Tag Archives: Myrica californica

Perfect Plants For Privacy

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I’m a firm believer in “loving thy neighbor” but if your view is directly into their dining room, it can be too much of a good thing. Robert Frost’s proverb “good fences make good neighbors” also comes to mind when thinking about city and suburban living. I can turn that concept into a private garden – with or without a fence – using beautiful plants and trees to add softness, color and texture.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING PLANTS

Laurus nobilis planted at the fence line provides privacy for both properties

Growth rate and ten year size? How long will it take the plant to grow large enough to achieve the desired size? If it grows too tall or wide, can it be pruned effectively? These are questions my clients frequently ask.

When planning small gardens, I avoid fast growing conifers (think needles and cones) that will quickly outgrow a space. When hard pruning is required to limit their size, it will only ruin their appearance and damage the tree. The leyland cypress is a popular choice for privacy hedges because it will provide dense coverage in just a couple years with regular shearing. However, in a confined space it will reach a point where it cannot be maintained and even need to be removed.

Here are some well-behaved broadleaf evergreen plants for screening:

LAURUS NOBILIS (BAY LAUREL)

A large, compact shrub or small tree with deep green, aromatic leaves also used in cooking. Bay laurel has a dense habit, making it an excellent choice for small gardens. It reacts well to pruning and is easily manipulated to fit strategic spaces. It grows slowly, so buy one that is already large if you want immediate results. Avoid the cultivar ‘Emerald Waves’ because it is susceptible to disease and winter cold damage.

MYRICA CALIFORNICA (PACIFIC WAX MYRTLE)

This fast-growing Pacific wax myrtle is a dense shrub with small, grass green ovate leaves that cover its woody stems and branchlets. New foliage sprouts anywhere stems are cut making it easy to manage. Pacific wax myrtle needs full sun and occasional pruning to maintain its density. It will easily reach ten feet tall or more within a few years. It can be clipped, but looks best in its natural form.

PRUNUS LUITANICA (PORTUGAL LAUREL)

Deep green, glossy leaves and a broad, dense habit make this a good shrub for large spaces. Portugal laurel grows moderately fast in medium rich soil and becomes a small tree as it matures. It can be pruned as a hedge, but looks best with only occasional shaping to enhance its graceful form and attractive new foliage.

Tip: All plants, even those that are considered drought tolerant, need regular water until they are well-established.

MORE IDEAS

With summer in full swing, revitalizing your garden is a great way to prepare for the fall planting season!

If you’re looking for more ideas, please contact me for a design consultation to learn about landscape design or how to maximize the impact of plantings for any spot in your garden.

Hedging Your Bets

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Deciduous grasses are an uncommon seasonal hedge, certainly not a traditional one.

What is a hedge?

By definition, a hedge is “a fence or boundary formed by closely growing shrubs.”

During wintertime, we are more aware of hedges. Usually evergreen, they dominate the barren landscape when there’s not much else happening. The rest of the year they fade into the background, serving as backdrop for a more interesting garden display.

Because hedges are usually repetitive and often made up of tightly formed geometric shapes, they create a green wall — especially in contrast with a garden that has a more natural feel. If you want to soften a hedge, choose plants with a more natural growth habit. For this, Myrica californica, Laurus noblis or even great perennial grasses need only some shaping and thinning to stay in check.

Can a “hedge” be used as a landscape feature, not just a boundary?

English gardens provide some of the best lessons in using a hedge as a feature. Hedges serve as the walls of an outdoor room. This can be very effective on a large piece of property, such as in estate. A hedged area can provide intimacy and “people scale” or it can be used to define and contain a perennial or vegetable garden.

Low hedges (the obvious example being Buxus sempirvirens, the boxwood) will create a border to contain a garden bed and keep a clean edge and tidy appearance around otherwise floppy perennials, as well as provide structure in the winter.

Only in Japanese gardens can one get away with pruning Azaleas into a hedge or mounded drift. Pruned carefully and at the right time of year, Azaleas are solidly covered by flowers and a quite stunning sight. However, taken out of context —outside a formal Japanese setting — too many Azaleas can be problematic.

Keep in mind that your hedges do not have to be at the borders of the property.  They can define space within a space, mark an entry or be juxtaposed with one another in modern planes creating an interesting interplay of light and shadow — think Stonehenge in England.

How do you choose shrubs for a hedge?

Before buying hedge plants, carefully consider the finished height and width you would like to obtain. Consider the site and growth rate along with the size the plants will achieve in ten years.

Beware the conifer Cedrus leylandii — it is rarely used properly for hedges, and after a few years it turns into a monster that can no longer be pruned to size (plus it has dead growth at the base, just where you don’t want it). If you use it in the city, be prepared to remove and replant shrubs every several years. This plant is better off bordering a field or rolling estate lawn, where it can be allowed to grow without pruning. I advise spending a little more up front and buying a conifer that won’t grow so quickly. Taxus bacatta, commonly called a yew, is a good choice. It grows slowly, but its rich green foliage keeps a pleasing shape. Buy plants big, plant them closer together, and you’ll get the look and size you want without the bother of overgrowth later.

I have designed both tiny gardens and estate gardens with hedges, and the principles of good design hold true for both. Contact us to talk about the best plant for your hedge and how to use hedges in innovative ways.