Function

• Longleat Hedge Maze
  
  Pruning hedges is a pertinent part of caring for the shrubs that make the hedges. Air flow and light discourage pests such as aphids, whiteflies, thrips and spider mites. It also helps to control disease such as fungi, powdery mildew and black spot.
  
  

Types

• Free Ornamental Hedge of Myrtle
  
  Heavy pruning, which is generally done in the spring, removes dead and decaying wood and plant foliage. It also encourages the shrub to grow, as the lower branches have more access to light and air flow. Clipping the stem tips is another form of pruning, and this encourages branching. Shearing also encourages growth, as well as shapes the hedge to make it even. Flowering hedges are not usually sheared, as shearing will remove the buds.
  
  

Time Frame

• Rosmarinus Officinalis
  
  A flowering hedge should be pruned in the spring for dead and decaying wood, but the stem tips should not be pinched until the blooms are ready to fall off. It should also be dead-headed--which is cutting the flowers off before they expire and fall off. Some shrubs create the buds for next year's flowers as soon or just before the flowers expire, so pruning other than removing dead wood should be done during the growing season and prior to the flowers expiring.
  
  

Geography

• Different types of shrubs for hedges grow in different areas of the region, depending on the zone. Zones are based on how cold it gets in your area, and some plants will not grow outside a certain zone. Always know what zone you are in and what zone the shrubs picked for your hedges do well in. Try to find evergreen shrubs for hedges if the hedge is in front of your house.
  
  

Features

• Hedges make excellent fencing to keep people out of the yard. They also make perfect "eye candy" for landscaping, especially if you can use evergreen shrubs or flowering shrubs in your area. They also provide a place for wildlife and birds to hide and nest, and make a perfect divider between an outdoor kitchen and the rest of the yard.
  
  

Size

• Shrubs used for hedges can grow up to 60 feet tall, depending on the type of shrub you choose. While most are rather low maintenance, they will need trimming and pruning throughout the year to keep them at a manageable size. Depending on how you trim and prune a hedge, it can get high enough to create a privacy fence, but you will need a ladder to care for the upper part of the hedge.