I’m not the kind of person to make sweeping statements, but I’m pretty sure I have the best configuration of hedges on my block, if not the whole suburb. Uniformly dense, green and coiffured to perfection, my hedges stand out from the crowd. There’s really no competition; you’d think no one else was even trying.
I mean, it’s possible that other people aren’t as devoted to the art of pruning Japanese box plants as I am, but I can’t imagine that being the case. It’s up there with the most satisfying activities out there, second only to successfully training climbing roses over an archway and and emptying my bokashi bin. I guess if you’d never experienced it,though, it might be an easy thing to dismiss. Here’s hoping that my outstanding hedges serve the neighbourhood by showing what is possible with a bit of forethought and elbow grease.
People in my area seem to love their ornamental grasses, arranged sparsely around architectural panels and barely-there fences that even I could step over without too much effort. I guess it’s fashionable to have your house frontage on display, for reasons I can’t fathom. The only explanation I can think of is that it’s low-maintenance, and perhaps doesn’t require too much water, without looking too shabby in the process.
Call me old fashioned, but I still think that formal hedging is an essential part of creating a house frontage for any self-respecting garden enthusiast. This is partly due to my preference for privacy, and also my desire to create an obstacle for would-be trespassers looking for ways to clamber onto my front lawn.
That’s the other thing I’ve noticed: people don’t seem to have lawns these days. Sure, they’ve got grasses aplenty, but grasses are not the same thing as grass. Again, I’m sure it comes down to being water-wise and limiting the need for maintenance. I suppose I am old fashioned, but that’s just how things are for me.