| In a world of increased industrial activity and an | | | | back to you in the way of a healthy and |
| overabundance of manufactured beauty, people | | | | attractive landscape down the road. |
| are becoming more and more interested in the | | | | Once you are sure that you can provide the time |
| natural world. It is only natural then, that when | | | | and energy needed to establish your hedge fence, |
| considering how to divide their property from | | | | you will have to do a bit of research to determine |
| others; consumers are skipping past the chain link | | | | what your native plants and shrubs are. You |
| fencing and going directly to the garden center. | | | | certainly do not want to plant any kind of shrub |
| The idea of using trees and shrubs as enclosures | | | | that will not survive the local climate. Native plants, |
| or to mark off space is not a new one. Hedges | | | | those that are found growing wild in your area, |
| were used in 16th century Italian gardens to | | | | are best to use as a foundation to your hedge |
| make avenues for travel within the garden, and | | | | fence because they have already proven |
| hedgerows, which are simply lines of bushes or | | | | themselves, they are sturdy and well-suited to |
| trees of the same species planted close enough | | | | the soil. Check with your local nursery to find an |
| for their limbs to intertwine, have been in use in | | | | appropriate foundation species if you are unsure |
| England for more than seven hundred years. | | | | of the native plants in your area. |
| Hedges used as an alternative to fencing fulfill | | | | Finally, the time has come to plant your hedges |
| many more purposes than simply serving as a | | | | for your fence. It is at this time that you will |
| property line. They can keep wind and erosion to | | | | want to remember the advantages of the fencing |
| a minimum, cut out noise from traffic, and helps | | | | you have chosen rather than the work you will |
| keep the neighborhood kids from running through | | | | have to do to put the fence together. A little bit |
| your newly laid grass. Hedges also help to restore | | | | of planning now can save a headache later. |
| native plant life, which may have been dwindling | | | | Consider the final, mature size of the shrub or |
| because of construction and development. Also, | | | | hedge that you are planting, not how close you |
| as a natural habitat for all manner of insects, you | | | | can get them right now, and plant extra shrubs or |
| will hear more songbirds early in the morning as | | | | flowers along the front or in between the row of |
| they catch breakfast. Financially speaking, a hedge | | | | foundation hedges, not in place of them. Replacing |
| fence is usually less expensive than chain-link, will | | | | a section of a hedge fence because of disease is |
| not rust and break, and rarely needs replacing. | | | | one thing; having to buy a hedge to replace a |
| If you have made the decision to use hedges as | | | | plant that did not belong in the fence to begin with |
| an alternative to traditional fencing, there are a | | | | is quite another. More than likely you will never |
| few things to keep in mind before you go in | | | | have to deal with replanting or replacing once the |
| search of shrubs to plant. First, confirm in your | | | | fence is established and growing well. |
| mind that you will have the time to work with the | | | | Hedges serve as a wonderful alternative to |
| hedges after work or on the weekends. Newly | | | | traditional metal or wood fencing, because they |
| planted flowers or shrubs of any kind need a lot | | | | increase the aesthetic value of your home in |
| of initial attention so that they can spread their | | | | addition to inviting natural beauty into your |
| roots and settle into their new homes. You may | | | | neighborhood. As the world begins to slow down |
| have to water them more often and perform a | | | | and realize the importance of preserving nature, |
| lot of routine maintenance, such as weeding out | | | | hedge fences will overrun all of those old, rusty |
| invading species and pruning those plants that are | | | | remnants of the industrial age and reveal the |
| not growing well. Just remember that the time | | | | gentle potential of the future. |
| you put into your hedge fence initially will come | | | | |