HI We have a 25 year old cedar hedge in Comox. It has never been looked after. It's in pretty healthy shape from what we can surmize. I don't know what varitey it is. It is a light green almost "yellow" with many seeds clumps. I was looking on this site for a picture but cannnot find photo examples. I'd like to prune it to a "wall" to provide a sound buffer to the busy road located behind our home. The hedge is up to 20 feet tall and up to 8 -10 feet wide at its base. Any comments would be appreciated. cheers eric
Many yellow foliage forms of Thuja occidentalis have been cultivated. This species is apt to cone heavily and noticeably. Or, it might be something like Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Aurea'. Common in local gardens, although no longer prevalent in nurseries. Neither will do much for blocking sound, sheared or otherwise. You need something architectural for that. Here some neighborhoods have been given high concrete walls to reduce freeway noise.
Are you sure you want to prune this into a hedge? Sounds like its doing the job intended right now, at least as a visual barrier. Personally, I like the more informal look of an unpruned shrub, and you'll be setting yourself up for an endless maintenance routine. A bit off topic, but often you can use something like a water feature to mask unwanted noise.
Try google image search, to see if any of these match: http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2004-34,RNWE:en&q=cedrus&sa=N&tab=wi
update. cedar hedge identification and pruning Well thank you all for your comments. I got to thinking and had a look through my photos to find a couple that included ones of our hedge. If you have the fancy to have a look. I have attached them to this message. [ B]Michael F,[/B] I'm having a look through your google link to see what I can find. Gordo, it's hard to tell from the photo's but the hedge is getting out of hand. And we'd like to start a garden so a bit of trim would give us more room And....the hedge is starting to reach out onto the street (yes the one across from the shell gas station, which is part of why we're trying to make a wall) and before the city comes and gives it a crew cut we figured we'd just give it a nice trim. Ron B, I've actually had a bit of a think on the concrete wall idea. Figure the neighbours might want to get on board. Most are in there 80's so funds are tight. Was hoping the city might be doing a street upgrade and get them to fund a wall (not likely). As well the height most likely would mean we'd have to include some sort of ivy or flower baskets within the concrete wall. So all good ideas but time and money not avail at this time. Using the existing hedge is our short term option. (hopefully long as well). Re ongoing maintenance. Yes I'd rather look at my garden than tend it (well tend in spring and fall then play in the summer). but our hedge needs some "exercise" as she's looking a little portly. Thanks for your input.
So doesn't that mean that if it is cut back into old wood it will no longer sprout new growth? You don't want a bare brown hedge, so best check that. Or, if that happens, you could grow clematis up it...
