Hedges

Walls and hedges are important adjuncts to every garden. It is necessary to demarcate the garden from public road and adjacent gardens or bungalows. It ensures privacy and it shelters from strong winds. Besides, it has utility as screens, hedge is necessary provide background to annuals or children’s gardens etc.

Different plants are used depending on its position in the garden. Long hedges are associated with farms and large gardens. They are attractive as well as impenetrable. For a quick hedge bushes are grown in two rows with plants separated 12 inches apart with 8 inches between the rows. The majority of plants are propagated by cutting. The plants that can be grown are Duranta, Sesbania, Lowsonia (Mehndi) etc. The big farms are often hedged with big and thorny bushes or spiny cacti, like Opuntia, Euphorbia etc. The spiny nature of the hedge keeps the animals away and protects it. The hedge plants are pruned twice a year.

For ornamental hedges to be used inside the garden roses are suitable. The fast growing trees with different colors can be grown. Clerodendron inerme when used for ornamental hedges can be cut into various animal shapes. This art is called 'topiary'. The topiary is practiced only in a few traditional gardens like Hanging garden (Kamla Nehru Park) of Mumbai. The plants should have small foliage and slow growing. The stems are bent and held in position by wires.

Some hedge plants are:

1. Clerodendron inerme form neat hedges of vanng heights.

2. Lowsonia alba: They are meant for dry regions.

3. Plumbago zelaynica: drawf type of flowering shrub that can be used for hedges.

4. Lagerstroemia indica is a fine flowering hedge plant.

5. Euphorbia antinquorum: It is good hedge plant for farms.