Is there a better way?
Yes. Our way. The better way to privacy screening is to install a finished hedge rather than wait years for smaller plants to fill in.
In 2012, while visiting nurseries in Europe I came across QuickHedge in the Netherlands. They invented a system of growing finished hedges using one of a kind equipment. Although finished hedges are available in many European countries as well as New Zealand, QuickHedge developed a singular system for in-ground production. Their success is, in part, due to their light organic soil that permits them to harvest one meter sections of hedge into a cardboard box.
There is only one other grower in the States using a QuickHedge system. There are others who grow hedge plants as individuals and sell them for assembly in the landscape
In our system, we plant hedge plants on 2 foot centers, usually in a continuous 500 foot row. We harvest the plants individually in typical B&B form.
Instant Hedging for Privacy
We have about 7 miles of hedge in production. Plants included in the program include:
- Fagus sylvatica, Fagus sylvatica var. purpurea
- Parrotia persica, Parrotia ‘Persian Spire’
- Prunus laurocerasus (West Coast Clone)
- Buxus sempervirens ‘Green Mountain’, Buxus microphylla ‘John Baldwin’
- Ilex meserveae ‘Blue Maid’, Ilex aquipernyi ‘Dragon Lady’
- Ligustrum ovalfolium, Ligustrum vulgare ‘Cheyenne’
- Rhamnus frangula ‘Fine Line’
- Viburnum rhytidophyllum, Viburnum rhytidophyllum ‘Cree’, Viburnum x pragense,
- Carpinus betulus
- Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Pinpoint’
Instant Hedging for Borders
Plants included in the program garden borders include: Buxus sempervirens ‘Green Mountain’, Ilex meserveae ‘Blue Maid’, Rhamnus frangula ‘Fine Line’, and Buxus microphylla ‘John Baldwin’.
We can also grow some of the ‘hedging for privacy’ plants on contract at smaller sizes. Further, if there is a particular plant you would like us to include in the hedging program, give us a call.
Availability
Our first planting was in 2017 and includes moderately fast-growing plants as well as very slow growing. Faster-growing hedges such as Ligustrum ovalifolium are available starting in Spring 2023 at 7-8 feet tall. Others including Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, Ilex meservae 'Blue Maid', Viburnum rhytidophyllum, and Viburnum pragense will be available between 4 and 5 feet tall.
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