How to protect themselves from the wind ?

Gusts do not always happen by the seaside! A vegetal screen diverts the win more efficiently than a wall. Surprising, no?

hedge distorted by the wind

Air filter

The secret of a vegetal hedge against the wind is to force the latest to go over while leaving a long, protected zone. A wall (or a hermetic fence) will make the wind rebound, creating gusts behind the protection, where it would be calm with a hedge. Therefore, vegetal are to be favoured to protect ourselves from draught!

Dense rather than flowering

The most effective hedges against the wind are the ones made of small, dense branches rather than big branches. Evergreens (such as Photinias, Leyland Cypress) are very effective. On the other hand, flowering shrubs like Fortsythias are not really effective against wind, unless it is not a strong one. Opposite the wind, it is then best to plant a suitable vegetal. And if you want a flowering screen, plant it behind your wind breaking hedge.

hedge of field maple, effective against the wind

A few Tips

To make your hedge even more effective, do not plant it in a single row but on two rows, placing the plants in staggered rows. Admittedly, this takes more space, but it really is more effective. If your ground is big enough, you can then again plant two hedges instead of just one, leaving a 2m gap between the two. In the first row, plant resistant evergreens (Leyland Cypress for example) and behind, plant a second row of dense shrubs (Blackthorn, for example).

Opposite seaside wind

Even if the wind is violent and blows often, it is possible to create a sheltered spot. All you need to do is to plant several hedges, planted only1m apart, placing opposite the wind plants which resist to it like Rugosa Rose or Sea Orache. Behind, place higher plants like Hawthorns or Tamarix. Finally, in the last row, plant strong conifers or evergreen shrubs.

Protect from the start

To face the wind, plants need to be well settled in. Do not let the wind give them a rough time and protect them behind a wind breaking canvas at least 1m high. Fix it to solids posts (planted at an angle facing the wind). Do not hesitate to prune your wind breaking hedge. The less high it is, the thicker it gets, therefore the more effective it becomes.

decorative hedge, less effective against the wind.

hedge of field maple and hornbeam