HARDINESS ZONE GARDENING
Posted on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Ideas for hedge in cold weather climate?
I live in hardiness zone 5, lots of snow. I am looking into a hedge plant to act as a wall around my garden (1/2 acre) that could also keep deer out, if that’s possible.
I really love the look of English boxwood, especially because it is evergreen. However, it is slow growing and does not grow tall enough.
I also love privet but it is not evergreen.
Hedge requirements:
Evergreen
Dense foliage
Fast growth, reaching at least 8 ft
Deer resistant
Smooth lobed leaves (ie not serrated holly)
Preferably flowering
Winter hardy (zone 5)
I would really appreciate some help! Thank you.
Goldwing, I just find holly very ugly. I don’t like the shininess of it either.
I also don’t want conifers. It is very windy here and their shallow roots cause them to blow over very easily.
I thought about juniper and aborvitae but they yellow very easily.
I am puzzled by your ruling out Holly! Holly is ideal for what you want, has stickers on leaves that will discourage deer. It is somewhat slow growing, but not that slow. Pyrocantha may work, has needles, but not sure it grows to this height. Crepe Myrtle, if planted very close, will make such a woody barrier that I do not think deer could invade…but it is bare in the winter, the wood is beautiful, and if fed, it grows relatively quickly. Wild cedar and pine are cheap, can be pruned easily, and will make a very dense hedge at 8 feet…but must be pruned, for the under growth will die out with time if not kept to height.
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