What kind of hedging/shrubs works best in a small yard?
My back yard is not even 1/4 acre. So space is an issue as is privacy. All of my neighbors have fencing, but the boards do not touch, so you can still see through them. I would like to not only beautify my yard with greenery (of which it has almost nothing at this point aside from a few small trees in the middle of it), but also screen somewhat as well. I am a big cook, so edible landscaping is very appealing too. Aside from knowing I would like to use some evergreens like arborvitae on the north end of the yard and a rose bush/peony bush for some cornering, I am at a loss for what plants to use. Laurel is boring by itself. What would be pretty and usable in the ways I would like for them to work?
Using cup hooks and heavy twine, run twine up and down the fencing to provide support for climbing vines. Now plant some kind of vine/climbing plant every 12 to 18 inches apart and train the tendrils up the zig-zagged twine. If you want an always-green plant, put in ivy or jasmine or honeysuckle. If you don’t mind the plants going dormant in the winter and leaving bare stems, you can plant climbing roses or even berry bushes, if you want fruit.
In front of the vines you can plant just about anything, depending on your soil and sun. Most veggies are full-sun plants, so in sunny areas you can plant tomatoes, bush beans, or root veggies like carrots or beets. In less sunny areas, you can put in shade tolerant plants, but your weather and soil should dictate what you plant.
Strawberry plants make good bedding plants and grow well in containers as well. Lavender can be grown in nice little shrubs or hedges, and Japanese privet is pretty, but you need to keep it aggressively pruned or it grows HUGE.
Self-seeding annuals like pansies or violas are nice at the front edge of a flower bed. Don’t pick them…let the flowers dry out and drop their seeds and they will be back next year.
My grandmother used to make hedges next to the walkways in her very large garden by planting and trimming blue berry bushes…good to eat, pretty too!
Hope this gives you some help!
Hedge Plant Calamagrostis for Natural Privacy Fence
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Planting for Privacy: A Guide to Growing Hedges and Screens $14.95 … |