It's so nice when the hedges get trimmed. Sometimes I think about tearing them out and replacing them with a wall. It's not likely to happen. It might have been worth the investment twenty years ago, but there were other priorities. Now, well, there are still other priorities. Of course, we wouldn't have to pay anyone to trim a wall every year.
These hedges on the west end of our yard were more than twice this height when we moved in. For many years I trimmed them (and all the rest) myself. Teetering on a ladder and taking a couple of weeks to do the job got old fast. I think the last time I did the trimming myself was in the fall of 2011. For the last eleven years (!), we've paid a landscape contractor to do it. His crew does the whole job in less than one day.
The Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where I have lived for 50 years used Privet hedges to control student walking traffic. About 30 years ago they got the idea the 5 ft tall hedge was costing to much to maintain, The new head gardner cut them down to 3 ft and did a beveled top which was interesting to look at. They altered a riding mower and afixed motorized hedge trimmers to it to keep them neat. There were miles of them. Then another austerity program was put into place and they ripped them all out. The landscaping on campus has never been the same since. It is expensive to maintain a hedge. I planted hornbeams between my property and my neighbors. They grew to 12 ft in no time and like you I had to have them professionally trimmed and pruned twice a year. I sold the house 2 years ago and first thing the buyer did was bulldoze them! I like your house and your yardscape. It is a beautiful village setting. It would not be the same without the hedge.
ReplyDeleteI love your hedge. Some things look easy when the pros do it (especially a team of pros). Our glass curtain takes me about 3 hours to wash. And I would leave it with streaks, no matter how hard I tried. Our professional window cleaner is here with one worker and they do it perfectly in less than a half hour. So worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe trimmed hedge really improves your view.
ReplyDeleteBettyAnn
I love your hedge. Somethings are worth extra expense.
ReplyDeleteOther than the annual pruning cost, I prefer a living barrier than any of the other choices. I hated those cinderblock fences our neighbor in California at the far east of us started - and in that ugly pinkish-grey color. Each homeowner next to that first one felt they had to continue with the same as one wall was already there. I would have chosen those adobe-styled yellowish-cream colored stones instead. Yes, your view in the distance is very nice with the lowered hedges.
ReplyDeletewoody, that university landscaping sounds beautiful. Too bad it's gone. :(
ReplyDeletemitch, I also injured myself doing the hedges one year. I think that was the last year I did them.
bettyann, we felt kind of closed-in, and for no reason. There's nobody on that side to hide (or hide from)!
evelyn, I though about hedge trimming parties, but figured that nobody would come. ;)
mary, modern walls here are typically made with cinder blocks that are then covered with a stucco kind of finish.
Excellent idea - that would certainly appease me!
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