World of Hedges

Why Deciduous Hedges Can Be Such A Beneficial Addition To Your Landscaping Plan

Why Deciduous Hedges Can Be Such A Beneficial Addition To Your Landscaping Plan

A smart landscaping plan will have a diverse range of elements, especially when it comes to the included foliage. This will not only allow for the absolute best level of outdoor aesthetics, but it will also diversify your maintenance plan and provide something good to look at all year long. When you go about the process of structuring your landscaping plan, you should definitely consider the benefits of incorporating deciduous hedges. Following are several reasons why. While this type of shrubbery will not offer the same level of privacy that evergreen shrubs will, they can still do a very good job of framing your yard. This is ideal if you don’t have fencing in or if your fencing does not block you from your neighbors’ view in a truly efficient fashion. You can use this type of foliage to set up a primary or secondary border around your abode. Although these will maintain their bright green look in the summer, they will often retain their brown leaves throughout the months of fall and winter. This will add another depth of color to your yard. It will also increase the amount of privacy that is provided during the normal down season. You might be interested in breaking the wind that normally whips and whirls around your home. In addition to making a good shield from prying eyes, these bushes will also filter the wind. Whenever wind chill is a significant factor, having these in place can also make it much easier to keep the property interior at a suitable temperature throughout the blustery months of autumn and winter. Surprisingly, this is also a very forgiving type of foliage to plant if you happen to have limited time for yard maintenance. With these types of shrubs, you should water them regularly. If you happen to forget for several days or even weeks, they certainly won’t die off. This is great news for homeowners who don’t want to pay for regular yard maintenance but may not be able to handle all of these efforts on their own. You will additionally find that landscaping additions like these can be secured quite cheaply. This makes them ideal for all those with the goal of keeping their landscaping costs under control. With the right choices and a carefully planned layout, additions like these can also add a considerable amount of value and curbside appeal to your property. Throughout history, certain forms of hedges were considered to be an acceptable safety feature. Beyond providing a greater level of overall privacy, these additions can even deter criminals from approaching your abode. This is all the more true during the months in which this foliage is at its absolute fullest. When it comes to choosing the basic elements for your landscaping designs, additions like these might be your best choice. They will break up heavy winds, add an additional layer of privacy, and keep people from trespassing in your yard. They’ll also play a major role in helping you keep the overall costs of your next major landscaping project under control.

How To Trim Your Hedges In The Spring

There are a few things folks need to know when it comes to caring for their landscaping. Depending on where you live there are certain care and maintenance needs for different times of the year. No matter where you live one universal task is trimming hedges in the spring. The most common technique is to trim from the top of the bush down. Before you start cutting away branches, make sure you do some research about the type of hedge you have. It is very important to understand the type of cuts you will need to make to ensure a healthy plant. You may need to purchase certain tools to do the job right. Learn all you can about how and when to trim before you begin. It is never a good idea to just start cutting away at branches. Trimming in the spring rather than the fall will help plants survive the low temperatures of winter. The time to trim is in the spring, during the summer, and at the end of the summer. Trimming and snipping in the growing season encourages the plant to grow and branch up. If you clip your hedge in the colder temperatures the newly clipped branches are exposed to cold and this will harm the plant. Choose your tools wisely. Gardening tools that are better made and do not lose their sharp edges are recommended. Cutting with a tool that has dull edge can damage branches by uneven cuts and ripping. A clean sharp cut will promote healthy growth. It is best to use a hand pruner for fine work, serrated blade shears for heavy branches, and lopping shears for thick branches. You can use string as a guideline to help you trim a hedge evenly. Begin by making a grid of the branches that are sticking out. Trim the larger branches that stick out first. Next do some closer clipping to clean up the top and sides and get a nice shape. You can concentrate on keeping your hedge square or trim individual hedges into a round shape. Clip the sides of the bush wider at the bottom. This will ensure that the exposed leaves get the most sun. When you clip bushes you are making it possible for them to soak up the light. The hedge should look like an upside down vase when trimmed correctly. A properly clipped bush will be healthy. It is important to know what needs to be cut on the particular hedge you are pruning. Clipping branches to encourage growth means that you trim the longer branches in the middle. If you only want to spruce up your hedge, concentrate on its shape, making it even by clipping branches that are sticking out. You will be thinning the bush out. When you trim, begin at the top of the bush and work downward. Make sure that you fertilise the bush so that it has energy to encourage new growth. Anyone can have beautiful looking bushes when they follow these guidelines. With a little work you will have a yard that will make your neighbours envious.

The Most Popular Hedge Types

Hedges are common additions for any style or shape of garden creating an immediate privacy fence, blocking out noise, and adding an attractive feature. These plants grow in sun or shade and can be styled or trimmed into various shapes making a neat and modern appearance. Learning of the most popular hedge types can help determine which shrubs are the best choices. A favorable addition for any type of garden particularly sunny spots, is the box hedge. These hardy plants provide dense growth and can be clipped into many shapes without losing its glossy green coloration or thick foliage. It is the ideal choice as a boundary because it can grow to a considerable height making it suitable for all homes provided that you keep it under control. Juniper is an evergreen hedge that is ideal for gardens looking for a bright green addition that will certainly stand out. This can be added to darker corners in a shrub form or as a creeper to hide an unattractive wall providing considerable growth for a fair amount of coverage. These forms of vegetation respond well to pruning and will be welcomed in any style of garden. For warmer climates and drought prone conditions, oleander is a great addition offering a thick mass of growth and maintains its dark green coloring through the year. The shrub will form flowers in pink, white or red shades and will grow to a major height providing great privacy cover without losing its color or form. Exercise precaution when planting oleander as all parts of this plant are poisonous and should not be kept in areas frequented by pets or unaware children. Lilly Pilly hedges are beautiful plants possessing a deep copper to cherry red coloration making it a bold addition for gardens. These plants are certainly attractive features, but must be carefully examined for disease and pests that commonly attack the stems leading to a dull and deteriorated appearance. The proper care efforts can prevent these attacks and support the healthy condition of shrubs. Viburnum is found in most nurseries and remains a hardy evergreen hedge plant with large leaves and fast growth. Due to the exponential rate at which these hedges can grow, you will need to maintain routine trimming and ensure that it is kept at the proper height and shape. If you are looking to provide cover for a particular area from walls to unattractive areas in and around the garden, these shrubs will grow quickly. The release of sweet smells in box hedges such as the Murraya make it a fantastic feature for a small or larger garden. Flowering occurs during the warmer summer months and may be pruned to reach the proper height or shape. All homes can add this plant to the garden for a more exotic appeal. Depending on whether you are looking for dense cover for privacy, fast growth or drought tolerant plants, there are many types of hedges available. Research into maintenance is important as regular trimming will keep these plants in check. The right care and management will produce exceptional results for small to large gardens.

Tips For Landscaping With Deciduous Hedges

An attractive landscaping design is something that will instantly improve the value of any residential property. Lush foliage, colourful flowers, and a well-maintained hedge enhance the visual appeal of a yard while offering a natural way to mark property lines and provide some privacy for property owners. Depending on location and personal preference, deciduous hedges offer an affordable way for homeowners to decorate their property. Unlike evergreens, deciduous shrubs will change colour with the seasons, offering a variety of looks depending on the time of year. They are less expensive than evergreens, allowing consumers to cover more area with a smaller budget. In locations where wildlife thrives, deciduous varieties are preferable because evergreens attract deer, which will graze freely as high as they can reach. A deciduous hedge may or may not drop its leaves after they turn color. A beech hedge, for example, will hold onto the brown leaves throughout the winter adding lovely fall tones to a landscaping design. These species filter wind better than evergreens, so they are not as susceptible to damage caused by storms with strong winds. With enough space, an unclipped hedge creates a beautiful natural screen. This is useful in locations where houses are built close together and privacy is a concern. A properly maintained hedge can effectively block unattractive views and in some cases, can block out some traffic noise. The pruning schedule will vary according to the species. Consumers should consult with a local plant expert for advice on what type of hedge will thrive given the local soil type, amount of rainfall, and average temperature. A certain type of hedge may look good in a picture but if the local conditions cannot easily support its growth, the consumer will be wasting time and money trying to plant and maintain it. Like evergreens, these hedges do require pruning but they are more forgiving when it comes to lax maintenance. Trimming should occur annually during the late part of the summer for the best results. The good thing is, even if the homeowner neglects to prune for a year or two, the hedge will bounce back quickly when maintenance resumes. One way to save money on planting a hedge is to start with small transplants, often called whips, which are approximately 60 cm tall. Less mature plants will often establish easier but the homeowner will have to pay special attention to watering at first and wait for the hedge to grow to the desired size. Starting with mature plants will provide an instant hedge, but it will cost more up front and there may be problems if some of the plants suffer from establishment issues. Consumers have the option of hiring a professional landscaper or doing the planting themselves. Planting a hedge is something almost anyone can do with the right starter plants and a handful of simple garden tools. Working outdoors is a great way to stay active and when the work is done, the homeowner will reap the rewards of a luscious hedge for many years to come.