When the bedding withdraws in winter and the trees and bushes no longer have any leaves, evergreen hedge plants cheer up the dreary garden landscape. Even in summer, easy-care perennials have many advantages. As a privacy screen, they enable undisturbed sunbathing on the terrace or attract insects. However, any disadvantages should also be included in the planning. Here is a selection of undemanding varieties.
Table of Contents
Easy-care hedge plants for sunny locations
- Boxwood
- False cypress
The boxwood
Box trees are considered a classic for easy-care garden hedges. Their foliage is not only evergreen, but also looks quite noble. Although the boxwood feels most comfortable on moist, slightly alkaline soils, it is comparatively undemanding thanks to its ability to adapt to the substrate. As a hedge plant, it convinces above all with its dense growth and its extensive design options. Sometimes it serves as a small border, sometimes Buxus sempervirens rises up as an evergreen privacy screen. Shapes such as castle walls can also be cut from its branches. However, regular pruning is necessary for a well-groomed appearance. The growth of the boxwood is about 20-30 cm per year. Buxus semppervirens reaches a maximum height of up to eight meters.
Advantage:
- dense growth
- diverse design
- noble optics
- evergreen
- undemanding
- winter and frost hardy
- cut resistant
Disadvantage:
- expensive
- regular topiary required
- slightly poisonous
- prone to disease
The false cypress
The false cypress should also be planted in a sunny spot, although it does not place any demands on the soil. Just like the boxwood, its size increases by 20-30 cm annually. Their natural height even extends up to 25 meters. In this country, however, it can be used as a hedge plant without any problems, as the European climate is too cold for the southern sapling. But once the conifer has reached its relatively high growth, it offers optimal privacy protection even in winter. In addition, its branches smell wonderfully of resinous conifers. The hedge plant, which originated in America, is available in numerous varieties. With either blue, green or yellow foliage, it is an eye-catcher in every garden.
Advantage:
- evergreen
- undemanding to the ground
- winter and frost proof
- windfest
- diverse
- low purchase price
Disadvantage:
- lignified from the inside
- poisonous
Easy-care hedge plants for shade / partial shade
- Eibe
The yew tree
The yew tree feels particularly at home in shady gardens. If the soil also has a high lime content, the hedge plant will develop splendidly. However, their rather slow growth demands a little patience from the gardener. However, it compensates for this shortcoming with its high cutting tolerance. Those who like to try out their artistic skills can cut creative shapes out of the yew tree, whereby possible mistakes quickly grow together again. If the growth of the yew tree is not interfered with, the conifer can reach a stately height of around four meters.
Advantage:
- ideally suited for shady locations
- very easy to cut
- enables beautiful shapes
- winter and frost proof
- evergreen
Disadvantage:
- poisonous
- slow growth
Fast-growing, easy-care hedge plants
- Liguster
- Cherry laurel
- Thuja
The privet
The privet likes sunny to partially shaded locations. Its unpretentiousness makes it ideally suited for different lighting conditions. In addition, Ligustrum vulgare delights with its white flowers in early summer, from which small black berries form in autumn. Insects and birds also look forward to the foliage decorations. In contrast to conifers, the shiny, soft leaves appear friendly and brightening. However, the gardener often has to use scissors here, as Ligustrum vulgare can grow up to three meters high with its rapid growth.
Advantage:
- Thrives on all nutrient-rich soils
- forms white flowers that attract birds and insects
- opaque
- fast growth (40-50 cm per year)
Disadvantage:
- regular pruning required
- poisonous berries
The cherry laurel
The cherry laurel increases in growth by as much as 40 cm every year, and depending on the variety, it not only becomes three to six meters high, but also develops a lot in width. On the other hand, Prunus laurocerasus does not make any demands on the soil. A partially shaded location in large gardens is best. Furthermore, the cherry laurel impresses with its extreme hardiness (up to -20 ° C) and a robust appearance. Although the purchase price is a bit higher, thanks to the rapid spread, only a few plants are required.
Advantage:
- evergreen
- rapid growth
- robust
- winter and frost proof
- undemanding to the ground
Disadvantage:
- poisonous
- not suitable for small gardens due to its extensive spread
- high purchase price
The thuja
The thuja is also known as the tree of life and prefers the sun or partial shade. The conifers thrive optimally on sandy loamy soils with a high nutrient content. Under suitable site conditions, the conifers can grow up to three meters high. Its robustness, modesty, good cut tolerance and low cost make Thuja occidentalis the most popular easy-care hedge plant. Its appearance is similar to that of the yew tree, but the thuja is much more species-rich. The low susceptibility to diseases makes the tree of life extremely easy to care for.
Advantage:
- rapid growth (40 cm per year)
- opaque and evergreen
- winter and frost proof
- disease resistant
- cheap to buy
- windfest
- species-rich
Disadvantage:
- does not tolerate waterlogging
- does not tolerate radical cutbacks
- poisonous
Exotic easy-care hedge plants
- Holly
- Firethorn
- Glanzmispel
- Japanese lavender heather
The holly
Holly is not only extremely robust, but also has a reputation for deterring unwanted guests with its prickly, evergreen leaves. This applies equally to humans and animals, because the Ilex is particularly resistant to diseases and pests. This makes it an ideal replacement for box trees in regions where pests can spread quickly. Their maximum growth is also four to five meters.
Advantage:
- evergreen
- resistant
- winterfest
Disadvantage:
- prickly foliage (be careful when cutting)
The firethorn
With a growth of 20-40 cm per year, the firethorn is also suitable as an evergreen, easy-care hedge plant. It needs a sunny to partially shaded location and loose, not too wet soil. In May, small, white flowers adorn the thorny leaves. The plant is intensely colorful in autumn with bright orange berries. The plant can be up to six meters tall.
Advantage:
- colorful
- cut resistant
- evergreen
- undemanding
- winterfest
- fast growing
Disadvantage:
- slightly toxic
- thorny leaves
Die Glanzmispel
A single cut a year is sufficient for the care of the common loquat to keep the maximum growth height of four meters in check. If the hedge plant is then protected on moist soil in partial shade, it rewards the gardener with brightly colored leaves and small berry fruits.
Advantage:
- very easy to care for
- beautiful foliage color
Disadvantage:
- must be protected
The Japanese lavender heather
Even with the Japanese lavender heather, there is hardly any maintenance effort. All that is needed is a pruning in spring, as well as regular watering and nutrients. As a thank you, the evergreen plant has a beautiful white bloom from March to May. The Japanese lavender heather usually grows two to three meters in height and spreads horizontally to the same extent.
Advantage:
- beautiful bloom
- evergreen
- easy-care
Disadvantage:
- regular watering and nutrients necessary
Conclusion
An evergreen garden hedge does not have to be expensive. There are many advantages to choosing the right hedge plants. In order to keep maintenance as low as possible, good planning in terms of location and growth is important. In addition, disadvantages such as the toxicity of some shrubs must be taken into account. Thanks to the great diversity of species, “lazy gardeners” have many advantages when choosing their evergreen, easy-care hedge plant.
