Hedgerow - a kind of border, framing a certain territory, made by planting climbing, woody, shrubbery plants. It divides summer cottages, garden plots, agricultural land, allocates separate small zones in the local area. To create living fences, a huge number of types of vegetation is used - both decorative, beautifully flowering, and used for food and medicinal purposes.
A “living” fence is not just a beautiful, multifunctional fence, but also an original element of landscape design, designed to harmoniously complement the existing architectural ensemble. Such plantings have been used by man for many centuries, and methods of care for them are constantly being improved.
The living fence not only looks good, being the owner’s pride, but also perfectly cleans the air of toxic substances inevitably present in the air near large cities, gives a shadow, which is important both for humans and animals, prevents erosion, soil erosion, its overdrying. Curly species are allowed to "creep" along the old shabby fence, originally masking, giving an aesthetic appearance.
Previously, fruit plants used for food were planted as a living fence, but the yield with overly dense plantings was very small.
Features of the design of the hedge
The landing perimeter selects the outer perimeter of the site or a small area that you want to make as private as possible.
The height of the structure can be very different:
border - landing height of less than 0.5 meters;
low - 0.6-1.0 meters;
average - 1.1-1.5 meters;
high - over 1.6 meters.
Combined barriers are most popular, for the creation of which plants of several species, significantly varying in height, are used.
There are several types of landings:
evergreens - they look beautiful all year round, practically unchanged;
deciduous - in the fall they lose foliage, look good in the summer;
blooming - they have maximum decorativeness during the flowering period;
curly - able to weave, clinging to any support.
According to the device, hedges are distinguished:
homogeneous - consist of vegetation of one species;
trellis - consist of trees growing in a row, whose branches are intertwined;
combined - are a complex multi-tiered landing.
According to the methods of care, free growing and molded ones are distinguished. The latter require constant trimming, giving them a certain geometric shape.
Advantages, disadvantages of hedges
The "living" fence has a number of positive and negative properties that should be considered before planning the creation of this type of green space.
Main advantages:
a living fence can hold water in the ground. It protects the soil from drainage by winds, snow melts a little slower in such a section, because more moisture is absorbed by the ground;
the fence protects those on the site from street dust, filters out harmful exhausts produced by vehicles;
crops, young plants are mechanically protected from the winds - their leaves are less affected by the breakage of stems, leaves, blowing flowers, fruits;
in the hot season, such barriers prevent the rapid spread of fires in the fields, if they occur locally;
a live fence protects from cold winds, prevents snow drifts on the tracks;
livestock finds under it a saving shadow, protection from the weather;
birds often settle here that destroy insect pests of agricultural vegetation;
wood and plant residues formed as a result of thinning the fence serve as fuel for the stove, fireplace, are used for the manufacture of crafts, various household needs.
But there are also negative aspects:
decorative hedges occupy a significant part of the usable area of the plot, which could be used for growing vegetable crops;
a high fence obscures the lower stands, takes away part of the nutrients from the soil from them;
there are inevitable problems with digging the soil - near living fences, the treatment is done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the roots;
if the snow in such places is not removed on time, part of the sowing gets wet, rots;
additional paths are required for the removal of crops and waste from the site;
in living fences, in addition to useful ones, harmful birds settle, which destroy crops, damage crops, as well as rodents;
competent crop rotation is also problematic.
Well-designed landing geometry will save the owner from many problematic moments, emphasizing the beauty of the existing landscape.
Plant selection: fast-growing trees, shrubs for green fence
To create hedges, many types of fast-growing trees and shrubs are used, such as thuja, barberry, boxwood, thorns, dwarf spruce, honeysuckle, heather, mountain ash, lilac, hornbeam, shrimp, ivy, mulberry and many others.
Barberry
From barberry, a beautiful, reliable, dense and prickly wall is obtained, through which even a cat will not crawl. Due to the dense, deep root system, it is often used to strengthen slopes. Barberry is actively growing, therefore it is important to remove all extra seedlings immediately after detection, it is often damaged by powdery mildew, rust, therefore disease prevention is required. The main varieties used are: Amur, ordinary, Tunberg barberry. The fruits of most species are edible.
Periwinkle
Periwinkle is a curly evergreen shrub. With its help get "green walls" with a height of more than one and a half meters. The plant is notable for its amazing survivability - it is not afraid of frost, feels great even on poor nutrient lands, tolerates the dry season well, can grow both in sunny places and in the shade.Trellis will be needed to create a hedge. In the first year of life, seedlings should be covered for the winter so that young roots do not freeze.
Euonymus
The euonymus has many varieties, but the most commonly used are curly varieties. The plant is poisonous, which should be considered if the family has small children. It is advisable to use rubber gloves during planting. Variegated species of euonymus are planted on the sunny side, varieties with white, yellow foliage - in the shade, since the leaves are able to burn out. Seedlings root, covering with a film, to create a fence will need support, pruning is done in late winter - early spring. Popular varieties: Fortune euonymus - harlequin, blondie.
Privet
The living fence made of privet or “wolfberry” combines beauty and functionality, being a close relative of lilacs. It grows rapidly, especially after pruning, forms impenetrable thickets up to three meters high. Of privet often form not only walls, but also entire sculptural compositions, of the most bizarre forms. Plants are planted as close to each other as possible, preferably in a well-lit place on all sides, on soils with good drainage. Before planting, manure and other organic matter are put in the trench.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a deciduous shrub with many trunks, an excellent honey plant with edible fruits. It is unpretentious - tolerates frosts, prolonged drought and shadow. The wood of hawthorn is very plastic, which allows you to form all kinds of shapes from its branches. In summer, the plant is covered with green leaves, which in the fall acquire a red-orange hue, the fruits of many species are eaten, serve as raw materials for medicines. Common types: ordinary, black, monoecious, Siberian.
Heather
Heather is a low melliferous shrub with narrow leaves of green, silver, red-orange color.The plant blooms in early August, but the flowers themselves remain dry until winter. Heather is able to grow on the poorest soils, but for lush flowering, maintaining high decorativeness, it is desirable to fertilize the land. This plant is not high, therefore it is used only to create borders, it is recommended to plant it in early spring, it can be grown by seedlings, layering, division of rhizomes or from seeds.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is suitable for the formation of medium and low living walls. The plant prefers fertile soils, has large leaves, inflorescences. Tree hydrangea is planted at the age of about two years, it requires regular watering, especially in the dry period, frequent fertilizer during budding. Pruning is also done several times during the summer, and every two to three years - thinning, removing the oldest shoots. Dried inflorescences can be cut off or left as a winter garden decoration.
Action
Deytsiya is an abundantly flowering, but practically odorless plant. The fence comes out of it very elegant, but high - up to three to four meters. Deytsia is unpretentious - it tolerates gassed city air perfectly, but flowering will be plentiful only in loose, nutritious soil, in a well-lit place. The plant is afraid of the cold, but quickly recovers with partial freezing. All varieties are suitable for living walls, but especially Lemoine's action, rough, graceful, less often - Amur, small-flowered. The bookmark is made in the spring, planting each plant in a separate pit.
Spruce
Live spruce is a very popular evergreen for hedges. It varies in height - both low-growing varieties and ordinary ones are used. They are usually planted on the north side to protect the garden from cold winds, almost without shading it. Spruce grows slowly, but always looks fresh.Its shades are green, blue, golden yellow, if you plant such plants in a certain order, you will get an amazingly beautiful composition. The spruce fence protects well from prying eyes, with high-quality, timely pruning, aesthetically looks all year round.
Irga
Irga is a plant related to the subfamily of apple, but its fruits are berries. The roots of the irgi deeply penetrate the soil, therefore no drought is terrible for it. Some species have significant frost resistance, abundant, bloom very beautifully. Berry berries have a cinnamon flavor, and the plant itself, due to the root processes, forms a dense wall in the second or third year. Planting is done in late autumn or spring, the first time requires abundant watering, and later - a garter, as the branches often bend under the weight of ripe berries.
Honeysuckle Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle varieties of honeysuckle can withstand frosts, reaching more than five meters in height, is an abundant honey plant. The plant feels good on moist soils, sunny places, it has dense foliage and delicious berries. Seedlings are first grown at home in flowerpots, in spring or autumn they are planted in open ground. When disembarking, strong supports for the hedge should be installed - they are made of wood or metals, the hedge can be supported by a normal fence. For the finished hedge, painstaking care is needed - a regular haircut to shape, water, and fertilize.
Willow
The living willow fence looks very elegant, the tree grows rapidly, after three years forming a full-fledged high wall. Willow is resistant to frost, there are about 600 species, but the most commonly used are holly, silver, Babylonian, purple, Hakuro Nishiki. Planting is carried out from early spring to late autumn, sunny places are preferred, fertilizer is not necessary, but plentiful watering in the first year of life is important.Seedlings are placed at an angle of 45 degrees, fixed with supports, rods. Binding, tying crosswise, is recommended one year after planting.
Campsis large-flowered
Campsis or tubalflower is a perennial flowering deciduous liana. The plant is unpretentious, frost-resistant, but loves warmth and light, blooms from June to the end of September. Campsis grows extremely fast, because it is important to cut it in time, direct the shoots in the right direction, remove old branches, freeing up space for new ones. The plant is often used in mixed plantings, planting in the foreground other low-growing perennials that cover the base of the vines. In the first year, the liana grows by more than a meter.
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is divided into two varieties: deciduous and evergreen. The cotoneaster brilliant is most often grown - it is planted in partial shade, on sandy soil, in which there is no stagnation of moisture. The plant is used to create walls 1-1.8 meters high, borders and islands, growing up to 60-80 cm. It is recommended to plant cotoneaster in a maximum of one to two rows. Planting of specimens with open roots is carried out in the spring, before the buds open or after the leaves fall, just before the frosts. You can plant plants with a closed root system from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.
Lavson's cypress
Lavson's cypress tree belongs to the cypress family, has scaly needles, flowering shoots, a conical shape of the crown, and a developed root system. The evergreen plant perfectly adapts to adverse urban conditions, poor soils, but with severe frosts, young shoots often freeze out, so in the middle lane it should be covered with lapnik. Cypress is recommended often, abundantly watered, loosen the soil, pruning in time. The plant is suitable for high walls, mixed plantings.
Kupressociparis Leyland
Leyland's cupressociparis has an evergreen cone-shaped crown with drooping shoots. The plant can reach more than 27 meters in height, up to five in width, the crown can grow. Seedlings are grown in flowerpots, and when their roots are sufficiently developed, they are planted in open ground. Kupressotsiparis grows well in the shade, young trees require frequent watering, more adults have enough rain. During the season, such a hedge adds more than a meter in height, so pruning is necessary.
Lavrovishnya
Very beautiful barriers are obtained from the laurel cherries - outwardly it looks like a ficus and a laurel. All species, except medicinal, grow extremely slowly, because the latter is often used. The plant is highly resistant to frost, shade, but requires a lot of water, in the absence of which it ceases to bloom, bear fruit. The first pruning is done at the end of summer, in the second year of planting life, after - twice a year. Separate varieties give edible fruits, are practically not damaged by parasites, diseases. The lavrovishnya is not only sheared, but also bent, wrapped around supports, nets.
Shrubby cinquefoil
Shrubby cinquefoil or “Kuril tea” is suitable not only for creating garden decorations, but also for brewing tea infusion. The plant is very tenacious, unpretentious, frost-resistant, up to one and a half meters high. If the shrub is cut correctly, it will remain very decorative all year long. Popular varieties: kobold, goldfinger, daydown, princesses. The plant prefers light, fertile soil, planting in the soil is done when the seedlings are two years old, the soil surface is mulched with sawdust. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring.
Mahonia
Magonia forms a low friable fence, blooms beautifully, giving a lot of delicious berries, is a fragrant honey plant. In summer, its leaves are green, by winter they become red-burgundy.The shrub grows slowly, is unpretentious, hardy, resistant to drought, not afraid of insect pests. In hedges, it is most often composed with higher or lower plants. Landing is preferably done in the shade, pruning is done in spring, but not necessarily annually. Varieties: Japanese, holly, creeping.
Juniper
Evergreen juniper creates luxurious barriers, bringing with it to the site a real forest aroma. It is great for sheared hedges, combining perfectly with hardwoods. The most common species: Chinese, scaly, Cossack, ordinary, virgin. Different breeds grow from one and a half to 25 meters tall, their needles are green or bluish-blue. Most often, juniper is used to decorate large areas, it is unpretentious, but excessive stagnation of water can destroy a seedling. Landing is done in spring or autumn.
Holly
From the holly, a spiny, impassable, evergreen construction is obtained. The plant has dark shiny leaves, beautiful berries, and grows well in partial shade and in the sun. Planting is carried out in April or October, the "adult" size hedge reaches the fourth or fifth year of life. Most varieties of holly are not suitable for excessively cold regions, as they freeze easily. This type of living fence slowly adds to growth, is damaged by flies, cut it once a year.
Balsam fir
The plant has a conical shape, soft needles, with a pleasant aroma, without cutting it can reach 23 meters or more in height. The hedge is formed from seedlings at least five to seven years old, preferably in April or September. The earth around the young trunk is abundantly sprinkled with sawdust, covered with spruce branches, since in the first year after planting, firs often freeze out.It is better to plant in partial shade, choosing well-drained, fertilized soil, preferably near any reservoirs, but balsam fir does not tolerate stagnation of water.
Ivy is garden
The fence from garden ivy is the most unpretentious design, even a novice gardener can grow it without problems. The plant requires shelter in severe frosts, it is badly affected by winds. Landing is done in the spring, preferably on the hills. The first year, ivy grows slowly, after - a little faster. Frequent watering of ivy is not necessary - once a week is enough in the hot period, in the rainy season you can not water at all. It is convenient for ivy to design ugly garden buildings - fences, sheds, gazebos, etc.
Bubble
The most common cultivar is Kalinolis. This is a deciduous shrub up to three meters high, it is lush, very voluminous, has jagged leaves and "fluffy" fragrant inflorescences. Flowering, fruiting begins in plants older than four years. To keep the color of the leaves uniform, the vesicle is planted in sunny areas, away from fruit trees. The soil is preferred light, loose, well-drained, planting in May. The plant is well adapted to the gassed air of large cities, it filters it qualitatively.
Rowan
To create hedges, weeping, aronia are used. The plant is unpretentious, tolerates frost and drought, its berries are edible. Rowan is propagated by cuttings, planted in the spring in a well-lit place. Haircuts are made two or more times in the first year, less frequently in the subsequent years, it will take at least three to four years to form the fence. Before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil well, the alleged contours of the future fence - fix the frame of the sticks so that the form comes out correct.
Lilac
Lilac is a universal option for creating living fences, it grows rapidly in the spring and summer, decorating the garden with white, pink, purple, blue or purple flower clusters. Lilac soil is preferably well-drained, dwarf varieties are planted densely, larger ones are slightly less common. The older the plant, the more viable it is - for planting, seedlings older than two years are acquired. The first haircut is made two years after planting, do it in early spring or after flowering. Sprinkle the soil around young specimens with sawdust so that the roots do not freeze.
Snowberry
Snow-berry is an unpretentious plant with small white inedible berries hanging on twigs even in the winter season. Some species have red or black berries, but they are rare in the middle lane. Snowberry is recommended as an unformed hedge, reaching a height of 1.6 m. Often it is used in mixed plantings with mountain ash and roses. Planting is done in pots, as in open ground shoots will have to wait a long time, in three years the plant reaches a height of one meter. Any snow, even calcareous, rocky soil is suitable for a snowy berry.
Spirea
Spirea, there are about 90 different species, it blooms beautifully in spring, without causing much trouble. The height of the finished fence is about 1.5 meters, it is dense, impassable for most animals. Soil for spirea is acceptable any, and falling varieties do not even need to be trimmed. There are species that preserve brightly colored foliage year round. Popular types: Japanese, Argument, Frobely, Bumalda, Meadowsweet average. The laying of the fence is recommended in October, in turf-peat soil, abundant watering is initially required.
Boxwood
Boxwood or buxus is suitable for both free-growing fences and strict geometric shapes. He is easy to care for, able to live up to 500 years.Frost-resistant species have green foliage, heat-loving species - variegated. For planting in the ground, specimens aged 3-7 years are suitable, they are planted in a trench, from the beginning of May to October, a maximum of a month before the onset of cold weather. Watering is necessary only in dry periods, cutting is done from spring to late autumn every 5-6 weeks. To get a rectangular fence, you need a wooden frame. It is important to know that all parts of boxwood are very poisonous, therefore children are not allowed to access it.
Thuja Brabant and Smaragd
Thuja is an evergreen tree, actively used in landscape design. An impenetrable high fence from it perfectly protects from dust, alien intrusions and excessive noise. Low-growing varieties are used for arranging borders. Thuja Brabant for the winter becomes brownish-brown, but at the same time preserves the opacity of the hedge, during the season the tree adds up to 40 cm in height. The recommended age of seedlings for hedge formation is over three years. Thuja Smaragd is green all year round, has a conical shape, but grows slowly. The fence from it has a serrated upper edge, which further complicates the unwanted penetration of the site. Young plants need abundant watering, more adults are also not desirable to overdry.
Forsythia
A hedge is formed from it in the fall, Forsythia is very frost-resistant, blooms dazzling yellow, much earlier than others, before the first foliage appears. Forsythia prefers sunny areas where there are no strong winds, drafts. To create fences, varieties with the most dense crown are selected. The plant looks good in mixed plantings, for lush flowering it is fertilized twice a year. Watering is necessary in especially dry seasons, pruning as necessary, but frozen, old branches are cut off necessarily.
Mocker
Chubushnik or garden jasmine is an incredibly fragrant plant, during flowering it emits a sweetish, intoxicating smell.Chubushnik fences are elegant, but lush, reaching 2.7 meters, white-cream-colored flowers. Planting is recommended in sunny places with fertile soil, which should not be marshy. Planting formation is possible from two to three year old seedlings or cuttings, in autumn or spring. Anti-aging pruning is necessary every two years - then flowering will be as lush as possible, in the spring thinning is required, annual top dressing before the growing season.
Mulberry
Of all types of mulberry, white or black is most often used to create living walls, but about 18 in all. It is resistant to cold, able to live up to 200 years, has a spreading crown, incredibly tasty berries of white or black-violet color. Planting is preferred on well-drained loamy soils, preferably on the south side, the soil must be mulched so that the roots do not freeze. Sanitary pruning is done in winter, shaping is done on one and a half meter boles. For abundant fruiting, annual fertilizer is necessary.
Dogrose
The rosehip hedge comes out very prickly, during the flowering period it smells delicious, after which it yields useful, edible fruits. Designers often use wild boar - it is more unpretentious. Popular varieties: wrinkled, bluish, Scottish rose, fragrant. Planting is formed from three-year-old seedlings with developed roots, but the use of cuttings is also permissible. So that the root system does not grow over the entire area, it is limited to pieces of slate dug to a depth of 50-60 cm. Young specimens are watered every four days, adults only in drought, fertilizer is produced every spring.
Climbing plants for hedges
Winding annual vegetation for living fences has one significant drawback - it needs to be re-planted annually, to make supports, so that the structure is even. Perennials are less of a hassle.She will not be able to protect the site from extraneous invasion, but will only hide it from prying eyes. Sweet pea, honeysuckle, bougainvillea, kobe, nasturtium, morning glory bindweed, etc. are used to create such a fence. The main plus of planting: the decorative appearance appears quickly enough - in just a couple of months, it looks beautiful until the frosts. Deciduous creepers dump their "outfit" in late autumn, waking up in early spring.
Creation of a hedge fence
A fence on trellises, palmettes, cordons is a separate type of molded fence that requires regular pruning. The width of the structure does not exceed 10-25 cm, it is appropriate to do it along the external fences, brick or wooden walls, forged supports, which are part of the garden design.
The most suitable plants for trellis constructions are willow, raspberry, elm, hawthorn, lemongrass, apple tree, etc. Such a "flat garden" takes a minimum of space, and in height can be from a 25-60-cm border to a real "living wall", more two meters "tall."
It is quite difficult to grow a hedge fence, and it will acquire an acceptable appearance at least in the third or fifth year of life. For planting, trees and shrubs of undersized varieties are used, the most acceptable method of placement is diagonal, mesh. Plants are fixed on a trellis, their shoots cross in several places, spliced with each other by vaccination. The distance between individual plants with this planting is 20-30 cm, each of them, after sufficient rooting, is cut 10-15 cm above the ground. The next year, when several shoots appear at the cut site, two of them leave to grow, removing the rest. When they grow up, they cross and bind to the processes of the "neighbors", cutting off over the place of dressing. The next year, they again leave the two strongest shoots, so repeat another two or three years until the design reaches the required height.
If the bark is cut off at the binding sites, the plant branches are pressed with slices to each other, they will grow together, forming a single plant organism with many root systems that are most resistant to external influences.
How to plant
The method of planting living fences depends on what effect you want to achieve, size, type of seedlings. Large, already almost adult, planted in separate square holes, small - in one common trench. The sizes of the latter for single-row plantings are 45-65 cm, double-row - 70-85 cm, three-row - over 90 cm. When placed in two or three rows, the seedlings are arranged in a checkerboard pattern - diagonally from each other.
medium-sized - 0.5-0.9 meters, between the rows - 0.5 m;
undersized - 0.4-0.6 m, between rows - 0.4 m;
dwarf (for borders) - 0.2-0.3 m, between rows - 0.35 m.
To equip the lush flowering plantations, honeysuckle, viburnum, wild rose, hydrangea, mock-up, lilac and others are used. The more fertile the soil, the sparse planting will be (more than 1-1.5 meters between plants), the larger the flowers will grow, the more they will bloom and bear fruit.
Excellent spiky barriers are obtained from many types of conifers, roses, gooseberries, blackthorn, etc.
Coniferous fences are planted as follows:
freely growing hedges - spruce trees are planted at a distance of two to three meters from each other, it is desirable to use already large, one and a half to two meters. Tui are planted through each meter, juniper - 0.8 m.;
sheared - when using spruce, it is planted at a distance of a meter between individual specimens, 50 cm - between rows. For thuja leave 70 cm between individual trees, rows.
After planting, it is necessary that the earth is constantly moist, the roots do not dry out. For this, mulching is performed.
Care, haircut
To make a hedge as beautiful, presentable as possible, it needs constant care - timely watering, haircut, removal of dried parts, pest and disease control. They give the desired shape when the plants in it are still young. Pruning is carried out for the first time in winter, the second at the end of summer. The conifers are pruned in late autumn and early spring.
During the haircut, an increase in shoot growth occurs, the crown becomes thicker. Cut the hedge, depending on the growth rate of its components, from one to four times per year. Each new pruning is carried out as close as possible to the previous one - this way a high density of the bush is achieved, which does not sag over time, does not deform with heavy snowfalls.
An excessively neglected hedge is first trimmed on one side, and a year later on the other. At the same time it is fertilized, watered, mulched. All types of trimming are done according to the patterns, high shears, standing on a bench, stairs.
The modern chemical industry offers a range of post-cut preparations that inhibit the growth of new shoots.
Conclusion
A live fence, grown by your own hands in the country, decorates the site, while coping well with the protective purpose. Fast-growing annuals and evergreen perennials create a unique element of landscape design, protecting vegetable crops from the wind, soil from moisture loss. There are a lot of options for creating decorative zoning plantings, in order to plant and grow them, some efforts will be required, but the results obtained exceed all expectations.
Hedgerow - a kind of border, framing a certain territory, made by planting climbing, woody, shrubbery plants. It divides summer cottages, garden plots, agricultural land, allocates separate small zones in the local area. To create living fences, a huge number of types of vegetation is used - both decorative, beautifully flowering, and used for food and medicinal purposes.
Content
Hedge Functions
A “living” fence is not just a beautiful, multifunctional fence, but also an original element of landscape design, designed to harmoniously complement the existing architectural ensemble. Such plantings have been used by man for many centuries, and methods of care for them are constantly being improved.
The living fence not only looks good, being the owner’s pride, but also perfectly cleans the air of toxic substances inevitably present in the air near large cities, gives a shadow, which is important both for humans and animals, prevents erosion, soil erosion, its overdrying. Curly species are allowed to "creep" along the old shabby fence, originally masking, giving an aesthetic appearance.
Features of the design of the hedge
The landing perimeter selects the outer perimeter of the site or a small area that you want to make as private as possible.
The height of the structure can be very different:
Combined barriers are most popular, for the creation of which plants of several species, significantly varying in height, are used.
There are several types of landings:
According to the device, hedges are distinguished:
According to the methods of care, free growing and molded ones are distinguished. The latter require constant trimming, giving them a certain geometric shape.
Advantages, disadvantages of hedges
The "living" fence has a number of positive and negative properties that should be considered before planning the creation of this type of green space.
Main advantages:
But there are also negative aspects:
Plant selection: fast-growing trees, shrubs for green fence
To create hedges, many types of fast-growing trees and shrubs are used, such as thuja, barberry, boxwood, thorns, dwarf spruce, honeysuckle, heather, mountain ash, lilac, hornbeam, shrimp, ivy, mulberry and many others.
Barberry
From barberry, a beautiful, reliable, dense and prickly wall is obtained, through which even a cat will not crawl. Due to the dense, deep root system, it is often used to strengthen slopes. Barberry is actively growing, therefore it is important to remove all extra seedlings immediately after detection, it is often damaged by powdery mildew, rust, therefore disease prevention is required. The main varieties used are: Amur, ordinary, Tunberg barberry. The fruits of most species are edible.
Periwinkle
Periwinkle is a curly evergreen shrub. With its help get "green walls" with a height of more than one and a half meters. The plant is notable for its amazing survivability - it is not afraid of frost, feels great even on poor nutrient lands, tolerates the dry season well, can grow both in sunny places and in the shade.Trellis will be needed to create a hedge. In the first year of life, seedlings should be covered for the winter so that young roots do not freeze.
Euonymus
The euonymus has many varieties, but the most commonly used are curly varieties. The plant is poisonous, which should be considered if the family has small children. It is advisable to use rubber gloves during planting. Variegated species of euonymus are planted on the sunny side, varieties with white, yellow foliage - in the shade, since the leaves are able to burn out. Seedlings root, covering with a film, to create a fence will need support, pruning is done in late winter - early spring. Popular varieties: Fortune euonymus - harlequin, blondie.
Privet
The living fence made of privet or “wolfberry” combines beauty and functionality, being a close relative of lilacs. It grows rapidly, especially after pruning, forms impenetrable thickets up to three meters high. Of privet often form not only walls, but also entire sculptural compositions, of the most bizarre forms. Plants are planted as close to each other as possible, preferably in a well-lit place on all sides, on soils with good drainage. Before planting, manure and other organic matter are put in the trench.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a deciduous shrub with many trunks, an excellent honey plant with edible fruits. It is unpretentious - tolerates frosts, prolonged drought and shadow. The wood of hawthorn is very plastic, which allows you to form all kinds of shapes from its branches. In summer, the plant is covered with green leaves, which in the fall acquire a red-orange hue, the fruits of many species are eaten, serve as raw materials for medicines. Common types: ordinary, black, monoecious, Siberian.
Heather
Heather is a low melliferous shrub with narrow leaves of green, silver, red-orange color.The plant blooms in early August, but the flowers themselves remain dry until winter. Heather is able to grow on the poorest soils, but for lush flowering, maintaining high decorativeness, it is desirable to fertilize the land. This plant is not high, therefore it is used only to create borders, it is recommended to plant it in early spring, it can be grown by seedlings, layering, division of rhizomes or from seeds.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea is suitable for the formation of medium and low living walls. The plant prefers fertile soils, has large leaves, inflorescences. Tree hydrangea is planted at the age of about two years, it requires regular watering, especially in the dry period, frequent fertilizer during budding. Pruning is also done several times during the summer, and every two to three years - thinning, removing the oldest shoots. Dried inflorescences can be cut off or left as a winter garden decoration.
Action
Deytsiya is an abundantly flowering, but practically odorless plant. The fence comes out of it very elegant, but high - up to three to four meters. Deytsia is unpretentious - it tolerates gassed city air perfectly, but flowering will be plentiful only in loose, nutritious soil, in a well-lit place. The plant is afraid of the cold, but quickly recovers with partial freezing. All varieties are suitable for living walls, but especially Lemoine's action, rough, graceful, less often - Amur, small-flowered. The bookmark is made in the spring, planting each plant in a separate pit.
Spruce
Live spruce is a very popular evergreen for hedges. It varies in height - both low-growing varieties and ordinary ones are used. They are usually planted on the north side to protect the garden from cold winds, almost without shading it. Spruce grows slowly, but always looks fresh.Its shades are green, blue, golden yellow, if you plant such plants in a certain order, you will get an amazingly beautiful composition. The spruce fence protects well from prying eyes, with high-quality, timely pruning, aesthetically looks all year round.
Irga
Irga is a plant related to the subfamily of apple, but its fruits are berries. The roots of the irgi deeply penetrate the soil, therefore no drought is terrible for it. Some species have significant frost resistance, abundant, bloom very beautifully. Berry berries have a cinnamon flavor, and the plant itself, due to the root processes, forms a dense wall in the second or third year. Planting is done in late autumn or spring, the first time requires abundant watering, and later - a garter, as the branches often bend under the weight of ripe berries.
Honeysuckle Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle varieties of honeysuckle can withstand frosts, reaching more than five meters in height, is an abundant honey plant. The plant feels good on moist soils, sunny places, it has dense foliage and delicious berries. Seedlings are first grown at home in flowerpots, in spring or autumn they are planted in open ground. When disembarking, strong supports for the hedge should be installed - they are made of wood or metals, the hedge can be supported by a normal fence. For the finished hedge, painstaking care is needed - a regular haircut to shape, water, and fertilize.
Willow
The living willow fence looks very elegant, the tree grows rapidly, after three years forming a full-fledged high wall. Willow is resistant to frost, there are about 600 species, but the most commonly used are holly, silver, Babylonian, purple, Hakuro Nishiki. Planting is carried out from early spring to late autumn, sunny places are preferred, fertilizer is not necessary, but plentiful watering in the first year of life is important.Seedlings are placed at an angle of 45 degrees, fixed with supports, rods. Binding, tying crosswise, is recommended one year after planting.
Campsis large-flowered
Campsis or tubalflower is a perennial flowering deciduous liana. The plant is unpretentious, frost-resistant, but loves warmth and light, blooms from June to the end of September. Campsis grows extremely fast, because it is important to cut it in time, direct the shoots in the right direction, remove old branches, freeing up space for new ones. The plant is often used in mixed plantings, planting in the foreground other low-growing perennials that cover the base of the vines. In the first year, the liana grows by more than a meter.
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster is divided into two varieties: deciduous and evergreen. The cotoneaster brilliant is most often grown - it is planted in partial shade, on sandy soil, in which there is no stagnation of moisture. The plant is used to create walls 1-1.8 meters high, borders and islands, growing up to 60-80 cm. It is recommended to plant cotoneaster in a maximum of one to two rows. Planting of specimens with open roots is carried out in the spring, before the buds open or after the leaves fall, just before the frosts. You can plant plants with a closed root system from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.
Lavson's cypress
Lavson's cypress tree belongs to the cypress family, has scaly needles, flowering shoots, a conical shape of the crown, and a developed root system. The evergreen plant perfectly adapts to adverse urban conditions, poor soils, but with severe frosts, young shoots often freeze out, so in the middle lane it should be covered with lapnik. Cypress is recommended often, abundantly watered, loosen the soil, pruning in time. The plant is suitable for high walls, mixed plantings.
Kupressociparis Leyland
Leyland's cupressociparis has an evergreen cone-shaped crown with drooping shoots. The plant can reach more than 27 meters in height, up to five in width, the crown can grow. Seedlings are grown in flowerpots, and when their roots are sufficiently developed, they are planted in open ground. Kupressotsiparis grows well in the shade, young trees require frequent watering, more adults have enough rain. During the season, such a hedge adds more than a meter in height, so pruning is necessary.
Lavrovishnya
Very beautiful barriers are obtained from the laurel cherries - outwardly it looks like a ficus and a laurel. All species, except medicinal, grow extremely slowly, because the latter is often used. The plant is highly resistant to frost, shade, but requires a lot of water, in the absence of which it ceases to bloom, bear fruit. The first pruning is done at the end of summer, in the second year of planting life, after - twice a year. Separate varieties give edible fruits, are practically not damaged by parasites, diseases. The lavrovishnya is not only sheared, but also bent, wrapped around supports, nets.
Shrubby cinquefoil
Shrubby cinquefoil or “Kuril tea” is suitable not only for creating garden decorations, but also for brewing tea infusion. The plant is very tenacious, unpretentious, frost-resistant, up to one and a half meters high. If the shrub is cut correctly, it will remain very decorative all year long. Popular varieties: kobold, goldfinger, daydown, princesses. The plant prefers light, fertile soil, planting in the soil is done when the seedlings are two years old, the soil surface is mulched with sawdust. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring.
Mahonia
Magonia forms a low friable fence, blooms beautifully, giving a lot of delicious berries, is a fragrant honey plant. In summer, its leaves are green, by winter they become red-burgundy.The shrub grows slowly, is unpretentious, hardy, resistant to drought, not afraid of insect pests. In hedges, it is most often composed with higher or lower plants. Landing is preferably done in the shade, pruning is done in spring, but not necessarily annually. Varieties: Japanese, holly, creeping.
Juniper
Evergreen juniper creates luxurious barriers, bringing with it to the site a real forest aroma. It is great for sheared hedges, combining perfectly with hardwoods. The most common species: Chinese, scaly, Cossack, ordinary, virgin. Different breeds grow from one and a half to 25 meters tall, their needles are green or bluish-blue. Most often, juniper is used to decorate large areas, it is unpretentious, but excessive stagnation of water can destroy a seedling. Landing is done in spring or autumn.
Holly
From the holly, a spiny, impassable, evergreen construction is obtained. The plant has dark shiny leaves, beautiful berries, and grows well in partial shade and in the sun. Planting is carried out in April or October, the "adult" size hedge reaches the fourth or fifth year of life. Most varieties of holly are not suitable for excessively cold regions, as they freeze easily. This type of living fence slowly adds to growth, is damaged by flies, cut it once a year.
Balsam fir
The plant has a conical shape, soft needles, with a pleasant aroma, without cutting it can reach 23 meters or more in height. The hedge is formed from seedlings at least five to seven years old, preferably in April or September. The earth around the young trunk is abundantly sprinkled with sawdust, covered with spruce branches, since in the first year after planting, firs often freeze out.It is better to plant in partial shade, choosing well-drained, fertilized soil, preferably near any reservoirs, but balsam fir does not tolerate stagnation of water.
Ivy is garden
The fence from garden ivy is the most unpretentious design, even a novice gardener can grow it without problems. The plant requires shelter in severe frosts, it is badly affected by winds. Landing is done in the spring, preferably on the hills. The first year, ivy grows slowly, after - a little faster. Frequent watering of ivy is not necessary - once a week is enough in the hot period, in the rainy season you can not water at all. It is convenient for ivy to design ugly garden buildings - fences, sheds, gazebos, etc.
Bubble
The most common cultivar is Kalinolis. This is a deciduous shrub up to three meters high, it is lush, very voluminous, has jagged leaves and "fluffy" fragrant inflorescences. Flowering, fruiting begins in plants older than four years. To keep the color of the leaves uniform, the vesicle is planted in sunny areas, away from fruit trees. The soil is preferred light, loose, well-drained, planting in May. The plant is well adapted to the gassed air of large cities, it filters it qualitatively.
Rowan
To create hedges, weeping, aronia are used. The plant is unpretentious, tolerates frost and drought, its berries are edible. Rowan is propagated by cuttings, planted in the spring in a well-lit place. Haircuts are made two or more times in the first year, less frequently in the subsequent years, it will take at least three to four years to form the fence. Before planting, it is advisable to fertilize the soil well, the alleged contours of the future fence - fix the frame of the sticks so that the form comes out correct.
Lilac
Lilac is a universal option for creating living fences, it grows rapidly in the spring and summer, decorating the garden with white, pink, purple, blue or purple flower clusters. Lilac soil is preferably well-drained, dwarf varieties are planted densely, larger ones are slightly less common. The older the plant, the more viable it is - for planting, seedlings older than two years are acquired. The first haircut is made two years after planting, do it in early spring or after flowering. Sprinkle the soil around young specimens with sawdust so that the roots do not freeze.
Snowberry
Snow-berry is an unpretentious plant with small white inedible berries hanging on twigs even in the winter season. Some species have red or black berries, but they are rare in the middle lane. Snowberry is recommended as an unformed hedge, reaching a height of 1.6 m. Often it is used in mixed plantings with mountain ash and roses. Planting is done in pots, as in open ground shoots will have to wait a long time, in three years the plant reaches a height of one meter. Any snow, even calcareous, rocky soil is suitable for a snowy berry.
Spirea
Spirea, there are about 90 different species, it blooms beautifully in spring, without causing much trouble. The height of the finished fence is about 1.5 meters, it is dense, impassable for most animals. Soil for spirea is acceptable any, and falling varieties do not even need to be trimmed. There are species that preserve brightly colored foliage year round. Popular types: Japanese, Argument, Frobely, Bumalda, Meadowsweet average. The laying of the fence is recommended in October, in turf-peat soil, abundant watering is initially required.
Boxwood
Boxwood or buxus is suitable for both free-growing fences and strict geometric shapes. He is easy to care for, able to live up to 500 years.Frost-resistant species have green foliage, heat-loving species - variegated. For planting in the ground, specimens aged 3-7 years are suitable, they are planted in a trench, from the beginning of May to October, a maximum of a month before the onset of cold weather. Watering is necessary only in dry periods, cutting is done from spring to late autumn every 5-6 weeks. To get a rectangular fence, you need a wooden frame. It is important to know that all parts of boxwood are very poisonous, therefore children are not allowed to access it.
Thuja Brabant and Smaragd
Thuja is an evergreen tree, actively used in landscape design. An impenetrable high fence from it perfectly protects from dust, alien intrusions and excessive noise. Low-growing varieties are used for arranging borders. Thuja Brabant for the winter becomes brownish-brown, but at the same time preserves the opacity of the hedge, during the season the tree adds up to 40 cm in height. The recommended age of seedlings for hedge formation is over three years. Thuja Smaragd is green all year round, has a conical shape, but grows slowly. The fence from it has a serrated upper edge, which further complicates the unwanted penetration of the site. Young plants need abundant watering, more adults are also not desirable to overdry.
Forsythia
A hedge is formed from it in the fall, Forsythia is very frost-resistant, blooms dazzling yellow, much earlier than others, before the first foliage appears. Forsythia prefers sunny areas where there are no strong winds, drafts. To create fences, varieties with the most dense crown are selected. The plant looks good in mixed plantings, for lush flowering it is fertilized twice a year. Watering is necessary in especially dry seasons, pruning as necessary, but frozen, old branches are cut off necessarily.
Mocker
Chubushnik or garden jasmine is an incredibly fragrant plant, during flowering it emits a sweetish, intoxicating smell.Chubushnik fences are elegant, but lush, reaching 2.7 meters, white-cream-colored flowers. Planting is recommended in sunny places with fertile soil, which should not be marshy. Planting formation is possible from two to three year old seedlings or cuttings, in autumn or spring. Anti-aging pruning is necessary every two years - then flowering will be as lush as possible, in the spring thinning is required, annual top dressing before the growing season.
Mulberry
Of all types of mulberry, white or black is most often used to create living walls, but about 18 in all. It is resistant to cold, able to live up to 200 years, has a spreading crown, incredibly tasty berries of white or black-violet color. Planting is preferred on well-drained loamy soils, preferably on the south side, the soil must be mulched so that the roots do not freeze. Sanitary pruning is done in winter, shaping is done on one and a half meter boles. For abundant fruiting, annual fertilizer is necessary.
Dogrose
The rosehip hedge comes out very prickly, during the flowering period it smells delicious, after which it yields useful, edible fruits. Designers often use wild boar - it is more unpretentious. Popular varieties: wrinkled, bluish, Scottish rose, fragrant. Planting is formed from three-year-old seedlings with developed roots, but the use of cuttings is also permissible. So that the root system does not grow over the entire area, it is limited to pieces of slate dug to a depth of 50-60 cm. Young specimens are watered every four days, adults only in drought, fertilizer is produced every spring.
Climbing plants for hedges
Winding annual vegetation for living fences has one significant drawback - it needs to be re-planted annually, to make supports, so that the structure is even. Perennials are less of a hassle.She will not be able to protect the site from extraneous invasion, but will only hide it from prying eyes. Sweet pea, honeysuckle, bougainvillea, kobe, nasturtium, morning glory bindweed, etc. are used to create such a fence. The main plus of planting: the decorative appearance appears quickly enough - in just a couple of months, it looks beautiful until the frosts. Deciduous creepers dump their "outfit" in late autumn, waking up in early spring.
Creation of a hedge fence
A fence on trellises, palmettes, cordons is a separate type of molded fence that requires regular pruning. The width of the structure does not exceed 10-25 cm, it is appropriate to do it along the external fences, brick or wooden walls, forged supports, which are part of the garden design.
The most suitable plants for trellis constructions are willow, raspberry, elm, hawthorn, lemongrass, apple tree, etc. Such a "flat garden" takes a minimum of space, and in height can be from a 25-60-cm border to a real "living wall", more two meters "tall."
It is quite difficult to grow a hedge fence, and it will acquire an acceptable appearance at least in the third or fifth year of life. For planting, trees and shrubs of undersized varieties are used, the most acceptable method of placement is diagonal, mesh. Plants are fixed on a trellis, their shoots cross in several places, spliced with each other by vaccination. The distance between individual plants with this planting is 20-30 cm, each of them, after sufficient rooting, is cut 10-15 cm above the ground. The next year, when several shoots appear at the cut site, two of them leave to grow, removing the rest. When they grow up, they cross and bind to the processes of the "neighbors", cutting off over the place of dressing. The next year, they again leave the two strongest shoots, so repeat another two or three years until the design reaches the required height.
How to plant
The method of planting living fences depends on what effect you want to achieve, size, type of seedlings. Large, already almost adult, planted in separate square holes, small - in one common trench. The sizes of the latter for single-row plantings are 45-65 cm, double-row - 70-85 cm, three-row - over 90 cm. When placed in two or three rows, the seedlings are arranged in a checkerboard pattern - diagonally from each other.
Distances between plants in each row:
To equip the lush flowering plantations, honeysuckle, viburnum, wild rose, hydrangea, mock-up, lilac and others are used. The more fertile the soil, the sparse planting will be (more than 1-1.5 meters between plants), the larger the flowers will grow, the more they will bloom and bear fruit.
Excellent spiky barriers are obtained from many types of conifers, roses, gooseberries, blackthorn, etc.
Coniferous fences are planted as follows:
Care, haircut
To make a hedge as beautiful, presentable as possible, it needs constant care - timely watering, haircut, removal of dried parts, pest and disease control. They give the desired shape when the plants in it are still young. Pruning is carried out for the first time in winter, the second at the end of summer. The conifers are pruned in late autumn and early spring.
During the haircut, an increase in shoot growth occurs, the crown becomes thicker. Cut the hedge, depending on the growth rate of its components, from one to four times per year. Each new pruning is carried out as close as possible to the previous one - this way a high density of the bush is achieved, which does not sag over time, does not deform with heavy snowfalls.
An excessively neglected hedge is first trimmed on one side, and a year later on the other. At the same time it is fertilized, watered, mulched. All types of trimming are done according to the patterns, high shears, standing on a bench, stairs.
Conclusion
A live fence, grown by your own hands in the country, decorates the site, while coping well with the protective purpose. Fast-growing annuals and evergreen perennials create a unique element of landscape design, protecting vegetable crops from the wind, soil from moisture loss. There are a lot of options for creating decorative zoning plantings, in order to plant and grow them, some efforts will be required, but the results obtained exceed all expectations.