Hedges and Screens

Description

One of the basic uses of plants is to enclose and define the boundaries of outdoor gardens and spaces. This is often achieved by planting hedges and screens to divide areas into rooms. Plants are planted side by side and clipped into natural or geometric shapes to function as a hedge. Many times the first idea is to achieve dense and total screening treatments. However, another strategy can also be effective. Plants are arranged in layers and left to grow natural and to varying heights until a separation is achieved. This separation does not have to be total; sometimes a partial view through a screen is more effective and enjoyable.

Screen planting is also done to improve the character of garden spaces space. The creation of privacy and blocking poor views of trash enclosures and utility poles are important visual improvements. From another perspective, hedges and screens can be strategically placed to frame and emphasize views as well as provide low boundaries to further define interior garden areas and circulation.

Hedge and screen plantings can often be efficiently watered with drip irrigation systems. Two to three rows of drip tubing can be placed along the sides of the plants to reduce runoff and provide moisture close to the roots. The drip tubing can be covered with organic mulch to hide the tubing and to keep the root zone of the shrubs cooler during the summer.

Plant List

Trees

Arizona cypress + cvs

Botanical Name: Cupressus arizonica
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 35 ft. - 50 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 15 ft.

California bay

Botanical Name: Umbellularia californica
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Partial sun
Height: 30 ft. - 50 ft. Width: 30 ft. - 50 ft.

Fern pine

Botanical Name: Afrocarpus gracilior
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 40 ft. - 60 ft. Width: 25 ft. - 40 ft.

Italian cypress + cvs

Botanical Name: Cupressus sempervirens
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 40 ft. - 60 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 15 ft.

Lemon bottlebrush

Botanical Name: Callistemon citrinus
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Strawberry tree

Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 15 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 30 ft.

Sweet bay + cv

Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 15 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Tecate cypress

Botanical Name: Cupressus forbesii
Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 20 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 12 ft. - 15 ft.

Yew pine

Botanical Name: Podocarpus macrophyllus
Plant Type: Tree
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 25 ft. - 50 ft. Width: 15 ft. - 20 ft.

Shrubs

Bush germander

Botanical Name: Teucrium fruticans
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Butterfly bush + cvs

Botanical Name: Buddleja davidii
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Cape plumbago

Botanical Name: Plumbago auriculata
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

Coast rosemary

Botanical Name: Westringia fruticosa
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Coffeeberry + cvs

Botanical Name: Rhamnus californica
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Desert lavender

Botanical Name: Hyptis emoryi
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: Width:

Dwarf bottlebrush

Botanical Name: Callistemon 'Little John'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 10 ft.

Dwarf myrtle

Botanical Name: Myrtus communis 'Compacta'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 5 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Dwarf olive

Botanical Name: Olea europaea 'Little Ollie'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Dwarf peppermint tree

Botanical Name: Agonis flexuosa 'Nana'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. Width: 10 ft.

Dwarf strawberry tree

Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo 'Compacta'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

French lavender + var

Botanical Name: Lavandula dentata
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft.

Golden Abundance barberry

Botanical Name: Berberis 'Golden Abundance'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, Partial sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 10 ft.

Hollyleaf cherry

Botanical Name: Prunus ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 30 ft.

Indian hawthorn + cvs

Botanical Name: Rhaphiolepis indica
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Jojoba, Goatnut

Botanical Name: Simmondsia chinensis
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Lantana + cvs

Botanical Name: Lantana camara
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Lemonade berry

Botanical Name: Rhus integrifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 25 ft. Width: 25 ft.

Lester Rowntree manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Lester Rowntree'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 15 ft.

Little-leaf cordia

Botanical Name: Cordia parvifolia
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

McMinn manzanita

Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos 'Howard McMinn'
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 6 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 8 ft.

Mescal bean

Botanical Name: Sophora secundiflora
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 15 ft. - 20 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 15 ft.

Moonlight grevillea

Botanical Name: Grevillea 'Moonlight'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 5 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 7 ft.

Nevin’s barberry

Botanical Name: Berberis nevinii
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 8 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 12 ft.

New Zealand tea tree + cvs

Botanical Name: Leptospermum scoparium
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 3
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 12 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 12 ft.

Noell’s Grevillea

Botanical Name: Grevillea 'Noellii'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Orchid rockrose

Botanical Name: Cistus x purpureus
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Pomegranate + cvs

Botanical Name: Punica granatum
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 20 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 20 ft.

Purple hopseed bush

Botanical Name: Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 12 ft. - 18 ft. Width: 6 ft. - 12 ft.

Rosemary + cvs

Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 7 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 12 ft.

Sugar bush

Botanical Name: Rhus ovata
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 35 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 25 ft.

Sweet olive

Botanical Name: Osmanthus fragrans
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, Partial sun
Height: 12 ft. - 15 ft. Width: 8 ft. - 10 ft.

Texas ranger + cvs

Botanical Name: Leucophyllum frutescens
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 5 ft. - 8 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 8 ft.

Toyon

Botanical Name: Heteromeles arbutifolia
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: Morning sun, All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 ft. - 25 ft. Width: 12 ft. - 18 ft.

Western mountain mahogany

Botanical Name: Cercocarpus betuloides
Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 15 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 15 ft.

White shrub rose

Botanical Name: Rosa floribunda 'Iceberg'
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 8 ft. - 10 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.

Yellow bells + cv

Botanical Name: Tecoma stans var. stans
Plant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 15 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 15 ft.

Trees

Shrubs

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