Do you plan to create very beautiful low hedges? If so, you need to choose a series of plants for low hedges that are best suited to what you need. And you have to think that some are deciduous, some are evergreen; others have flowers of great ornamental value and others do not.
For this reason, we are going to recommend a series of shrubs and other types of plants that we believe will be very useful to you.
Abelia
Image – Wikimedia/Bri Weldon
Abelia is a semi-deciduous shrub; that is, it does not drop all the leaves, only part of them. It reaches a maximum height of 3 meters and branches a lot. The leaves are relatively small and green in color; and when the plant blooms, in the spring, it produces white flowers.
It is an ideal plant to have low hedges, because tolerates pruning and does not fear frost. Of course, it is recommended to have it in full sun so that it produces a lot of flowers, because if it is in partial shade, it will cost more to bloom.
cotoneaster
Image – Wikimedia/peganum
The genus Cotoneaster It is composed of a series of deciduous or evergreen shrubs -depending on the species- that reach a height of between 0.5 and 5 meters. The most suitable for low hedges are, of course, those that grow little, such as these:
- Cotoneaster coriaceus: persistent. It reaches 4 meters in height.
- Cotoneaster Franctii: persistent. It reaches 3 meters in height.
- Cotoneaster horizontalis: persistent. Its maximum height does not reach one meter; It measures about 80 centimeters.
They are very hardy plants, which can grow in full sun as well as partial shade, and also tolerates pruning very well. As if that weren’t enough, frosts don’t scare them.
Dimorfotheque
Dimorfoteca is a herbaceous plant, or what amounts to the same thing: a grass. Can a grass be used for a hedge? Well, if it’s to create a low edge, of course you can. It lives for several years and multiplies rapidly from seed.; It shouldn’t even surprise you to see new seedlings growing in the garden around the parent plant. It reaches a height of about 30 centimeters, but a width of about 60 centimeters; and its flowers bloom in spring and summer, sometimes also in autumn if the temperatures are mild.
Resists drought and cold well, but no moderate frosts. Being from tropical Africa (subtropical, rather), we must not expose it to temperatures below -3ºC.
Durillo
Image – Wikimedia/Retama
The durillo or viburnum It is an evergreen shrub that reaches a height of about 2 to 4 meters.. It has a more or less rounded shape and produces in spring white flowers grouped in inflorescences. Due to its beauty and ease of cultivation, it is a highly recommended species for use as a low hedge.
Just plant it in a sunny position, and water it moderately. It tolerates pruning quite well, as well as frost.
Photinia
Image – Wikimedia/Daniel VILLAFRUELA
Fotinia is a very popular evergreen shrub for creating low hedges, especially the ‘Red Robin’ cultivar, as it produces new red leaves. Its height varies according to the species, but the one used for what interests us is generally the Photinia x fraseriwhich is only about 5 meters high. And to top it off, it produces many white flowers in spring.
Frost resistant, but it must be in a sunny place. So he can grow well.
hebe or veronica
Image – Flickr/Andres Bertens
The bush known as hebe or verónica is evergreen, and it rarely exceeds two meters in height. Also, the normal thing is that it remains much smaller, with about a meter. What is interesting are undoubtedly the flowers, since they are produced in large numbers in spring, and they are also very decorative. These can be lilac, white or pink depending on the species.
But be pretty it should be kept in partial shade or full sun, and must be protected from severe frosts. To have it in a low hedge, the winter will have to be mild, without frost or very weak.
Lavender
Lavender is not a bush, but a bush, but in a garden it is used for practically the same thing as any other shrubby plant. In fact, one of the uses is as a low hedge. As you know, and if we don’t tell you, it is evergreen, it is about one meter high and it has lavender-colored flowers that appear in spring. The whole plant is aromatic, and it is this aroma that will also serve as a mosquito repellent.because these insects do not like anything.
Where to plant it? Good it is important that it is exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day so that it can grow well. Likewise, the land must have good drainage, since it is a plant that is not prepared to withstand excess water.
Mahonia
The mahonia or Oregon grape is an evergreen shrub that reaches one meter and one meter in height. The leaves are leathery and have a prickly margin., something you need to consider when planting it when choosing where to plant it. And although they are green, if the winter is cold, they turn reddish. In spring, it produces bright yellow flowers.
It is perfect to have in shade or partial shade, as it does not like being exposed to direct sunlight for too long, especially in hot weather. Tolerates frost.
saw palmetto
And why not plant a row of hearts of palm? these palm trees they only reach three meters in height, they are very hardy and very resistant to drought, so you won’t have to water them much. Its leaves are fan-shaped and its trunks (they are multistemmed, that is, they produce several stems) are no more than about 30 centimeters thick.
But yes, they must be planted one meter apart for the hedge to be attractive; if they are very close to each other, they will not grow well and the visual result will not be what you expect. But otherwise, you should know that the Chamaerops humilisas it is called, resists frost down to -5ºC.
Rosemary
Image – Wikimedia/Frank Vincentz
Rosemary is a herbaceous plant whose stems eventually become lignified, so it ends up being a woody herb. It can measure about 2 meters high at most, but also its rather slow growth, can be cut and even shaped if you want In fact, there are those who have it as a bushy and compact plant, and others as a small tree.
It has lilac flowers that bloom in spring, but they can do it again in the fall if the temperatures are still mild. And what to say? It is a very interesting plant for creating low hedges, which resists drought without problems and also supports sub-zero temperatures (as long as they are not extreme).
Which of these plants for low hedges did you like the most?