Hedges are incorporated into garden designs for a variety of reason. They can create outdoor walls which define the space of garden rooms. Hedges are quite practical as they can be used to create privacy screens, wind breaks and sound barriers. They’re also useful for marking property lines. The following is a list of 9 shrubs and 1 ornamental grass which make wonderful hedges.
Common Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) forms a large, densely-leaved, evergreen hedge. It is a slow-growing shrub with numerous small, smooth-edged leaves. They are usually dark green and shiny, remaining on the shrub all winter It prefers full sun to partial shade. Its evergreen foliage should to be protected from drying winds in winter. Boxwoods can be pruned into just about any shape and respond well to harsh pruning. This shrub is ideal for formal hedges and topiary.
Hicks Yew (Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’) is one of the most popular upright columnar yews and is ideal as a screen or hedge. It is a dense, narrow, columnar, evergreen shrub with dark green needles. It typically matures to a height of 18′ to 20′ with a spread of 6′ to 10′ wide after 20 years. It starts out very narrow then widens with age. Yews are classified as conifers, but female plants produce red fruit instead of cones. Prefers full sun to part shade.
Smaragd Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) is an easy to grow, semi-dwarf, evergreen shrub with a compact, narrowly pyramidal habit. Useful as a screen, hedge or windbreak. It bears glossy bright green, scale-like foliage. The urn-shaped cones are 1/2″ long and mature in autumn to reddish brown. The Smaragd tends to taper from top to bottom, you can expect it to get 12 to 15 feet tall, and its width at the base is about 3 feet. Foliage density loosens up in too much shade.
Holly (Ilex sp.) is popular for its glossy green leaves, and bright red berries. Only the females set berries, but you’ll need a male to cross pollinate. Hollies prefer an acidic, nutrient rich soil. The American holly is more widely adaptable than the English. Full sun to partial shade.
Privet (Ligustrum sp.) is one of the most common hedge plants available. Its a fast grower which responds well to frequent pruning. In fact old neglected planted can be rejuvenated if pruned to only a few feet. Most have white summer flowers followed by black berries. Privet is very adaptable and will tolerate many conditions, though its foliage will be less dense in full shade.
Compact Inkberry (Ilex glabra ‘Compacta‘) is a dwarf evergreen which makes an excellent hedge or border plant. I grows much looser than most other hollies. The dense twiggy habit displays an abundance of black berries through winter.
Van Houttei’s Spiraea (Spiraea vanhouttei) has a foliage color of a dull bluish green. Its abundant and showy flowers are white and bloom in April-May after its leaves develop. Van Houtte Spirea is a common easy to grow deciduous shrub which grow best in sunny location and any garden soil. The plant grows rapidly and is ideal for a hedge or screen.
Compact Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata ‘Compacta‘) is a dense, rigid, evergreen shrub with mounding appearance. Minimal pruning is required to maintain its form. As a slow grower its great for use as a hedge in a formal setting. In spring, the young stems are purple, adding interest to the landscape and the foliage retains its glossy green color year round. Female plants produce black fruit that hang on throughout the winter. Plant in moist, well drained, slightly acid soil.
Gold Cluster Forsythia (Forsythia ‘Courtaneur’) displays an abundance of light yellow spring flowers and its deep green foliage is lush all summer, then turns burgundy in fall. Its perfect low hedges and small gardens. Gold Cluster’s more compact form is a problem solver for small gardens. It is a deciduous shrub that needs full sun. It is fast growing to a height of 5 feet tall and wide. The early spring blooms provide welcome color to the late winter landscape.
Maiden Grass (Miscanthus simensis ‘Morning Light’) is an attractive grass with green blades that have added highlights of creamy-white margins and mid-veins creating a shimmering silvery appearance. With its dense foliage this grass works well as a hedge or privacy screen It also works great as a specimen. Maiden grass displays reddish-bronze plumes in late summer which become more pronounced in fall. Prefers full sun and is tolerant of dry conditions.
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