Besides providing privacy, hedges can be used as part of a greater landscape design. Kim Mcclinton, season associate at The Home Depot, says “These days landscaping is very creative. What we were used to for 40 years is no longer.”

Nancy Brouwers, tree-lot supervisor at the Golden Acre Garden Sentre, agrees, adding customers are taking elements from interior design to the outdoors. “Grass becomes the carpet, shrubs to accents, and hedges transform into half-walls.” Because of this, the exact purpose of hedges becomes blurry. She says they can define entertainment areas, hide utilities, create mini-mazes in a backyard and direct traffic rather than “the usual” outlining of a property. However, Mcclinton warns pet owners not to depend on hedges to keep animals in the yard.

When it comes to choosing the right plants for you, consider how much maintenance and upkeep is required. Brouwers’ philosophy is to select plants that imitate what you desire. “People tend to want to prune hedges to make the garden work for you, not you work for the garden,” she says. Letting the plant grow naturally without manipulating the size too much keeps it healthier and prevents you from potentially cutting off new growth or flowers. Other factors are what types of insects may be attracted to the shrub, what fragrance is emitted and what Brouwers calls the “four-season interest,” as plants may change with each season. Scale is also important. For a city lot, shorter hedges may be more appropriate, while acreages call for trees like evergreens.

“Basically anything planted in sequence can be called a hedge” says Brouwers, adding the options are limitless. You can also mix and match the plants to create an inversion (a taller plant alternating with a shorter one). This causes a wave-like appearance and can be quite eye-catching as with sculpting. She does warn if you plant different shrubs together to ensure they have “like” requirements. The plants should have similar soil, sun and water needs.

With so many to choose from, Mcclinton breaks down what is hardy in Calgary. Cotoneaster, Burning Bush, Caragana, Cranberry, Wareana, Dwarf European, Lilacs and Witchita Upright Junipers are just a few. But Cedar is not advisable unless you regularly fertilize water and mulch it, she adds. (Mulching means adding shredded chips to the soil, which helps prevent erosions of the soil and keeps moisture contained).

There are two styles of hedges: classic and natural. The classic, clean and crisp look would require trimming approximately every four to six weeks, according to Mcclinton. An example of a more traditional classic hedge would be the Cotoneaster, which calls for regular maintenance to keep it looking neat. Of course, natural hedges mean leaving them to grow naturally, but city bylaws have a say in just how natural you can leave your hedges.

Tony Thomas, City of Calgary Operations Co-ordinator, says according to bylaw 26M96, hedges on a corner lot cannot measure over seven-and-a-half metres from the extended corner of the junction both ways. The Tree Protection Bylaw also dictates no plant can overhang the city property, so natural hedges may still require some pruning.

Once you know what type of hedge you want and how to support its healthy growth, then you can begin to plant.

“It’s very important for people to prep,” says Mcclinton. “Every yard has microclimates. In Calgary, they’re usually Zones 3 to 5, which means you’ll have a warmer spot in the yard than another. For example, the north spot will be cooler while the south spot will be hotter.” Also it is essential to keep in mind the maturity size of each can so you can give it appropriate spacing. She recommends drawing up a plan on graph paper because, she says, “it’s easier to erase on paper than to dig up what you’ve already planted.”

Mcclinton’s steps for planting are to dig a trench and then add gravel, topsoil, mix root hormone stimulator and water to the trench, especially when spring planting. When digging, she suggests looking for low spots where water could pool, and adding half-an-inch of gravel to help with drainage. She says the prime time to plant is early spring, or in the fall if you mulch. This is the best time to plant perennials to reach optimum growth because in between May and July the plant is under too much stress. It is also important to place like plants together.

For new homes, Brouwers suggests digging a trench about six to eight inches deep and trying to remove as much construction clay as possible. “The clay should be replaced with good organic well-drained soil so the tender roots have a healthy opportunity to survive,” she says.

You can hire a professional to help landscape if you’re unsure of how to do it yourself or don’t have the time, but Mcclinton puts it nicely, “It’s very rewarding to see the labour of love pay off; to see your yard go from nothing to the Garden of Eden.” NL