The subtleties of creating a hedge

To limit a summer cottage or a backyard area, it is not at all necessary to build a brick fence, install reinforced concrete slabs or steel sheet structures. Protection in the form of a green barrier turns out to be quite effective and very aesthetic. But creating it and maintaining it properly can be difficult.

If you do not know all the subtleties and nuances, you can face serious problems.

The hedge first appeared in France, where about three hundred years ago they began to decorate country estates with gardens. Shrubs and trees served both to decorate the territory and to cover it from the wind. The plantings could be in excellent condition, but only under the condition of constant, intense care. In this regard, nothing has changed since ancient times.

The standard system of work involves planting trees or shrubs in one or two lanes; some specimens try to bring them closer to form an irresistible green belt.

The choice of the speed of vegetation of plants is a private matter for the gardener and the customer. So, slow-growing trees and shrubs will need to be trimmed less often, but fast-growing plants leave much more design opportunities. An artificial hedge sometimes includes flowering and fruit crops, which are almost never cut off - this is necessary so as not to reduce their yield and external attractiveness.

In some cases, the protective properties of shrubs and trees are not enough to replace a full-fledged fence, or the plants themselves are under threat. Then use an additional handrail that blocks the passage of people, passage of vehicles to green areas. Thanks to them, it is possible to keep the decorative landscaping intact.

Thinking over the type of garden fence, focus on the desired result. Most often, the barrier is formed from bushes of the same type, then they try to choose the most beautiful species. If, sorting through the names of the shrubs, you still could not choose the best one among them, then you should try to make a mixed fence.

But this is already more difficult, since you need to draw up a preliminary landing plan.

What are the specific features of green walls is already clear. But we still need to figure out why they are better or worse than other options, what strong and weak positions they have.

The device of a hedge, in the opinion of most experts who understands landscape design, allows:

• Create a harmonious microclimate on the site.
• Improve leisure facilities.
• Avoid the need for painting (mandatory for any concrete, metal structures).
• Conserve moisture in the ground, avoid drying out the soil.

• Provide shelter to birds hunting field and garden pests.
• Create cool shade for the summer months.
• Cover up poorly thought out, ugly structures, just outbuildings.
• Delineate the space of the personal plot into separate zones.

Moreover, in relation to each of the listed problems, the green wall can be considered one of the best solutions today. No technological advances or modern construction materials can achieve the same effect.

The only difficulty is the long wait for a positive result, construction is happening much faster. There are two options here: either purchase already grown trees and bushes, or save funds and wait.

The use of fruit crops for the barrier can lead to the fall of berries, fruits on lawns and sidewalks, however, it is enough to harvest a ripe crop in time to turn this disadvantage into dignity. Also note that a green fence requires a fairly large area, more than a conventional fence.

You should not think that a hedge is something single and monolithic and does not have separate options. You can make a green fence in order to protect the site from the outside, in order to break it down inside according to its functionality. Or to surround a flower garden, path, mixborder with a stylish barrier.

In all these cases, the height, planting density varies flexibly; they are both evergreen and seasonal in terms of the composition of crops. Plants can be planted with the expectation of giving them a certain configuration by cutting or leaving the natural appearance intact.

The two-row living wall is even higher and it is guaranteed to cover the garden from car exhaust, gusts of wind, dirt and dust brought from outside. It is possible to use in such fences only those cultures that easily survive the haircut and are undemanding to the conditions of detention. Otherwise, under the influence of the same exhaust gases, the outer beauty will fade.

Climbing hedges should not be confused with those made from evergreen, flowering and deciduous crops - the practical and external difference between them is very large. Trellis plantations are created from plants of both one and several species, their characteristic feature is the interweaving of branches with each other.

In addition to the configuration, it is worth looking at the choice of optimal crops (fortunately, this topic is inexhaustible and it will still be possible to make out only general principles). We must say right away that relatively low plants and trees must be disassembled separately.

Evergreen shrubs are a constantly sought-after plant species that attracts decorators' attention with unchanged grace in any season. Coniferous fencing is charming in winter and summer, and can be grown in all types of soil and does not need to be watered or pruned often. Please note that even the fastest growing breeds will not be able to immediately acquire their final shape, it will take some time for it to be achieved. It is recommended that you do not choose plants yourself, but with the support of an experienced landscape designer.

The key parameter in the selection of “candidates” should be considered the height of each culture. So, the bushes of gooseberries, Japanese spirea, yellow acacia, St. John's wort and boxwood allow you to form only low fences.

Each bush has its own characteristics:

• So, irga in the spring it is silvery-green, in the summer months its leaves have a thick green tint, and with the onset of autumn it changes to a bright orange color.The fruits are nutritious and can be used to treat certain diseases. Irgu is almost not touched by diseases and harmful insects, this culture is very unpretentious.
• Planting golden currants can reach 2 m, their pubescent shoots are framed by serrated leaves (in the autumn months, these leaves become pinkish). The flowering period is late spring and early summer, the fruits are purely decorative, their taste is low. It is rarely necessary to water, but it is worth feeding with organic matter.

• More popular than the previous two types, thickets hawthorn... Their height varies from 20 to 40 dm, the length of the leaves is up to 0.12 m. When flowering, light inflorescences appear, fruits are pear-shaped or round, like a rose hip. Ripening continues until the first frost; in September-November, the harvest becomes an attractive decoration.

A hawthorn can also be a tree (this is, for example, Siberian hawthorn, growing up to 6 m, capable of living on poor land).

• Deren bushes reach up to 30-40 dm, stand out with beautiful leaves, some varieties differ in that the center of the leaf is light green, and its perimeter is white. Many gardeners prefer red turf, renowned for its characteristic twig coloration. Flowering occurs in the last month of spring, with the appearance of "umbrellas". In the autumn, the color of the foliage changes - it turns red or turns orange.

• Growing barberry in demand no less than deren. The shrub can stretch up to 300 cm in height, covered with insignificant oval foliage. Starting around May 15, the barberry has not only bright green leaves, but also characteristic yellowish clusters. In autumn, the predominant color is somewhere between orange and red, the fruits ripen, they can be very different in appearance: pink, black, yellow, red, even brown.
• Often on personal plots you can see chokeberry - its shrubs from 2 to 3 m are usually covered with dark green leaves, by the end of the growing season they are repainted in bright red tones. When flowering, white buds appear with a pink tint. The fruits are edible, they allow you to prepare sweets and even wine.

• Undersized (no more than 0.7 m) heather it blooms very beautifully, but in terms of convenience for the gardener it is inferior to the same barberry, derain: the requirements for soils are high. It is imperative to mulch the surrounding soil and cover with spruce branches in the cold season.
• Cotoneaster higher than heather, its varieties have different heights, ranging from 200 to 300 cm. The brilliant variety is one of the most popular, covered with glossy leaves in summer, turns red in autumn. The berries remain until spring.

• Edible berries honeysuckle make it a better choice than a cotoneaster. Spreading bushes, branches form a lot. The fruits are small, elongated, blue with a white tint. The buds open in April, and yellow or green flowers appear by May. The plant attracts bees, is able to survive in the shade after short frosts and droughts.

• Bushes will also help lure pollinators into the garden. spireasknown to many as meadowsweet. The height of different varieties ranges from 50 to 250 cm, over 50 varieties have been introduced into the culture. With a sensible selection of their combination, you can achieve continuous flowering until the end of autumn. The stem of the spirea is no less decorative than its flower. The plant is light-loving, does not require too intensive watering, with sufficient soil fertility, the vegetation is very powerful.

It is more correct to cut many varieties when they have faded, so that the shoots have time to throw out new buds. If the buds are located at the ends of fresh shoots, the haircut is carried out in the spring as early as possible.

• Chaenomeles, or otherwise, Japanese quince is at least 1 m inferior to meadowsweet. The flowering period covers the period from May 15 to June 10, the buds are light pink, orange, sometimes red. As winter approaches, the overall color may remain green, sometimes the upper edges of the leaves are distinguished by a yellowish-red tint. Chaenomeles can produce good berries; in terms of gastronomic properties, they are close to quince. Bushes of this genus do well in open space with sufficient sunlight.

• Thorns plantings are of a very different type, from 100 to 400 cm. The soil does not need special saturation with microelements, there are thorns on the branches. The period of formation of small flowers is the last two months of spring. Berries are eaten raw or as raw wine, raw material for syrup, jam, candied fruits. Excess light has a positive effect on the condition of the shrub.

• Chubushnik very many consider it to be jasmine, with which this plant combines an excellent scent. The plant does not require sophisticated care, it feels best in sunny and slightly shaded areas. Watering is moderate, without draining and waterlogging, pruning only when necessary.

Consider briefly a few more popular shrub options used in fences:

• From juniper predominantly form small close-knit groups or even use its single bushes as a decorative accent. Creeping culture is especially useful where you need to not only put up a barrier, but also strengthen the slope.
• Plants can be used for the same purpose. sea ​​buckthorn, which provide raw materials useful in food and medicine. Try to choose an area that is warm, abundant in the sun and not overwhelmed by the winds. The disadvantage is relatively slow growth, nothing can be done with it, this is the norm for culture.

• Boxwood outstrips many other options for shrubs in the grace of its crown, shine of foliage, the ability to survive frequent haircuts. All nectar lovers very quickly flock to boxwood flowers in the spring. If small children settle in a house in a suburban area, it is better to wait with the planting of this culture, it is toxic!

• Landing panicle hydrangea and other varieties of this species is possible only on fertile soils, necessarily in shaded places at least partially. Some of the varieties of hydrangea will have to be cut off every year, otherwise it may break under its own weight, so its flowering occurs so quickly and abundantly. Hydrangea (the botanical name for the shrub) itself is diverse enough to create a very attractive hedge.

Trees are no worse than shrubs in terms of their parameters, and in some cases even surpass them. It is advisable to use small trees, since they are more economical and elegant. Planting a coniferous tree in the country is an option that is very popular; only decorative species and varieties are suitable for solving this problem.

Find out immediately which ephedra requires sunlight, and which can grow normally only with limited lighting.... Coniferous crops will have to be abandoned if the summer cottage has clay soil, as well as with a high standing of groundwater.

For all its advantages, perennial evergreen vegetation is not too diverse: if you compare it with deciduous solutions of the same ease of care, the conclusion will be quite obvious.

When choosing climbing crops, take steps so that they do not harm common fruits, vegetables and fruit plants. You can increase protection against various intruders by introducing thorny plants into the hedge.

The most popular options are:

• Spruce plantations, although they do not have protective capabilities, look very attractive. In addition to beauty, their advantage is the improvement of air quality, suppression of bad odors. They ate perfectly to keep the rain in the warm season and snow in winter, they almost never get sick, do not require frequent haircuts. However, they grow very poorly on dry soil.
• And you, as you already know, are considered almost the simplest plants in the organization of hedges. This is a fast growing crop, which reduces waiting time, but makes you constantly take care and monitor the tree.

• A high growth rate is also characteristic of large-flowered kampsis; it is a tree-like liana, capable of stretching up to 15 m. Fresh shoots are wound on the support pillars in a spiral manner and, even after hardening, do not change this configuration. Kampsis bloom all summer and the first month of autumn, but only on condition that they were planted in neutral or slightly acidic soil, provided with a sufficient amount of heat and sunlight.

• The tropical growth rate can be very attractive. Still, most people prefer the more frost-resistant options. A striking example can be considered medicinal laurel, its elongated inflorescences, complex in composition, are liked by most people. The plant survives well in the shade, but it is advisable to supply it with moisture as it should. Drying of the soil will end with a stop of flowering and fruiting, a slowdown in growth. The laurel-cherry hedge is cut and formed every 6 months, for the first time this manipulation is carried out the next summer after planting.

• Interesting to compare with cherry laurel Tuyu Brabant; the latter is not too picky, but the preservation of its basic functions depends on how much the requirements for planting and leaving are met. Excessive shade and too bright sun are equally destructive for a tree; it is best to place it in partial shade, west or east of any building.

• Related thuja smaragd can rise up to 300-500 cm, and its coverage is sometimes as much as 2 m; immediately lay such dimensions in the garden planning project.
• In addition to the listed trees, in the design of a hedge can be used and linden trees... Moreover, it is one of the main breeds that has made attractive parks possible for centuries. But keep in mind that linden is suitable primarily for a spacious area, if the site is small, only a couple of trees can be placed there at the entrance.

• Russian conditions are best tolerated small-leaved linden, which can be found even in the forests near Arkhangelsk. The trunk rises up to 30 m, the diameter is 0.8 m, the tree will calmly stand for hundreds of years. Important advantages of small-leaved limes are also the possibility of rooting in podzolic soil, immunity to air pollution, and annual fruiting.

• Our next "hero" - undersized hornbeamrepresenting the glorious Berezov family.The plant makes high demands on the soil, it should be thoroughly moistened, while a loose structure and saturation with useful substances is desirable. If there is a drought, watering is sharply activated, the soil must be constantly wet. The crown of hornbeams is dense, spreading, in summer the leaves are dark green, and in the fall - yellow or purple. Hornbeam tolerates frost well, perfectly resists microorganisms and insects, but a positive effect is achieved only with careful selection of the soil mixture.

• Elm, he is an elm, this is not one tree, but a whole genus, some of whose representatives live up to 400 years and rise up to 30-40 m. Any species has a vast, extremely dense top; a particularly interesting effect is created by flowering before the leaves emerge. Seeds must be sown immediately, as soon as you have collected them, and maintain a gap of at least 0.2 m. This is important not only so that the plants do not "jam" each other, but also so that pathogenic fungi do not spread from one to another.

• Rounding out the review mountain pines... They are self-sufficient heroes of landscape design, so different from each other that other trees are not required to create most of the compositions. So, "Columnaris" with a remarkable crown in the form of a cone is perfect for the role of a dominant plant in a hedge, it survives a haircut perfectly. Unfortunately, the slightest heat, drying will destroy this tree.

It is advisable to choose soils neutral or with a limited alkaline reaction and unshaded areas. It is recommended to use seedlings not younger than 3 and not older than 5 years.

In order to arrange high-quality green hedges with your own hands, you should carefully choose the crops that will be used in them. It is advisable to focus on such qualities as the minimum need for care, long growth period, the ability to form a green wall uniform in density, low sensitivity to cutting off parts.

Taking into account the peculiarities of Russian conditions, the tolerance of winter frosts, early frosts and cold returns is extremely important.

For beginners and non-specialists, it makes sense to tackle the simplest options at first. One of them is spherical willow, which is ideally adapted to the climate of most regions of the Russian Federation and at the same time is no less beautiful than the most exotic solutions.

Just cut 1-2 twigs from an already growing tree, then transplant them into your land - by the end of next spring you can enjoy the first results.

Even the most undemanding trees and shrubs can be easily destroyed if you do not take care of preparing the soil in time. Work should begin in the middle of autumn, pulling the rope on the strip that the hedge should occupy. An accurate line will ensure you don't stray to the side when it's time to dig a trench.

The size of the trench is determined by the number of planting strips that will be part of the hedge, each row has at least 500 mm in width.The deepening, before planting a seedling, is supposed to be filled with a small amount of soil extracted from above, covered with organic fertilizer.

It is not recommended to transplant coniferous shrubs before the age of three. At the same time, quite adult specimens are also poorly suited for work, and it is worth taking them only for planting elite or very slowly developing breeds.

Shrubs introduced into hedges are planted in a special way: the neck of the rhizome is placed at ground level or deepened by a maximum of 10-20 mm. It is possible to determine the correct gap between the seedling points, taking into account the size of the specimen and the device, the work of its root system... The slower the culture grows, the greater their allowable convergence. A single row scheme implies an optimal distance of 200-250 mm. If you chose a two-lane composition, there should be at least 0.3-0.5 m between any two cuts in the ground, the same spacing is maintained between the lines.

The destruction of a plant under its own weight for a gardener and gardener is a common, working situation, a problem bush can be replaced. It is not so in landscape design, the slightest change in appearance, the formation of extra gaps looks very ugly. Therefore, so that the shrubs do not die during the entire service life, it is worth using supports.

In the role of such, long boards, located 0.4-0.5 m above the ground level, proved to be excellent; of course, these boards need to be fixed, and planed before installation, so that it is convenient and safe to use.

Plants that will lean on the boards are also selected, depending on the seating scheme. So, a single-row system allows you to enjoy the view of dense crowns, many branches, abundantly covered with large leaves. If there are two rows, it is worth using separately less "outstanding" types of shrubs and trees, since this will not add beauty, but only create unnecessary problems.

In recent years, evergreens have become increasingly popular, which remain vibrant in any season. Those who live in a country house only in the summer can plant more rapidly developing deciduous crops. Seasonal decorativeness will fully pay off the limited growing season.

It would hardly be possible to describe the creation of a hedge from all possible plants in a thick tome. But step-by-step instructions are still needed and now you will learn how to grow ivy in a hedge. This climbing perennial, characterized by its long shoots, is retained by the mass of auxiliary roots.

So, the main recommendations:

• They need to be planted only on hills, but those where there is no wind.... Spring planting is desirable, then, with luck, the young growth will get stronger and calmly overwinter for the first time. Carefully inspect the shoots that you want to propagate, they should be a maximum of three years old, completely healthy. A moisture-absorbing, air-permeable substrate rich in organic matter helps to speed up rooting. The roots grow to a depth of 0.2 m, the recess for planting should be a little deeper, but with a drainage layer.

• Further care involves mainly watering, replenishment with microelements and the simplest impact on the ground. It is necessary to loosen without undue enthusiasm, moisture retention and elimination of the action of early frosts is achieved by mulching. After rains, loosening is required, while neither shoots nor adventitious roots, which in abundance penetrate the substrate, should be destroyed.

• The mulch will need to be added gradually., creating a thin layer and without touching the leaves located close to the ground. Closer to the onset of cold weather, the thickness of the protective layer is increased, thereby creating opportunities for warming, winter shelter of plants. After the snow melts, do not rush to cut the shoots damaged by frost, rodents. Remove them in the first days of summer, as soon as the rapid movement of the juice is over. When cutting large stems, treat the artificial defect with a garden varnish.

• Watering garden ivy should be moderate, but not too rare: be guided by whether the soil is sufficiently moistened. Ivy should be propagated using semi-lignified shoots that have visible rudiments or real adventitious roots. Cutting a very young growth will greatly inhibit rooting, and wet cold days can completely lead to rotting of the cutting. Each plant must be planted at least 0.5 m from the others, otherwise they will overwhelm each other.

You need to finally decide on the landing site before the tenths of Aprilto get ready for the next couple of weeks and start right away. The optimal combined culture (according to the necessary conditions and ease of adaptation after transplanting) is a girlish grape.

The cultivation of another popular crop, the rose, as part of a hedge, has certain features. This solution is suitable if your site is well lit; lack of sunlight will lead to stretching of the shoots and the loss of their visual appeal. But at the same time, an excess of illumination is also contraindicated, the flowers will simply fade.

Landscaping experts believe that it is most correct to choose claimings, ramblers or semi-pebble roses for planting, these groups of varieties are distinguished by the optimal balance of beauty and ease of growing. It is required to remove absolutely all weeds from the site and dig up the ground at least 0.6 m deep, otherwise the soil is considered unprepared.

For planting, three-year-old seedlings or younger cuttings are used, working with seeds is too tedious and it is mainly breeders who are engaged in it. When selecting seedlings, carefully check that they are healthy and in good shape.

The width of the hedge is determined by the step of its planting: when using new plants in loose plantings, the gaps between them can be quite large. Subsequently, the bushes (trees) either compact or close the breaks with herbaceous crops. The choice depends on what the decorative effect is and what are the features of the design concept.

Since a hedge is not a simple barrier in the way of people with reduced social responsibility, but a beautiful barrier, full-fledged care is no less important than the selection of crops and their planting.

With the help of a haircut, it is possible to create graceful compositions and geometric shapes. In most cases, it is necessary to process plants for the first time in the second year of life in a new area. Take your time, wait until autumn, when foliage is complete. Even conifers at this time reduce their biological activity and undergo "surgery" less painfully.

Periodic summer haircuts, starting in the third year, help prevent excessive thinning of the lower parts, boost the work of the buds in the lower lobe of the shoots. If, due to low light intensity or for some other reason, the bottom has lost its grace and elegance, they make conical or trapezoidal pruning of shrubs.

The outer sides are tilted 70 degrees (approximately, no need to make precise measurements).Any broken, withered or obsolete shoot must be immediately removed, it will only in vain absorb the vitality of the plant.

The youngest plantations are supposed to be watered more often, it is useful to loosen the soil. The first few months, until the hedge takes root, does not take root in the soil, constant moisture of the roots is required. Water so that the water goes deep into the soil, this requirement applies to both trees and shrubs.

If you wet only the top layer, a crust forms that can only harm the plantings.

Fertilization, as usual, is dictated by the needs of the crop and the condition of the soil on the site. To reduce the frequency of special dressings and the costs of them, you can fold the falling leaves and leave them on the humus. When the compost is obtained, it is saturated with the soil next to the hedge.

In order for minerals to reach the roots throughout the volume, it is recommended to use a water drill or root feeders. During the period of active shoot formation, it is worth using liquid top dressing., thereby reducing the time gap between its introduction and the entry of nutrients into plant tissues.

A small-leaved type of hedge is easy to create using the linden variety of the same name. This is what a barrier looks like when placed on both sides of the garden path.

Novice gardeners often try to create the lowest-growing hedges, this is a good idea to use spirea, which forms a dense wall and is suitable for any region of central Russia.

In winter, first of all, coniferous crops will look very beautiful. Therefore, it is them that should be chosen if you live in a country house all year round. The photo is a convincing example of the fact that evergreen hedges may well be different in color and include bright colors.

White snow matches the ivy perfectly.

The following video presents an interesting version of a hawthorn hedge.