small conifer hedge

[miketropic]

since I will have a new garden soon my mind has been raceing. there is no divide on the property line and I have been thinking about a nice long conifer hedge..since the uk is the birthplace of the confier hedge lol I thought this the place to ask.
what I am looking for is

somthing staying smallish 6 to 10 ft
evergreen
possibly a blue tone or a lime green
somthing I can buy small at wholesale and let fill in

any ideas are welcome..remember my winter can get down near -14c so must be very hardy

[Yorkshire Kris]

English Yew is the only Conifer-like plant I would consider. It lives for ever, can be cut back within an inch of it's life and is very hardy. It also looks very good all year round and has pretty red fruit (that are deadly if eaten). It's not naturally small but you can keep it that way.

[miketropic]

have to look it up and see. not a problem to trim them either. are they fast growing? any wholesale uk suppliers that will ship state side?

[Conifers]

Hybrid Yew Taxus × media or Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata. Both should be easily available in the eastern US.

Avoid Common Yew Taxus baccata ("English") as it isn't reliably hardy in KY.

any wholesale uk suppliers that will ship state side?

No; US law prohibits import of live plants from Europe (for plant health reasons).

[miketropic]

id really like somthing a bit wild with a yellow or off green color but the yew is a good idea

[Yorkshire Kris]

Hybrid Yew Taxus × media or Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata. Both should be easily available in the eastern US.

Avoid Common Yew Taxus baccata ("English") as it isn't reliably hardy in KY.

any wholesale uk suppliers that will ship state side?

No; US law prohibits import of live plants from Europe (for plant health reasons).

I'm surprised you say Taxus baccata isn't that Hardy? It's been in Britain for 1000s years and survived our worst winters?

[Kristen]

Some of the plants we have here are, I presume, Taxus hicksii. They reputedly grow faster than Taxus bacata ... but ... I wonder if they actually form that really tight-knit finish that old Yew hedges have, so we have planted Taxus bacata for the hedges that will be seen close up ... but it is slow, and variable plant-to-plant (we've probably got ones that were seed sown).

Dunno about hardiness though ...

Mike: are you thinking of something like they have at Ladew, Harford County, Maryland?





Joking apart, there is a lot you could do to "shape" a Yew hedge. Alcoves for statues

or a recess for a seat, or scallop the top - or shape it like ramparts.

Yew is a 10 year project, although I have bought in 6' plants, but it only saves you a few years, they spend the first couple of years just getting going again ...

Here's something to be going on with - from levens Hall

[miketropic]

the second pic is kind of what I had in mind..what is that? any thing that will form a dense hedge like that but in a blue or yellow? guess I better sharpen up the auto trimmers

[miketropic]

have to look it up and see. not a problem to trim them either. are they fast growing? any wholesale uk suppliers that will ship state side?

[Kristen]

the second pic is kind of what I had in mind..what is that? any thing that will form a dense hedge like that but in a blue or yellow? guess I better sharpen up the auto trimmers

Second pic is Yew. You can get Yew to grow outwards - so it can grow to form an arch, or any sort of topiary.

Other conifers generally grow straight up, cone shaped, and cannot be cut back to old wood (well, Thuja can to some extent, but nothing like Yew which can be cut right back)

There is a golden form of Yew, otherwise you are probably looking at Cupressus or Chamaecyparis. They grow a lot faster - but that means a lot more cutting once they have got to the height you want. Probably not good for a 6' hedge as the fastest ones, like Leylandii, can grow (here at least) 3' a year. Leylandii is much hated here (and much sold) as it causes neighbour disputes when it doesn't get cut regularly, and in 5 years can be 15' taller, blocking light from neighbours gardens and houses. I suppose people thing "Great, 3' a year means I will have a 6' hedge in two years" ... ignoring the effort to cut 3' off it, and its sides, every year after that!

But there are some pretty ones - Blues and Yellows.

I don't know if you can make a hedge out of Juniperus Boulevard, but that would look real pretty

[Blairs]

Not a conifer but Ligustrum Ovalifolium aka Privet is an old fashioned British urban hedge plant. It is evergreen and can be clipped close just like Buxus and Yew. Quick to establish.

Irish Yew makes a good screening hedge due to its upright growth.

Both of the above will do well in your climate Mike.

[miketropic]

lots of wonderful ideas in here ill have a look at them all and see what strikes me

[Kristen]

Are you tempted by Topiary Mike - would that be a novelty in your area, for example?

If not I would go for an easy hedge, particularly if you are going to plant in front of it.

[Conifers]

I'm surprised you say Taxus baccata isn't that Hardy? It's been in Britain for 1000s years and survived our worst winters?

Yep, but KY winters are colder (more continental climate) than British winters

Actually, even in Britain, Common Yews can be badly damaged by severe winters (like 1981/82) in frost-prone sites - saw some in Cheshire that had been killed back to near the base. The plants survive because of their ability to coppice even when cut back like this, but it doesn't do much for their good looks as ornamental plants. Fastigiate Taxus baccata 'Hibernica' (Irish Yew) is particularly prone to freeze damage, perhaps not surprising given its origin in mild western Ireland.

[Conifers]

Some of the plants we have here are, I presume, Taxus hicksii. They reputedly grow faster than Taxus bacata ... ...

Dunno about hardiness though ...

Taxus × media 'Hicksii' is hardier than T. baccata.

'Hicksii' is a hybrid between T. baccata 'Fastigiata' and the much hardier T. cuspidata, inheriting the latter's cold resistance. It is rarely planted in Britain but is one of the commonest (most easily available) yews in the States. It is semi-fastigiate, but less strongly so than its 'Fastigiata' parent.