Best, Low Maintenance Privacy Hedge?

Question

Hi,

I am looking for a privacy hedge to go in the front yard that gets a lot of sun. I will be taking care of them myself so something that doesn't need very much care, occasional watering and feeding is fine. Am thinking arbrovitea or privet hedge although not sure if there is a lot of work with privet hedge.

Thank you!

Answer 1

Check out a web site like DirectGardening.com they have lots of good hedge options. Good info and lowest prices for a quality product. Most hedges will require little from you once the plats are established (the first season of watering and such). What you want to choose depends mostly on how much lateral space you have from the outside border and what you want from your hedge (wind-break, fall color, spring flowers, etc) I really like Rosa Rugosa. They grow and fill in quickly, flower all summer long, have pretty orange rose hips all winter and furry thorns that keep out unwanted hedge-crossers.
Lilacs grow slow and are pricey. Arborvitae, likewise, is a great choice if you can afford bigger plants to start off or are patient enough to wait for them to grow. They will grow up to 3' per year, which is really fast by evergreen standards. Privet grows about the same rate but can look scraggly and thin while you wait for them to fill in. In our yard they couldn't survive my dogs' attention.
I hope you find what you're looking for. Good luck!

Answer 2

Low Maintenance Hedges

Answer 3

Arborvitae is evergreen, privet is deciduous, no leaves in winter. Arborvitae is slower growing than privet which will need trimming probably twice a year. Both are going to take years to reach a good privacy hedge height, hope you are patient. If I remember, the privet took about 5 years to be nice and full....and tall enough.

In real hard growing regions, like super cold, they use Siberian elms as hedges. Our privet hedge died out due to lack of water and Nature replaced it with Siberian elm seedlings from a neighbor's tree. Super fast growing, but also needs trimming every 6 weeks. I'm thinking chain saw time.....remove it, too much work.

Years ago a plant came out called TallHedge Buckthorn. It's claim was it only grows 4 feet wide opposed to the other plants that grow 6 or more feet wide and need constant shearing on the sides as well as the top. Don't know if the plant is still around.

Answer 4

no all of them need trimming a nice ceader is the best but !!!! you have to shape it from day one { thrim every 2-4 weaks] if young when 4-5 years 1-2 a year

Answer 5

lilac bushes are low maintenance plus have good collor at begining of spring . if you keep trim to height they will thicken well.

Answer 6

Love ur pic....I can just hear Peg asking this question in her voice.
sorry ,I don't know nada about hedges.......smile

Answer 7

Japaneese Privet. ?