Design the Right Hedge for Your Yard
In our modern times, privacy is one of the main features people want when designing a yard. Increased population and home builders trying to build more homes on their lot has reduced yard sizes in some areas and made privacy that much more important. Many tree and shrub options work amazingly here in our hot climate, but before you can choose them, you need to consider a few things before you start.
The Benefits of Planting a Hedge
1. Increase Privacy Around Your Home
Nobody wants to feel like they are being watched in their own home. Privacy creation might be crucial if your neighbor’s front door is right next to your front window or if your neighbors two-story home has windows that could easily see your entire property. Without nosy neighbors and prying eyes, you can fully enjoy your outdoor space just as much as your indoor space. Hedges can also help block unwanted views around your home such as streets or passing cars.
2. Less Noise from the Rest of the World
Trees and plants are great ways to help reduce noise in your home from the surrounding areas. As a homeowner, you know that you can only control so much around you, but most things, such as how loud your neighbors are or how close a school is, is out of your hands! This is where a hedge can help! Plant a hedge wall with a tall-growing hedge with dense foliage.
3. Weather Protection
Hedges can accomplish many things like adding privacy, reducing noise, and looking much better than any fence ever could. An awesome perk to planting hedges in your yard is the extra protection your home will have from natural elements. Once established with a secure root system, a hedge fence will be strong against harsh winds.
How to Start Designing Your Hedge
Deciding where your hedge will grow and how it will fit into your landscape is the hardest and most fun part of the project (minus being done and seeing your beautiful hedge in all its glory!) Now is the time to imagine how you would like to benefit from your hedge based on what we talked about earlier in the article. Once the ideas are complete, the only thing left to do is figure out the logistics. Our nursery pros go over some of the common questions to ask yourself when figuring out these details.
How much Space Needs to be Covered?
First, what is going to be the overall length and height of the area that needs to be covered to give the maximum privacy? You can easily do this with a tape measure, google earth, or even the measuring app on your phone. This will help you figure out what type of hedge material is needed.
How Many Hedges Can I Plant in my Yard?
Once you've decided on your height, you will need to think about your spacing. We recommend that hedges be planted nearly box to box or about three feet apart from each other. If you have 100 feet of space you'd like to cover with a hedge, you could use as many as 30 plants. This distance could be pushed to as far as five feet apart, or 20 plants, if you'd like to reduce the number of plants purchased and you are willing to wait sometime for your privacy. You can also determine your budget based on the age of plants you'd like to purchase as well.
An instant hedge is ideal; however, there are different sizes of trees and spacing for all hedge projects to work within your budget. Just ask your Moon Valley Nursery Professional to show you the best options that fit your needs!
Privacy Hedge Options
Japanese Blueberry
A Japanese Blueberry hedge will add a blast of greenery into your new landscape design and seasonal white flowers. It has a dense growth habit with multiple branches that grow upright with lush foliage. This visually appealing evergreen is a fast grower that can be sheared into any form.
The Japanese Blueberry is a low-maintenance tree that is tolerant of heat and thrives in the warmer regions. To get the most privacy out of the Japanese Blueberry, line as many up as needed along a fence or property line so you can feel like your neighbors are far, far away! Their slender form even allows them to fit in tight spaces if needed.
Carolina Cherry
Native to the southern United States, the Carolina Cherry has become a popular choice thanks to its minimal upkeep, natural upright conical shape, and ability to tolerate some of our common weather issues (heat and drought). This hedge variety enjoys the full sun but can also be planted in areas that receive partial shade and still thrive in your yard.
The Carolina Cherry is a small to medium-sized evergreen with dark green, lustrous wavy-edged foliage. It can be trimmed easily into a tall screen or sound barrier, which makes this hedge option a near-perfect option for many homes. The Carolina Cherry is a fast grower so you can start enjoying your new hedge soon. You can also buy mature sizes for an instant hedge and an instant increase in your property value!
More about Hedges from Moon Valley Nurseries
Click here to learn more from our nursery experts about why hedges might be the ideal design for your new yard to add ultimate privacy.
Click here to find out the top questions we hear from our customers about designing with hedges.
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