{"id":2561,"date":"2016-04-25T02:56:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-25T06:56:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2020-08-13T17:32:44","modified_gmt":"2020-08-13T21:32:44","slug":"hedging-hornbeams-planting-onions-and","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardern.co.za\/2016\/04\/hedging-hornbeams-planting-onions-and\/","title":{"rendered":"Hedging Hornbeams, Planting Onions and other April Chores"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A hedge of English Hornbeam (Carpinius betulus) gets trimmed twice a year, once in June, and once in September, but every few years it needs to be topped-off, as I don’t want it to get too tall. This must be done in the early spring, which provides us with pea brush, as well.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Training a hedge of hornbeam is a very European thing to do. Rarely seen in the US, a hornbeam hedge makes a lovely statement in the garden, as well as a fast-growing hedge. I have two hedges on the property, one, planted 18 years ago (this one), which runs along the long walk, and second one which we planted between our neighbors and our Martin House gravel garden, near the greenhouse, which makes a sort-of tunnel which the dogs love, but which is actually a secret shade garden.<\/p>\n
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This hedge is being topped, returning it to a 6 foot high raised hedge (see the trunks below?). Many branches are first woven into the hedge, a more traditional method of pleaching which makes for a denser and more attractive hedge.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Once trimmed, the top branches deserve some detail work, so that they don’t look artificially clipped. I like to cut the thicker branches at varying heights, so the when new growth emerges it won’t form crowns which sit at the same height. Branches are trimmed with an 8 inch variability across the top to avoid a line of crowned limbs when they mature.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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The completed hedge of hornbeam – at this height, we can reach the top easily during the summer, and the sun will be able to reach the other side of the border along the long walk.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Layia is a native American annual plant which has yellow, daisy-like flowers, frequently transforming the Mojave Desert and other dry, arid sage scrub and chaparral areas in the West into a golden carpet for a few weeks. Will it transform this container on my deck? We’ll see.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Fancier, and more rare Trillium species are popping up here and there. Is this T. cuneatum? Not sure yet, the labels are missing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Our native Trillium erectum blooms in front of our house, at the base of a river birch, only inches from our road, and driveway.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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A crazy (and yes, territorial) American Robin has been attacking one of our windows for over a week now. An almost constant “click, click’ click”, which get’s annoying. He starts at 6:00 am and rarely stops for a break. I don’t know if there is something wrong with him, or is he just obsessed with this particular location, reflection or, um, if he hates our window?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
A hedge of English Hornbeam (Carpinius betulus) gets trimmed twice a year, once in June, and once in September, but every few years it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
Hedging Hornbeams, Planting Onions and other April Chores - Growing With Plants<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n