The Sunnyvale Sun

Gardening

Leucospermum, or pincushion, is one of many flowering shrubs (and some trees) in the large Protea family. Proteas tend to be particular about their needs for full sun, excellent drainage and only moderate water.

Hedges are a good way to divide gardens, boundaries

By Tony Tomeo

Hedges traditionally have been used to divide large gardens into smaller spaces, or to define boundaries. Now that gardens are much smaller, and homes are closer together, hedges are useful to obstruct views and provide privacy. There are, fortunately, many plants that can be sculpted into different kinds of hedges.

Informal hedges are more popular because they require less maintenance than formally sheared hedges. Ironically, formally sheared hedges that were traditionally more popular in larger gardens would be more practical and proportionate to smaller modern gardens. Larger plants, such as privet, photinia and eugenia, which can be confined as sheared hedges, are simply too large as informal hedges in small spaces.

Informal hedges that are not shorn should be made of plants that naturally conform to the desired size and shape. For example, unshorn Indian hawthorn planted in a row will naturally form a dense, low, mounding hedge, which incidentally blooms quite colorfully. Hopseed bush naturally forms a tall and narrow hedge that needs only minor and occasional trimming to shape. Some types of pittosporum are naturally low and dense; others are tall and narrow.

Densely foliated plants with small leaves are best for sheared hedges. Japanese or English boxwood are classic low hedges. African boxwood and myrtle are similar, but somewhat larger. Plants with larger leaves might appear tattered after being shorn because the many cut leaves are more visible.

Thorny plants make good "barrier" hedges to keep people out of an area. Barberry, firethorn (Pyracantha) and natal plum, for example, are so thorny trespassers will go through them only once. They are also a bit uncomfortable to handle while pruning or shearing.

Flowering plants do not get many opportunities to bloom if shorn as formal hedges, but some can bloom as informal hedges. Lemon bottlebrush is an old-fashioned hedge that can bloom even as a somewhat formal hedge if not shorn too frequently and allowed to get a bit shaggy. Oleanders need more space but bloom quite colorfully as an informal hedge. Protea and leucadendron enthusiasts actually use upright varieties as informal screens that provide striking flowers.

Hedges should be slightly wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. Hedges that are wider at the top may shade their own lower foliage, particularly on the north side. Because the shaded portions grow slower, they cannot catch up to the more rapidly growing wider tops. Eventually, the lower portion of some plants can become so sparse that they do not function as hedges.

It is important to maintain uniformity within a hedge. Screens or informal hedges of different plants are certainly effective, but appear to be cluttered. Just one different plant in a formal hedge ruins the symmetry. Odd plants occasionally grow within hedges as seedlings from other plants in the landscape, or are actually planted to replace plants that have died. Maintaining uniformity can be difficult when patching old Japanese boxwood hedges because modern varieties are darker green than the old yellowish green type that was available when boxwood hedges were popularly planted.

Some older landscapes still have hedged trees that were popular in the Victorian period. Trees like Monterey cypress, coastal redwood and California pepper were used because they were readily available, did not need much water (which was not used so liberally back then) and gardens had plenty of room.

Flowers of the Week: Protea family

Hobbyists enjoy growing many species in the Proteaceae family for their striking large flowers. Some bloom in autumn or winter. The more popular types bloom in spring or summer. They are excellent cut flowers, both fresh and dried. Some types have long, narrow leaves with coarse zigzag margins.

Leucospermum cordifolium, or "pincushion," has bright red, orange or yellow flowers, is compact enough to grow in the garden and has flowers that will last up to a month when cut and placed in water. King protea, Protea cynaroides, has wide, crown-like flowers often found in dried arrangements. Silver tree, Leucadendron argenteum, is grown for its remarkably silvery foliage, and can grow to 15 feet tall. Other types are about 6 feet tall. Fast draining soil is essential. Proteas can be difficult to use in the landscape because they do not like frequent watering and will not bloom much if fertilized.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.