Shrub Hedge Plants

Berckman's Golden Arborvitae

• Berckman's Golden arborvitae is a cone-shaped shrub with gold-tipped green foliage. It makes a good hedge plant because it grows up to 6 feet tall but stays just 4 feet wide. Berckman's arborvitae prefers a sunny location, but can tolerate some shade. Plant these arborvitae in amended, well-drained soil and feed them with shrub or organic fertilizer. Berckman's Golden grow best in USDA Zones 6 to 9. Pests usually aren't a problem, but use pesticides containing Neem oil if necessary.

Wintergreen Boxwood

• If you need smaller hedges to border a garden or driveway, plant wintergreen boxwood, also known as Korean boxwood. Wintergreen boxwood grows up to 5 feet tall and wide, but its branches are full and dense, so the shrub can easily be trimmed down to 4 feet tall and wide. These boxwoods produce fragrant flowers during the spring. Plant them in well-drained soil, water them at least once a week and feed them shrub fertilizer in late winter. Boxwoods are hardy in Zones 4 to 9.

Purple Diamond

• "Purple Diamond" Loropetalum adds deep color to your landscape border. These shrubs can grow from 4 to 5 feet tall and wide. They boast purple foliage, plus pink flowers that start blooming heavily in the spring and appear sporadically through summer and fall. This low-maintenance shrub can be planted in sun or shade, and only needs watering every week or two. "Purple Diamond" grows best in Zones 7 to 9. Fertilize them with organic plant food just after spring.

Cryptomeria

• Crytpomeria has bright green foliage and grows in a ball shape, reaching about 5 feet tall and wide. Cryptomeria prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It needs no pruning and is relatively low maintenance. Feed it organic plant food or shrub fertilizer in the spring.