A garden path with a well-trimmed hedge increases the beauty of a garden thousands fold. The basic functions of a hedge are security, privacy and decoration. If you plan to make a hedge beside a path, the height should be maintained according to the wideness of the path. A very thick & high hedge will not look good beside a narrow path. A good hedge requires careful planting & regular maintenance to look at its best. The plants should be hardy & suitable for local climate & soil. Though green hedges are most common, colorful hedges also used for decorating purpose. A fast growing plant may be a quicker solution but it required frequent clippings. Also shaped hedges are used for making abstract figures in a garden. Chinese box also known as Kamini (Murraya Exotica), Golden Dew Drop (Duranta Repens), Rongon (Ixora Chinensis) can be a few good choice. In Places like Kolkata, where summer consist of almost six to seven month, monsoon is the best time to plant a hedge.

Dig the ground, over an area of 1 meter wide and 1/2 meter deep, along the length of the proposed hedge. Remove weed and foreign matters thoroughly. Mix leaf mould or farmyard manure to make the soil porous and nutrient rich. If the soil is mostly consist of clay, mix course sand proportionately to make it well drained. Make a ridge of around 15-20 centimeters high to plant into. If you plan to make a hedge of more than one meter width, make two parallel ridges instead, and maintain a gap of 1 meter between them. Consequently, you have to prepare a bed, 2 meter wide.

The planting distances of a normal hedge is around 25 to 30 centimeters depending upon the plant. For a larger hedge plant them 45 centimeters apart in double row and alternately in each row. Plants firmly and then water thoroughly for a few more days to help the plant for starting growth. You can cover the ground with mulch to keep weeds in check, but do not forget to remove it in the monsoon, so that fungicide will not infest.

Foliage is the most important thing for a hedge. For that provide a side feed of 20-10-20 fertilizer half-yearly. Do not give extra feed in the dormant season. For a formal hedge frequent and careful pruning is an important factor. Remove dead branches to increase beauty and encourage new growth. Normally hedge plants do not get infected by pest or insect, so no need to spray pesticides.