowers or shrubs
of any kind need a lot of initial attention so that they can
spread their roots and settle into their new homes. You may
have to water them more often and perform a lot of “routine
maintenance,” such as weeding out invading species and pruning
those plants that aren’t growing well. Just remember that the
time you put into your hedge fence initially will come back
to you in the way of a healthy and attractive landscape down
the road.
Once you’re sure that you can provide the time and energy
needed to establish your hedge fence, you will have to do a
bit of research to determine what your native plants and shrubs
are. You certainly don’t’ want to plant any kind of shrub that
won’t survive the local climate. Native plants, those that
are found growing wild in your area, are best to use as a foundation
to your hedge fence because they have already proven themselves,
they’re sturdy and well-suited to the soil. Check with your
local nursery to find an appropriate foundation species if
you are unsure of the native plants in your area.
Finally, the time has come to plant your hedges for your fence.
It is at this time that you will want to remember the advantages
of the fencing you have chosen rather than the work you will
have to do to put the fence together. A little bit of planning
now can save a headache later. Consider the final, mature size
of the shrub or hedge that you are planting, not how close
you can get them right now, and plant “extra” shrubs or flowers
along the front or in between the row of foundation hedges,
not in place of them. Replacing a section of a hedge fence
because of disease is one thing; having to buy a hedge to replace
a plant that didn’t belong in the fence to begin with is quite
another. More than likely you’ll never have to deal with replanting
or replacing once the fence is established and growing well.
Hedges serve as a wonderful alternative to traditional metal
or wood fencing, because they increase the aesthetic value
of your home in addition to inviting natural beauty into your
neighborhood. As the world begins to slow down and realize
the importance of preserving nature, hedge fences will overrun
all of those old, rusty remnants of the industrial age and
reveal the gentle potential of the future.
