The hedge.By definition, the hedge is a surrounding made of wood, iron, bricklaying or another material, of an enclosure having the role of a dwelling place, a working place or of a yard. The fence is used in order to set the limits of a property and to protect it against the passers-by’s curious glances, providing thus an unexposed space which offers therefore intimacy to the owners.
The hedge can replace the classical fence, so that your yard will not only be offered intimacy, but i twill also look amazing. Back from the ages of the Renaissance, the hedges used to adorn the gardens of great palaces as well as those of the noblemen. If you want to surround your property with as much greenery as possible, there is plenty of ideal plants used for this purpose
The best period for creating a hedge is the autumn, after the fall of the leaves. Of course, you can also plant it in the spring, but only very early, before the vegetation breaks through. The Turkestan elm tree (Ulmus pumila celer) is an ideal plant for an hedge, as is has a spectacular growth, of cca 1,20-1,80 m per year. Moreover, when the hedge will reach the dimension you wanted, you can also slow down the process of growth by reducing waterings. Choose that species of plants that is easily adaptable to any type of soil and which can resist very well after trimming and cutting the branches. Choose the species also according to the role you want the hedge to have: functional or decorative.
If you want more intimacy, opt for plants that have a high growth. The low-growing species are proper to frame separate areas of your yard. For adorning a hedge, three stages have to be unfolded: planting, growing and maintaining the hedge. Planting is to be done in spring or autumn. Even if you dig a trench in the length of the line where you are going to plant your plants, or you hoe a pit for each and every tree, the essential idea is to keep a 2cm distance between the trees, avoiding thus the voids.
After planting, the shoots are to be trimmed till 10cm from the soil. This trimming will help them to develop a full foliage and will provide them a more rapid growth of the stems. Each spring only 5cm from the top of the plants is to be trimmed, till your hedge reaches the desired height and length. In case of deciduous shrubs, the trimming will be done in winter. The flowering shrubs don’t need trimming, only removal of the dried and unesthetic branches.
The hedge may have a free or a controlled growth, which need many trimmings. For a parallelepipedic shape, the hedge is to be trimmed straight, and the edging has to be done from time to time in order to maintain its shape. A straight shape of a hedge has the disadvantage of sustaining the snow during wintertime, which will result in the breakage of the leaves. The round hedge is far easier to be maintained, as it will be trimmed less often and it will grow freely.
Source:COSDesign