A beautiful house with a garden is the dream of many people. Once it is realized, it is still worth planting plants along the fence. We present the most popular species that are easy to care for.
The fence can be made of different materials – wood, metal or mesh. Although they serve a protective function of our property, it’s certainly not a decorative one. This is where plants come in handy, as they can help mask and beautify any fence. There are different types to choose from – it all depends on whether we have the time to take care of them, or maybe it’s better to choose those that don’t need too much attention, which are decorative throughout the season, drought-resistant and rarely attacked by pests.
Remember that the soil along the fence is not the best for growing plants and you need to prepare it properly. It is necessary to dig it and remove the remains of building materials, trash and weeds, as well as to test the reaction of the soil and fertilize it. It is also necessary to find out whether there are any electrical or gas installations running there.
It is also worth noting that planting plants along the fence makes it difficult for uninvited guests to enter it, provides privacy (passers-by or neighbors do not look into our garden), protects against dust and noise from the street.
Coniferous hedges are the most common choice, and among them the dominant one is thuyas. It is easy to care for, very decorative and grows quickly, so you don’t have to wait many years to enjoy the beautiful trees. They have different colors – from light yellow to dark green.
It is worth noting that thuyas are evergreen, which means that all year round – also in the winter season – they look the same good. Moreover, they are relatively resistant to high temperature.
The yew taxus, which is very decorative, hardy to cut and has a high self-healing ability, also works well as a hedge. It is an evergreen plant (with orange-red fruit casings) and can reach a height of 5 to even 15 meters. Yew grows very densely, but it is better not to expose it to strong winds.
Berberis will make a beautiful hedge – not only dense but also colorful. You can choose varieties with green leaves and red or yellow ones and plant them alternately (they also look beautiful in free-growing plantings).
Berberis, depending on the variety, can reach up to 4 meters in height and thrive in sun or partial shade. They have low soil requirements and are resistant to diseases and pests. When caring for them, especially when pruning, you need to watch out for their long and sharp thorns.
The cherry blossom is an ideal hedge plant. It grows very fast – up to 10 meters high and is dense. In addition, it has white and pink blossoms which give it a lovely appearance.
Allium can withstand drought, but with frosts can be a bit of a problem – but don’t be discouraged, because the frosted shoots can be removed in spring and any defects will be filled almost immediately. You just have to watch out for thorns.
In addition to plants for hedges, you can also choose annual climbers with beautiful leaves and flowers such as scented peas, runner beans, Japanese hops, purple phlox or perennials such as grape vines, honeysuckle, ivy or knotweed.
They can be planted along virtually any fence – they will wrap around mesh, wooden and metal fences, and even climb the wall and hang decoratively from it.
Ivy is particularly versatile here – it’s green all year round, winter and frost hardy, and additionally has low site requirements. The undoubted advantage of ivy is that it can grow beautifully even in the shade, it does not need constant access to sunlight.