Screening Plants

Plants used as screens in gardens are not always well defined for that purpose. A plant used for screening can take many forms, and are not always just climbers or plants used for hedges. Almost any plant can be trimmed to become a narrow plant or espalier to be used for screening. There are also many stem, standard and mop top plants that make very useful visual barriers.

Even in the smallest of spaces there is room for fruit trees. The technique of espalier is perfect for narrow places. In sunny situations it can be used very effectively to train and grow fruit, like citrus and apples, above fences or as dividers between spaces.

Any hedge or screening plant along a boundary will need to be regularly trimmed, perhaps several times throughout the growing season. Electrical trimmers or no-powered hedge trimmers are very fast and convenient, but can be very dangerous if the electrical chords are severed in the process. It is essential to have a cut-out safety device installed in the power board. A safer alternative is a petrol-powered trimmer. Blades should be treated immediately after use with a protective film to prevent damage and maintain them in good condition.