PLANTING WITH HEDGES IN CALIFORNIA

Sometimes in a front yard design you may want to screen off the yard from the street. Almost create a wall that separates your property from the others and that provides some interest. Having an actual wall built can get costly, but a less costly alternative is to have hedges. These hedges will vary in type and size depending on your needs and desires. The best methodology is clean and simple. Understated and to the point.

Hedges can look softer and feel less imposing. Now having said that you do have to consider that not all plants will work in your garden as a hedge. Each plant has a specific growing habit and a size that it can get to. Knowing and understanding such factors will help you in the end. Do your homework and pick a plant that can conform to the requirements of your garden.

Below are some hedges to consider for your California garden...

California native hedge appropriate plants

• Arctostaphylos spp.
• Baccharis pilularis
• Ceanothus spp.
• Mahonia spp.
• Myrica califormica
  
• Rhamnus califormmica
• Rhus integrifolia (above picture)
  

California friendly hedge appropriate plants

• Buxus microphylla Var. Japonica (below picture)
  
• Ilex vomitoria
• Photinia fraseri
• Rhaphiolepis indica
• Viburnum tinus
• Xylosma congestum

Where it states spp. next to the botanical names indicates that there are several varieties of that plant that are suitable as hedges. Bear in mind that this is a brief list of plants. As always you should do your homework before just picking a plant.