Gareth Carter: Small hedges have multiple functions in home garden

Teucrium makes a stylish silver-coloured hedge. Photo / Supplied

Hedges on a property can serve a number of functions. They can be for creating privacy from neighbours or the street. Hedges are used to provide shelter and protection from wind and sun. They can be for purely aesthetic purposes where they create rooms within a property or are used to guide the eye to a particular vista while blocking another area. A dividing hedge allows different themed areas to be created.

Some hedges are designed to edge a garden or patio and still be seen over, while others will need to grow large and tall to provide the required screening or protection.

There are many applications where the same hedge will provide several functions.

Today’s column looks at some of the suitable species for small hedges in the home garden. These varieties are suitable for edging gardens, pathways or separating one area from another in the garden. They are also useful around a lawn area where children kick the ball around, with a low hedge useful for repelling stray footballs away from precious plants.

Buxus: This has been a traditional hedge for centuries. The epitome of the formal English garden, it provides a classic look. It has in recent times become more problematic to grow with the arrival and spread of buxus blight. This disease isn’t always a problem and can be controlled with spraying. It can be kept as a hedge from 25cm high up to 1.5m high (this would take 12-15 years).

There are a few varieties available including Buxus sempervivans, the traditional variety. Buxus Green Gem has a slightly larger and more rounded leaf and is slightly faster growing. Another popular form is Buxus Korensis (Korean Box) which has lighter, more lime green, new growth and a softer, slightly weeping appearance with its foliage. This variety has shown resistance to buxus blight. Plant four per metre. It is a slow grower so will take three to five years to establish a 30cm high hedge. The bonus is it will only need to be trimmed about once a year in future.

Chilean Guava aka Myrtus ugni or NZ Cranberry: This fruiting hedge is a great way to add another edible plant to your garden. The fruit ripens in autumn (now actually) and has the most delicious fragrant aroma that carries around the area where it is grown. Trimmed as a hedge, it has a tight habit and makes an attractive form with small deep green leaves. It can be kept as a hedge from 30cm high up to 1.5m high. Plant four per metre. Quick to establish, it will need to be trimmed two to three times a year.

Corokia: Frosted Chocolate and Geenty’s Green are two favourite varieties but there are others too. Frosted Chocolate offers a darker-leafed hedge which can be a good contrast in many situations (as can the Geenty’s Green or silver varieties, such as Geenty’s Ghost). It can be kept as a hedge from 50cm high up to 3m high. Plant four per metre for a hedge being trained to 1.5m or less and 1m spacing for a taller hedge. Forming a strong dense hedge with a moderate growth rate, if kept to 1.5m or less it will need to be trimmed about twice a year. If larger than 1.5m, you can probably get away with one trim a year.

Buxus hedging is the epitome of the formal English garden. Photo / Supplied

Euonymus Emerald Gem: This hedge is a great substitute for Buxus sempervivans. In many respects, it is a superior hedge as it is not susceptible to buxus blight and is faster to establish. It has small deep green, slightly pointy leaves that form a tight attractive hedge. It can be kept as a hedge from 25cm high up to 1m high. Plant four per metre and it will form a strong dense hedge 30cm high in two years. Trim about twice a year if it is smaller (25-65cm). If larger, then perhaps only one trim a year will be required.

Lonicera Nitida: This is another substitute for buxus with small dark green leaves. It grows super-fast and will form a 30cm hedge in a year or less. It can be kept as a hedge up to 1.5m tall. Plant four per metre for a hedge. It will need to be trimmed about four times a year to be kept tidy.

Teucrium Fruiticans: This plant makes a stylish silver-coloured hedge. It is fast growing, forming a plant that can be kept trimmed from 25cm high up to 1.5m high. Plant four per metre for a hedge and it will form a strong dense hedge 30cm high in less than 12 months. Its fast growth rate makes it great for establishment but it does need pruning every one to two months to keep it looking tidy.

Westringia Grey Box: This is a good substitute for a hot dry area where you want a silvery-coloured hedge but without as much pruning as the Teucrium. Of more moderate growth rate and naturally smaller growing, Grey Box makes a drought-hardy, salt-tolerant hedge of 30cm high. It will reach this size in one year. Plant three or four per metre and prune once or twice per year.

I had intended to write about larger hedges too but this will have to wait for another column.

For more gardening information visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz

* Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre.