British Columbia: Hedge Type: Need Your Help!

It's decision time and I need your help. I've been researching hedge types for our front east facing yard for months now and I am utterly confused by all the species. We would like a 6-8 foot tall compact evergreen hedge (that trims nicely) to provide a screen from the road. We live in Vancouver and have a 40 foot lot.

Although they seem to be everywhere, I am leaning away from Emerald Cedar...too common and there always seems to be at least one or two dying in the hedges I have observed in Vancouver. Others have recommended the Excelsa Cedar....but they seem wide and a bit 'spindly'. I like the look of the bushy Gelderland Western Red...but I don't know too much about them. Yew grows too slowly I hear. What would you choose? Help - I have a bad case of analysis-paralysis.

Thanks in advance. Spring is almost here! Can't wait.
Caroline

 

Hick's Yew. the only way to go round here IMO. They are not that slow growing in Vancouver. Just take a little extra effort in soil prep & fertilize & compost them for a couple of years. There is at least one previous exhaustive debate on the subject on this forum. Recently I have spent a lot of money, time & effort getting rid of large 30 year old, unprunable Cedars. I never want another cedar hedge. They do nothing for attracting animal life either.

 

Another vote for yew, but haven't tried Hick's yew. Common yew, Taxus baccata, works well for hedges and if you can get plants with the central leader intact they will put on height much quicker than without. Simply cut the leader when it gets to the required height. An established hedge only needs trimming once a year in late summer.

If you are going to sell your house in five years time the cedars might be a good choice but if you are planning on living there for 20 years I wouldn't even consider it.

 

I strongly recommend the Yews too, but if you absolutely can't wait, and want to go the big-tree route similar to a big Cedar, then consider Leyland Cypress. Very fast growing, rich dark green, sheers nicely, stays thick at the bottom (if you always carefully maintain a very slightly slant to the sides with a narrower top). But of course, like the big Cedars, it grows too fast for a long-lived hedge. You'll have to prune too often and tear it out too early.

 

I've had a north-facing, front-yard box hedge in Burnaby for 25 years; and I have never seen any other hedge that I would prefer. It provides total privacy, is drought-resistant, doesn't stunt other plants grown near it like Red Cedar, seems very pest-resistant, and probably would require little top-pruning if grown to 6-8 ft. I try to keep mine close to 4 ft high - I thought there were (almost universally ignored) bylaws that limit front-yard hedges to that height. The growth rate is reasonable: fast enough to grow a decent hedge in a few years, but not so fast that it needs constant pruning.

 

emerald cedar or columnar yew. Excelse is a variety of western red cedar, not appropriate for a residential hedge but they keep me busy with work! :)

 

Buxus sempervirens, Taxus sp. and Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' must have excellent drainage at all times. As a result, discoloration and dieback are prevalent among local plantings of all three of these. Questions about why part of a 'Smaragd' hedge in particular has died have been rather frequent.

Traditional hedges yew, holly and box have a level of quality that is lacking from most other common types. But in addition to the drainage requirements of the other two Ilex aquifolium is an invasive pest species in this region. Another species should be used instead. I. crenata is the apparent choice, but only where a box-like shrub would be suitable.

 

How about Hemlock?

 

Hmm? Looks lovely. As I recall, the issue with Hemlock(Tsuga heterophylla) is the same a with the "Cypresses" & Cedars. New growth does not originate from older wood. You know how a "Cedar" hedge can get "scalped" & not regrow? That means that it gets inexorably bigger & bigger &... Yew & Box can be pruned hard & will regrow from old wood or send up suckers in some cases, so the size of the hedge can be maintained for ever & ever - well, a long time anyway.
Search for old yew hedges, I am sure there are lots of pics & info.