Wrapping More Hedges and Shrubs with Burlap
Blustery winter weather has finally arrived here in the Northeast - temperatures this week are expected in the low 30s with occasional sleet and snow. I am so glad our annual burlap project is complete at my Bedford, New York farm and that all the many hedges and shrubs are now tucked under protective coverings.
I've been covering my boxwood specimens with burlap since I first started to garden. Burlap protects the branches from splaying and even breaking under heavy snow, and shields the foliage from freezing windburn. Just before the holidays, the outdoor grounds crew tackled the long Boxwood Allee, but over the last couple of weeks, the crew also covered plantings in the Summer House garden, around the herbaceous peony bed, on my terrace parterre, and along the long and winding pergola.
Here are the photos - enjoy.
-
- All the wooden stakes, strips and shims get reused from year to year whenever possible. These one-and-a-half by one-and-a-half inch pieces were milled right here at my farm and have been used for several projects.
-
- The stakes are used to create frames around the hedges and shrubs. And to make sure all the sections are level, the crew uses construction twine to create a level guide.
-
- Here is a frame built along the boxwood lining the footpath in the sunken garden.
-
- Each upright stake is secured with crews to the metal horizontal pieces.
-
- The frames are built at least one foot above the hedge so even the heaviest snow doesn’t weigh the burlap down and crush the tender foliage. I decided this year, the frames should be built a little higher than previous years.
-
- Rolls and rolls of burlap are needed to cover my hedges and shrubs each winter. After every season, any burlap still in good condition is saved for use the following year.
-
- The area being covered is carefully measured, so the burlap pieces can be cut to size.
-
- The project also requires rolls and rolls of jute twine.
-
- The needles are specially designed for sewing jute. These five-inch long needles have large eyes and bent tips.
-
- Because the hedges are wide, long pieces of burlap are sewn together to accommodate them properly.
-
- Chhewang is a fast sewer. Here he is sewing long sections of burlap together for the hedges surrounding the herbaceous peony bed.
-
- Our burlap covers last up to three seasons depending on the weather. This year, many of the covers had to be remade, which lengthens the process a little more.
-
- And remember, these boxwood specimens also grow a little more every year, so the covers and frames have to be adjusted every season.
-
- Once the section is completely sewn, the heavy burlap is placed by hand over the frames, one section at a time.
-
- This is one end of the hedge – all the burlap is pulled taut and sewn neatly.
-
- Here, Pete attaches wooden strips every two to three feet along the bottom of the hedge. The strips are about six to eight inches long – just long enough to accommodate two or three screws that will keep the burlap secure.
-
- Meanwhile, not far from the peony bed, the crew begins framing around the gardens outside my Winter House. We cover all the big boxwood shrubs and the shorter boxwood hedges that surround them.
-
- This bed has a small boxwood hedge – just outside the servery windows. More twine is used to ensure the stakes are straight and level.
-
- And here is the finished framing around the terrace fountains.
-
- Pete carefully walks around the giant boxwood, unrolling a length of burlap as he goes.
-
- Phurba helps from the other side and cuts the burlap to fit. The crew has gone through the process several times – it is a well executed production line.
-
- These wooden stakes are placed in between every three of the boxwood shrubs along the pergola.
-
- The stakes are placed sturdily into the ground at least several inches deep. Phurba uses another stake to make sure the pounded upright is straight and secure.
-
- Two-inch screws are used to connect the stakes of each frame.
-
- Here is the pergola frame waiting to be covered with burlap. Here, we used spare sections of bamboo for the horizontal supports – nothing goes to waste at my farm.
-
- Back at the peony garden, the burlap is all done. As you can see, the burlap still allows the boxwood to “breathe”, and get sunlight, which is important even during the colder months.
-
- Here is the entrance to the peony bed after all the burlap is secured.
-
- Once completely wrapped, the burlap is pulled tightly against the frame and hand-sewn closed.
-
- Here is the sunken Summer House garden – all done.
-
- And the boxwood in front of my Summer House is also complete.
-
- And here is a section of the terrace parterre completed – everything is tight and secure. It’s always so beautiful in its own way – like a burlap art installation. Various birds love to nest in the big bushes, so I add a few holes for our avian friends.
-
- Here is one side of the pergola done. This pergola is one of the first things I see when arriving home.
-
- And here is the back side of the pergola – all the burlap is well attached at the bottom of the row.
-
- The entire process of wrapping all the boxwood shrubs, hedges, and various other plantings, takes several weeks to complete, but it is well-worth the effort to protect all these beautiful specimens. My boxwood is now ready for the winter weather ahead.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
