When a new hedge is created, it does not have to be green. Only those who want year-round privacy need to plant suitable shrubs here. Otherwise, there are also suitable flowering shrubs for every type of hedge, which are real flowering wonders. Whether for high hedges as a property boundary or low hedges as a bed border, flowering hedge plants are available in all sizes.
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Advantage of a flowering hedge
The advantage of a flowering hedge is not the absolutely opaque, evergreen growth, but the abundance of flowers and the often colorful leaf colors. Flowering hedges also change from season to season and offer the evergreen conifers a variety that they cannot offer at all. The flowering hedge plants begin to sprout their fresh leaves in spring, show their decorative flowers in spring and summer and often attractive berries in autumn. In addition, the flowering wonders offer many insects and birds food and a place of retreat. So if you want a changeable and lively garden, you should opt for a flowering hedge. In the following article, a distinction was made between the following types of hedges:
- flowering shrubs for medium-high hedges
- tall flowering hedges
- low flowering hedges
The flowering shrubs are often fast-growing and cannot be pruned as accurately as is the case with evergreen shrubs. For this reason, the flowering hedges also need more space than the evergreen ones. Nevertheless, the colorful hedges should not be missing in any farm or natural garden.
Flowering shrubs for medium-high hedges
Most flowering shrubs are available for hedges that are to be between one and two meters high. A hedge can be created here that consists of only one type of shrub. A colorful hedge with different flower colors is also decorative. The shrubs should be planted offset, not only yellow flowers on one side and only white flowers on the other side. There is also a mixture of early and summer bloomers, so that the hedge blooms throughout the growing season. The flowering wonders among the shrubs for the medium-high hedges include the following in particular:
Berberitze (Berberis)
- 500 to 600 species
- up to three meters high
- evergreen and deciduous varieties
- has thorns
- yellow flowers in dense racemes
- Flowering time in May and June
- dark red berries in autumn
- Slightly poisonous in all parts except for fruit
- hardy
Bladder bush (Colutea)
- Growth height up to three meters
- Flowering period: June to October
- Flower color: yellow
- flower clusters
- Soil quality: calcareous
- Location: sunny
- Fruits are inflated capsules
Bloodcurrant (Ribes sanguineum)
- Flower color: red or white
- Flowering time in April and May
- bright berries in summer
- Height of growth up to two meters
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil quality: loamy, sandy, moderately moist
- kalvertraglich
- hardy
Bridal muscle (Spiraea x arguta)
- Flower color: white
- Flowering time: April and May
- the picture Trugdolden
- Location: sunny
- Soil quality: loamy and sandy, slightly damp
- nutritious
- hardy
- Growth height up to two meters
Duftjasmin (Philadelphus coronarius)
- also known as mock orange or false jasmine
- flowers as racemes
- Flower color: white
- Flowering period: May and June
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Soil loamy and sandy
- Soil slightly dry to moist
- lime tolerant
- hardy
- strongly scented
Fingerstrauch (Potentilla)
- Flower color dependent on variety
- orange, white, pink, red or yellow
- Flowering period from June to October
- cup flowers
- Location: sunny
- moderately moist, sandy and loamy soil
- sensitive to lime
- only water with rainwater
- hardy
- Growth height up to two meters
Forsythie (Forsythia)
- numerous small yellow flowers
- Flowering time: April and May
- sunny location
- Clay and gravel soil, slightly damp
- tolerates lime
- needs a lot of nutrients
- Growth height up to two meters
Garden Marshmallow (Hibiscus syriacus)
- only this cultivar is suitable as a flowering hedge plant
- Plant genus Hibiscus several hundred species
- Growth height up to three meters
- slow growing and late budding
- Flowering period August to October
- bell flowers
- Flower color violet
- Location: full sun
- Soil with high nutrient content
- fresh to moderately dry and well-drained
Königsflieder (Syringa x chinensis)
- also known as Chinese lilac
- summer green
- Growth height up to three meters
- Flowering period: May and June
- strongly scented flowers
- pink to violet or white
- Location: full sun
- dry heat is tolerated
- very tolerant to any type of soil
- Avoid waterlogging and compacted soil
Kornelkirsche (Cornus mas)
- Flower color: yellow
- Flowering time: March and April
- Doldenblüten
- Fruit color: bright red
- Location sunny to semi-shady
- Soil loamy to sandy, fresh and dry
- humus and nutritious
- prefers calcareous soil
- hardy
- summer green
Rotblättrige Blasenspiere (Physocarpus opulifolius)
- also known as a pheasant spar
- belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae)
- Flower color: pink and white
- Flowering period: May to July
- Flowers in dense clusters
- Leaf color: dark red
- Location: any from shady to sunny
- Soil loamy and sandy, rich in nutrients
- Growth height up to three meters
Weigelie (Weigelia)
- Flower color: pink and white
- Flowering period: May and June
- Location: sunny to slightly semi-shady
- Soil quality: sand and clay
- Lime is tolerated
- Substrate fresh and moist
- nutritious
High hedges
The hedge plants mentioned under the tall hedges are true flowering wonders and can grow up to five meters or more. This means that an absolute visual protection to the outside to the street or to the neighbors is guaranteed. At the same time, these flowering hedge plants are also suitable for framing the house with a farmer’s garden or a natural garden, because their density, height and many flowers provide shelter for local birds and insects. Tall hedge plants include the following:
Kolkwitzie (Kolkwitzia amabilis)
- grows wild in the country of origin China
- Flower color: pink
- Flowering period: May and June
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Clay soil mixed with gravel
- slightly dry to slightly moist
- only moderately nutritious
- tolerates lime
- hardy
- Growth height between four and five meters
Copper Pear (Amelanchier lamarckii)
- white bloom
- Flowering time in April and May
- grape-shaped flowers
- Leaves glow copper-red when they sprout
- sunny to partially shaded location
- moist to slightly dry soil
- Substrate mixture of sand and loam
- prefers calcareous soil
- hardy
- Growth height up to six meters
Black elder (Sambucus nigra)
- Flowers: white, large cymes
- Flowering period: from May to July
- black elderberries in autumn
- slightly toxic raw
- usable
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil loamy and sandy, slightly dry to moist
- nutritious
- kalkliebend
- Growth height up to seven meters
Weißdorn (Crataegus)
- summer green
- Growth height up to ten meters
- Flower color: cream or white
- Flowers as umbelliferous panicles
- Flowering time: in May and June
- edible fruits from September
- hardy
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil well-drained, slightly dry to moist
- nutritious
Low hedges
Low hedges are also needed more often than you think. The flowering hedge plants presented here usually reach the one meter mark, they don’t get much higher. Low hedges in the garden can, for example, border a seat without being a privacy screen. Low hedges are also popular in the front yard as a small hedge facing the street. The following shrubs are true flowering wonders and are ideal for low hedges:
Hagebuttenrosen
- wild roses in particular are rosehip roses
- different shapes, sizes and colors
- Varieties “Apple Blossom”, “Sweet Haze”, “Red Meidiland”
- Flowering period from May to September
- then the rosehips form
- do not cut off the last flower
- Location sunny
- nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
- slightly dry to slightly moist
Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
- white, pink, or blue balls of flowers
- requires aluminum fertilizer for blue flowers
- Flowering period from May to October
- partially shaded location
- acidic and humic soil
- always slightly damp
- don’t let it dry out
- turkey compatible
- Avoid waterlogging
- conditionally hardy
Ranunkelstrauch (Kerria)
- Flower color: yellow
- Flowering period: April to June, second flowering in September
- filled individual flowers
- Location: sun and shade is tolerated
- loamy soil mixed with gravel
- fresh, moist substrate
- little nutritious
- hardy
- Growth height: between one and two meters
- overhanging branches
Spierstrauch (Spiraea)
- Dwarf Shrub Japanese Spiers
- only up to a meter high
- lush white bloom
- Inflorescences over the entire previous year’s shoot
- Flowering time from June
- sunny location
- moist and well-drained soil
- turkey compatible
- hardy
Zierquitte (Chaenomeles)
- belong to the rose family (Rosaceae)
- summer green
- Growth height slightly over a meter
- Shoots have thorns
- Cup flowers with colored bracts
- white, pink or red
- Flowering time from March
- before leaf emergence
- nutrient-rich, moist and loamy soil
- sunny location
