As the weather turns cool it is time to remember that fall is for planting. The cooler days mean plants will spread out underground with a better root system so a perennial, shrub or tree planted into the ground now will have a better start in the spring and more top growth by mid-summer. This makes autumn a good time of year to soften the edges with hedges.
As new homes offer smaller yards and privacy becomes an issue in some neighborhoods, questions about screening and hedging have been popping up like October mushrooms in the lawn. (It’s best to just ignore the mushrooms; they’ll go away.)
Q.
I need an evergreen hedge that will grow tall but not too wide. Also, the area only gets a half-day of sun. What do you think of English laurel?
A.
Not much. English laurel not only grows into a high-maintenance monster but a cold winter can kill it back almost to the ground. A better choice would be the pyramidalis arborvitae or upright yew plants, as both do well in the shade. If you have deer, grow with the deer proof yew. Add some color to the evergreen foliage by planting a purple clematis on the north or shaded side of your hedge and let this flowering vine embroider the evergreens with summer flowers. Purple clematis like Jackmanii and Polish Spirit are the hardiest of the flowering clematis.
Q.
I have tried growing a boxwood hedge around my garden beds but some of the boxwood plants always seem to turn yellow and die. What do you suggest for a low, evergreen hedge instead of boxwood? I should note my husband likes to trim things.
A.
In our climate boxwood can suffer from leaf blights, root rots and also has the distinctive smell of cat urine. A much less expensive alternative is to plant the low-growing or creeping evergreen euonymus fortunei and just keep it trimmed into a low hedge with a string trimmer. Emerald Gold and Emerald Gaiety euonymus not only do well in our climate but spread out quickly so you need only a few plants spaced several feet apart to create a solid, evergreen hedge in just one or two years. Another option for a taller hedge is to use Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) which looks just like boxwood but with a darker green color and more robust growth. You can even get dwarf Japanese holly plants for smaller gardens. You can shear all of these evergreens several times a year or let them grow into more natural hedge shapes.
Q.
I want instant screening from the neighbor’s patio but our tiny back yard has no room for a wide hedge. What plant grows tall very fast but needs a bed only a foot wide?
A.
Better go with a “fedge” or combination fence and hedge. A few panels of fencing will give you instant gratification and a tall and narrow juniper or cypress plant on either side of the fence panels will make your screening appear more friendly. Just look for evergreens that say “columnaris” if you want a naturally columnar form that won’t require any pruning. You can also dress up your fence panels with a dwarf clematis or annual vines like black-eyed Susan, rochochiten or even sweet peas. Do not make the mistake of planting wisteria, ivy or a fast-growing clematis like clematis Montana on your fence in your small yard. The growing enthusiasm of these fast vines need large estates or gigantic dead trees to cover.
