Hedges

Hedges are widely utilized in landscapes and in the yards of private homes. A hedge is a green or live fence composed of plants. Hedges can be short, tall, sculptured or left to mature naturally. Hedges are used for privacy, windbreaks, property line demarcation, and for decorative purposes. Hedge plants that are used for privacy purposes can be trimmed or allowed to grow naturally, usually depending on the available space or location. The 2 main categories of hedge plants are evergreen and deciduous. There are many plants, in both groups, that can be grown for hedges. Considerations for the choice of a hedge plant would include; how tall or short do they need to be, how dense do they have to be, how much pruning and trimming you are willing to do, how long they live, how fast do they grow, how much shade or sun is available, what type of soil and drainage is in the location, and how much space do the plants need.

Formal hedges are usually evergreens and are carefully trimmed and have a stately appearance. Informal hedges tend to be deciduous and they will have to pruned but the end product will have a natural or informal appearance. Informal deciduous hedges are quite fast growing. Planting a hedge with flowering shrubs such as spirea or rhododendrons can create an eye catching and delightful yard display. Shrub hedges make very effective dividers that can separate an area such as a dog run or a patio from the rest of the landscape. There are commonly used plants such as privets, arborvitaes, and lilacs for use in hedges, but in reality, just about any plant can be utilized for a hedge. The available time, location, and size being the limiting factors in plant selection.