Pros and cons of hedges on the site

A hedge is a fairly popular design option for a site. Our tips site has collected the main advantages of such a green fence, but, of course, did not forget about the disadvantages. Our article will help you make a choice – whether to plant a hedge or stay on a regular fence.

The portal has already devoted a detailed article to hedges, or rather, the choice of plants for their creation. However, it is necessary to answer the most important question – is it worth it at all to engage in planting, the creation of a hedge, what are the pros and cons of this option of decorating the boundaries of the site and highlighting separate functional zones. Let’s talk about this.

Let’s start with the main advantages that a hedge gives the owners of a private house and a plot:

1. Great appearance. A solid wall of plants – what could be better! This is a continuation of the garden, its addition, a part of landscape design;
2. Unlike a conventional fence, such as corrugated board, a hedge looks equally beautiful on both sides. Owners do not have to “admire” the unsightly underside;
3. A fence made of plants turns out to be solid and helps to hide the entire site or its individual zones from the prying eyes of neighbors and passers-by;
4. Climbing a hedge is more difficult than climbing a regular fence. Especially if it is prickly – this is already the most serious obstacle for thieves;
5. Additional landscaping never hurts! Walls made of plants will trap snow in winter, protect the yard from dust and wind. And moisture in the soil will stay longer. In general, a hedge has a very beneficial effect on the microclimate of an individual site;
6. Green walls are suitable for a wide variety of landscaping styles. The choice of trees and shrubs is huge, you can choose options for a modern estate, and for an exquisite French garden, and for a laconic, not overloaded with details of the landscape;
7. A hedge is a shade and aroma of flowering plants, near it or inside a fenced area it is easy and convenient to organize an area for recreation and picnic.

However, despite such numerous advantages, the hedge also has obvious disadvantages:

1. Difficulty in leaving. If you can build an ordinary fence once and forget about it for many years, then the hedge will need constant care. Watering, cutting, feeding – there will be many worries!
2. A hedge turns out to be much wider than a fence built, for example, from corrugated board or boards. That is, it will occupy a significant part of the site, you will lose usable area, where there could be flower beds and beds;
3. We’ll have to wait for the green hedge to grow and form. Of course, you can buy tall plants, a ready-made living fence, but it will still take root and fully form for some time. And the price of adult plants will be significantly higher than the cost of seedlings;
4. In a small and shaded area, the hedge may look too bulky;
5. In winter, if you haven’t chosen evergreens, the hedge will not look as attractive as in summer. And the site will be clearly visible without the shadow of the leaves.

Now let’s look at one of the most important issues for all homeowners – price. In fact, what is cheaper – to plant a hedge or build the most ordinary fence from corrugated board?

To build a fence from NS-20 corrugated sheets with polyester spraying, two meters high and 10 meters long, we need pillars, self-tapping screws, concrete mortar, logs (profile pipe). On average, according to the price range for such services on the network, a running meter of such a fence will cost 1,850 rubles. That is, a 10-meter fence, excluding the cost of installation (imagine that you did everything yourself), will cost more than 18 thousand rubles.

For a hedge 10 meters long, you will need 11 thuja seedlings. If you choose small young trees 20 centimeters high, then you will spend about 11 * 400 = 4.4 thousand rubles. Cheaper than a fence made of corrugated board, agree! But you will have to wait for the tiny thuja to grow and become a full-fledged hedge for several years. If you buy tall enough trees, the price rises sharply. A seedling two meters high will cost at least 4 thousand rubles. And the price of a living fence will be 11 * 4 thousand = 44 thousand rubles. What is much more expensive than our fence made of corrugated board.

You can find shrubs for hedges cheaper, again, you have a great choice. However, if you are planting bushes, you may have to combine them with a low fence, because the leaves often simply do not grow on the lower branches. So you need to carefully calculate everything..

Deciduous fencing, according to experts, is a budget option, some homeowners even solve the issue by digging up shrubs on wastelands and forest edges. But we advise you to buy conifers in nurseries – wild plants may not take root in a new place. And even for unauthorized uprooting of trees, they can be fined.

The choice is yours, but as an option for fencing a site or highlighting one of the zones on it, green walls definitely deserve attention.