Olearia

Olearia is a New Zealand evergreen native plant used very successfully for medium sized hedges. The leaves are a clean avocado green, and the shrubs are easy to keep trimmed to size.

 This photograph was taken in the middle of winter.
Olearia Hedge

When I came to Mooseys there were other Olearia shrubs planted underneath shelter rows of pine and gum trees. The fact that they are still growing happily in this rather inhospitable part of the garden testifies to their toughness.

 It's little Minimus!
Kitten in the Olearia Hedge

A Good Hedging Plant

I have a network of Olearia hedges which are over head height. They surrounding the back lawn, and were here when we first came to Mooseys. These hedges are trimmed twice a year, and proved shelter for the house from the southerly storms.

The hedge is the perfect hiding (or playing) place for cats and kittens, as you can see! And in the early days one of my hens used to hide in here and sit on her clutch of eggs.

My Favourite

Many other New Zealand natives are good hedging plants for low, easy-care hedges. Corokias in particular are easy to use in this way.

Some gardeners use Pittosporums and keep them trimmed as a hedge. But Olearias are my favourite - except when it's time to clean up after they're trimmed. Aargh! What a mess! What a job!

 What a hot, annoying job!
Trimming the Olearia Hedge