Great Ways to Create a Stunning Garden Hedge

I am a huge fan of gardens. We love ours. The kids spend ages out there and I also enjoy spending time outside, when I get the time to do so. It is a nice private space where we can all truly relax. However, not everyone is so lucky. 

Some people´s gardens are overlooked by a neighbor or back onto a public footpath. In that situation, the garden is not such an inviting space. The last thing you want is to feel people are watching you while you are outside. Fortunately, there is an easy solution, which is to grow a hedge. As you will see there are some lovely hedging plants out there.

Laurel hedging

Perhaps one of the easiest to grow is laurel or anything from that family. These plants are tough. You can buy Skip Cherry Laurel Shrubs from The Tree Center that can withstand pollution or drought. Yet, Laurels do not mind shady conditions and can survive frosts as low as -10 degrees. It is extremely versatile and, more importantly, it looks great too. Plus, once established it does not take a huge amount of looking after. Provided you cut it once or twice a year it will keep its shape and grow nice and dense.

Plant cypresses

If you want a really tall hedge planting some form of cypress is probably the best option. These trees grow fast. Some like the Leyland Cypress grow up to 3 feet per year. 

But, beware, they get very tall. In some cases as much as 40 feet high. So, be sure to cut the tops off once the trees have reached the desired height. If you do not do this they will continue to grow upwards and start to thin out at the bottom. The last thing you need is to have to hire a cherry picker to be able to cut your hedge. Not to mention the fact that your neighbors will not be pleased if you let them grow too high.

Holly

If you want a hardy hedge, that is easy to maintain, holly is a particularly good option. Once established, it will only need trimming once, maybe twice, a year. Plus, in the winter you can enjoy the birds that are attracted by the berries. However, they are not really a good choice for families with young children. This is because both the berries and the leaves are poisonous.

Create a living willow screen

Willow is a lovely plant. It is strong and, once established, grows well. When it is young you can bend it into all sorts of shapes. I have seen some lovely hides made out of willows planted in a circle that has been pulled into the middle and tied together. They are truly magical spaces.

As you can see it is extremely versatile, which makes it ideal for creating a hedge or screen. You can learn more about this wonderful plant and how to turn it into a robust hedge, by reading this article.