Bamboos, growing tips

The different types of bamboos

There are four families of bamboos:

• the dwarf bamboos, which do not exceed 1.50 meters in height;
• small bamboos which grow between 1.50 meters and 3 meters high;
• the medium bamboos which reach 3 to 9 meters;
• Giant bamboos, which are more than 9 meters high.

75 genera of bamboo exist and are divided into 1000 different species and varieties.

Where to plant bamboo?

Bamboo is a fairly easy plant to grow. It grows on almost all soils, except extreme soils, too acid, too dry or too wet.

A common misconception: contrary to what many people think, bamboo is not a water plant.

The development and forms of bamboo

Bamboo spreads its underground stems all around it. And from these stems, aerial stems called canes develop.

Some varieties produce narrow canes, like Phyllostachys Aurea 'Flavescens Inversa', while others are more widely spaced.

The beauty of bamboo

The season when bamboo is at its most beautiful, when you can best enjoy the swaying of its stems and the rustling of its leaves, is summer. However, during the fall and winter, bamboo replaces its foliage, so it is less elegant.

Dividing bamboo

The multiplication of bamboo is done by dividing the rhizomes. For this, it is necessary to pull out a mother plant, then to separate the canes from each other. This tedious operation explains the high cost of the plant, at the purchase: it is necessary to count about twenty euros for a plant.

Bamboo and its expansion

Bamboo is a pioneer plant: as soon as it is planted, it will want to take all the space. The advantage is that it offers very quickly a luxuriant vegetation, but on the other hand, it is a little too invasive.

Controlling the development of bamboo

Most varieties of bamboo tend to expand because of their trailing rhizomes. If they are happy in your garden, there is a real risk of them becoming overgrown. Let's see how to control them.

The roots of bamboo

Most bamboos, with the exception of certain Fargesias, have rhizomatous and tracing roots, i.e. underground organs capable of containing a reserve of nutrients. These organs move horizontally and serve as a natural multiplication of the plant which then forms vast clumps. If left unchecked, the expansion can be spectacular, especially if your garden conditions are conducive to their development.

Different methods of controlling bamboo

The spread of bamboo is not inevitable! There are many solutions to limit its progression:

The trench

Delimit the area dedicated to your bamboo by digging a trench about 40 cm deep and 10 cm wide around its periphery. You will then just have to watch for the appearance of new shoots and to give a clear spade stroke in the trench to eliminate them. If you prefer, you can also proceed with the help of a lopper which will quickly cut the unwanted rhizomes.

The anti-rhizome barrier

The anti-rhizome barrier made of thick polypropylene, almost rigid, allows to stop the progression of bamboos in a very efficient way, but for that, it must be positioned in the rules of Art! Place it at an angle of 15° to the bamboo clump. It must be installed at the plantation at a distance of 50 cm to 1 m. The depth of the trench where it will be placed should be slightly less than the height of the anti-rhizome barrier so that it protrudes a few centimeters from the ground to prevent the roots from jumping over it.

To hide it, you can install large round pebbles that will emphasize the 'zen' side of the bamboos or cover it with a slate mulch or colored RCW.

The Masonry

The most courageous will build physical barriers with cinder blocks or bricks. Be careful to cement the whole thing so that there are no gaps where rhizomes can infiltrate. Here again, leave 2 cm above your low wall so that the roots do not jump over it happily.

The mower

Sometimes the lawn is next to a bamboo planting that stops at the edge of the lawn. Some people even plant a clump of ornamental bamboo such as the famous Phyllostachys nigra in the middle of it. If you regularly mow the lawn, the aerial shoots will be removed as they appear.

How to plant your Christmas tree in the garden?

Planting your Christmas tree in the garden either to reuse it the following Christmas or to let it grow is planned as soon as you buy it, because keeping it alive during the holidays requires some care.

1. Choosing the right tree

• The Christmas tree that will be replanted in the garden is necessarily a potted tree, which has its roots. There is no chance that a cut tree will grow back in the garden.
• it must be fresh: no sagging branches, no needles that are already falling off en masse, no tree that has been inside for a week or more (in a supermarket, for example).
• if you want to let it grow in your garden, buy a small tree, which gives better results in the long run.
• And finally, make an informed choice of the species best suited to you.

Different choices of Christmas tree :

• Nordmann or Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana, beautiful conical shape, dark green, non-scented, and does not lose too many needles. Its growth is slow and it is more expensive. It makes an excellent garden tree. Acid to slightly alkaline soil, which stays cool. Fairly easy to grow.
• Nobilis or noble fir Abies Nobilis (syn Abies procera), very beautiful, it has the qualities of Nordmann, but with the added scent. It is remarkable, but a little more demanding for its culture in the garden. Acidic soil and always fresh to humid.
• The Grandis or Vancouver fir, Abies Grandis, non pungent and with a smell of lemongrass, it is beautiful and non pungent. It is getting too big to leave it in a garden for long. Instead, it is replanted to be used again at Christmas. Acidic, humid and draining soil.
• Omorika or Serbian spruce, Picea omorika, dark green with a silvery underside, is a bit fragile, its branches are brittle, but it is tolerant of the soil and its transplanting in the garden is quite easy.
• the Epicea, Picea abies, less expensive and fragrant, prickly; it loses its needles easily with the heat. Not very ornamental from a landscape point of view, if it is replanted, it is rather with the aim of taking it back the following Christmas. Likes sandy soils with an acidic tendency. Easy to grow and fast growing.
• The Pungens, Picea pungens or Colorado fir is the blue Christmas tree. Its needles are prickly and do not drop too much. It resists well indoors and is easily replanted in the garden. It likes full sun, moist soil and is somewhat more resistant to light drought.

2. Keeping your tree alive during the holidays

To keep it alive, you should:

• do not buy it too early before Christmas, so that it stays in the house as little as possible: 1 or 2 weeks maximum.
• install it far from the heating, and not to overheat the house, install it where it benefits from more freshness (there is often a ventilation near the windows).
• put a saucer under the pot and water it every 2 days, or more: the soil of the pot must always remain wet, it is very important.
• do not put an electric garland, which allows to mist the needles once a day, so that they do not dry out too much.

3. Adaptation to the outdoor climate

• As soon as possible, the Christmas tree is put out in a cool place. But if it goes from 20°C to 2°C too quickly, it can have a thermal shock, even more so if it freezes outside; 1 or 2 days in an unheated room at an intermediate temperature is desirable (garage).
• once outside, it can wait in its pot for a week or two, as long as you keep watering it.

4 . Planting the Christmas tree

Choose its location according to its needs, or according to whether you want to plant it permanently or take it over for next Christmas.

Pungens and spruce require a sunny exposure.

Abies, Nordmann, Omorika, Grandis and Nobilis prefer shade when they are young.

Choose a location where the soil remains fairly moist most of the year to limit watering chores.

Planting your tree to let it grow

In a large pit, twice as deep as the pot, plant a well-moistened root ball, with a few unrolled roots (cut a little if necessary to untie the root bun). In this pit you should bring potting soil, or even heather soil for those who require acidic soil, which is mixed with the local soil; the rootball is buried in it, creating a slight depression that collects the water from the watering above and around the rootball. Water immediately to settle, and if it doesn't rain enough in the following months and then regularly as soon as it is dry, during the summer.

Mulch with pine bark: it acidifies the soil and keeps it cool.

This tree can be fertilized, preferably with compost or manure placed at the bottom of the planting pit or on the surface under the mulch.

Planting your tree to reuse it the following Christmas

The goal here is not to make it grow, but to keep it alive until the next Christmas. This process can be repeated up to 3 times, if you are rigorous in watering.

The tree can be kept in its pot, but the pot will be buried in the ground with a small basin above it to water it effectively. Its roots being trapped in the pot, watering should be very regular. The soil must not dry out. It should be placed in the coolest place in the garden and mulched.

It will be easy to prune and reuse.

It can also be transplanted without pot as before. We will avoid any fertilizer so that it does not force too much. For the next Christmas, take it out of the ground and repot it by cutting the roots too long to put it back in a pot.

If it is too rooted or grows too much, it can be turned into a cut stem tree, which means that the recycling of your Christmas tree is over.

In any case, if you bought a potted tree, you can always try to keep it alive in the garden to reuse it the next Christmas. But don't forget to water it like a green plant during the time it spends in the house. A tree that loses almost all its needles is almost dead.

Conifers for all tastes and all seasons

Conifers are precious trees in the garden because they keep their foliage in all seasons. Resistant, as beautiful in isolated subjects as in hedges, they are part of the fundamentals in a garden.

A wide variety of shapes, a wide range of colors and hardiness are all part of the conifer program!

What is a conifer?

Unlike most trees which are angiosperms, conifers are gymnosperms, which means that they generally produce their seeds (naked ovules) on the scales of their cones. They do not flower in the usual sense of the term. Most conifers keep their foliage in winter (except for ginkgo and larch), which is an important asset in the garden, especially in the case of windbreaks or privacy hedges that must also be effective during the bad season. The tough leaves are often needle-like or scale-like, which gives them a very good resistance to climatic elements, such as heat or cold. The foliage is also less sensitive to evaporation thanks to this constitution.

Conifers for all tastes

In addition to the cedar well known for its rapid growth and its use in hedges for decades, the world of conifers offers an amazing variety that is interesting to exploit in a garden. There are conifers for all tastes and for all gardens, from the largest to the smallest, thanks to the dwarf and creeping varieties.

Sequoias are best reserved for large gardens with their 100 meter height and their consequent spread, as is the Cedar of Lebanon, ideal as an isolated subject on a lawn in mountainous areas which it particularly likes. Whether it comes from Lebanon, the Himalayas or the Atlas, the cedar is always a majestic tree requiring space because it can reach up to 50 meters in height! In terms of colors, the cedar covers a palette ranging from dark green to blue.

The common yew is very interesting in hedges and topiary because it supports well the pruning. Its growth is slow, so pruning operations to obtain a beautiful hedge are limited compared to other trees.

Beware, the foliage and berries are toxic.

Cypress comes in 24 species, the most famous of which is Cupressus sempervirens, the Italian cypress with its characteristic silhouette reaching for the sky. Rustic, ornamental, resistant to pollution, heat and drought, the cypress has enormous assets. It will be used to mark the entrance of a property as a sign of welcome, but also to make graphic alignments marking the contours of a driveway. This cypress can also be used as a hedge.

Among the best known and most widespread conifers are of course the pines. A vast family of about a hundred species, including the umbrella pine with its characteristic silhouette reminiscent of the seashore and sandy soil that it loves, but also the Scots pine, which is more fond of freshness, as well as the Austrian black pine, which is well suited to high altitudes to form vast forests.

We don't think much about juniper in the garden and yet it has many assets. Its bark is decorative and aromatic, its bluish foliage and its berries are all ornamental values. Hardy, it also tolerates drought, heat and sea spray. It grows in all types of soil, even sandy! Among the many species you will certainly find the one that suits you. The creeping forms will be able to cover an embankment, the tortuous forms will be appropriate perfectly in isolated subject, whereas the species with prickly foliage will constitute defensive hedges!

The yew in the garden

The yew is a very popular tree in the garden where it has multiple ornamental functions. Easy to grow and maintain, its many varieties, of various sizes, colors and shapes, can create beautiful atmospheres.

The yew, a tree with exceptional longevity

The yew is a coniferous tree native to the northern hemisphere; the two most cultivated species in the garden are Taxus baccata and Taxus cuspidata.

This evergreen tree made of needles can reach a height of 20 meters and live more than a thousand years. All the parts of the plant are very toxic by ingestion, that's why it has been used for all times for hunting (on arrows) but also as poison by the Romans who got rid of their enemies.

In the garden, it appreciates all types of soil, whether chalky or acid, poor or fertile. However, the soil must remain slightly cool but never soggy. The yew can be pruned very well, which is why it is one of the most appreciated trees in topiary.

Uses of yew in the garden

Yew comes in species and varieties ranging in size from 60 cm to 15 m high. Some adopt a fastigiate habit ideal for verticality, others a compact and spreading habit, perfect for ground cover.

Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata', erect and with a strong development, will find its place on both sides of an entrance of property or in alignment to underline a vast path. Its narrow pyramid shape, reaching for the sky, can also adorn a lawn or serve as a sentinel near a home.

As an isolated subject, this yew catches the eye, it serves as a focal point in perspectives, in which case it can take on the shape of a cone once pruned or retain its natural fastigiated habit.

The non-fastigiated varieties of Taxus baccata are of course widely used to form dense hedges as is Taxus x media. The latter is faster growing and has a compact habit, although it can still reach 5 m in height. Very durable, this evergreen hedge will only need one annual pruning, which is an advantage compared to other species that grow much faster.

In Zen gardens or gardens with a Japanese tendency, Taxus cuspidata with its well-structured branches and evenly distributed needles is a subject of choice. Trimmed 'in the cloud' it always looks good surrounded by Japanese maples, camellias and ferns. This species, if planted in semi-shade, tolerates drought well.

To cover an embankment, adorn a riprap, or simply cover an area where grass is not growing, consider Taxus baccata 'Rependans' a ground cover variety that doesn't exceed 60 cm in height but spreads to nearly 5 m. Over time, or with a little help from precise pruning, it forms very attractive rounded cushions. The variety 'Summergold' with its very luminous golden yellow foliage can be used for the same purpose.

The yew can also find its place in beds, depending on the variety, it will then be planted in the background of the decor in the company of shrubs, or in the center to create a contrast with flowering plants.

The yew also invites itself on the terrace in pots or large containers. Once again, the 'cloud' shapes will have the best effect, but don't neglect the compact varieties that can easily replace boxwood and be cut into a cone or ball for a very classic look.

The Conifers

The vast world of conifers offers a wide range of possibilities in the garden. Slender, pyramidal or drooping, the silhouettes of these trees are always elegant. The choice is yours!

How to choose your conifer?

Conifers generally become large trees, most of them imposing and very decorative. Except for the ginkgo or the bald cypress, they have the advantage of not losing their leaves and therefore remain green all year long.

Very hardy, they adapt to most gardens, even in the mountains for most of them. Some of them, such as the lariccio pine, the Atlas cedar or the Nordmann fir, are recommended in places where the elements are unleashed in winter and where the cold reigns. Others particularly appreciate sandy soils and tolerate sea spray and drought, such as the umbrella pine, which is very well adapted to the seaside, majestic in its bearing and producing delicious pine nuts, or the Florence cypress, which once well established, will launch its arrow towards the sky despite poor soil and drought.

If your garden is crossed by a stream or borders a marshy area, think of the magnificent Bald Cypress which will adorn the banks with its drooping and tortuous branches. Reserve a nice space for it, as this tree can reach 30 m in height for a spread of 20 m. In cool and chalky soil, think of the yew to decorate a shady area.

If your garden is very large and you wish to create an imposing alignment, don't hesitate to use the sequoia, a tree with an erect bearing and a narrow crown that can reach 60 m in height. It needs deep, rich, acidic soil to do its best.

As isolated specimens on a lawn, the large Atlas or Lebanese cedars always do wonderfully with their imposing port shaped by the elements. Again, allow for space as these majestic trees can grow to impressive sizes.

Conifers are also ideal for forming compact hedges, windbreaks and privacy screens. Choose the Leyland or Florence cypress that you can prune to contain their vigorous growth.

Let's not forget the ginkgo, a conifer that is a bit special since it does not have needles or scales but rather curiously cut leaves, very original, green then turning golden yellow in autumn. Very ornamental, it deserves a place of choice in a patio or on a lawn, but also finds its place in a Japanese or Zen garden.

How to plant your conifers?

A fall planting in September or October, when the ground is still warm but the rain is abundant, is recommended.

Always ask about the adult size of your conifer, because as we have seen, some of them can reach 60 m in height and a spread of 20 m. Do not consider such a tree if your garden is small and respect the planting distances and the regulations concerning the plantations on property lines.

Prepare the planting hole a month in advance. If your plants arrive sooner than expected, don't panic! They can survive in their containers until your land is ready for them.

Add compost and ground horn to the planting hole.

Soak the root ball to hydrate it before planting, then carefully remove the pot, keeping the root ball whole and not disturbing the roots (no pruning or pruning).

Install your tree in the planting hole, fill in, pack and water very abundantly.

Leave a basin around the foot to contain the water.

Blue trees, a strong personality

"Real" and "fake" blue trees come in a large number of cultivars, more or less dwarf, which can be recommended for a small garden.

The dwarf Colorado spruce, Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa' is commonly called the "dwarf blue fir". It is the most common cultivar, and certainly one of the best varieties for small gardens and container growing. It forms a nice compact ball, which evolves into a rounded pyramid that can reach 2 m high at 30 years. The average annual growth is 6 to 8 cm. The short and tight needles, prickly, keep a beautiful silver-blue color all year long. It has been cultivated since 1937.

Among the Picea pungens, there are other dwarf forms like 'Glauca Procumbens', totally spread out, to be cultivated with golden heather. It has been cultivated since 1910.

Picea pungens 'Prostrata' is a closely related cultivar that does not exceed 60 cm in height, but can spread over 2 m wide.

The white fir (Picea glauca) has given some dwarf and bluish forms like: Picea glauca 'Echniformis' which forms a spreading cousin of 50 cm high at adulthood, with greyish glaucous green needles. Picea glauca 'Sanders Blue' forms a cone of about 50 cm high at 15 years old, with very nice young blue shoots.

Collectors will remember some less common forms like Picea x mariorika 'Machala', a hybrid of Picea mariana and Picea omorika, which forms a compact rounded pyramid with a silvery blue sheen. It reaches barely 1 m in height and width when mature. It can be recognized by the two silvery white stripes on the back of its needles (like Picea omorika).

Among the true firs, the dwarf and blue forms are rarer.

Abies concolor 'Archer's Dwarf' is a slow-growing, glaucous American cultivar to be grown in rock gardens.

Abies concolor 'Compacta' with greyish steel blue needles is more common, characterized by an irregular silhouette. It can grow to over 2 m when fully grown. It has been cultivated since 1891.

Abies cephalonica 'Meyer's Dwarf' (or 'nana') grows horizontally. It is cultivated since 1963.

Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta' (sometimes wrongly called Abies arizonica 'Compacta') forms a nice regular pyramid, very tight, of a beautiful bluish grey. It is over 2 m high when mature and resists well to drought, but does not appreciate limestone. It has been cultivated since 1927.

Abies magnifica 'Nana' is a rarity that forms an irregular stack of bluish swatches.

Abies pinsapo 'Horstmann Witches', takes a spreading, rather irregular form with a mixture of green and bluish branches.

Abies procera 'Blaue Hexe' is a very dwarf, tightly balled form from Germany, best grown in pots.

Small blue conifers - Family portrait

There is an impressive quantity of conifer cultivars with more or less blue foliage. Here is a selection of the best forms that are offered by nurserymen.

Cedars (Cedrus)

Dwarf forms are quite rare in this category of conifers and always very original. The Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara) has a dwarf form with silvery blue foliage, 'Feeling Blue'. It is a slow-growing creeping cedar, ideal for planting in containers or rock gardens, or even to cover the ridge of a low wall. Adult height 80 cm, width 3m.

Spruces (Picea)

This category includes conifers with a really intense blue color.

The dwarf Colorado spruce, Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa' is commonly called "dwarf blue fir". It is the most common cultivar, and one of the best varieties for small gardens and container growing. It forms a nice compact ball, which evolves into a rounded pyramid that can reach 2 m high at 30 years. The average annual growth is 6 to 8 cm. The short and tight needles, prickly, keep a beautiful silver-blue color all year long.

Among the Picea pungens, there are other dwarf forms such as 'Glauca Procumbens', totally spread out, to be grown with golden heather. 'Prostrata' is a closely related cultivar that does not exceed 60 cm in height, but can spread over 2 m wide.

The white fir (Picea glauca) has given some dwarf and bluish forms like: Picea glauca 'Echiniformis', which forms a spreading cousin of 50 cm high at adulthood, with needles of a greyish glaucous green. Picea glauca 'Sanders Blue' forms a cone about 50 cm high at 15 years old, with very pretty blue young shoots.

False cypress (Chamaecyparis)

Blue forms are rarer in the dwarf than in the taller varieties.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' forms a compact pyramid with silvery-blue young foliage, reaching 3 m high in 15 years. This conifer grows very well in a container and can tolerate part shade. 'Squarrosa Lombarts' has very fine foliage, soft to the touch, which turns bluish to purple in autumn. It forms a flattened sphere of 1.50 m high at 20 years.

Juniper (Juniperus)

There are many blue spreading forms among the junipers, many of which have fine needles that are quite prickly.

The common juniper comes in several blue forms, including 'Blue Chip' (or 'Blue Moon'), with a spreading habit, of a steel blue that turns purplish purple in winter, it does not exceed 30 cm in height, for 1 m wide; and 'Wiltonnii', totally prostrate, of a pretty steel blue with very fine foliage, which turns purplish in winter. It spreads over 2 m. These are very resistant conifers that can withstand both cold and heat.

The Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis) has a very beautiful glaucous blue cultivar, 'Blue Alps', which forms a bushy erect bush of irregular appearance.

The scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata) in its 'Blue Carpet' form is very prostrate, with short shoots of bright silvery blue foliage. Perfectly hardy, it can be pruned. It does not exceed 50 cm in height, but spreads over 1.50 m. 'Blue Star' is more compact, in the shape of a spiky ball of a very bright blue. It tolerates limestone, but grows very slowly, which makes it recommended for pots. Maximum height: 1 m. 'Meyeri' has obliquely spreading branches of a steel blue that turn purple in winter. It can reach 2.50 m high, doing well in limestone soil.

The beach juniper (Juniperus conferta), exists in a form with blue-gray foliage 'Blue Pacific', a creeping conifer whose branches lie on the ground, or fall down in cascade when it is cultivated in pot. It tolerates drought and calcareous soils. Its color is more intense in the sun.

The sabina juniper (Juniperus sabina) is naturally glaucous, a color accentuated in the cultivar 'Blue Danube', a plant with a very spread out habit, whose foliage has bluish gray reflections.

Firs (Abies)

Dwarf and blue forms are quite rare in the genus Abies.

The Colorado Blue Fir (Abies concolor) has bluish-green needles. 'Archer's Dwarf' is an American cultivar with glaucous foliage and slow growth, to be grown in rock gardens. Compacta', with greyish steel blue needles is more common, characterized by an irregular silhouette. It can grow to over 2 m in height.

The Greek fir (Abies cephalonica) has produced some slightly bluish cultivars. Meyer's Dwarf' (or 'Nana') grows horizontally.

The mountain fir (Abies lasiocarpa) produces a dwarf form of a superb bluish-gray 'Compacta' (sometimes wrongly called Abies arizonica 'Compacta') which forms a nice regular pyramid, very tightly packed. This cultivar grows to over 2 m tall as a mature tree and is drought resistant, but does not appreciate limestone.

The California red fir (Abies magnifica) has a rare 'Nana' form, which consists of an irregular stack of bluish swatches.

Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) mixes green and bluish twigs in the cultivar 'Horstmann Witches', which takes a spreading, rather irregular form.

The noble fir (Abies procera) exists in a very dwarf form 'Blaue Hexe', a compact ball, native to Germany, to be grown mostly in pots.

Blue conifer FAQ

How to avoid sudden browning?

When it occurs in hot, dry weather, this phenomenon is due to an attack of red spiders. This is the number one enemy of blue conifers. A systematic preventive treatment with a specific acaricide (based on dicofol or cyhexatin) is recommended, as soon as the climatic conditions are favorable to the development of mites.

In cool and rainy weather, it is more likely to be conifer dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi). This rapidly fatal disease is more frequent in containers. It affects young plants more strongly. Aliette is the only effective preventive product against this fungus that develops in the soil.

Why is a green branch growing on my blue conifer?

This is a phenomenon of reversion that is frequently observed in plants with colored or variegated foliage, but also in double flowers, which become single again. It is simply a return to the original type. You should remove the green part very quickly, as it always has a higher vigor than the colored shoots. In grafted trees, the rootstock can also be freed, with the emission of vigorous shoots (gourmands).

Are blue conifers resistant to cold?

Yes, they are. Frosts of -10°C and even -15°C have no effect on these plants. However, young trees should not be exposed to cold winds for the first five years after planting. A mulch of pine bark will also play a protective role for the roots against heavy frosts, especially for plants in containers.

The garden of the curious and the botanist

• Picea pungens was discovered in Colorado in 1862 by Dr. C. Parry. It is the cultivar 'Glauca Koster', obtained in 1885 by the Dutchman Arie Koster, which is today the most popular blue fir. It reaches 15 m in height.
• The true name of "blue fir" should be reserved for Abies procera, also called "noble fir", native to the mountains of Oregon, where it was discovered in 1825 by David Douglas
• Permanent mulching with light blonde flax chaff highlights the blue foliage of the conifer, while reducing watering and weed growth.
• The somewhat unchanging appearance of evergreens can become monotonous if they are too dominant in the garden. Do not exceed 50% conifers in the composition of a bed, the reasonable proportion being rather one third.
• Many blue conifers (especially in dwarf forms) are propagated by grafting. This, together with their slow growth, explains and justifies their relatively high price.
• The needles of conifers that fall as the foliage regenerates, acidify the soil. It is therefore advisable to lime (a handful of slaked lime per square meter) every two years or so.

What to plant under a conifer?

In the forest as well as in the garden, it is rare to be able to appreciate the spectacle of exuberant vegetation under a conifer. However, by using a few tricks and appropriate plants you can decorate its foot in the most beautiful way!

Problems to overcome

Under a conifer, several parameters come into play, reducing the chances of spontaneous plant growth.

First of all, the needles of conifers that have fallen to the ground produce toxins that allow them to avoid any competition at their feet by inhibiting the germination of other plant seeds. Nutrients and water are thus reserved for them.

Some conifers, such as umbrella pines for example, have superficial roots that draw nutrients, making the soil very poor on the surface, so plants that would have succeeded in germinating do not find enough food to grow properly.

The sometimes dense shade that conifers produce is not suitable for most plants. Let's add to that a significant lack of water because the rain has a hard time penetrating the branches of these evergreen trees for the most part.

Here is a very worrying picture completed by the acidification of the soil caused by the decomposition of the famous needles preventing the calcicolous plants from settling down durably.

Solutions for planting under a conifer

No need to panic! Once the causes are known, it is always possible to get around them!

• Never sow seeds under a conifer, as we have seen, they will have little chance of germinating. Prefer to install already well-developed seedlings in cups or pots.
• Rake out the needles and replace them with a thick mulch of well-ripened compost to gently fertilize the soil. Work it in with a claw, taking care not to damage the tree's roots.
• When you decide to install a plant under a conifer, create a pocket of potting soil and add a handful of ground horn and dried blood mixture, not forgetting the mycorrhizae that will help your plant build a stronger and more efficient root system by entering into symbiosis with them.
• Choose only shade loving plants and forget about those that need sun to bloom.
• Don't hesitate to install an automatic watering system under your conifers to compensate for the lack of water.

Which plants should be installed under a conifer?

If it's a large tree with a bald trunk, think of the lianas that will climb along it. Clematis is ideal and you will find many varieties. Some ramblers can also be placed at the foot of your conifer, so choose the variety according to your climate and prefer ADR-labeled roses that are much more resistant.

Think also of climbing honeysuckles or the splendid ivy in its variegated versions.

As for ground cover plants, opt for white or blue periwinkle, which are always delicate and form a beautiful carpet!

If you prefer flowering plants, try bergenia, this plant that is so easy to grow that it will cover itself with bouquets of pink flowers without any effort on your part. The same goes for perennial geraniums, very hardy and floriferous, which will grow without any problem under your conifers, as will St. John's wort, which will offer you its golden yellow flowers from June to September.

As for decorative foliage, choose the asarum, whose many cultivars offer silvery shades of the most beautiful effect or for one of the many varieties of Brunneras.

We don't think much about lungwort, these plants with trailing rhizomes, with foliage that is sometimes silver or mottled, and which has beautiful flowers from February to May. Here again, you will have a vast choice among cultivars with a palette ranging from white to red, passing through all shades of blue and purple.

Outdoor evergreen ferns are also a great way to decorate the base of your evergreens with their textured fronds.

Heather plants also thrive in the shade of conifers and in this acidic soil. Plant azaleas in groups, or clumps of rhododendrons and camellias. If you prefer the wild side of heathers, create beautiful carpets with these easy to live with plants.

For a blooming winter, think of the multiple cultivars of hellebores. This plant known as 'Christmas Rose' has beautiful white, green, yellow, pink, red, purple and even black flowers, sometimes variegated or spotted, single or very double. What a great way to start a collection!

If you like surprises, plant bulbs and forget about them! Their blooming will be a renewed wonder every year. Naples cyclamen, wood hyacinths, anemones, snowdrops, muscarias, puschkinias, daffodils, bear's garlic, summer peppermint, botanical tulips, lily of the valley... You'll find plenty to stagger the blooms! Bulbs can also naturalize and form beautiful carpets over time, so take advantage of it!

Frequently asked questions about cedar

Famous for its use in hedges and windbreaks, the cedar is a splendid evergreen tree that can also be installed as an isolated subject in a garden. Let's see how to grow it in the best conditions to avoid the diseases and parasites that sometimes attack it.

How to water the cedar ?

Watering should be regular and abundant for the first 3 years after planting to ensure a good recovery. However, the soil must not remain constantly wet! It is all a question of dosage.

Automatic drip watering at the foot of each tree is recommended for hedges throughout the summer.

In winter, water every 8 days if it does not rain.

Beware, in Mediterranean regions: the winter drought can cause water shock in the first few years after planting, so be careful!

How to plant a cedar ?

Never plant a cedar in a constantly wet soil, it will not resist for long. Clay soils that remain very wet induce the appearance of the dreaded Phytophthora and other cryptogamic diseases. A plantation on mound with addition of draining material could be considered in these conditions.

• Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball in all directions so that the cedar can develop its roots well.
• If the cedar is purchased 'bare root' in the fall, prune the roots before planting.
• If it is potted, soak the root ball in a basin of room temperature water to hydrate it, then carefully remove it before untangling the roots.
• Pour a good layer of draining material at the bottom of the hole (pozzolan, gravel, stones...) to ensure good drainage.
• Spread a mixture of garden soil, river sand and compost on top.
• Add mycorrhizae powder to ensure good vigor and better resistance to pests and diseases to your tree.
• Adjust the height of the soil at the bottom of the hole so that the collar is flush with the soil surface.
• Spread the roots at the bottom of the hole.
• Backfill, packing the soil as you go.
• Form a basin around the foot to retain water.
• Water abundantly to evacuate the air bubbles present in the soil.

How to prune cedar ?

Sharpen and disinfect the blades of the pruning tools with methylated spirits or a flame before pruning. Choose hand shears or thermal or electric hedge trimmers (depending on the size of the hedge and its location in the garden). The blades of these tools should be kept parallel to the hedge to ensure effective trimming.

Wear protective clothing before pruning.

Remember to water the hedge well the days before pruning.

Maintenance pruning of single trees:

• Cut the dead wood short in the fall with a saw.
• Prune damaged branches with secateurs.

Pruning cedars in hedges:

• Prune twice a year in spring and fall. For aesthetic reasons, it is possible to prune during the summer.
• Prune the hedge from the bottom to the top, keeping the base thicker than the top to allow light and rain to penetrate. This will keep the hedge healthier than if it were pruned vertically.
• Be careful never to prune wood that is more than 3 years old and do not cut the head of the cedar, it would have a lot of trouble to recover.
• Use a string to obtain a straight hedge.

Is cedar hardy?

The cedar is very hardy (up to -20°C, even -25°C for the Canada cedar).

Beware, however, of certain cultivars with ornamental foliage that begin to suffer at -15°C.

Is cedar sensitive to drought?

Once well established, i.e. when the root system is well formed (which takes about 3 years from planting), cedar is drought resistant.

Can we replant a cedar in the same location to replace a dead or diseased tree?

It all depends on the disease. If it is phytophthora, its oospores and chlamydospores are capable of remaining dormant in the soil for at least 3 years, so it is strongly discouraged to replant a cedar (or any other plant susceptible to this fungus) in the same location.

Why is my cedar turning brown?

The browning of the foliage is a sign that must be taken seriously by the gardener because it can come from several causes, more or less serious:

• Before mentioning the terrible diseases that plague cedars, let's think about the lack of water that can result in scorched and wilted foliage. Lack of water can exist even on watered plants, when they are watered too little. For example, when rain falls but is not abundant enough to penetrate the surface layers of the soil. A mistake that novice gardeners often make is not to water because it has rained. However, it is enough to scrape the surface of the soil to know if watering is necessary! If the soil is dry below the first centimeter, then watering is necessary. Lack of water in the first few years after planting weakens the tree and makes it more susceptible to diseases and pests.
• At the same time, think of amending the soil with compost and organic fertilizers if it is poor in order to avoid deficiencies which will also weaken the tree;
• Another cause, much more formidable: the phytophthora (Phytophthora cinnamomi), a fungus that spreads on the roots insidiously to quickly reach the whole plant. This cryptogamic disease is fatal and contagious. Remove and burn the affected plant and do not replace it with another cedar for 5 years;
• Didymascella thujina, another fungal pathogen, manifests itself as brown discoloration of a few areas spreading in one season to many branches causing leaf drop. Cut and burn the affected parts, water with horsetail manure and often apply treatments with Bordeaux mixture.
• These two diseases are very frequent in heavy and humid soil;
• Foliage that turns yellow and then reddens and dries out associated with blisters on the bark should make us think of cortical canker (Coryneum cardinale), another fungus that attacks cedars with wounds (insects, pruning...). If the disease is caught in time, cut and burn the affected parts, apply a healing mastic on the branches and then treat with Bordeaux mixture.

When to plant the cedar ?

It is best to plant cedar in autumn.

It can also be planted in spring.

When to prune cedar ?

• Maintenance pruning is done in early autumn on trees grown in isolation.
• Hedged cedars should be pruned twice a year: in spring (May/June) and from late August to September/October.

What is the right spacing to create a cedar hedge?

The cedar grows quickly, so don't worry if there are gaps between your trees when you plant them, they will fill in within two years.

By respecting a spacing of one meter between each tree, they will develop in an optimal way by limiting the colonization by the parasites.

Respect the regulation imposing to plant at 2m from the property line the trees that will reach more than two meters in height.

What is the Latin name for cedar?

Thuja is a vigorous, fast-growing conifer in the Cupressaceae family. The Thuja genus includes 6 species native to the temperate zones of North America and Asia (especially China and Korea), however, there are multiple varieties.

The habit of this tree is conical to pyramidal. It has an evergreen foliage generally green with imbricated and flattened scales. The foliage can be toxic by ingestion (vomiting, diarrhea and stomach ache), its contact can cause dermatitis in the most sensitive people.

The flowering occurs in April/May and can cause allergies. The cones are sometimes ovoid, spherical, scaly, sometimes even horned.

What are the species of cedar?

There are 6 species of cedars, some of which are commonly used to create hedges. Let's not forget the taller cedars, ideal for isolated plantings in the garden.

• Thuja occidentalis, is the species most present in our gardens. This tree is otherwise known as Canada cedar and can reach 20 m in height.
• The habit is conical and the bark fibrous reddish brown. There are more than 100 varieties of this species which is widely used to form tall, dense hedges. The varieties 'Yellow Ribbon', 'Lutea', 'George Peabody' and 'Golden globe' have golden foliage.
• Thuja orientalis, or Oriental cedar, has a more restricted development (8 to 12 m high) and a slow growth. Its habit is conical. The foliage is dark green tending towards bronze during winter. This species is well suited to the bottom of rock gardens and beds, or even in pots for dwarf varieties such as 'Aurea nana' with golden foliage, or 'Decussata' with silver foliage.
• Be careful, this cedar does not tolerate wind and needs extremely well drained soil.
• Thuja plicata, known as 'California red cedar', has a pyramidal habit that becomes conical and very ornamental when mature. It can reach a height of 50 m. It is ideal as an isolated tree in a lawn. The variety 'Atrovirens' is perfect for quick hedging. This cedar is drought tolerant.
• Thuja koraiensis, the Korean cedar does not exceed 10 m in height. It can be used as an ornamental in Japanese style gardens for its green foliage with silver reflections and its drooping habit.
• Thuja sutchuenensis is a rare and endangered species native to the Sichuan province in China. It was thought to be extinct until a few specimens were discovered in 1999. This tree can reach 15 m in height.
• Thuja standishii, the Japanese cedar, grows at high altitude (between 900 and 1800 m). It can reach a height of 35 m. It has a conical shape and dark green foliage with silver stripes on the back. It is cultivated as an isolated plant for its ornamental appeal.

What are the best growing conditions for cedar?

The cedar appreciates well-drained soil because it fears having its roots constantly soggy. A deep and fertile soil suits it very well as long as it remains light.

This tree appreciates a sunny exposure but also tolerates half-shade in the warmest regions.

What are the most common pests on cedar?

• Red spider mites can cause serious damage. The leaves turn yellow and then fall off, and tiny webs can be seen on their underside. To prevent them from taking hold, water the foliage every day.
• The bupreste, a beetle whose larvae are phytophagous can condemn the tree in a short time. Oval-shaped holes in the bark indicate its presence. To prevent them, water and spray the foliage with nettle manure.
• Scale insects can weaken cedars. Exochomus quadripustulatus or Rodolia cardinalis, two species of ladybugs, can be used for biological control.

Fir trees, spice trees, how to recognize them?

In the vast family of conifers, few people can tell the difference between a fir and spruce, especially since the famous Christmas tree has been confusing the issue for decades. Here are a few tips to avoid making mistakes and to recognize them.

What is a fir tree?

A real fir is a coniferous tree that belongs to the Abies genus, which includes about fifty species of trees with a high growth rate (up to 50 m high for Abies alba). Firs grow naturally in mountainous and northern regions. Very hardy, they appreciate rich, fresh and well-drained soils with an acidic tendency.

What is spruce?

The spruce is a conifer that belongs to the genus Picea, which includes about forty species of trees growing in the cooler areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Very hardy, they like full sun and acidic, cool and well-drained soils.

How to differentiate a fir from spruce?

To differentiate the two types, there are a few tricks:

1- the needles 

• Fir branches have linear and flattened leaves (needles) that are often shiny green and have two white stripes on the back along the length of each leaf. When pulled off, they leave a round scar on the branch.
• The leaves of the spruce are arranged all around the twig. They are tough and have 3 sides that can be felt when a needle is rolled under the finger. The tip of the needle is prickly. When a leaf is torn off, a deep scar is left on the branch taking a small piece of bark.

2- Cones

• The female cones of the fir are born around May-June at the end of the branches, they are compact and purple-blue in color, at maturity they split and release the seeds. At the top, the male cones, often green and then purple blue to brown, appear later in the season. The female cone is erect and remains on the tree, where over time, only its central part called candle will remain.
• The female cones of the spruce carried by the main and secondary shoots are woody, oblong to cylindrical and especially pendulous, which definitely differentiates them from those of the fir, which are well erect. They fall to the ground in autumn. The yellow or red male cones, ovoid, appear in March

The myth of the Christmas tree

For a long time, Picea abies, the common spruce, has been used for the Christmas tree market because it is one of the easiest to produce and one of the cheapest on the market. The term 'Fir' is therefore misplaced, as it is in fact a spruce. Nowadays, French producers offer for sale Abies nobilis or Abies nordmanniana, real fir trees whose needles are more resistant to the dryness of overheated houses in winter but which remain more expensive to buy.

Pruning and maintenance of the Florence cypress

Very graphic, slender towards the sky, the Florence cypress is an exceptional ornamental subject in a garden. From routine maintenance to pruning, here's how to maintain its distinctive habit.

The needs of the Florence Cypress

Cupressus sempervirens is a coniferous tree with a naturally conical habit, very resistant to the elements but also to pollution and disease.

It works wonders as an isolated subject to mark the entrance of a property or planted every 5 m to emphasize a wide path. It can also be planted in dense hedges as a windbreak or privacy screen thanks to its dark green evergreen foliage.

Easy to maintain, it only requires a very sunny location and extremely well drained soil to grow.

After planting, remember to water it regularly for the first two years to give it every chance of recovery. In this respect, it is always preferable to plant a young bare-root plant in autumn rather than an older plant in a container. The former will have a better chance of recovering, will be more vigorous and will quickly catch up with the latter.

Once well established, the Florence Cypress will be satisfied with what nature offers in terms of watering.

If you wish to see it grow faster, as part of the installation of a hedge for example, do not hesitate to scratch a little compost and ground horn powder at its foot in spring and then every two months until autumn. This large tree can grow up to 30 meters high if the conditions are right.

Pruning the Florence Cypress

A Florence Cypress can grow very well without any pruning being done on its branches; it will then keep its natural habit but will become very tall.

It will keep its natural growth habit but will become very tall. However, some pruning can ensure a better branching and thus make it denser and more bushy.

When to prune the Florence Cypress?

Prune in spring and a second time at the end of August if necessary.

How to prune the Florence Cypress?

• You should only prune the young stems and never attack the old wood.
• Proceed in spring on the young shoots when they reach 10 cm. Prune them by half so that the branches branch out to make the subject more bushy when it is young.
• On older plants or for hedges, prune in the spring the shoots that protrude all around the plant in order to regain aestheticism. If you need to contain the plant in height, prune gently, very regularly, without ever cutting into the old wood.
• A second pruning can be done at the end of August to keep all its splendor to your hedge. This pruning simply consists of removing half of the ends of the shoots that have developed during the summer.

Trimming a coniferous hedge

Vigorous conifers used to form hedges need pruning to keep an aesthetic appearance throughout the year. Let's see how to proceed...

When to prune your coniferous hedge?

Leyland cypress or cedar are the two species most often used to create hedges. These trees are fast growing and have an amazing development if the growing conditions are right for them. Keep in mind that in the wild, these trees can grow up to 20 meters tall, so you need to curb their eagerness to grow twice a year. The first pruning is done in April or early May, the second at the end of August if necessary.

General information on pruning

Conifers sometimes have a tendency to recede from the base, regular pruning should avoid this phenomenon.

To trim your hedge, use a lopper, shears or a hedge trimmer.

If you are pruning high up in the tree, you may want to use a scaffold to avoid having to keep moving your ladder and wasting time securing it to the ground.

If you use the hedge trimmer, keep it level with your body to gain precision and limit fatigue (and tendonitis).

Put a line between two stakes to determine the height of your hedge, so it will be straight and not form 'waves'.

Always trim your hedge so that its base is wider than its top. This allows for better air, light and rain penetration and compensates for the ever-increasing top growth.

If it snows at your place, do not prune your hedge flat during the second pruning in August but make a rounding at the top so that the snow does not break the branches.

How to prune a conifer hedge?

Start by placing the line horizontally to determine the maximum height of your hedge.

First, trim the base of your hedge. To do this, remove the young shoots by cutting off 2/3 of the end of the stem with disinfected shears. The width chosen will then be the maximum width of the hedge.

Never prune in the old wood because new shoots could not form. Moreover, pruning large branches is an open door to various cryptogamic diseases. If you ever have to cut this type of branch anyway, coat the wound with clay to protect it.

Keep the blades of the shears or hedge trimmer parallel to the hedge.

Then step back and examine your work to determine any oversights.

Once the bottom is trimmed, set up your scaffold parallel to the hedge. Be sure to calculate its height so that you don't have to bend or kneel to trim your hedge. The tool you use must be able to stay in the extension of your arm when standing.

Trim the sides and then the top, following the line. Step down from your scaffolding to take a step back and identify any adjustments that need to be made.

Choosing the right hedge plants

Growing conditions

The first thing to know about a plant, when you want to buy it, is the way it has been cultivated?

Cold resistance 

Has the plant been grown in a heated greenhouse, cold greenhouse or outdoors? A plant grown in a greenhouse, where temperatures do not go below 0°C for a cold greenhouse, does not have the same capacity to resist the cold as a plant grown outside. The first climatic hazard will be fatal.

Disease resistance 

Has the plant received phytosanitary treatments or not? If, during its first months or years of cultivation, it has received treatments, its capacity to defend itself against external aggressions is null; it will thus remain dependent on its treatments, to face possible future diseases.

The capacity to feed itself 

Has the plant received regular fertilization or not? A plant that has grown with a lot of fertilizer has not developed an efficient root system. If, once planted, you stop giving it nutrients, its recovery may be compromised.

A plant from an organic nursery that uses natural treatments in a reasonable way is prepared to grow and prosper later on with a minimum of care.

Points to check

At a glance you can also verify, in part, the quality of a plant for sale.

The root system

A plant that is not sufficiently rooted has little chance of recovering after being transplanted.

If when you gently pull the plant by the stem to remove the root ball from the pot and some soil remains stuck on the edges of the pot, the rooting is bad.

On the other hand, too strong a rooting, visible by roots that turn at the bottom of the pot, can cause the formation of a root bun, which will eventually suffocate the plant.

Tip: good rooting can be seen when the root ball is firm and keeps the shape of the pot when unstuck.

Branching

Numerous branches are a sign that the plant has been pruned several times, by a professional, to give it a bushy and dense habit, ideal for a hedge.

The root ball

The trunk, just below the collar, must be attached to the root ball. If it is not the case, do not buy it.

Create a themed hedge

A hedge doesn't have to be a plain green wall with no surprises! Ecological, scented, flowery, country-style... Hedges come in a variety of forms and themes. Here is a quick overview...

Hedges adapted to the soil

Many themes revolve around the climate, the nature of the soil or the specificities of your region. The choice will be made according to these criteria.

The seaside hedge: it will be composed of shrubs that can withstand sea spray, sandy soil and sometimes violent winds. Among them are eleagnus, escallonia, juniper or phormium.

The hedge for mild climates: it will include moderately hardy shrubs that can withstand the heat well. Oleanders, grevilleas or tamarisk are perfectly adapted to this use.

Hedges for limestone soils: limestone is not tolerated by all plants, which is why there are "ready-to-plant" kits for hedges in limestone soils. You will find buddleias, lilacs or seringats.

Hedges for shady gardens: most plants like the sun and will not grow well in the shade, fortunately some plants are still adapted to it. Among them, camellias, hollies, or even large rustic fuchsias.

Ornamental hedges

Beauty will be the criterion for selecting the shrubs that make up these hedges, but always following a very specific theme.

The hedge with colored foliage: as its name indicates, it is composed of shrubs with remarkable foliage that can vary with the seasons. The choice is vast among the cultivars of holly, spindle trees with variegated foliage, but let's not forget the warm colored foliage of dogwoods, photinias or cotinus.

The flowering hedge: the shrubs chosen will be for their opulent flowering and staggered over several months. Ceanothes, spireas, choisyas, deutzias or forsythias are perfect for this purpose.

The decorative berry hedge: some shrubs produce bunches of red berries after flowering, such as Nandina and holly, but also purple fruits such as the amazing Callicarpa and Mahonia, or black ones such as sambuscus.

Practical hedges

This type of hedge is bound to be useful in the garden.

The windbreak or privacy hedge: it should be composed exclusively of evergreen shrubs to ensure its protective function throughout the year. Bamboos, conifers but also boxwoods will have these assets.

The ecological hedge: it attracts the gardener's helpers by offering them shelter and food. Low shrubs, but also taller subjects will compose it. Flowers, berries... a maximum of diversity should be made available to the animals. Berberis, Cornus, viburnum or prunus can be used.

Tips for planting and maintaining an open hedge

The free-standing hedge is a modern-day hedge in which the gardener has intervened. This means that the plants have been consciously chosen and planted, unlike the natural hedge.

Choice of species for an open hedge

In the free hedge, local species are preferred, respecting the following proportion in its composition: 1/3 deciduous plants (hazelnut) and 2/3 evergreen plants (tin laurel) or the opposite, but in all cases conifers are to be avoided.

Regarding the choice of deciduous species, we prefer melliferous species (buddleia) to provide pollen and nectar to foragers, as well as flowering species (hibiscus) for their aesthetic side.

Advice:

• The use of 1, 2 or 3 trees can give verticality to a horizontal hedge.
• The combination of upright and stocky species is more aesthetically pleasing than the use of a single type of plant.

Advantages of an open hedge

• It is a place that attracts and protects beneficial insects;
• It is a hedge that evolves with the seasons, that is "alive";
• It is a hedge that requires much less maintenance than a pruned hedge: 0 to 1 pruning per year for the free hedge against 2 to 4 prunings per year for the pruned hedge.

To obtain the minimum of maintenance, it is necessary to choose the species that will compose it. Ideally, you should seek the help of a professional.

To help gardeners, nurserymen offer "ready-to-plant" hedge kits.

Planting an open hedge

An open hedge takes up a lot of space, precisely because it is not very well trimmed. Plan on a minimum width of 1.50 meters.

Indoors, the plants can be spaced 1 meter apart. To obtain a beautiful, dense hedge, opt for a staggered planting, in two rows spaced about 60 cm apart. This arrangement allows you to obtain a closed visual while giving relief to the whole.

Pruning an open hedge

In an open hedge, if you choose to prune, you must respect the physiology of each plant. Pruning is therefore done according to the flowering period of the plant: spring flowering plants will be pruned just after flowering while summer flowering shrubs will be pruned in February/March.

Tip

Install a tarp at the foot of the shrubs to limit the development of weeds and to keep the soil moist, which is necessary for the plants to recover.

Pruning and maintenance tips for boxwoods

The right tools to prune boxwood

Pruning a boxwood hedge is not the same as pruning a traditional hedge: the work must be precise, and the cuts must be clean and sharp. A hedge trimmer does not allow for quality work: it causes many small wounds that are open doors for diseases or pests.

It is therefore necessary to use adequate and clean tools: shears, secateurs or boxwood shears.

The right time to prune boxwood

• Young boxwoods are pruned at the end of winter or at the very beginning of spring (February/March/April), excluding periods of frost.
• Adult boxwoods can be pruned a second time during the year. In this case, it is best to proceed in August / September / November. In any case, not before May.
• Older trees that need to be pruned for rejuvenation are pruned in August; this allows the plant to heal properly.

How to prune boxwood?

In the first few years, or when planting, it is advisable to reduce the foliage by a maximum of 5 or 6 cm. This pruning aims to stimulate rooting.

In the following years, it is advisable to select the carpenters to be kept (this will depend on the shape you want to give to your box tree: in a ball, in a strict hedge...) and then to cut back the foliage by 5 cm.

Finally, a special fertilizer containing a photosynthesis activator is sprayed to help heal wounds caused by pruning.

Tip: after pruning, collect the waste to prevent pests from settling on it.

Fertilizing boxwoods

It is important not to use a fertilizer that contains too much nitrogen, which would encourage the production of young, tender leaves that are susceptible to disease. It is necessary to use a fertilizer that reinforces the rooting (because boxwoods need water), as well as the walls of the leaf cells.

Remember: boxwoods should be planted in sun or partial shade.

Tips for planting an open hedge

An open hedge provides a varied hedge that will reward you with different colors and shapes throughout the year.

When should I plant a hedge?

From mid-October to the end of March, you can plant all deciduous species, especially bower trees, which grow quite quickly. Subjects offered in containers, i.e. with their entire root system, can be installed without risk at any time of the year, simply by providing regular and generous watering.

What are the planting distances?

For a good spacing between plants, count 50 cm for subjects less than 1 m high; space 60 to 80 cm for shrubs of 1 to 2 m, and 1 to 1.50 m for the largest species. If you need to plant a long distance (more than 15 m), consider renting an auger or a bucket trencher. This will save you a lot of effort in excavating the soil. It is better to dig a linear trench and install the plants at the right spacing than to make individual holes, especially if you are planting small specimens.

To avoid any problems, respect article 671 of the civil code. It stipulates that plants that reach a maximum height of 2 m should be planted 50 cm from the boundary. Plants exceeding 2 m in height at maturity must be planted at least 2 m from the boundary between the two properties.

Black plastic mulch film during planting?

When it comes to planting long hedges, the use of a mulch film saves a considerable amount of time, which explains why it is so widely used by green space professionals. Polyethylene is a non-polluting plastic, since its combustion only releases water vapor. It prevents the evaporation of water, warms the soil and prevents the proliferation of weeds. In addition, in very sloping soils (slopes), the mulch film prevents runoff. The main problem is that these films, once used, are left in place and scattered in shreds.

In a home garden, the plastic can be replaced by the new natural mulches made from coconut fibers or the unsightly films can be covered with pine bark.

Create a windbreak

Nothing is more unpleasant than a garden exposed to strong winds. Crops that are damaged by the cold in winter and by the drying action of the wind in summer need protection. The creation of a windbreak hedge is a good solution.

Better understand the action of the wind

In exposed areas, wind can cause many problems. It cools the atmosphere in winter, making plants even more susceptible to frost. In summer, it burns the plants with its powerful breath, drying out the soil and the aerial parts at high speed. This often leads to breakage and makes the cultivation of tall or heavy flowering plants more difficult.

Fortunately, the wind can be deflected or attenuated thanks to various arrangements. Faced with a "hard" obstacle such as a wall, the wind will tend to go around it to create a very disturbed zone just behind it. The effect will therefore be the opposite of what was intended. On the contrary, when faced with a penetrable obstacle such as a plant hedge, the wind will be slowed down, reducing its speed by two over a length equivalent to nearly ten times the height of the hedge. It will therefore have less impact on the crops behind it.

Choice of shrubs

Never forget that to make a success of your hedge, it will be necessary to plant plants adapted to the climate and soil of your region. Take a good look at nature to determine the pH of your soil and ask your neighbors and nearby nurseries for advice.

Don't forget that if you are planning to plant trees that are more than 2 meters high, they must be installed at least 2 meters from the property line.

Finally, for optimal protection, it is always preferable to plant a first hedge as a fence and then a second one to protect a specific area of the garden such as a vegetable garden, a swimming pool or a garden room.

Once these parameters are defined, the choice of plants is vast. Charmilles hedges, used in the past to protect orchards, have the particularity of attracting many birds. Laurier tin and eleagnus will diffuse a delicate winter perfume, while cytises, forsythias and other lilacs will ensure beautiful spring blooms. For the beauty of the foliage, photinias, dogwoods and of course maples will be wonderful. Among the taller subjects, acacias, mulberry trees or catalpas are to be preferred.

Bamboos can also make great windbreaks if they are planted in staggered rows to create a nice thickness. Beware, some subjects can reach 20m in height!

Let's not forget the classic conifers such as cypress, chamaecyparis or tuyas, always appreciated for their dense and evergreen foliage.

Planting period

The best time to create this type of hedge is from autumn to the end of winter, when the trees and shrubs are resting. Always proceed outside of the frost period and when the soil is not completely soggy. If you have received your plants and it is impossible to plant them for climatic reasons, put them in gauges until the right time.

Cypress or cedar?

Hedge trees, cedar and cypress have been sharing the limelight in gardens for decades. Windbreaks, privacy screens, these coniferous hedges are very appreciated by gardeners for their thick and persistent foliage in winter. But what is really the difference between cedar and cypress?

A strange resemblance

It's hard to tell the difference between a cedar or cypress hedge!

The Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is not a true cypress (Cupressus) in the botanical sense of the term, whereas the Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii), is a natural hybrid between the Lambert cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), and the Nootka cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis)

Cedars and false cypresses are conifers, very similar in appearance that share certain characteristics:

• a green foliage (except the cultivars in vogue, golden or blue) persistent composed of flattened scales;
• a slender, conical to pyramidal habit in the first years;
• they provide compact, dense hedges, ideal as privacy and windbreaks throughout the year;
• they are well suited to pruning;
• they must be pruned once to three times a year, when they are grown as hedges to contain them.

Discreet differences

There are a few ways to differentiate cedars from false cypress and cypress trees used to create hedges:

• cedars have slightly wider, slightly less dense branches than false cypresses;
• False cypresses grow much faster (up to 70 cm to 1m/year for the Leyland cypress) and appear finer in their young age;
• several pruning actions are required to contain the false cypresses each year;
• false cypresses are a little less resistant to frost than cedars (-20°C all the same!);
• The shape of the cones is elongated on the cedars and rounded on the false cypresses;
• The scales of true cypresses are never flattened but rather spiral or 3D;
• the spire (top of the tree) is thinner on the cedar;
• There are many varieties of Lawson cypress, for example 'Stardust' with golden foliage or 'Pembury Blue' with bluish foliage.

Cedar, the star of the 80s

For decades, cedar was the dominant plant in the creation of blackout hedges.

Thuja plicata, better known as 'western red cedar', is very appreciated for its average growth (30 cm/year), which limits pruning. It has the advantage of growing in height (up to 50 m) but also in width, which ensures a well-filled and dense hedge.

• Thuja occidentalis 'Brabant', or 'Brabant cedar', has its followers because it is very resistant to cold (-25°C) and easy to maintain. Its average growth (30 cm/year), and its light green color are unanimously appreciated, especially since it only grows up to 5 m high and is very easy to prune.
• Despite all these advantages, the use of cedar in hedges is more and more controversial, especially because of its sensitivity to cryptogamic diseases (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Didymascella thujina, Coryneum cardinale...). These diseases, frequent in heavy and humid soil, cause the browning of the foliage and its fall. In the case of Phytophthora, the cedar will not survive.

Another concern is a small parasitic insect: the bupreste, which has been devastating many plantations for several years.

In southern regions, cedar can be sensitive to drought unless an automatic watering system is installed so that the tree can really produce its root system. Let's not forget that the lack of water is a stress factor, which can weaken the tree and make it much more susceptible to diseases and parasites.

Cypresses, very trendy in hedges

As we have seen, cedar has been gradually replaced by other species more resistant to diseases and pests. Cypresses grow very quickly, are very hardy and for the moment are less sensitive to pests and diseases.

They do not really appreciate very calcareous and dry soils.

Available in ornamental foliage (blue, golden...), Lawson cypresses also appeal for their ease of growing and pruning.

On the Leyland side, beware! It grows so fast that to obtain a regular hedge and keep a dense aspect, it will be necessary to prune often (up to 3 times a year) and to call a professional to avoid the formation of unsightly holes with time.

So cypress or cedar?

It's all a question of choice, but with these conifers, you will only obtain monospecific hedges, which certainly attract certain birds but will remain unicolored in all circumstances and will require very regular maintenance (pruning).

The current trend is to have a variety of hedges, composed of flowering shrubs of different species to stagger the blooms throughout the year and encourage the presence of pollinating insects. Some of them have berries that attract birds and small mammals. Biodiversity is thus favored with a better balance in your garden!

Plant tools in an all-purpose hedge!

Bocage, windbreak, flowering, fruiting, defensive, evergreen ... The hedge comes in all forms. Forgotten, the old hedges were used by man as diversified tools, links, handles, stakes... Let's discover these practical and handy tools for the modern gardener.

The hedge and the farmer

A few decades ago, hedges crisscrossed the landscape, bordered plots of land and kept herds at bay. Sources of biodiversity, regulating water flows, windbreaks, for generations they found their place in the agricultural ecosystem. Farmers combined ecological interest and practical utility.

The branches of the "tetards", pruned and re-pruned trees with thick and twisted trunks, were used as fodder. The faggots heated the bread ovens. The bunches of flexible branches were used as brooms. Most of the wooden tools were renewed at the edge of the cultivated plots, from the simple tie to the pickaxe handle.

A piece of string

The gardener always needs a link, a piece of string, raffia, copper wire... A tomato to tie, a vine to guide, two stakes to tie, and the search for a tie begins. Pocket money? No. Going back home ? For a branch... What about the hedge, at the edge of the garden, within reach?

The willows, pruned near the short trunk, have given off young shoots, long, thin and flexible. They turn without bending, without breaking, and can tie, bind. From time immemorial, wicker has followed the vine, the ancient link of the winegrowers.

Other shrubs of the hedge were used as a link, then in braiding for basketry. Baskets, hats, trellises, were conceived, repaired, near the blood dogwood, Vitex agnus-castus, viburnum lantana, clematis...

The spade handle broke...

If the link is essential to the gardener, the handle is no less so. Spade, hoe, weed, plant... Every tool needs a handle, which always breaks at the wrong moment. Sundays and holidays, the old hedge is always there. If the ash was known for its flexibility, its tenacity, the field maple, less used, compact and homogeneous, was also used for any tool handle.

Mediterranean, renowned in its time for its properties equal to ash, the hackberry outclasses it for its robustness and flexibility. Wood of all the manufactures, stretchers, oars, axles, it was cultivated to produce forks. The shoots were pruned and shaped in order to harvest the ready-made tool. Shrub of the hot regions, the climatic warming encourages to register it in any plantation of hedge.

Tomato stakes

Less demanding in terms of mechanical properties, stakes are found on shrubs with straight branches, with straight and vigorous shoots. Hazelnut will provide beautiful stems that can be reused for several years if they are protected in winter. This gives the hedge time to regenerate.

The black locust, commonly called acacia, grows beautiful vertical shoots, thorny but solid, durable.

The blood dogwood produces long, flexible branches in the spring, then rigid, with branches that are easily lopped off. The longest stems are used as stakes to support large plants and climbers.

Another hedge shrub, with the hardest wood and the tastiest berries, the male dogwood. It was used as a wedge to split wood, harrow teeth, ladder rungs. Its stakes are extremely solid. The grandfathers found a certain interest there...

Grandfathers and children

...And knew how to recognize reliable wood that could withstand the weight of years. The cane was harvested on the edge of the meadow. Dogwoods, but also serviceberry and hazelnut trees, were appreciated. Sometimes honeysuckle was mixed in, and its imprint marked the wood with an elegant spiral. The male dogwood, so hard, became also javelin... For the pleasure of children, who remember their grandfather, find the yew, the cytise and the ash to make bows, the elder for whistles and blowpipes, the boxwood for toys, buttons and spoons.

Maintaining an old hedge, planting an all-purpose hedge, in spite of the blackthorn's readiness to escape, the bramble's readiness to go prospecting, is an encounter. Locate the handles of his future grelinette, the flexible branch that will be used to repair his straw hat. Twine the honeysuckle around the grandfather's next cane. Preparing a long vine stake. So many gestures of another rhythm. And new plantings to be made, for shrubs combining diversity, flowering, and practicality.

The hedgerow

Playing an exceptional role in plant and animal biodiversity, the hedgerow, which fell into disuse at the end of the last century, is making a strong comeback in farming practices. A complex ecosystem, it plays a protective role for the soil, crops and livestock but also has an ornamental function.

What is a hedgerow?

A hedge is a hedge composed of several species of trees and shrubs arranged in differentiated layers. Generally, it is made up of local, indigenous plants, which grow without worry and are adapted to both the climate and the soil of the region. In the past, this hedge served as a property boundary between cultivated plots and as a natural fence for livestock. This type of hedge was the basis of the famous bocages that shaped the landscape in many regions, providing firewood and delimiting plots so beautifully.

The great economic projects of intensive reparcelling between 1960 and 1980 were the reason of this so particular landscape, leaving place to the green deserts of the intensive agriculture and all the problems which are linked to them.

Composition of a hedgerow

This very diversified hedge includes a tree part with high trees (ash, beech, rowan, oak...), a shrub zone composed of bushes and shrubs such as hawthorn, viburnum, broom, holly, fusain, blackthorn or bramble, and a herbaceous zone at its foot with local plants growing spontaneously such as mallow, poppy, vulpine or clover. This plant diversity offers numerous shelters to a very varied and useful fauna. In the tree layer, birds (including birds of prey) watch over the crops, capturing parasitic insects, but also rodents and other small mammals. The tall trees are sometimes replaced or associated with trees in the form of a hedge such as hornbeam, alder, white willow or wild apple.

The shrub layer shelters a very varied fauna, birds but also insects and mammals; it often serves as a nesting area. Flowering over a long period of time and providing a variety of berries for many months, it is a choice larder for wildlife that is attracted en masse.

The herbaceous zone attracts pollinating insects, but also serves as a breeding area and biological corridor for animal movement, especially in agricultural areas. The wider the strip, the more beneficial animals will be present.

Often the herbaceous zone is located at the foot of a slope, a very common feature in bocages. The embankment compensates for certain effects of the wind and modulates them. It also has the function of slowing down the flow of rainwater and limiting the erosion of the land.

Further down, at the base of the slope, a ditch is often built to stop the progression of tree roots on the surface (which would compete with the crops) and encourage their vertical rooting. It serves as a drainage and storage area for rainwater and is often home to a wide variety of batrachians, insects and reptiles.

Interests of the plantation of a hedge bocagère

This type of very diversified hedge has many advantages on a technical, economic and environmental level.

Technical and economic advantages

• The hedge serves as a natural fence and requires little maintenance;
• It can be a source of firewood and work to be done on site (stakes, tool shed, gate ...);
• It provides a harvest of fruits and berries depending on the species planted;
• It protects from the wind;
• It has an undeniable aesthetic aspect in the landscape and constitutes an element of identity in certain regions.
• Leisure and educational activities are organized by tourism actors around the concept of the discovery of this form of development that are the hedgerows and the hedges that constitute them. Creation of hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horseback riding, bird and wildlife observation tours, but also discovery trails on the various typical pruning techniques (pollards, hornbeams, plessage...) attract many tourists in these rural areas.

Environmental benefits

• The hedgerow is a reservoir for both animal and plant biodiversity, it allows to recreate a balance between prey and predators. The crops protected by the auxiliaries are less subject to treatment products.
• It is a source of humus.
• This type of landscaping helps to fight effectively against soil erosion and nutrient leakage.
• Planted perpendicular to the slope, it favors water penetration in the soil.
• The slope plays an important role in draining and filtering water if it is overloaded with inputs. Pollutants such as phosphates and nitrates are thus fixed and transformed before they enter the water table.