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.
