Structures in the landscape

Walls, fences and baffles usually are used on the sides of property to provide protection, security or just to separate yards. Seldom are fences or walls used in the front of the property. However, there may be cases where a low wall, fence or baffle could be used to provide some privacy.

For example, if you have a large picture window, a fence could be used, provided it is of similar texture and style to the house and doesn't compete with the home's architecture, to create a small garden court that provides interest from inside while allowing some privacy. Most structures should be neutral in color; definitely avoid white as it will call attention. Another situation may involve screening a parking area or side entrance.

Dave Robson

Make sure you landscape both sides of the wall, fence or baffle to soften its harshness. Choose plants that vary in height, color, form and texture to create an interest. Using the same plants in front of the wall tends to call attention to the plants and wall and divert attention from the overall landscape and house.

The best fence is of living plant materials — shrubs, evergreens or a row of small trees. Plants provide seasonal change with flowers, fruit, foliage changes and bark color through the year, though evergreens do this to a lessor extent. Plant materials can create fences three to four feet in height all the way up to 10 feet.

Some of the best plant materials for living fences include:

• Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) — 4-6 feet with similar spread. Red and green forms; small thorns. Avoid the dwarf forms for fences. Deciduous.

• Viburnums (Viburnum spp.) — many different forms. Vary in height from 4 to 15 feet tall. Good flowers, many with fruit, pest-resistant. Deciduous.

• Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus, E.a. 'compactus) — Standard and dwarf forms. Standards to 15-20 feet, dwarf to 6 feet. Great fall color. Deciduous.

• Arborvitae (Thuja spp.) — Height variations. Forms include: "Emerald" (10-15 feet), "Holmstrup" (5-10 feet), "Nigra" (10-15 feet) "Techny", sometimes called "Mission" (10-15 feet but broader base than "Emerald"), "Rosenthalii" (less than 10 feet), "Wintergreen" (20-30 feet, 3 feet wide; one of the best). Evergreen.

• Yews (Taxus spp.) — Lots of height variations. Make sure you chose an upright form instead of a prostrate form. Select plants for height and shape. Evergreen.

Many other shrubs can be used, often mixing different plants to achieve different flowering and fruiting habits. However, do not piece together a living fence like a crazy quilt. Choose two or three plants at the most and group them in clumps. For example, you could have three plants of type A, two of type B, three more of type C, two more of type B, and two of type A. Individual plants can be used if they don't compete with the blooms, fall color, or other interesting characteristics of surrounding plants.

You can also create a fence by using taller, thin trees such as alder (Alnus glutinosa), Birch (Betula spp.) or amur maple (Acer ginnala) with some shrubs in front. Many of the old European hedges use oaks and beeches, though some of their hedges are actually 30 feet high.

Plants to avoid, if possible, as living fences include Forsythia (Forsythia), Lilac (Syringa) and Privet (Ligustrum). These three generally require more maintenance and have less outstanding landscape features.

Lombardy poplars also are poor specimens, often plagued with canker diseases as they mature. Likewise, the Austree is a type of willow that develops weak wood that breaks easily in Illinois winds, snows, ice storms and tornadoes. If you do plant the Austree, consider it a temporary specimen of no more than five years while another plant becomes established.

David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. You can write to Robson in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: robsond@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

16 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING FEBRUARY 1998