Landscaping Advice/Question

[jay]

I have what I think you call a box hedge ( 3 different plants, it appears) on my property by the front door that needs to be replaced, It's on the right in this photo.

It's at least 7 years old, and may be closer to 17 (the house was built in 1990). I think the drought we had a year or so ago took a toll, and the heavy wet snow recently bent it all over the place.

For the last few months I've just been pruning back the dead areas, but now it's getting unsightly. I'm going to dig it up and replace it in the next month.

What would you replace it with?

[jay]

Here's a picture with that hedge circled in red. It was much healthier then, as you can see.

[tim.s]

Are you looking for another hedge type plant or something more decorative (i.e., colorful or flowering)?

It looks like that is the neighbor's garage (?) to the right of your hedge (boy, that's close living). Not knowing what grows well in your climate or how much room you have there, my advise is to go ask at your local nursery.

If you find a place with lots to chose from, you can probably get a good looking replacement and have the people at the nursery help you pick something hearty enough for your weather.

[OB3]

Have you considered putting up a small, waist high white vinyl fence to seperate your property from your neighbors? It will give some division of your space from theirs, be a nice clean line, and also be virtually maintenance free ?

Then add some low growing evergreen, something that does not need very much upkeep ?

just my 2 cents..

[jay]

It's a townhouse community. My house is the 4th of 5 in my block. I'm certain that a fence would not be permitted, and wouldn't want to do that. Once you adjust psychologically to the close quarters, it really isn't bad.

I'm looking for something that's low maintenance to fill that space, and not look unbalanced. I will be stopping by a nursery for advice, but figured someone in hp.org-land would have some suggestions.

[OB3]

I think the NY was coming out of me, a fence is always an answer when it comes to neighbors


i will take a couple pictures of my stuff tonight/tomorrow. i have a few shrubs that are pretty low maintenance


I am sure whatever you do will be nice and conform with the rest of the look of your space. A nice contrasting color would be nice, I was always told contrasting colored shrubs are key to a good appearance

[guitarman]

You might want to consider 2 or 3 small azaleas. They would add some color to the landscape.

[74PILOTMOM]

I looooooove gardening.
Personally, i'd put some height there. Something slow growing, but interesting.
I opted for a Spiral dwarf pine tree, About 4 feet tall & $80. Of course, I'm biased

[snippet]

It looks like the other hedges are the same type of plant. If you want to keep that symmetry, then I'd snip a branch and take it to the nursery to buy replacements.

It all depends on what you want? How tall should it get, formal pruned look or informal, flowering, colorful leaves, fruiting, evergreen or decidious.....

If you want something different.....
I like dwarf nandina. They are easy to grow, with a lacy look and don't spread out. They produce berries and their leaves change to bronze and red in the fall.

A shrub rose would look nice too. They have thorns, so you'd have to keep it trimmed.

A barberry is attractive and has pretty red berries. Buth they have thorns, so it might not work right next to your front door.

Russian olive has nice gray/green leaves and flowers too. It even fruits too. They have a low water requirement but grow pretty fast.

Forsythias are nice informal hedges and have bright yellow flowers in the spring.

Even a dwarf winged Euonymus would be nice. It's leaves turn bright red in the fall.

A yew or holly would be a nice evergreen alternative too.

[robrecht]

Originally posted by jay
Here's a picture with that hedge circled in red. It was much healthier then, as you can see.

Wow, that must be a really old photo! Is that a Honda Pilot in your driveway?

[guitarman]

Originally posted by robrecht
Wow, that must be a really old photo! Is that a Honda Pilot in your driveway?

I appears Jay goes through bushes almost as fast as he go through vehicles.

[jay]

As a followup to my earlier posts, I replaced that hedge. Here's the dying hedge with chunks missing.

[jay]

Side shot of the dying hedge.

[jay]

Here you can se that hedge was three plants. The front one was dying faster than the others.

[jay]

Here's the Dwarf Montgomery Spruce (from Costco) that replaced the hedge.