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Hedges, protective barriers against diseases

Rock wall associated to a hedge

Did you know that a hedge does much more than just protect us from neighbors, wind and noise?

If you increase the diversity of species used in the hedge, you will reduce the risk of seeing diseases and pests spreading across your garden.

Increasing diversity reduces risk of diseases…

A hedge made from different species and shrub varieties is virtually immune to disease.

    • Each shrub boasts special assets that help it repel one or more parasites, fungus and other diseases.
  • If you multiply the types of shrubs, you’ll wreck havoc in your garden invader’s battle plans. Pests will choose the easy way of simply going to a neighbor’s place that is more to its taste, where single-species hedges will be all the more attractive.

This is the key to solving diseases in permaculture, where biodiversity is key. Apply it to your hedge!

  • If you choose a selection of flowering shrubs, you will attract a great number of helper insects, birds and other garden friends that play an important role in the local ecosystem and love eating such things as slugs, snails, aphids and other plant enemies.

There are many options to create a flowered hedge. Here a few good ideas of great shrubs that flower beautifully in hedges.

Creating a hedge is important

  • Choose shrubs that are already growing in your area, they will tend to be more resilient.
  • Make the hedge as diverse as possible. Sometimes planting two shrubs of a same variety next to each other makes for a nice treat.
  • Follow pruning tips to boost blooming.
  • Upon planting, avoid planting along a single straight line, but align your shrubs alternately along two rows 32 inches (80 cm) apart, to look like the edge of a saw.
  • Read all our tips on how to set up a mixed hedge.

Read also on shrubs