Top Hedges That Can Grow In Containers

Hedges like boxwood, hawthorn, thuja emerald 100 120 cm, dwarf conifers, and cotoneaster can be grown in good-sized containers for years, providing year-round interest and saving you money on repotting. During the warmer months, they can serve as green backdrops for seasonal flowers, while during the cold months, they can look stunning on their own or illuminated by holiday lights. You can grow these cold-hardy beauties in containers throughout the year, and they always look fabulous. Here are some of the best hedges you can grow in containers.

Boxwood

One of the most popular hedges for containers is boxwood. You can shape the hedge as you like and can also keep it more natural. Try smaller varieties of boxwood, like mountain bamboo shrubs, to make your hedge more container-friendly. When exposed to the full winter sun, the leaves and small twigs of boxwood are susceptible to winter burn. Winter burn is caused due to the leaves becoming freeze-dried and dehydrating. In areas where the ground freezes, keep some moisture in the soil and place pots out of direct sunlight.

Dwarf Mugo Pine

For year-round interest in the coldest regions, dwarf conifers are a great choice. It’s best to choose gum-drop-shaped trees like dwarf Mugo pines if you desire a rounded shape. Without pruning, plants grow slowly and maintain a mounded form. However, some pruning in spring can control size and shape. Once this dwarf mugo pine is established, the water requirement is low. For mugo pine hedges to grow, they need full sun. At maturity, it is 3 to 5 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, and it takes almost ten years for it to reach maturity.

Blue Spruce Shrub

In cold-winter climates, dwarf blue spruce make impressive container plants with silver-blue needles. Look for a dwarf variety for a small, conical tree, which can grow to 12 feet in the ground and smaller in containers. When established, water requirements are moderate to low. These blue spruce hedges grow best in full sunlight.

Thuja Emerald

Some arborvitae does well in containers, while a few smaller cultivars like ‘Emerald Green’ do well in larger pots. Due to its northern origins, the shrub is also known as ‘Smaragd’ – the Danish word for ’emerald.’ Plants with dense foliage, like thuja emerald, make excellent screening plants. Maintain the shape of the plant by pruning new growth; old wood does not sprout after it is cut. It grows in zones 2 to 7 and is hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit. This Emerald shrub requires a moderate amount of water. The light requirement of this shrub is full sun to partial shade.

Japanese Skimmia

These shrubs feature glossy foliage year-round as well as pinkish-red buds that form in fall and persist through the winter. These shrubs come in both male and female forms. For the most decorative buds and spring flowers, choose male trees. Flowers on female plants are less conspicuous, but berries from pollinated female plants are quite spectacular. The soil should be slightly moist but well-draining, and the water requirements for these shrubs are moderate. These shrubs require fully shaded or partially shady conditions to grow.

Avenbok Hedge Plantation

Choosing an Avenbok plantation is the best idea if you want a hedge plant that will save you from noise pollution and air pollution. It is best to grow these plants in the sun or partial shade, but they can also be grown in deeper shade. You should tie the hedges, so they grow straight, and you should not cut the walls until your plant reaches a desirable height. Hedge plants like these are perfect for screening, and you can use them perfectly as a potted hedge.

Hawthorn or Avenbok blossoms are synonymous with late spring when they mark the change in season. In addition to growing as small trees, these are also used in hedging, either alone or in combination with other native hedgerow plants. Many wildlife species eat leaves, flowers, and fruit, and its dense thorny habit provides a safe nesting place for birds. Among the best small garden trees, hawthorns make good potted screens or specimen trees. Due to their hardiness, hawthorns are suitable for most garden locations. A moist and well-drained soil and partial shade are ideal conditions for planting.

Takeaway!

Container hedges can suffer from cold damage, particularly if the soil has dried out or the pot is in an exposed location. So, place them in bright but sheltered locations, and follow plant tag instructions for watering to set up container gardens for success. Conifers are the cold-hardiest evergreens, while broad-leaf plants such as boxwood and Japanese skimmia and Avenbok are hardy but not extremely cold-resistant.