Hedge plants.

[fei]

Hi, I've just had a driveway done and have a dirt border half a foot either side going up the length of the driveway.

I'd like something that'll grow tall, and horizontal (along the length of the drive either side) but not outwards so it doesn't overhang on the drive. I do t mind a variety of plants, something flowering & perfuming smelling and preferably evergreen. I was thinking star jasmin or Trachelospermum Jasminoides but I'm not sure if they're going to bulge outwards?

Thanks in advance

Fei

 

[Oliver Buckle]

A trellis would allow you to train things horizontally and stop it 'bulging', and you can grow something quick and herbaceous, like morning glory, in the first year while your longer term plants get established.

 

[fei]

Thank you very much, just looked morning glory up. They look beautiful. Will they grow up bamboo canes?

 

[Tetters]

Practically all hedges need clipping, pruning or shaping. There are so many shrub mixes to choose from, it's hard to choose which ones.
One suggestion might be one evergreen - my personal favourite is Griselinia littoralis for an evergreen, then add something - like Forsythia to bloom in spring, maybe Syringa (Lilac) for perfume a bit later, and add some Pyracantha for winter berries (to make friends with the birds) with orange, red or yellow berries.
This way there is year round interest..... but to achieve this you will need some secateurs to prune back those flowering plants after they finish flowering, and to shape the Pyracantha and teach it which way it must grow. The Griselinia is lovely and soft and quick growing and nice and easy to clip with a pair of shears. Alternate the plants for effect. Griselinia takes a bit of space, so not too closely together, wait for the plants to mature a bit for full glory. Patience is the most important tool of all

 

[fei]

Thank you. You've gave me a lot of wonderful ideas.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Thank you very much, just looked morning glory up. They look beautiful. Will they grow up bamboo canes?

my experience is they grow up almost anything, though I did wrap a string round a smooth plastic drainpipe to give a bit of grip, there are a huge variety of them, Grandpa Otts is one of my favourites.