Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Best Plants That Can Be Used For Garden Hedges


A special kind of barrier designed from living plants is known as a garden hedge. Most hedges are planted as a privacy screen or a windbreak, although they'll also be used to control erosion, add structure and style to a formal garden, or for several different decorative and functional purposes. Most plants used for hedges grow rapidly and are trimmed into specific shapes, like a box or globe shape. They must be resilient to pruning and very bushy.

Laurel hedging is one among the most ordinary plants used for garden hedging. They're often seen as high as Ten feet tall, making a thick and impervious barrier around a formal English garden or backyard. These plants are one of the most important conventional hedge plants available and grow quickly. The plants feature lots of shiny green leaves. Laurel hedging is the most effective option for security and privacy hedges. Laurel plants need lots of frequent prunings, but will take a assortment of shapes terribly well.

The enormously tall, fast growing leylandii tree is also well known for a less dense but stunning privacy garden hedge. Leyland Cyprus is the common name of Leylandii. It is a dark evergreen tree and will reach heights of Sixty feet and widths of up to 15 feet in as little as 20 years. Leylandii plants will be trained to grow together in a comparatively tightly woven hedge, however leave more of a gap between the bottom of the hedge and the ground than laurel hedges do. They also can be overwhelming for homeowners who are not able to regularly prune them.

Yew is another evergreen which will be trained to grow in hedges, but is toxic to kids and pets. Boxwood plants feature small green leaves that are evergreen, but don't grow as quickly as laurel or leylandii. Hedging plants should be in a position to be trained to grow in shapes, or at least along in a general screen, to offer the advantages of a hedge. Almost any thick plant or tree will be used to create a decorative or border hedge, but for a true privacy or security hedge thick foliage and fast growth is required. A well trimmed hedge looks much better than a simple row of plants.

For windbreaks, taller and sturdier trees and plants ought to be used. Mountain laurel, holly and flowering bushes such as azaleas are all favorites for windbreaks. Each and every one of those has their own benefits and downsides, but all do a comparatively good job of lowering the amount of wind coming through a particular area or down a hill. Erosion management can also be accomplished with an orderly line of these plants, though care must be taken to limit their growth. Large or top heavy plants will lose their root hold in loose soil or an eroded hill.

The History Of Laurel Hedging

Laurel is a hardy, evergreen plant that grows natively throughout Asia and Europe. The plant is excellent for backyard and property hedges because of its quick growth rates, thick foliage and capability to thrive in virtually any type of soil or sun conditions. Laurel hedging features massive, lovely green leaves that are easily shaped through regular pruning. These hedges come in a assortment of designs, can serve a range of functions and when cared properly, offer a long-standing, welcome addition to any home.

One common intention for planting a garden hedge is aesthetics. Most hedging plants have lavish, thick foliage in vibrant shades of green. Hedges add variety to any existing landscape design through the infusion of colors, textures and shapes that may not be represented in alternative elements within the design. If you were to view the outdoor space on any property as a canvas, the hedge surrounding that property is the ornamental frame.

Leylandii and laurel hedging grow rapidly, providing fast boundaries along property lines. These boundaries can be important as a way of maintaining privacy. As the hedges grow around the property, they produce a natural wall blocking direct views into the property from neighbors and passers-by. These boundaries can additionally offer security. As they become thicker and taller, they discourage unwanted guests from freely accessing the property they surround.

Laurel hedges can be planted at virtually any time of year, although most lawn and garden experts suggest planting any kind of hedge or shrub plant in early autumn. This allows the plants sufficient time to totally set up a root system before the colder winter months move in, whereas also protecting new, young plants from the heat and dry conditions usual in summer months. The goal is to plant a new hedge in cool, mild weather, ensuring that it stays damp until the root patterns are absolutely developed.

When left to their own devices, laurel plants will grow in large, loose trees. Frequent pruning will help laurel hedges maintain proper shape. Clip laurel hedges in early spring, ideally after the last frost of the season and after the last of the spring blooms have fallen away. Always prune a hedge so lower branches will still have access to a proper amount of sunlight. For balance, clip the hedge so the bottom is wider than the top. It is also suggested to remove branches and leaves that died during the winter to maintain the general health of the plants.

Laurel hedges are an wonderful addition to any outdoor style scheme. They grow rapidly, need least maintenance, have dense foliage that act as a natural privacy fence, give greenery all year long and thrive in nearly any kind of soil or sun exposure.