Hedges are a part of the landscape of a property made up of closely planted shrubs or trees. They can be used to simply mark the boundary of a property or lead the eye to follow paths across the yard. Shrubs are also very useful when you’re looking for privacy in your yard, but you don’t want the impersonality of a fence. When looking at landscaping in Massachusetts, hedges can give your yard a homier feeling. There’s nothing like walking out into your yard and seeing the greenery. Depending on the kinds of hedges planted, they can also have other uses.
Design
Hedges have been used throughout history as a way to beautify a property. Hampton Court Palace in England was the home to Henry VIII and still has many of the gardens created during his time. The gardens of Hampton Court used hedges to line walkways and lead the eye toward focal points in the grounds. When landscaping in Massachusetts you can use some of the same techniques. Where you have walkways in your yard, smaller plants like forsythia or glossy abelia make great accents.
Privacy
Privacy is always a nice asset to have in your yard. It allows you to sunbathe or hang out with friends away from the prying eyes of neighbors and is always a selling point if you ever wish to sell. Certain hedges can act as fences and give you an aesthetically pleasing and natural way to hide. It is best to use plants that can grow taller and closer together when creating a privacy hedge. Spirea makes a great privacy hedge as it can grow up to eight feet tall and fills in with lovely flowers. For a more traditional privacy hedge, you can never go wrong with emerald green arborvitae. This green shrub is used in many gardens and parks, is cold and heat tolerant, and can grow up to fifteen feet tall.
Other
Other uses for hedges come from the plants themselves. This is why choosing the right plant for your hedge can be fun and interesting. Hedges can be used to block wind and are useful to plant to protect patios and other areas of the yard you like to spend time. The emerald green arborvitae is good in this case. Some also choose plants that perfume their yard with nice scents. Lavender is a good choice for this as it has a strong and pleasant aroma that carries in the air. Other plants have medicinal qualities too. Dogwoods produce an edible fruit that can also create a blue-dye and oil used for lighting. Then there’s the hibiscus which produces oil from the seeds, a shampoo from the leaves, and a dye from the flowers. These choices add new functions to your hedges when landscaping in Massachusetts.
Every yard can use hedges for a multitude of reasons. They’re a pretty way to curb the landscape exactly how you want. Though the payoff is worth it, planting hedges can be tricky work so it’s best to talk to the professionals. For a consultation, contact Cataldo Landscaping & Masonry at 781-304-8900.