Ideas for Hedges for Low Profile Porches

Boxwood

• Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) are traditional hedging plants, used to great effect as low hedges around beds of herbs and perennials. They are easy-care, drought-tolerant and disease-resistant evergreens. For a slow-growing, small hedge, choose true dwarf boxwood (B. sempervirens “Suffruticosa”). For a medium-sized hedge, many varieties are available. All can be trimmed to fit. Boxwoods also come in cream-and-green variegated varieties, which can add color and winter interest to foundation plantings.

Bush Honeysuckle

• Bush honeysuckles (Lonicera nitida) make excellent hedges that can be sheared for a formal appearance or left to grow more naturally in an arching form. These evergreen, drought-tolerant shrubs have small, oval leaves tinier than boxwood leaves, although they don’t grow as tightly as does boxwood. Green varieties take sun or part sun, gold-leaved varieties, such as Baggesen’s Gold and Twiggy, need at least part sun to stay golden, while variegated gold-and-green Lemon Gem takes shade. They grow to about 4 feet tall if unpruned.

Euonymus

• The benefits of Euonymus japonicus varieties include quick growth, drought tolerance and disease resistance, as well as numerous variegation patterns. Golden euonymus has leaves with deep-green centers and golden edges. Silver Princess has green leaves edged in white. Emerald Spire grows in a compact, upright form with wavy-edged, deep-green leaves. Although they leaves about 2 inches long, they are easily sheared for hedges.

Conifers

• Dwarf conifers make good evergreen hedges, particularly yews and arborvitaes. Yews (Taxus spp.) have soft, dark-green needles and grow in sun or shade. Dwarf varieties include Densiformis and Hicksii. Arborvitaes (Thuja spp.) come in globe, as well as upright, shapes; choices include Hetz Midget, Holmstrup and Little Giant. Mugo pines form dense, rounded, evergreen cushions; dwarf varieties include Mops, Slowmound and White Bud.