Hedges - Why Don'T We See Them Around Properties?

[JungleBiker]

Never seen a cow eat Bougainvillea. Maybe cows have tough mouths and stomachs, but the needles/thorns (whatever they are called) are strong and sharp

I stand corrected. Good to know, looks a lot better than barb wire.

I'm trying to explain this to my wife but don't know how to say bougainvillea in Thai. Little help?

courtesy of Google Translate เฟื่องฟ้า

[villagefarang]

Here is another hedge shot from today. No flowers these days as there is too much rain. Nothing but green.

[siampreggers]

In the average Thai home owner's mind: A hedge means that people can't see what they've got.

Why hide your property when it can be shown off night and day?

[cooked]

Ok, so build a 2 meter high wallk limke many Farangs.

[siampreggers]

Ok, so build a 2 meter high wallk limke many Farangs.

Or a hedge.

It's better for everyone as I like to be au naturel.

Or at the very least, not have my property gawked at by every curious somchai and tittiporn.

You may also notice so many of the locals build their house at the very back of their land, so everyone can see how much land they have.

Personally I prefer semi-private front and back gardens for myself and my family.

Edited September 8, 2012 by siampreggers

[villagefarang]

[cooked]

I worked for many years for garden owners and had much insight into their character merely by looking at their garden.Say no more.

[Michael Hare]

Ok, so build a 2 meter high wallk limke many Farangs.

Or a hedge.

It's better for everyone as I like to be au naturel.

Or at the very least, not have my property gawked at by every curious somchai and tittiporn.

You may also notice so many of the locals build their house at the very back of their land, so everyone can see how much land they have.

Personally I prefer semi-private front and back gardens for myself and my family.

I too like private back gardens which are twice the size of front gardens. Back gardens that are cool and shaded and face northeast. I will attach a photo of my back garden in Ubon. With regard to hedges, I have cut hundreds of meters of hedges back in my home country of NZ. Hedges that were 2 metres high that required stepladders to trim the sides and top. Hedges that keep animals out, but would not be good in Thailand to keep snakes out (There are no snakes in NZ). Therefore, in Thailand I prefer a concrete external wall with internal shrubs and hedges to soften the hard look.

[villagefarang]

I have hedges to delineate our boundaries a bit but keep them low to avoid blocking the view from our front yard. The low wall is only to keep the fish in the pond when it floods.

Edited September 8, 2012 by villagefarang

[siampreggers]

^^ Perfect!

Nice one Michael.

[cooked]

Ok, so build a 2 meter high wallk limke many Farangs.

Or a hedge.

It's better for everyone as I like to be au naturel.

Or at the very least, not have my property gawked at by every curious somchai and tittiporn.

You may also notice so many of the locals build their house at the very back of their land, so everyone can see how much land they have.

Personally I prefer semi-private front and back gardens for myself and my family.

I too like private back gardens which are twice the size of front gardens. Back gardens that are cool and shaded and face northeast. I will attach a photo of my back garden in Ubon. With regard to hedges, I have cut hundreds of meters of hedges back in my home country of NZ. Hedges that were 2 metres high that required stepladders to trim the sides and top. Hedges that keep animals out, but would not be good in Thailand to keep snakes out (There are no snakes in NZ). Therefore, in Thailand I prefer a concrete external wall with internal shrubs and hedges to soften the hard look.

So you don't have those excellent hedge shears on a pole? These changed my life when I bought some. Trade name Viking.

I don't know if you can ever keep snakes out, you have overgrowing trees and gates that get left open.

Edited September 8, 2012 by cooked

[Khonwan]

I enjoy having snakes around so haven’t put my idea to the test but it is this: Build a “moat” around your house/premises. Now I know that sounds a bit drastic but it need only be a few inches wide (4-6” I should think) and half as deep. Keep it filled with water and put a small amount of diesel oil in it, just enough for the oil to spread over the surface of the water. That diesel oil should keep out snakes, centipedes, scorpions and wingless insects. The moat or channel could have a raised cover (roof) to prevent rain causing diesel oil to overflow. Should an alternative oil such as cooking oil work as an equal deterrent (I suspect it would), a covering would be unnecessary since the oil would presumably cause no environmental damage, and only a little is required to be added again to put a film on the surface of the water. The moat could be easily formed by using PVC pipes that are cut through the diameter. It must be level, of course, but could be stepped where necessary on slopes.

Rgds

Khonwan

[Khonwan]

Villagefarang, please keep your beautiful photographs coming - they add to the pleasure of the farming forum.

Rgds

Khonwan

[Bluetongue]

Not a patch on Villagers photos but I am growing hedges, the light green one I used to call Plumbago in Aus I dont know why or whether that is right or not but the lavender flowers are quite nice although the plant does get quite woody, the darker green leaved one I dont know but wife and I having seen a few very nice hedges from it planted this on two sides of the home. Haven't trimmed it yet but the red flowers seem to bloom all year around

Edited September 9, 2012 by Bluetongue

[cooked]

Thought I'd come back on this: the Bougainvillea cuttings which succeeded were pencil thick and put in a mixture containing soil plus sand or soil plus compost plus sand. We planted some out today, good solid root system. The cuttings made from new growth failed 100% as did those done in 100% sand. Slanting cut. So we still have a hundred plants that we are still nursing on.