A hedge is an ideal design to mark the boundary of a property, to serve as a windbreak and a privacy screen. However, some gardeners are put off by the restrictive side of its maintenance, let's see how to compose an easy to live with hedge.
The different types of hedges
It is very useful to know the different types of hedges and their characteristics to be able to make a wise choice with low maintenance constraints.
Keep in mind that deciduous hedge plants are bare in winter and will not protect you from the wind or from view, not to mention that you will have a nice mass of leaves to collect in autumn!
Coniferous hedges and certain fast-growing shrubs require regular pruning, sometimes twice a year depending on the vigor of the trees, so it is best to avoid them.
Open hedges made up of flowering and berrying shrubs are ideal for an ever-changing décor and attract garden creatures who will find shelter and food there, but here again, always choose plants adapted to the climate, exposure and soil type of your garden to limit maintenance work.
Successful planting
As we have seen, the choice of plants is essential. If they correspond to the soil of your garden, they will necessarily be less fragile and therefore rarely sick or attacked by parasites. Make sure you know the needs of each plant before introducing them into your hedge. For example, avoid acid-loving shrubs in limestone soils or those that like heat and sun in the North of France. Adult pruning is also important if you want to avoid spending your time containing exuberant vegetation; choose moderately sized shrubs so you don't have to prune them constantly.
When planting, respect a good spacing between the subjects so that they can develop without constraint. Prepare the soil by draining it with a bed of gravel if the soil is heavy and wet to prevent certain diseases from finding a favorable soil. Add compost to the soil to balance and nourish it while lightening it.
Also think about watering, which should be regular in the first few years to ensure a good recovery. The ideal is to install an automatic drip watering system that will be activated in the evening during the warm season. One less chore for the gardener in a hurry!
Choice of plants
There are many easy to grow plants that can be used to create a hedge without any care. Among them, bamboos and their numerous species with decorative culms or variegated foliage. Be careful, an anti-rhizome barrier must be put in place as soon as the planting is done to avoid invasion, otherwise choose non-tracking species.
In the South, think of opuntias, these cactus with very graphic snowshoes if your garden is in full sun or Provence canes if your land is humid. These two plants require no maintenance and grow by themselves.
As for the more classic shrubs, the eleagnus with its silvery foliage and discreet but deliciously fragrant flowers and the photinia with its young red shoots and spring umbels will be sure values which, once well established, will require very little maintenance.
