PLANTS SUITABLE FOR HEDGES

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 1, 5 July 1911, Page 40

PLANTS SUITABLE FOR HEDGES

Many amateurs with exposed gardens, sometimes are at a loss to know what hedge plant will be most suitable for their sections. As the season for planting out hedges has arrived, we propose giving a list of some sorts suitable. Eleagnus Japonica is not so popular as it used to be. Experience has proved that it requires a lot of labour in order to keep it within bounds. In some paits of the Auckland province it lias shown signs of disease, and when L’l ? Haves turn yellow the affected plane soon dies out. We do not recommend this plant. Olearia Foster! i makes an excellent hedge, is very easily kept and stands well in ex posed places. The native Pit tosporums are good subjects for hedges. The best known variety is, perhaps. P. ( rassifoliuni; this makes a grand hedge for small orchards or gardens. It should be well pruned in its earlier stages in order to get it to stool out well at the bottom. It stands clipping, and is ornamental and affords real

protection to orchard and garden. P. JJuchanni is a smaller - leaved variety, and makes a close hedge, but does not withstand heavy gales so well as Crassifolium. P. Eugeniodies is a beautiful Blender leaved sort, suitable for small gardens. P. Nigra is subject to pests and not suitable.

Tecoma is one of the best hedge plants for warm localities. It will not succeed where frosts are severe. Cupreseus Lawsoniana is a grand plant for hedges, but like many good things it is Tather slow - in growth. It requires very little clipping and is suitable for moderate sized gardens, or large ones. It does best when given plenty of room — about 8 or even 9 feet is not too much between the plants, and once it gets established it grows into a dense pyramidal shaped plant, and gives a perfect shelter. So far no disease has attacked this plant in the Dominion. Escallonias are highly ornamental subjects for small hedges. E. Macrantha, with its shining leaves and red flowers, is perhaps best known. It soon grows into a nice stocky hedge if kept trimmed. E. Eriocoides is a smaller leaved variety, which grows about nine feet high, and Jias small Erica-lika racemes of pale pink, a very showy hedge. E. Pendula, a rweeping variety, iis not suitable for general work, hut is a fast grower. Barberry is a boy proof hedge of rather slow growth, and is not evergreen. The berries are highly ornamental. Some people fight shy of this plant, owing to its bad reputation as a “host” for rust. There are some who prefer mixed hedges, and all sorts of mixed fences are sometimes put in. Barberry and Eleagnus, Eleagnus and Crimson Rambler roses, China roses and Enonymus, Pittisporum and Enonymus, Privet and Eleagnus. These, of course, are a matter of taste, but for our own part we prefer A hedge all of the one variety of plant. Laurels make good hedges, but in some situations they do not succeed well. Privet makes a very good hedge, but is objected to by some on account of the “sickly” perfume of its flowers. Box thorn is a boy proof fence, but the plant Only succeeds on rich, well-manured land. It requires a lot of trimming, and will not succeed on stiff clay or poor land. Bamboos are very ornamental for screens or for small hedges. Some of the varieties are very objectionable on Account of sending out suckers. The variety Bambusa nana, however, is freo from this fault.