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Does your fence look unsightly? No privacy with closely neighbors?
If you are not a gardening enthusiast, weeding and cleaning tasks can be daunting. You need an easy way to make your garden lush and more freedom without going through a tedious process.
The answer is: artificial hedges!
Planted hedges have been a timeless landscaping choice with practicality and beauty dating back centuries. From classic boxwood to colorful flowering shrubs, for every style and climate.
Are using fake hedges outdoors a smart choice or an easily frustrating shortcut?
Let's get into it.
What Is a Real Hedge?
Real wall hedges are barriers made up of living plants such as trees, shrubs or other plants in gardens, around fences, outside buildings, etc. After growing and developing to a hedge, and are pruned to form a continuous green wall. They can be used outside the farm to keep out some exotic critters as well.
Common hedge plants include Boxwood, Juniperus, and Cornus.
Buxus: A common dwarf hedge plant wall with small, dense foliage for easy pruning. Usually planted in fall or spring, taking about 1 to 2 years to grow.
Juniperus: An evergreen plant ideal for high hedges that provide good privacy. Usually planted in fall or early spring, takes about 2 to 3 years to grow.
Cornus: A flowering hedge wall to add seasonal color to your garden. Usually planted in the spring or fall, with flowering time in the spring, taking about 2-3 years to grow.
Pros:
Natural Sense
Real plants in a hedge with natural beauty, taking on vary colors and forms as the seasons change, adding to the dynamic landscape of your home garden. The root system of hedge walls will help secure the soil and prevent erosion to improve your muddy backyard.
Environment Benefits
Real wall hedge with ecosystem to help improve air quality, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen. Sometimes they also provide habitat, to biodiversity and maintain ecological balance.
Comfort
Real evergreen hedges are effective in blocking out views and providing privacy and security to resident, especially close neighbors. Dense real green hedges can provide some acoustic insulation, absorbing and reducing external noise.
Cons:
Long growing time
It takes longer from planting to forming a full hedge, which means you need to wait to grow to the required height, to the desired effect.
High upkeep demands
Real hedges need enough patience and professional gardening work. Plants will change throughout the seasons, such as leaf fall and blooming.
Once affected by pests and diseases, the plants may be harmed or die. Thus you will need regular work such as mowing and clean-up to keep the green hedge wall healthy and growing.
What Is a Artificial Hedge?
A artificial privacy hedge is a decorative barrier that approximates a real hedge and is made from synthetic models and materials. The most common type is the plastic fake hedge.
It is usually freestanding fake hedge structure with a manicured rectangular or box shaped, 5 sides of faux plant panels covered in an internal frame that can easily be stood in the ground.
These wall hedges are placed anywhere in the garden, patio or outdoor area without attaching to walls or fences, installation ready to use.
With base and wheels, it can be moved and placed freely as needed.
Pros:
Low Maintenance
For people who aren't avid gardeners, the yard often takes a backseat. With kids, jobs and other things keeping you distracted, there is even less time to take care of the garden.
Artificial hedge walls are perfect for them. It's never fading, which means that your garden or patio will always evergreen, no matter the seasons.
With an faux hedge in planter, you don't have to wait for growth. Once installed, it's ready to use, not to mention the tedious tasks of watering, pruning or fertilizing. Life is easier with the time and energy you save to do more things you enjoy.
Durability
Faux hedges are made of high-quality materials that are UV and weather resistant, built to withstand wind, rain, sun and seasonal changes. Longevity, not easy to fade or damage, more economical in the long run.
Versatile
Whether it's a balcony, patio, or interior decoration, faux hedges work perfectly to unlimited creativity and possibility. Not only is it suitable for landscape and fence, but it can also serve to separate patio spaces for add privacy.
Sustainable
Fake hedge walls do not require water, avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and help preserve natural resources and reduce environmental pollution.
Cons:
High-cost
Faux hedge fences usually manufactured with more skills and materials compared to natural hedges, to higher purchase cost. For some homes on a budget, may be a bit of a burden.
A artificial hedge screening lasts typically 5-15 years, which is more cost-effective in the long run.
Lack a natural sense
Artificial box wood hedges have a realistic look, but the touch of plastic can't be fully simulated. Real hedges with a soft touch, the leaves with finely textured and the plant's characteristic fresh scent.
Fake hedges are usually smoother to the touch, but lack the authentic ecosystem for photosynthesis.