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Re: Ugly Six-Foot Fence

There are a host of dwarf hemlocks, Tsuga canadensis.  'Everett's 
Golden is a nice selection for color.  I also have
a Tsuga mertensiana planted at the north-facing base of a 4' stone wall.
A combination of the climate here, the shade, and it's being slow growing
(though it can get large, esp. in it's habitat) has kept it quite dwarf.  I
also
have T. m. 'Elizabeth' which is a true dwarf.  Tsuga diversifolia is a
stunning, slow growing species, though it can eventually get large.  All
hemlock respond very well to pruning.

You should consider yews as well.  Taxus cuspidata 'Nana' is a very
nice, slow growing, dark foliaged variety.  Taxus baccata 'Adpressa 'Fowle'
is
a very dark form with short fat needles, very distinctive.  Also most of
the
numerous selections of fastigiate yew would work and would provide 
contrasting form.  There is a slow growing yellow tipped selection as well
but I can't recall the name ("Aurea Nana'?).  Yews can be pruned as well as

any plant.

I have seen Cephalotaxus and Thujopsis recommended for shade in US Z5
but don't have much experience with them.  I have a small Cephalotaxus
korena (coreana?) which has survived under a bunch of dense perennials for
3 years.

Kalmia latifolia is a beautiful shade tolerant plant.  There a are a bunch
of dwarf selections including 'Elf', 'Little Linda', and 'Tinkerbell'.

There are many dwarf hollies.  Ilex crenata is often cited as Z6 but I have
aseveral selections in my Z5 garden all of which have done well.  Ilex
glabra
is a good hardy choice with a different look.  Also Ilex pendunculosa is
wonderful but eventually might get too large without pruning.  The opacas
do not do well for me here (though I have a few).  Most get too large but
there are at least a couple of dwarf selections.  They may do fine in
shelter of 
the fence.  The x meserum varieties are hardy but you will have to fight to
keep
them in bounds.  Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite' (AKA 'Nana') is a smaller
growing
deciduous holly that provides berries through most of the winter.  It
should fruit OK
with good ambient light.  Almost all hollies need a male pollinator for
fruit.

The colorful barked dogwoods might be nice to mix in.  I like 'Winter
Beauty'. I
would include a witch hazel for winter interest.  'Diane' has beautiful
flowers and
incredible  fall color.  Witch hazels go get fairly large.

I'm out of time but...
Other fairly shade-tolerant options. There are hardy selections of each of
these.

Leucothoe
Buxus (Box)
Pierus
Rhododendron
Mahonia

----------
> From: Heather Navarra <hanavar@ibm.net>
> To: woodyplants@mallorn.com
> Subject: Ugly Six-Foot Fence
> Date: Thursday, September 11, 1997 7:25 AM
> 
> Our 30 x 66 foot backyard (wide but not deep) is surrounded by ugly
> six-foot board-on-board fences that lean badly, but that the neighbours
> don't think require replacing yet <sigh>.  I would like to plant some
> shrubs to disguise them, but have been wrestling with "what" for a while
> now.  
> 
> We would prefer to minimize the fall leaf clean-up, as there is a large
> stand of very tall maples in the yard behind us which kindly drops its
> keys and most of its leaves on our side of the fence!  Our yard receives
> about 6 hours of morning sun (the stand of trees is to the south-west).  
> The fence blocks the sun for anything planted against it (i.e., I will
> be
> planting these shrubs across the northern face of the fence).  I can't
> afford to bring the plants out away from the fence very far, or they'll
> be in my family room!  Also, we are on clay soil (the digging is *not*
> fun.)
> 
> Any suggestions?  I think I'm going to have to go with dwarf varieties,
> as it seems like the back fence is "right in my face" when I look out
> the back door of the house.  Would like a variety of textures and
> colours to improve the winter interest.  Are there any evergreens that
> are considered dwarf but would grow as high as 6 feet?  How high does
> holly grow?
> 
> Heather in Markham, Ontario, Canada
> Cda Zone 6 / USDA Zone 5 - usually get a couple of -30F cold snaps with
> little snow cover
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