FLOWERING AND OTHER HEDGES
Of the more or less known 3000 species and varieties of trees and shrubs
hardy in this country, only a small proportion are suitable for making
good hedges. Every garden of any size has a hedge or two of untidy look
through inattention at the proper time. A hedge must be kept in proper
order, not a difficult business when clipping is done annually, when to
do so depending upon the plants used.
Hedges may be of two kinds--the neat trimmed hedge, which serves as an
outside line to a garden, and also as a screen or wind-break to small or
tender plants growing near it; and the straggling rough hedge, varying
from 10 to 20 feet in width, more properly a wide bank made up of all
sorts of plants, rambling Roses, ornamental Vines, and other things
which usually serve to brighten some spot where colour is desirable, or
to shut out an undesirable view. The best plants comprise both
evergreens and deciduous, but only one thing should be used, as mixed
hedges are rarely a success, and of mingled evergreen and deciduous
plants are generally quite a failure. It is right to mention, however,
that if a mixed hedge is planted the best results are from White Thorn,
Holly, and Common Beech. The best evergreen plants in their order of
merit are Holly, Yew, Arbor-vitae (_Thuya occidentalis_), _Thuya
gigantea_ or _Lobbi_, Common Box, _Cupressus lawsoniana_, _C.
nootkatensis_ (_Thujopsis borealis_), Privet (_Ligustrum_), Common
Laurel, Portugal Laurel Pyramid Laurel (_Prunus lusitanica myrtifolia_),
_Berberis Darwinii_, and _Osmanthus ilicifolius_.
HOLLY.--The Common Holly makes one of the best evergreen hedges. Its
growth, though somewhat slow, is regular, and it does not mind the
shears, but it is costly to use to any extent. It does not move readily,
so that for the first year or two there will probably be a few gaps to
fill up, but when the hedge is once established it is there practically
for ever, and with proper attention will never become rough or
unsightly. Before planting the site should be marked out, and the ground
trenched 3 feet wide and deep, breaking the subsoil with a fork, and
working some well-decayed manure about half-way down. This will tend to
draw the roots down, and keep them from running out on either side to
the injury of neighbouring plants. Plants should be obtained in the
early autumn, as soon as it is safe to move them, and planted at once
before the ground gets cool. If this be done they will make fresh roots
and get established before winter. Some prefer to move Hollies in May,
but much depends on whether artificial watering can be done. If it can,
May is quite as good a time as September or October; if not, then choose
the autumn.
The size of the plants used depends upon taste and the depth of the
pocket, but good plants, 1-1/2 to 2 feet high, with a leading shoot or
two on each, placed from 12 to 16 inches apart, can be recommended, as
they move readily at that size, and are not so costly as larger plants.
Holly hedges should be clipped in late August or early September, when
they will make a short growth before winter, and keep in good condition
without further attention until the following autumn. The height of the
hedge is entirely a matter for the owner to decide, one 30 or 40 feet
high, properly feathered to the ground, being quite possible, as we know
from some already in existence. When grown to this height, however, the
top should be cut to a point to throw off snow. The flatness of the
hedge can be broken by allowing a few leading shoots, 20 or 30 feet
apart, to run up, budding them in August with some of the variegated
varieties. Gold Queen, Waterer's Gold, Silver Queen, and _Argentea
variegata_ are good sorts to use for this.
When a Holly hedge has been neglected for some years cut it back to the
old wood in March or April, and fork in a liberal dressing of manure
around it. It may not make much growth the first year, but will
practically re-establish itself the second.
YEW.--The Common Yew is hard to kill, and easy to prune into various
shapes, as topiary work suggests. Yew is generally used for the inside
of a garden, such as terraces and hedges near the house. It should be
treated in the same way as the Holly, with the important exception of
being clipped in May, as the Yew makes most of its growth in the early
part of the year. In buying Yews, choose rather stunted-looking plants
in preference to those of fresher look and freer growth. The former have
been moved within the last year or two, the latter have stood for three
or four, and become coarse rooted, suffering, therefore, after removal.
ARBOR-VITAE.--For a hedge this and _Thuya gigantea_ can be placed
together. The common Arbor-Vitae is sometimes not liked because it gets
brown in winter, but this colouring is not so pronounced in _Thuya
gigantea_. In preparing the ground little or no manure need be trenched
in, but a dressing of spent manure may be added with advantage. The soil
should be as good as possible, but not too heavy. They may be clipped at
any season, and for the first two or three years twice annually will not
be too often. It is wise to cut off from six inches to one foot of the
leaders every year, otherwise the plants attain a great height without
breadth. If a hedge of these conifers is allowed to become rough and
ragged, it is almost impossible to restore it, as it will not, except in
special cases, break from the older wood.
BOX.--The dwarf edging so largely used for borders and paths needs no
description, but the Common Box is not so largely used because it gets
yellow, the result of sheer starvation, the Box being a gross feeder,
requiring plenty of feeding at all times. It should have a dressing of
manure annually, or at least biennially, to keep it in good health and
colour. It should be clipped in the spring, April or May being the best
months, and a top-dressing about the same time will be very beneficial
to it. Box is a good shrub for an inside hedge, but should never become
overgrown, as, in addition to the hard cutting necessary to bring it
into shape, it is a terrible plant to cut, even the small wood being
very hard and tough.
LAWSON CYPRESS.--_Cupressus lawsoniana_ and _C. nootkatensis_ (_Thujopis
borealis_) can be treated together, as, in addition to their natural
relationship, both require the same treatment as a hedge. Neither makes
a good flat-topped hedge of the ordinary kind, as the growth is
distinctly pyramidal, and unless kept to a point is apt to get injured
by snow. They should be cut to a point, and a hedge 12 to 20 feet high
of this shape is very handsome and effective in a garden, as well as
forming a first-rate screen. They can be trimmed at any time preferably
in the spring or early summer, care being taken not to cut the base too
hard, and the leading shoots top annually. In planting no manure need be
used, provided the ground is good, and it is not required later on
unless the hedge shows signs of starvation, when a good top dressing may
be given with advantage. Plants 2 or 3 feet in height, placed about 18
inches apart, are a good size to use, as they move readily and are not
expensive.
PRIVET.--The oval-leaved Privet (_Ligustrum ovalifolium_) is a native of
Japan, and makes a fairly good hedge about 5 or 6 feet high. It grows
readily, and moves without any trouble at almost any time. It can be
bought cheaply. The ground should be well treated in the first place;
afterwards it will require little attention in the way of feeding. It
can be clipped at almost any time, but for the first year or two should
be cut hard back before growth begins in the spring. Neglect of this
leads to a hedge that is leafy at the top but bare at the bottom. In
this note the use of Privet is not wholly condemned, but it must be
understood its use is not recommended. There is no doubt whatever that
for town gardens the Privet is of the greatest service, enduring smoke
and fog with impunity. It is vigorous, and soon becomes established in
the most dreary gardens.
LAURELS.--Any of the various forms of the Common and Portugal Laurels
with the types are suitable for what may be called second-rate hedges,
the best being the Pyramid Portugal, which is a smaller-leaved and more
upright-growing kind than any of the others. With the exception of the
last-named, all the Laurels make hedges rather wide for their height,
and all require much attention to keep them in proper shape. All should
be clipped in June, after the first growth is made; they will then make
another short growth, which will keep the hedge in good condition until
the following year. The Pyramid Portugal has leaves about half the size
of those of the type and quickly makes a hedge. It is rather more
expensive than the commoner Laurels, but it moves well, and does not
become bare at the bottom.
OSMANTHUS ILICIFOLIUS.--This plant has not been much used for hedges,
but it makes a very good one if carefully looked after during the
first year or two. It somewhat resembles the Common Holly, and requires
much the same treatment. It is not very expensive to buy, and the hedge
should be kept to a height of 3 or 4 feet.
Deciduous Hedges
Many deciduous plants can be used for hedges, but a good selection
comprises Beech, Hornbeam, Quick, Myrobalan Plum, and Sweetbriar. The
first two require practically the same treatment, the most important
part of which is to procure good two or three years old transplanted
plants, and to treat them liberally at first. Beyond an annual trimming
they will not require any further attention, except to tie or peg down a
branch or two where gaps may occur. A well known gardener, writing in
the _Garden_, says: "We often find the Holly and the Yew largely used in
gardens as hedges, but they are not quite so good under all conditions
as the Beech or Hornbeam. The Beech is one of our many hardy trees both
for screens and hedges. The Copper Beech is seldom used for this
purpose, but this is a mistake. We have a fence of the Copper Beech,
dividing the kitchen garden from the pleasure grounds, 138 yards long,
18 feet high, and from 4 feet to 5 feet through. It forms a perfect wall
on either side, and in spring is one of the most interesting features of
the place. It would be useless planting the Copper Beech on a wet or
heavy soil--a light soil suits it best. The hedge is now in perfect
health, and all that is necessary is an annual clipping about the end of
August, before the wood gets hard."
[Illustration: _GREAT BEECH HEDGE AT MICKLEOUR, N.B._]
Quick and the Myrobalan Plum should be planted in double rows to form a
hedge, and be cut back hard at the time of planting to form a bottom to
the hedge, which would otherwise become leggy and bare at the base. If
they should happen to get into this state most of the growth should be
cut away, and the main branches tied or pegged down in the direction of
the hedge. In a year or two it will be practically as good as ever.
For a dividing line between the flower and kitchen gardens, or for some
spot where too much formality is not required, the Common Sweetbriar
makes an excellent hedge, although it requires much attention for the
first few years. If planted without support, such as a wooden railing,
it should be kept tied or pegged down almost to the ground for the first
two or three years, using practically every growth that is made by the
plants. By this means a good foundation is laid for the hedge, which
will, when made, merely require an annual trimming. We plant Sweetbriars
everywhere. Its leaves in the early morning, or after a warm summer
rain, saturate the air with their fragrance.
Hedges of Flowering Shrubs
It often happens that some kind of hedge is wanted in a garden, either
as a screen to hide vegetable ground, or as a wind-break, or some kind
of partition. When this is the case, it is a good plan to plant hardy
flowering shrubs about 4 feet apart, and so to train and trim them that
they grow into a compact hedge, and yet have enough lateral play to
allow them to flower. Two years ago we privately advised some friends
who were planting new gardens where such dividing hedges were wanted,
and the hedges are already coming into use and beauty.
Such a hedge is not only ornamental, but it yields endless material for
cutting. It should be allowed to grow quite 4 feet thick, and is best
formed with a backbone of stiff woody shrubs, such as Guelder Roses,
_Ribes_, and Lilac, while between the stiffer shrubs might be some that
are weaker, such as _Kerria_, _Rhodotypus_, and _Leycesteria_. Plants of
rank rambling growth, such as free Roses and double-flowered Brambles,
_Aristolochia_, _Wistaria_, Virginia Creeper, and the rambling
Honeysuckles, are not in place in such a hedge; they are more suitable
for rough hedge banks, walls, or for arbour and pergola; the flower
hedge wants true shrubs. The bush Honeysuckles, such as _Lonicera
fragrantissima_ and _L. tatarica_, are just right, or any woody, twiggy
bushes of moderate growth, or such as are amenable to pruning and
thinning, such as _Deutzia_ and Snowberry, shrubs that so often get
overgrown in a shrubbery. In the hedge these would do well, as they
could easily be watched and thinned; also many true shrubs that flower
all the better for reasonable pruning.
[Illustration: _HEDGE OF MAIDEN'S BLUSH ROSE (6 feet to 7 feet high)._]
Any one would be surprised to see what a quantity of useful flowers such
a hedge would yield, while, if there is another of foliage for winter
use, it will be invaluable to the indoor decorator. We have just planted
a hedge for this use, all of golden variegated or yellow-leaved shrubs,
those chosen being the Scotch Gold Holly, Golden Euonymus, Golden
Privet, yellow variegated Box, and Golden Tree Ivy, all shrubs of the
utmost value for winter cuttings. Though they are barely 2 feet high as
yet, the slightly varied golden hedge is already a pleasant, cheering
sight in the quickly-shortening November days.
Other flower hedges are also delightful possessions. Hedges of China
Rose, of Lavender, of Sweetbriar, of old garden Roses, or of climbing or
rambling Roses trained down, of Honeysuckles, of Jasmine; some of these
are occasionally seen, but of a good selection of true shrubs hedges are
rarely if ever made.
Any of the shrubs recommended for the mixed flowering hedge could, of
course, be used alone; and excellent it would be to have a hedge of
Guelder Rose or flowering Currant or Japan Quince, and how much more
interesting than the usual hedge of Quick or Privet or Holly. Both sides
of the flower hedge should be easily accessible, not necessarily by a
hard path, but by a space just wide enough to go along comfortably. An
additional advantage well worth considering would be that, supposing the
direction of the hedge to be east and west, the south side would flower
in advance of the north, and so prolong the supply of bloom.