You are the type to want beautiful hedges in your garden without worrying too much about it?
Well today I reveal to you the list of shrubs that do not need any maintenance.
Away with the hedge trimmers and shears that traditionally pruned your thuyas or cypresses.
As their name suggests, no-maintenance hedges don't need to be tended to for hours.
You just have to know which variety to choose and presto, let nature take its course.
So if you don't have a green thumb or you're short on time, this article is for you!
Discover 17 maintenance-free shrubs to adopt for maintenance-free hedges:
Before listing all the varieties of hedges you can use, let's first see how to plant them properly.
Because if these shrubs do not need maintenance, their initial environment remains decisive for the future.
First, make sure to respect a space between each of them.
That way they can grow freely without getting in each other's way.
Then give them a boost with compost or fertilizer; it helps with growth.
Finally, prepare the soil (for example with a bed of gravel) to drain the soil well and facilitate watering.
In the first years, the hedges need to be watered regularly.
And if you really don't want to do anything, invest in an automatic watering system.
The miscanthus hedge is perfectly suited to a small garden (for a townhouse for example).
Depending on the variety chosen, these tall grasses have the advantage of not growing more than 1m70 to 2m.
Unlike classic hedges, there is no longer any need to prune them to contain their height.
And it's the same with encroachment; count a maximum of 80 cm wide.
You should also know that this shrub grows quickly, very quickly. After barely 2 years, it already reaches its adult size.
These large grasses are therefore an original alternative to replace traditional hedges.
In addition, they are not very expensive and are home to great biodiversity.
These hedges flower in autumn, have dry foliage in winter, and above all give an appreciable aesthetic cachet.
As for whether it protects you well from the neighborhood, do not worry; the foliage is dense and compact.
Finally, know that this hedge is easy to live with; it grows on all terrains.
It just needs a little mulch of wood chips to retain moisture.
Reading the title, you are probably thinking that planting bamboo in the garden is out of the question.
It is true that this plant has the reputation, with its very invasive rhizomes, of transforming the garden into a virgin forest.
But I assure you, the FARGESIA bamboo does not look like its cousins.
It has the advantage of being able to grow without a rhizome !
In other words, its roots are not sprawling and do not invade your land.
The Fargesia Robusta variety is perfect for a hedge.
It is particularly suitable if you want a fairly tall variety, as it reaches 3m/3.5m when fully grown.
If you want to contain it on about 2m high, know that this plant does not grow quickly.
At worst, it is therefore a pruning every 2/3 years that awaits you.
You should also know that its width does not exceed more than 80 cm.
This plant is therefore quite suitable for modest garden areas.
Fargesia bamboo is also a very decorative plant.
Its leaves stay green all year round and its striped canes look great.
Finally, this plant is really not difficult. It grows on any type of soil with a good vegetal mulch.
Ah yes last thing.
Buy a fairly tall plant (because it takes a long time to grow) and take clumps of several stems.
Do you have a fence around your garden? Use it as a support for climbing plants.
It makes a perfect plant fence without maintenance. Do you know why?
Firstly because the hedge stops growing at the height of the fence (therefore at the desired height).
But it is also the thinnest hedge there is since its width corresponds to that of the fence!
The size of this hedge is therefore truly tailor-made.
But to make a successful hedge with climbing plants, you must respect certain things.
First, prefer rather high fences of 1m70 minimum.
Then, make sure it is firmly established with a flexible mesh, turnbuckle and struts.
On the other hand, do not try to enlarge a fence already in place, because it would be too small.
The addition of a fence plus the weight of the climbing plants would weaken the structure.
And above all, it's super ugly!
For a perfect distribution, place 1 foot of climbing plant every 2m in the middle of each fence.
This prevents the concrete blocks at the base of the posts from getting in the way.
As for the choices of climbing plants, take varieties that keep their leaves in winter.
Among others, you can take false jasmine, decorative ivy or clemalite armandii.
Also called "New Zealand flax", Phormium is an evergreen hedge that is not very widespread in France.
However, this plant deserves to be known.
First because it is very original, secondly because it really requires no maintenance.
It just needs regions with fairly mild winters.
So, unless you live in the Grand Est region, nothing prevents you from having this variety of hedges at home.
I strongly advise you to choose the variety called Phormium Tenax.
It is the only one to reach 2m/2m50 in height in adulthood. It exists in 3 colors:
- In green, with the classic Phormium tenax variety.
It is undoubtedly the most resistant variety in the event of extreme cold since it resists temperatures down to -12°.
- In purple, with the Phormium purpureum variety.
Very aesthetic plant with its beautiful purple color.
- In a mix of very shimmering green and yellow with Phormium tenax variegatum.
Regarding its establishment and culture, nothing very difficult.
To obtain a homogeneous and well-proportioned hedge, plant the Phormiums every 1.50m.
Make sure your soil is well drained with a bed of gravel and sand if it is too compact.
Add a good mulch to protect them from freezing in winter and keep them cool in summer.
In conclusion, if you want to impress and have an almost unique hedge, the Phormium is made for you.
Are you lucky enough to live in the south of France, where the temperatures remain mild all year round?
In this case, I present to you the Opuntia cactus, the most famous variety of which is called the Prickly Pear.
It does not fear hot weather or direct sunlight.
If you are looking for a hedge without any maintenance, this plant is for you.
Very resistant, it gives an elegant and aesthetic cachet by forming what is called a defensive hedge.
Optuncia only grows in extremely drained soil that does not retain water.
There is no need to prune this cactus, but be careful; it can reach up to 5m in height at its adult size!
However, it is possible to reduce its size by cutting the segments flush.
From its scientific name, Arundo Donax, the cane of Provence looks like a reed or a giant corn.
This grass does best in the sun in cool, well-drained soil in winter.
If the conditions are met (sun, wet ground), the cane of Provence can reach the height of 6m!
This hedge is often used as a windbreak and planted near a humid area in the garden.
It is a very aesthetic plant when it comes to adorning a pond, for example.
A veritable screen of greenery, the bamboo hedge protects against prying eyes, wind and noise.
This plant, present all year round, has the advantage of not needing maintenance.
And then the vision of a bamboo hedge immediately transports us to other regions of the world.
This plant gives a real exotic touch to the garden, don't you agree?
Be careful though; the roots of this plant grow very very fast!
So if you don't want to be invaded, plan an anti-rhizome barrier.
Ah yes; make sure you choose the variety of bamboo you want to put in your garden.
Indeed, the height of this plant can go from 2 to 10m high!
For a hedge between 0.5 and 1m high, choose the Shibatea Kumasaca species.
If you want a 2-3m high hedge, choose Pseudosasa japonica or Phyllosasa tranquillans Shiroshima.
The Eleagnus is an evergreen shrub that needs very little maintenance.
Its main advantage is that it is very dense which makes it an excellent screen.
Its growth is rapid and its cultivation very simple.
This plant adapts to any type of soil and grows in all regions of France.
Clayey or calcareous soil, this shrub is not difficult. It even tolerates periods of drought.
Finally, this hedge is very aesthetic.
The Eleagnus offers very beautiful silvery leaves and small white flowers all year round at the end of summer.
The Photinia hedge, or Red Laurel is a very characteristic plant.
You can recognize it by its beautiful shiny red foliage.
Undemanding, Photinia grows everywhere in France and can be grown on all soils.
To obtain a harmonious hedge, plant a shrub every 80 cm and water the plants very generously.
And that's all. No need to worry about it afterwards.
Just know that for a 2m/2m50 hedge, you have to take the Photinia square red variety.
For a low hedge, prefer to plant the Photinia "Little Red Robin".
The Japanese corte is a hardy shrub very resistant and easy to grow.
It is perfect for all beginners or those who do not have time to take care of their garden.
It is particularly resistant to winds, diseases and pollution.
In early spring, its small yellow flowers in pompoms are the most beautiful effect.
Its vigorous vegetation makes it a very majestic free hedge in any season.
Everyone knows the sumptuous hydrangeas with large round purple flowers?
Well the hydrangea serrata Tiara is part of the same family.
This Japanese hydrangea, for its part, presents abundant blue or pink flowers in the spring.
And at the end of the summer period, its foliage turns purple to give your garden a sumptuous cachet.
But the aesthetic characteristics of this hardy shrub are not its only assets.
This evergreen plant requires very little maintenance and can be used perfectly as a hedge.
This very branched shrub, bushy and rounded, has a wingspan of 1m20 high for as much width.
The hydrangea serrata Tiara is a real eye-catcher!
Suitable for growing in full sun or partial shade, choysias have evergreen foliage all year round.
This shrub produces citrus-scented flowers as early as spring and often again in late summer.
The choysia does not need to be taken care of.
Only a small pruning to keep it at the desired height and shape is needed.
Slow-growing varieties like Berberis thunbergii make spectacular, colorful hedges.
But it is in autumn and winter that this shrub stands out the most.
Its purple foliage, its clusters of yellow spring flowers and brilliant red berries are of the most beautiful effect.
As with other hedges, the Berberis requires little maintenance.
Just a slight pruning helps keep it within bounds.
Holly is a fantastic native evergreen shrub.
It is simply beautiful and requires no maintenance.
Depending on the variety chosen, its foliage can be deep green, shiny, variegated or very bright.
A slow growing plant, this shrub does not require a lot of pruning time.
These many advantages and its aesthetic side would almost make us forget its spicy side!
Delavayi Osmanthus and Osmanthus Burkwoodii varieties are very good choices.
These 2 plants are slow-growing conifers that by definition require little maintenance.
Not fussy, they grow just as well in sun as in partial shade.
In adulthood, the Osmanthus is 2m high and 2m wide.
It is therefore perfect if you are looking for a rather imposing hedge.
In addition, this shrub makes very beautiful fragrant white flowers in spring.
A very robust and relatively slow-growing plant, Yew is rarely affected by disease.
It offers dark green foliage all year round and is an excellent privacy screen.
This shrub is arguably one of the hardiest hedge plants of all.
It is not for nothing that it is nicknamed "the king of hedge plants".
It can grow very old and even regrow if slaughtered properly!
Just make sure to provide him with enough drainage, because he hates having wet feet.
Cryptomeria Japonica Globosa Nana is a compact, rounded dwarf conifer.
This slow-growing plant makes a pretty evergreen and very dense hedge.
Its cultivation and maintenance are quite simple.
Grow it in moist, well-drained soil with some shade for the richest color.
A small size is necessary to keep a nice shape, but other than that, that's all there is to it.
