Words associated with plants have to be some of the most beautiful in usage. There’s an undoubted romance and yesteryear quality to many of them, conjuring forth sepia filled dreams and visions of luxurious afternoons full of laughter and dappled light.
Then there’s ‘hedge’. We know – this definitely does not appear to be one of those beautiful words. Yet it is.
It’s beautiful because of its use, which pretty much describes the use of hedging. For example, you can ‘hedge your bets’, meaning when you invest in a hedge there is little chance of losing out on anything. Hedges will always pay you back by providing privacy and structure. Ok, so it doesn’t really mean that but it’s close enough.
GRISELINIA littoralis ‘Broadway’ - Native Broadleaf/Kapuka
We use ‘hedges’ in writing to soften what we say or write (i.e. ‘kind of’, ‘sort of’). So ‘hedges’ beautify our words, as they beautify our gardens. Again, we might be taking a small poetic licence with our interpretation. That’s ok though, we’re just ‘hedging’ our words.
And should you not believe ‘hedge’ to be a beautiful word, we’d point to two examples that might sit aside the dictionary description. And these hedges surely are quite beautiful…
Griselinia - Broadleaf hedging near the entrance of Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown
Those strikingly green leaves are dense and glossy, making them very well suited for hedging or screening. With careful clipping into a small, formal hedge, they can be used to add structure and direction to a landscape or garden. It won’t matter where your garden is either. This is an incredibly hardy plant which can handle everything from the coast to an inland frost.
See how they were used to create beauty at Matakauri Lodge. First photo as pool/privacy screening and second photo around paths at the lodge.
Aerial view of the hedge maze of Carpinus – Hornbeam at The Hills, Arrowtown
The oval leaves with serrated edges provide a hint of toughness of the hornbeam. And whilst the leaves turn to a classic copper and golden colour in Autumn, most will remain in place for year-round leaf cover. Amenable to clipping, the Hornbeam can be used as hedging or is often used to dramatic effect in a pleached avenue. The deciduous hornbeam will grow up to 8m.
See below how they were used to create beauty at The Hills. Carpinus Hornbeam used as a border for paths and to break up different garden areas in the landscape, creating ‘rooms’ as such.
It seems the hedging email last week struck a chord with readers. This has compelled us to share more about hedges, but rather than force you to read through line after line of dubious quality prose, we figured a ‘show to tell’ approach might be more appropriate this week. So we headed out into the nursery to make a short video to share with you.
You can view that video here:
Of course, we couldn’t resist completely ignoring the inclination to write. So here’s a little bit about the stars of the show:
PRUNUS lusitanica – Portuguese Laurel
The dark, deep green of the leaves are finished in a magnificent high gloss that glistens in sunlight, adding depth and texture to the aesthetics.
Then in late spring, racames of gentle white flowers appear, attracting birdlife and adding the fragrance of summer. With its dense, bushy habit, the Portuguese Laurel makes for a perfect formal hedge or screen. It’s a hardy evergreen that can be expected to grow up to 5×3 metres.
Key characteristics of Laurel:
Evergreen
Lush, deep-green foliage year round
Trims into a dense hedge, or can be left as a rounded, bushy tree.
GRISELINIA littoralis ‘Broadway’ – Native Broadleaf/Kapuka
Those strikingly green leaves are dense and glossy, making them very well suited for hedging or screening. With careful clipping into a small, formal hedge, they can be used to add structure and direction to a landscape or garden. It won’t matter where your garden is either. This is an incredibly hardy plant which can handle everything from the coast to an inland frost.
Key characteristics of Broadleaf:
Evergreen
Fresh, medium-green foliage
Creates a dense hedge, or bushy windbreak
Hardy for all round NZ – coastal to inland
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