Hi, My mom wants to replace a too-tall cedar hedge with something she won't have to have pruned. It can be fairly deep e.g. 8 to 10 feet, and preferably fairly tall (12 feet-ish). Unsure if she should plant all one kind, or mix different ones for a more natural look. She has probably about 30 feet to do, needs to keep cost down. Does not want to have to look at unkempt yard/house behind her. She spends a lot of time on her second floor balcony facing house behind her. Haven't been able to find much that is fairly tall but not overwhelmingly so. She lives in Chilliwack, and the hedge would span the width of her back yard, meeting up with trees on neighours to each side. So far, have come come up with the following possibilities: Holly (Ilex) Firethorn (Pyacantha coccinea) Variegated Japanese Laurel (Aucuba japonica 'Variegata') aka Gold Dust Tree Cotoneaster Euonymus Oregon Grape Boxwood Would any of these do ok in soil once occupied by cedar? My only other idea is if the neighbour behind would split the cost of a fence Even if it was just chain link fence, she could grow vines up it, then plant a few small trees along it, to bring the overall height up to a more effective range. Might make the back yard look a bit more spacious to not have a deep hedge taking up so much room. Unsure what trees would stay small enough to not need pruning. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Oregon Grape only get a few feet high. Pyracantha comes in several cultivars that get to several different heights. But... Look up the following... Ceanothus (California Lilac) Also comes in several heights but has clusters of blue to purple Flowers. Sort of like small lilacs. Leycesteria formosa (common name Himilayan honeysuckle, but not a honeysuckle) Has grape like clusters of burgundy berries with tiny white flowers mixed in. Will get pretty tall if not pruned. but pretty and different because not many people plant it. It will re-seed it's self but is controlable. What about Syringia (Common Lilac) A bazillion colors and gets pretty tall. Kerria japonica - small leaves and inch or so w/yellowflowers that look like tissue paper. More bushy than tall. Taxus ( Yew) Tends to grow tall and compact. Conifer but no cones instead it has interesting tiny pink berries. My birds love to hide in it from a local hawk and build their nests inside. Lonicera (Honeysuckle) To climb all over everything and fill in the holes. Again, birds love to hide in mine. We do have a yellow orangish native in this area. Hope this gives you some more ideas. barb
Mahonia aquifolium is typically 5'-15' tall in this area. Even taller examples are known. Apart from the prickly spent, fallen leaves being an annoyance to the tidy-minded many specimens here have been rusting quite a bit lately, perhaps due to the cool and damp phase we have been in. This produces a gauntness not desirable in a hedge, heavily afflicted specimens can be seen right through.
Sadly everything needs maintence - hedge pruning or fence painting.... Trimming hedges makes them full and effective screens. To get screening at height she'll need some patience or some cash to get the screening at her desired 12' height. I'd try to get a fence with vines and trees.
