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A natural screen
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There are several varieties of trees and shrubs that form a natural curtain. They keep homes cooler in summer and also serve as an effective windbreak.
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PLANTS AFFORD privacy to homes. They lend grace to gardens and are an eco-friendly way of cutting down on dust and noise. When raising plants which will serve as a natural curtain for windows, it is advisable to plant the selection at a sufficient distance from the house so that when the plants are fully grown they will not block out the light or make washing of windows difficult.
For year-round privacy, evergreen varieties are the best bet. They not only help to keep homes cooler in summer but also act as a windbreak in winter.
The plants should be planted close enough so as to form a screen when fully grown but not so close that they grow into each other and spoil the beauty of individual specimens.
If you are creating a hedge, you can plant close because these plants grow fast to form a screen. Besides, hedges can be regularly pruned and given a shape. While the plants are still small, the area around them can be made colourful with bulbs such as dahlia, gladiolus, begonia and lily. Annual plants such as marigold, balsam, zinnia and coleus can also be grown in the season.
A screen or curtain of plants provides a natural backdrop to a garden. Choose plants that are quick growing and, of course, evergreen. Plants should be thick and dense, with foliage from top to bottom.
They should be trimmed every year just as the monsoon sets in or when flowering is over.
Shrubs should be planted during the monsoon for optimum growth. Most plants need well-drained soil as long periods in sodden soil make them rot.
Apply compost or well decomposed farmyard manure to the topsoil around the plants for quick growth.
Trees and shrubs that afford privacy are aralia, bauhinia, caesalpinia, calliandra, cassia, casuarinas, gardenia, henna, polyalthia, tecoma, magnolia, champa, murraya, nerium, parkinsonia, lettuce, raintree, plumeria, tabebuia.
Acalypha, clerodendron, duranta, dodonea, helianthus, pisonia, adatoda, barleria, bougainvillea, euphorbia, murraya and tecoma make attractive hedges.
K. THANIGAIMANI
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