One of the most frequent questions I get asked in the nursery is, “what is the best plant for creating a hedge?” Whether it’s for privacy, wind protection, aesthetics or creating formal “rooms” in your garden, hedges play an important part in our backyard.
Picking the right plant to grow into a hedge must take into account-how high you want the hedge to grow, soil type and climate, the amount of exposure of the hedge to sun or shade and how much management and care it will receive. On the latter point, if you want an “informal”, low maintenance hedge, there is an endless list of both native and exotic plants that can be planted to achieve the hedge functions outlined above.
Some examples of successful, evergreen plants for more “formal” hedges around this region are:
Photinia red robin-mature leaves dark green, new growth bright red (up to 3m high).Cherry laurel-large, glossy green leaves (can be maintained at fence height, but can grow to 5m).Choisya ternata (Mexican orange blossom)-small, lime green leaves, fragrant white flowers (to 2m)
If you’re a flower fan camellia sasanquas are a range of cultivars used for hedging up to 2m and include Yuletide (red flowers), Early Pearly (white) and Jennifer Susan (pink). These hedges will be blooming in autumn and winter!
If privacy’s your thing it’s hard to go past conifers such as Leyland cypress (Leighton green or Castwellan gold)-fast growing, to 10m.
For a native garden wall, two flowering shrubs suited to the soils and climate of this region and worth considering for “informal” hedging are Grevillia Ivanhoe and Callistemon Western Glory.
Ian Rogan