Ah, its summertime.  Time for baseball, grilling, swimming, and trimming the hedges.  While I’m sure most of us are all for the first few items, I am equally sure that the last item is at the bottom of the list of ‘fun’ activities.  But what if we didn’t even have to worry about that yearly hedge trimming task, or any regular trimming for that matter?

Before (hedges removed) Who knew those windows were there!?

True, the desire to trim the hedges goes back to a personal level; something we’ve been programmed to do because that’s what our parents did, and what their parents did.  Most of the heavy duty trimming that was done was to keep plants at the foundation of the house in check.  In older homes, it was not uncommon to have 3 feet of exposed foundation, or more in some cases, and shrubs and even small trees were planted in order to conceal it.

After

Today, home facades have become more decorative and the need to conceal has actually given way to the opportunity to accent.  Larger windows and doors have meant less room for plants to grow vertically, and the natural tendency is to try to force a plant into an area by constant trimming and pruning.  This can all be avoided by using the right plant in the right place.

Personally, I don’t like the sheared hedge look, not to mention the time and effort required!  I much prefer the natural, open look to plantings, which can get out of hand if you plant a shrub that wants to be 12 feet tall in a space that only allows 3 feet.  By making the right selections on plant materials, the tedious task of trimming can be for the most part avoided, and the natural beauty of each plant can be realized.

There are many plants used in today’s landscape that are much more behaved than some of their ancestors.  ‘Repandens’ Yew is an improved version of an old favorite that has a naturally weeping form and slow growth rate.  Just watch out for the deer, yews are like filet mignon to our four-legged friends. Various types of boxwood including ‘Green Velvet’, ‘Insularis Nana’, and ‘Varder Valley’ all form nice low mounds from 1 to 4 feet in height, and are deer resistant.  ‘Cavatine’ is a form of Pieris (some may be more familiar with the name Japonica) that also stays quite low without the need for pruning.

So, if you are tired of hoisting that hedge trimmer, and doing that delicate balancing act off of your step ladder, maybe it is time to have one of our designers out to show you what new options exist.  Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to sell that old hedge trimmer at a neighborhood yard sale…another summertime favorite!