Blooming Fences - Instead of Ugly Cedar Hedges

 

Instead of these ugly, dark cedar “fences” that are popular in Canada, homeowners could as well plant colorful blooming shrubs that are attractive throughout the seasons - even to bees. While cedars are not only costly to purchase and plant, they require constant trimming throughout their lives. Often the hedge trimmers trample through flower beds and do not always remove down-fallen clippings so it needs additional raking and pick-up.

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Fall is Planting Time

On the other hand, shrubs like Weigelia, Rosa Glauca, Kerria Japonica, Quince, Berberis Rose Glow, Hydrangeas, or Philadelphus only need a little bit of trimming every other year - an easy task for garden owners.  No ladder is necessary!  However, no matter which shrubs you choose as a hedge, they all need to be watered when there is a lack of rain - even cedar hedges suffer in dry spells.

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My Favoured BLOOMING SHRUBS around the property:

Quince - follows soon after with pink/salmon-color blooms
https://www.monrovia.com/be-inspired/flowering-quince-for-early-spring-blooms.html

Dwarf Pink Bloomerang Lilac - much longer blooming than average Lilac

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/syringa/bloomerang-dwarf-pink-reblooming-lilac-syringa-x

Rosa Glauca - loves shade, rare for a rose, and has blue-green leaves

https://www.greatplantpicks.org/plantlists/view/1348

Kerria Japonica - brightens shade spots with its abundance of yellow blooms

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/japanese-kerria/

Philadelphus - blooms white in summer and has a pleasant fragrance 
https://www.gardenia.net/plant/philadelphus-avalanche-mock-orange

The Best Fence You Could Imagine ...

Berberis Rose Glow - shows only tiny, insignificant blooms, but the beautiful maroon leaves are colorful almost all year round.  It also creates a kind of “wall” due to its many thorns.  No one would even try to brush through ...

http://search.millcreeknursery.ca/11050005/Plant/628/Rose_Glow__Barberry/

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/berberis/sunjoy-neo-barberry-berberis-thunbergii

https://www.gardenia.net/plant/berberis-thunbergii-atropurpurea-rose-glow

Weigela Spilled Wine

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/weigela/spilled-wine-weigela-florida

Kerria Japonica 

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/japanese-kerria/growing-japanese-kerria.htm

 

Philadelphus

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/philadelphus/illuminati-arch-mockorange-philadelphus-coronarius

Quince

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/growing-conditions-flowering-quince-bush-58384.html

https://www.gardenista.com/posts/gardening-101-flowering-quince-chaenomeles-speciosa-plant-growing-guide/

Dwarf Pink Bloomerang Lilac

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/syringa/bloomerang-dwarf-pink-reblooming-lilac-syringa-x

Better enclose your yard with flowering hedges instead of fences to add color, texture, and even fragrance to your garden space. 

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See also: 
https://garden-dream.blogspot.com/2018/05/3-great-shrubs-instead-of-fence.html

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3 Great Shrubs Instead of a Fence

Most fences are not only ugly but almost an eyesore.  Not to speak about their ridiculously high prices.  Even if you are living in an area with frequent deer "visits" you might not need a fence.  There are three lovely shrubs - with three different leaf colors that are inexpensive, attractive and deterrents to unwanted human or animal visitors. My suggestion is to plant alternating Rosa Rugosa, Barberry, and Seabuckthorn. 
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Rosa Rugosa:
Also called Beach Rose, it is best grown in moist, slightly acidic, well-drained garden loam in full sun to part shade.  But this rose is very hardy, prickly, and also very adaptable to somewhat poor soils, including sandy, clay or gravelly ones.  I once planted the Rosa Rugosa into the extremely poor soil, almost all clay, but it thrived wonderfully for many years - and it still does - as I can see when driving by my former garden.

They can be propagated through the rose hips, just plug them from the main plant and lay the hips half an inch deep into the soil where you want it to grow.  It might take two years until the first booms show.  But hey!  You got this new plant for free.

Best flowering and disease resistance generally occur in full sun.
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Berberis - Barberry
Barberry was introduced from Japan around 1875. It is commonly planted for ornamental reasons as well as against wildlife and erosion.  Berberis, commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs.  They are appreciated for their bright, colorful foliage and graceful arching stems.  The most beautiful color shows the variety “Rose Glow”. It has a stunning dark pink appearance.  This attractive, but thorny bush keeps everything and anyone from your property.
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Seabuckthorn
The flowers are tiny, the Seabuck"thorns" (hence the name) are a very good deterrent for any invaders, human or otherwise.  Seabuckthorn hedges, especially in fall and winter, are most showy with big clusters of orange berries.  I just like it as a beautiful fence, for an occasional winter snack, and as a treat for birds.
Read more about the fantastic health benefits which these berries provide:

http://garden-dream.blogspot.ca/2010/04/i-get-lot-of-compliments-for-my.html

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Whatever you do with any of these "plant fences" - such as planting or pruning - use very sturdy gloves, they are not forgiving!  However, their sturdiness and easy or "no-maintenance" are great values on the outskirts of your garden.  And as a bonus, you will get so much attractive color in the garden - almost year-round. 
Happy Gardening!

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