A hedge as a privacy screen or boundary does not always have to be monotonous, evergreen and consist of one type of plant. There are definitely many other options here, especially to create a colorful, mixed hedge. The hedge should also match the overall appearance of the rest of the garden, and this is one near-natural or cottage garden, then the hedge should also be laid out similarly to the following article explained.
Different types of mixed hedges
Those who want to make their garden colorful and who also want a simple green hedge from just one Plant species is too boring, they usually want a colorful hedge as a privacy screen or demarcation invest. There are many different variants, each with a different purpose. The hedges can be combined from different plants with very different flowers as well as with plants of the same variety and different colored leaves or flowers. The following mixed hedges can be cultivated to match the overall appearance of the garden:
- flowering high hedge
- flowering low hedge
- Hedge for birds
- fragrant hedge
- Hedge for insects and butterflies
- Two-tone beech hedge
- Hedge made from various butterfly bushes
- Mixed finger shrub hedge
Tip: If you want to create a mixed hedge, you shouldn't choose too many different types of hedge. For a length of about four to five meters, up to four different plant species are sufficient here, which should be selected here.
Flowering high hedge first example
If the hedge is to serve as a property delimitation and privacy screen, it must be planned sufficiently high. However, the following bushes and shrubs are not evergreen and shed their leaves in autumn, so that you can see through in winter. However, these are shrubs that sprout again early in spring and the hedge is therefore opaque again.
Bridal spears(Spiraea arguta)
- Flowering time between April and May
- small, single, densely growing, white flowers
- Flower umbels look like bridal veils
- spherical growth
- up to two meters high
- any soil suitable
- sunny location
- hardy
- annual cut required
Forsythia(Forsythia intermedia)
- Flowering time in March / April
- before the leaves shoot
- yellow, bell-shaped, small flowers
- almost any nutrient-rich soil suitable
- bright, sunny location
- hardy
- must be cut
- otherwise bloom subsides
Butterfly bush(Buddleja davidii)
Weigela Rosea(Weigela rosea)
- light pink flowers
- Flowering time between May and June
- dark green leaves
- Growth height up to three meters
- Partial shade or full sun
- water-permeable substrate
- hardy
Flowering high hedge second example
Since not too many bushes and shrubs should be mixed in a hedge, otherwise it could look too hectic and untidy, the plants were divided into two examples. It looks decorative if five specimens of each shrub are mixed over a length of four to five meters. So the first four different bushes are planted and this mixture is then repeated five times. This is how the hedge becomes coherent.
Stuffed garden jasmine(Philadelphus virginal)
- fragrant, cream-white flowers
- Flowering time between May and June
- fast growing shrub
- needs pruning every year
- sunny location
- nutrient-rich and well-drained substrate
- hardy
Common lilac(Syringa vulgaris)
- since 16. Century in the local latitudes
- purple flowers
- small flowers close to compact umbels
- Flowering period May to June
- keep it small by cutting
- otherwise it will be too high in the hedge
- sunny location
- nutrient-rich, well-drained soil
- hardy
Cornelian cherry(Cornus mas)
- inconspicuous flowers in spring
- forms bright red fruits
- show up from late summer to autumn
- only edible for birds
- sunny location
- suitable for almost all garden soils
- Regular pruning required
- hardy
Butterfly bush(Buddleja davidii)
Tip: Of course, you can mix and match the examples from the tall, flowering hedges as you like. All shrubs go well together as they can reach the same height, are deciduous, and want the same soil texture and location.
Flowering low hedge
The following shrubs are particularly suitable for a low, flowering hedge in a front yard or as a garden bed border. They do not take up much space in the height, but are also not suitable as privacy screens.
Amethyst Berry Magic Berry(Symphoricarpos doorenbosii 'Magic Berry')
- pink, small berries
- after flowering from the end of July
- Flowering time from May to July
- Flowers white to pink
- Growth height up to one meter
- Location full sun
- Well-drained, fresh and nutritious soil
- hardy
Finger bush(Potentilla fruticosa) "Goldfinger"
Summer spear(Spiraea japonica and Spiraea bumalda)
- Growth height up to 70 centimeters
- dark pink small flowers
- on flower umbels
- Flowering period between July and September
- Leaves golden to bronze
- undemanding to substrate
- bright to full sun
- hardy
Petite Deutzie(Deutzia gracilis)
- Growth height up to one meter
- snow-white bloom
- Flowering time from May to June
- regular pruning required
- Partial shade to full sun
- Soil condition moist and rich in nutrients
- hardy
Mixed hedge for birds
In a near-natural garden in which birds should not be missing, shrubs and bushes that produce colorful berries in autumn and provide food for the local songbirds are particularly suitable. So the following mix of shrubs has been put together that will attract many birds to the garden. The animals will also like to build their nests in such a hedge.
Amethyst berry(Symphoricarpos doorenbosii 'Magic Berry')
Common hawthorn(Crataegus monogyna)
- native hedge plant
- grows very densely
- thorny branches
- Birds like to nest here
- Flowering in May
- pink to white flowers
- Cut back in protective clothing
- bright to sunny location
- well tolerated by wind and hardy
- normal garden soil
Cornelian cherry(Cornus mas)
Copper rock pear(Amelanchier lamarckii)
- white flower clusters in spring
- yellow autumn colors of the leaves
- can get very high
- must therefore be cut in height
- likes to run wild
- hardy
- tolerates a shady location
- ideal sunny location
- Soil moist and well drained
Note: It does not matter whether it is a hedge specifically for birds, if you want to cut your hedge, then you should adhere to the nature conservation law. Between the 10th March and 30. September the hedge must not be cut so that the breeding birds are not disturbed here.
Fragrant hedge
The hedge from the following shrubs was put together from particularly fragrant specimens and is therefore suitable as a hedge near the terrace or another seat in the garden. The shrubs can also get tall enough to discourage prying eyes.
- Stuffed garden jasmine(Philadelphus virginal)
- Common lilac(Syringa vulgaris)
- Butterfly bush(Buddleja davidii)
- Petite Deutzie(Deutzia gracilis)
Tip: In order for the hedge to develop its beautiful, fragrant flowers anew every year, it needs an annual, regular pruning.
Hedge for insects and butterflies
The following shrubs for the near-natural insect garden are fragrant and therefore also attract many butterflies and useful insects. This suggestion for a colorful mixed hedge is also suitable for cottage gardens.
Blood currant(Ribes sanguineum)
- beautiful red to pink flowers
- Flowering time from March to May
- Hydrangea species
- prefers partial shade
- Soil moist and well drained
- needs regular cut
- hardy
- Bridal spears(Spiraea arguta)
- Common lilac(Syringa vulgaris)
- Butterfly bush(Buddleja davidii)
Note: As you will notice, some of the shrubs here are listed multiple times under different types of hedges. This is because all of the shrubs and bushes explained here are suitable for many types of brightly colored mixed hedges.
Beech hedge with two leaf colors
If you want a simple hedge without flowers and berries, but still colorful, you simply mix blood and red beech and thus gets a colorful picture in his garden through the different colored leaves. The hedge can also get so high that it is also well suited as a privacy screen.
Copper beech(Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea)
- dark purple leaves
- Leaves fall off in spring
- then immediately new shoots
- Sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil moist and well drained
- hardy
- regular pruning required
European beech(Fagus sylvatica)
- early leaves light green
- turn dark green in summer
- turn brown in autumn
- dried leaves get stuck
- Sun to partial shade
- keep slightly moist
- Soil rich in nutrients
- fast growing
- regular pruning required
- hardy
Butterfly bush hedge
There are many different varieties of the graceful butterfly bushes (Buddleja davidii) in various flower colors. So these shrubs are also suitable in their own hedge, because the variety is great here. Subsequently, red-purple, blue-purple, pink and white flowers were mixed in a hedge.
"Empire Blue"
- Flowering period between July and October
- The flower is very fragrant
- purple and blue flowers form clusters
- Sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil moist and well drained
- moderately hardy
- cut back regularly
"Pink Delight"
- Flowering period July to October
- Flower color pink
- sitting on long grapes
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Soil moisture normal
- moderately hardy
- Cut back once a year
"Royal Red"
- Flowering period between July and October
- Flower color purple
- Flowers sit on long racemes
- Sun to partial shade
- Soil always slightly moist
- moderately hardy
- regular pruning
"White Profusion"
- white flowers on long racemes
- Flowering time from July to October
- sunny to partially shaded location
- Always keep the soil slightly moist
- conditionally hardy
- Cut back once a year
Tip: Since all butterfly bushes are only partially hardy, they are only suitable for a hedge in a milder climatic area. Otherwise, the entire hedge would have to be protected with plant fleece and brushwood mats in very frosty temperatures.
Finger shrub hedge
Finger bushes (Potentilla fruticosa) are also available in different colors. The following hedge was composed of three colors and fits perfectly as a low hedge in the front garden, as a bed border or terrace delimitation.
"Abbotswood"
- Growth height up to one meter
- Flowering from June to October
- decorative small white flowers
- Leaves bluish green
- hardy
- Sunny and bright location
- Soil quality permeable and moderately moist
- nutrient-rich substrate
- cut annually
"Goldfinger"
- Growth height up to 110 centimeters
- Flowering between June and October
- long, yellow flowers
- Leaves fresh green
- hardy
- sunny location
- permeable, fresh, nutrient-rich soil
- cut back regularly
"Red Ace"
- Growth height up to 60 centimeters
- Flowering between May and October
- many red to orange, long flowers
- Leaves light to medium green
- fresh, well-drained, nutrient-rich substrate
- bright to sunny location
- hardy
- cutting back is not necessary
Tip: Above all, all finger bushes can cope well with drought, which can last for several days.
