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Reply Re: Privacy Hedge, LONG - PART III

PART III

*  NECTAR-PRODUCING PLANTS

These can be perennials as well as woody plants, and are valuable for
attracting hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.  Right now, my Eupatorium
atropurpurea 'Gateway' (Joe Pye Weed cv.) is covered with bees and
Swallowtails --so are my Phlox and Agastache foeniculum.

Some shrubs for sun that are attractive to Hummingbirds:

--- Abelia grandiflora (Glossy Abelia) - Evergreen - Abelias are hardy to
USDA z 6; grow well in full sun or partial shade. When the temperature
falls to zero, all the plant aboveground may be killed but usually will
blossom again by midsummer.  Look for: A. 'Edward Goucher' (also called
Pink Abelia) with pinkish lavender flowers.  The species has pale pink
flowers; both grow in mounds 3 to 5 feet tall with equal spread in four or
five years.
--- Chaenomeles speciosa (Flowering Quince).  Evergreen - There are a lot
of hybrids available with flower colors ranging from white through pinks to
reds to oranges.  The species is hardy USDA z 4-10; the hybrids; z 6-10. 
They can be anywhere from 3' to 6 to 10' tall, depending on which one you
get.  I have 'Cameo', which has an apricot flower and flowers for me in
part shade.  It seems to be doing a bit of suckering and is about 3' tall. 
These plants flower very early in spring.
---Kolkwitzia amabilis (Beauty Bush) - Deciduous - Makes a fountain of pink
in late spring, followed by inconspicuous brown seedpods. Grows 6 to 10
feet tall and as big around.  Hardy USDA z 4-9.  I've had mine for years
and love it.  Even flowers well in partial shade.  
--- Weigela florida (Old-fashioned Weigela).  Deciduous - There are hybrids
available.  I've got W. f. 'Foliis Purpureis' with dusky pink flowers in
late spring.  Nice.  Various cultivars have white or red flowers. 
Depending on what you get, they can range from about 5' to 10' tall.  Mine
stays around 5' if I don't cut it back -- which I do, periodically.  Hardy
USDA z. 5-9.  Flower on old wood.
--- Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle) - Deciduous - Height: 8 to 15 feet;
Spread: 8 to 12 feet.  Fragrant, white flowers in spring. Red berries
appear in the fall.  Hardy USDA z. 3 to 8.

*  SUMMER-FRUITING PLANTS

In addition to those listed below, any of the fruiting brambles --
raspberries or blackberries fall into this section.  A number of the native
ones that I have are attractive and some are rank weeds.  I have one I've
never been able to ID, with red, very thorny canes and red fruit encased in
a papery casing.  I leave it where it isn't in the way.
--- Prunus sargentii (Sargent Cherry) - Deciduous - Height: 20-40'; Width:
20-30'.  Hardy to USDA z. 4b. Attractive smooth reddish brown bark. Pink
flowers in spring before leaf-out; good red fall color. Fruit is a small
black cherry birds love.
--- Amelanchier species (Serviceberry) - Height: 20-25'; Width: 10-20'. 
Hardy USDA z. 3 or 4 to 9.  Masses of white flowers in very early spring.
Excellent yellow-orange to red-purple fall color. 
The edible, blue-black fruit ripens in June and is readily eaten by birds
as it matures.  There are number of species, all similar but with slight
differences in leaf, twig, form and berry size or blooming time.  The
following are probably most suitable for your garden:  
---------A. arborea (Downy Serviceberry or Juneberry) -- 15' - 20' high; 
---------A. canadensis (Shadblow Serviceberry) -- often confused with A.
arborea and sold interchangeably with A. arborea in the nursery trade; 
suckers to form a thicket, 6' to 20' tall.  Hardy USDA z. 3-7 (8);
--------A. x grandiflora (Apple Serviceberry) a naturally occurring hybrid
between A. arborea x A. laevis.  Flowers are larger, young leaves tinged
purplish and pink tinged buds;
--------A. laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry) --Similar to A. arborea but
leaves are different.  Hardy to USDA z. 4;
--------A. stolonifera (Running Serviceberry) -- Stoloniferous to 4' to6'; 
forms small thickets.  Hardy to USDA z. 4.
Just about any of the above would work very well for what you have in mind,
I should think.  Some cultivars of various species are available, too.

(Continued in Part IV)

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
http://www.suite101.com

----------
> From: RobsGardn@aol.com
> Date: Monday, August 11, 1997 8:03 AM
> 
> I would like the area to be somewhere in the area of 40'x40' to 30'x50'.
I
> plan on using the hedge as a year 'round divider, with perennials such as
> butterfly bush and cone flower to highlight the area as well as attract
birds
> and butterflies. If the you can suggest a mixed hedge, I would be very
> interested in it. As I said, I don't want to look too stiff, just have an
> area in my back yard that that is "protected" all year.

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