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I’ve been thinking of surrounding my vegetable garden with a low hedge to define the area. I don’t want it to be high so it casts too much of a shadow and I want it to be easy to cut. Ideally I would only want it to grow to around three feet. Can a native hedge cope with being kept so low? If so which species should I concentrate on and which should I avoid?
Build it and they will come.
HI
"Box" can grow to any height you really want and it takes to cutting well this is one of the best plants for topiary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buxus
regards
Shane
Regards Shane
My Photos in Flickr.
Hello Wildlife friendly
You could use lavender - it makes a really nice low hegde and you would have the bonus of flowers to attract bees and butterflies.
We have a lavender hedge in our front garden and it's a lovely sight at the moment - also doesn't mind the very dry conditions we have had this year
It would only need to be lightly trimmed back once a year.
English lavender would be the most hardy.
Jazzcat
I agree with lavander, we have some at the edge of the patio and it is attracting so many bees! Box is also an option though I find them a bit dull lol. You can get some fruit bushes to grow pretty low too, I have a gooseberry at the moment which is just a foot or so high (and producing lots of berries), though that might be a bit prickly for surrounding a veg garden! Blueberry can also be kept small, though mine isn't doing at all well at the moment and is barely growing at all. Cranberry would be another option as would rosemary. Pretty much any shrubs that are suitable for keeping in containers would be a good option though some may need keeping under control more than others.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
I was going to suggest lavender too, but be careful to pick the right variety for height and spread. Mine have got a little out of control!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
As already mentioned by a number of others, lavender is great because of the wildlife value, and it also looks so beautiful when in flower. Perennial herbs like thyme and rosemary look good, smell good, and can be used in cooking. I quite agree, box is a bit boring, but if you don't mind plain green, it is a good hedging plant and perhaps easier to keep very compact than the other suggestions if space is at premium. I personally would avoid anything prickly or spiky in this context - I know from experience that the stabs and scrapes are not funny.
Hi. What about step-over apples? Productive, look great, easy to maintain and wildlife-friendly although you might want to net against passing foxes which take ours if they can, leaving teeth marks in unripe apples. The birds seem to have enough food in the garden and usually leave our apples alone. Another thought is a low wire fence over which native ivy could scramble -great for pollen, nectar and berries.