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Hedge Recommendations for sub-urban yard?

 
Posts: 81
Location: Long Island, NY (Zone 7)
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Having pulled down a few hundred feet of rusted and bent chain link and old, rotted, and dangerous wooden stockade fencing, I am left with no privacy shield or visual markers of my property lines (as well as a view of my neighbors' cruddy fences). I would like to replace the non-living fences with something that is alive.

Ideally, I'd like to plant some hedges that are:

1) Quick to mature.
2) Dense.
3) Native (to Long Island) or at least non-invasive.
4) Pollinator, wildlife, and child friendly. (Not worried about deer in the yard. )
5) Not too tall at maturity. Town regulations limit height of hedges in front of the house to 4 feet and 6 feet on the side. Regs are seldom enforced, but why be the test case, right?
6) Reasonably priced and readily available.

Yeah, I know, that's a big wish list and I don't expect to find something that meets every point on the list, but I can hope.
 
gardener
Posts: 843
Location: western pennsylvania zone 5/a
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hi Frank

my recommendation would be juneberries
they met most of your requirements

http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/mfruit/juneberries.html

you can find varieties from small trees to shrubs
 
pollinator
Posts: 717
Location: West Yorkshire, UK
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How about a living willow fence? I've got a two foot tall one (planted this year) and a seven foot tall one (three years old).
 
Posts: 9002
Location: Victoria British Columbia-Canada
707
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Dwarf fruit trees with blackberries beneath make an edible hedge. Currants and gooseberries could work too.
 
Frank Brentwood
Posts: 81
Location: Long Island, NY (Zone 7)
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Thanks for all the hints, people. As always, now I'm off to read a lot more.
 
pollinator
Posts: 1190
Location: Nevada, Mo 64772
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I was about to plant a native hazelnut hedge until I found out there's buried electric cable the full length of where I planned to plant it. They're nice bushes, about six feet tall. No care unless you want to prune for a more formal. Most have pretty small nuts. I haven't decided yet if I have room to back off a few feet from the cable or how far it should be for the cable. Think I may just plant maiden grass or pampas on top of the cable. It's hard to cut but makes good mulch.
 
Ken W Wilson
pollinator
Posts: 1190
Location: Nevada, Mo 64772
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June berries are interesting. Good link. What are the seeds like? Hopefully tiny and you eat them like blue berry seeds? Do you know a good source for shrub sized plants? I am trying to squeeze as many plants as I can on my city lot and a half.
gift
 
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