Pruning the Beech Hedge Around the Pool
Another good pruning job is complete at my Bedford, New York farm - this time, on the purple columnar beech trees surrounding my swimming pool.
Back in 2018, we planted more than 170 purple columnar beech trees, Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' along the inside of the pool fence. The columnar beech is a splendid tree with deep-purple foliage that holds its color all season long. It reaches 40 to 50 feet in height and only 10-feet wide which makes it perfect for tight spaces and for use as an interesting hedge. Last week, my gardeners gave the hedge a good pruning to keep all the beech trees healthy and looking their best.
Enjoy these photos.
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- When planning the gardens around my pool, I wanted to create a natural border along both sides of my pool fence, so I chose a dark purple color palette. The hedge on the left is made of purple columnar beech trees, Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’. The shorter plantings on the right are Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’ and Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ shrubs.
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- Columnar beech trees are fastigiate meaning their branches slope upward more or less parallel to the main stem. I knew they would be perfect around the pool, but like all garden specimens, they must be well-maintained. I instructed my gardeners to prune them all at least a foot so they were all even.
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- Here’s a view from the top – they definitely need some pruning.
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- From this vantage point, one can see the hedge surrounding the enclosed pool. It is developing so nicely and disguises the fence very well.
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- The leaves of the Columnar Purple Beech are rounded ellipses, two to four inches long and one to three inches wide, with an undulating margin and a slightly pointed tip. They are smooth and softly lustrous in the sunlight. In spring the new leaves are a vibrant, deep purple-red. As they mature in summer they become dark burgundy-purple, holding this color well through the hotter weather.
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- To ensure the pruning is perfectly straight, we always use a landscaping twine, so it is visible and can be pulled taut. The twine is pulled between bamboo poles and placed along the sections of the hedge. The yellow level is placed on the twine as a guide.
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- Here is the twine stretched over the hedge. Brian also checks the line and level several times to be sure everything is trimmed properly.
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- And as each section is done, Brian moves the bamboo stakes and twine to the next area to be pruned.
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- Ryan uses our STIHL battery telescoping hedge trimmers to trim off the long tops as a start. Pruning means to lop or cut off any superfluous branches or shoots for better-shape and better growth. These look fuller every year – in part because of our regular pruning.
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- This STIHL hedge trimmer is designed with less bulk than others of its kind. It features hardened, precision-ground cutting blades and anti-vibration technology, keeping hands steady during every job.
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- Brian uses the STIHL battery-powered hedge trimmers to lop off the tops more precisely. This trimmer is lightweight, starts instantly and delivers quiet, powerful performance.
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- And Pasang works more closely to cut off any dead, diseased, damaged, non-productive, structurally unsound, or otherwise unwanted plant material.
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- Beneath the hedge is a variety of dark-leafed plants. This is Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’ – a unique perennial in the mint family Lamiaceae, with most species native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and southeastern Australia. Ajuga has lush dark burgundy-black foliage that blankets the ground when mature. The Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’, also known as Black Scallop bugleweed, ground pine, carpet bugle, or just bugle, has very glossy foliage and bright blue flowers in late spring.
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- Ajuga ‘Chocolate Chip’ is a dwarf, spreading groundcover that creates a tight mat of rich, chocolate brown foliage with dark green undertones.
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- This is a Nasturtium. Nasturtium plants, Tropaeolum, are loved for their rich, saturated, jewel-toned colors. Planted in the spring after the threat of frost has passed, they are fast and easy to grow. Nasturtium is a genus of about 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants. It was named by Carl Linnaeus in his book Species Plantarum, and is the only genus in the family Tropaeolaceae. These flowers can vary in shade, but the most popular versions are orange, yellow, pink, red, or mahogany. There are also varieties in subdued shades of butter yellow and cream.
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- Here’s a closer look at the interesting leaves of Nasturtium. The leaves are circular, shield-shaped and grow on a trailing plant. They are fragrant, with a mustard-like scent.
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- On one end, I have several potted Stephanotis – one of five to 10 species identified within the genus of twining vine-like shrubs. It is sometimes called Madagascar jasmine. The leaves are leathery, oval-shaped, and opposite, and the plant’s woody tendrils can grow to 20 feet.
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- The flowers are narrow, tubular, waxy horns about two inches in length that open to a crown of five lobes and stamens.
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- It doesn’t take long for the ground to fill with clippings – and this is just from one section.
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- To clean the area after pruning, Brian lightly blows any cut leaves and debris with STIHL’s backpack battery and handheld blower. The backpack battery eliminates the cost of fuel and engine oil and can be used for several hours before needing another charge.
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- Here’s a look at one side of the newly pruned hedge – so straight all the way down.
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- Here’s the hedge from the outside of the pool fence – it looks so much better behind the growing skirt of Cotinus and ninebark.
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- At the far end of the pool I have five staddle stones. Staddle stones were originally used in the 17th and 18th centuries as support bases for granaries, hayricks, and game larders. They typically looked like giant stone mushrooms, but mine are square – a more rare and unique version. I wanted the pool to look as natural as possible where I could enjoy the panoramic views of the landscape with my family and friends. I’ve worked hard to develop the surrounding gardens and am so pleased with how well they’ve grown. This is one of my favorite summertime areas of the farm.
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