Vcreed - I wouldn't suggest forsythia of any kind for a formal hedge as its growth pattern is informal, even F. Sunrise which is supposed to get to 6' x 6', a bit smaller than many. Forsythia is a plant that looks pretty awful when pruned IMO, particularly since it doesn't grow back evenly and ends up with holes and awkward branches. If you can find a variety than stays small enough to not need pruning and you don't mind leaving it to its natural growth pattern instead of making it boxy, it would be a good choice for a hedge. Most of the varieties I could find are either a bit tall (5'-6') or a bit small (2'-3') for your wishes. Heed the warnings about yew and deer. Nothing is nastier looking than a totally defoliated shrub with all the small twigs also gone. I live in a rural area and there are a fair number of deer, but the only plants they have ever bothered really are yew (completely bare and only larger branches almost all of the time) and toad lily. If you have any real deer problem, this won't be a hedge at all, and having to replace that many shrubs would be expensive. Otto Luykens isn't hardy for me so I can't comment. I'll add to the folks who like Fotherilla. I have Mount Airy in a variety of places around my property. Healthy leaves, interesting flowers before the leaves with nice mild honey scent, moderate growth rate for me, and stunning autumn color. It doesn't mind clay subsoil or sandy soil (I have it planted in both.) Mine were planted as 8" cuttings and now (6 years later) are in the range of 3' tall and wide. If planted larger, they'd make a nice hedge by now. In one spot they get snow shoveled onto them from the path by the back door and they do just fine. Look into dwarf red twig dogwoods if you want winter interest. Arctic Sun (Cornus sanquinea 'Cato' ppaf')and Arctic Fire (Cornus stolonifera 'Farrow' ppaf) both get to about 4'. AS has gold shading to red orange towards the tips in winter and AF has red twigs. They both have a low-key green appearance during the spring and summer, but AS has nice bright yellow fall color as well. Flowers are white, but pretty unobtrusive. Periodic pruning of some of the stems to the ground will keep the winter stem color bright, but isn't required to maintain your view. In some areas shrub dogwoods may have disease issues but not everywhere, so check with a local folks who would know if this is a problem in your area.

Hi Jill: This is an interesting 'garden preservation' question, I think. My small 14' x 70' backyard borders the yards of no less than 4 neighbors, so I have had occasion to think about this type of situation often. My experience in installing a new fence and perimeter boundary several years ago would provide good fodder for a TV sitcom; perhaps someday I shall recount the stories here. Here are a couple of thoughts: You are of course right to be concerned about what the new neighbors will do. But why not wait to talk to them before going too far down the road with re-design ideas? Having the current owner mention your role in maintaining the hedge was a good idea; otherwise, however, my advise would be to go slowly. Don't try to get them to take a position on the hedge one way or another until they've had a chance to settle in and give it some thought. When you've had a chance to meet them, you might casually mention something like "____ told me she mentioned the work I've done in the past to maintain the hedge between our houses. I'm sure you have a lot of other things on your mind right now, but sometime after you've had a chance to settle in, I'd love to talk to you about it for a bit . . . ." Who knows, the may _love_ the dense hedge and the privacy it provides. Especially if it is clear you are willing to continue maintaining it. Just think of the numerous posts on the Landscape Design forum each day saying "help, I want a tall privacy hedge FAST!" From my own experience as a new homeowner, though, I did learn to be wary of neighbors who descended on me with their various agendas before I had even had a chance to unpack my boxes. Another way to approach this dilemna would be to think about how much the hedge as it exists is worth to you. Instead of investing $$ in new plants and hardscape, you might think about offering your new neighbors some remuneration in return for an easement on their property allowing you to keep and maintain the hedge. An easement would be recorded on their deed, so would provide you with protection even if they in turn were to sell the house. I can't offer legal advice, and you'd have to check with a qualified real estate lawyer in your state, but generally speaking I think that such an easement could either "run with the land" (i.e. be a permanent easement for the benefit of whomever lives on your property) or it could run for a defined period of time--e.g., as long as you and your family occupy your lot. The latter would be a less costly investment for you and possibly more attractive to the property owners, since a permanent easement might be perceived as having a greater (negative) impact on resale value. Alternatively, I wonder if it would be possible to enter into a long-term "lease" of the stip on which the hedge sits for a modest annual sum? Again, you'd need to check with a lawyer as to whether such a lease is feasible. What I am suggesting is essentially the flip-side of your proposal. Instead of moving your hedge/fence within the bounds of land that you control, consider whether there may be a legal (and neighborly) means of extending your control outside the bounds of your lands. Your hedge sounds like such an integral and irreplaceable part of your garden, it seems like a shame just to give up all of time and work it has taken to get to its current state. Perhaps your neighbors will feel similarly (and perhaps they could also use some extra cash for new home improvements). Good luck, keep us posted. Kate

Although I'm not in Texas, I'm familiar with the DWF area and our climates are a zone different but still similar. I recently had cause to investigate shrubs suitable for a small border hedge and found out a couple of things that may interest you. The "go to" shrub for many people are the Boxwoods. But just to clue you in, the "Buxus Sempervirens varieties can, in the right weather, have the unpleasant odor of cat urine. Not something you want close to the house. Better are the Buxus Microphylla varieties (the variety I chose) if you want a short hedge closer to noses....Also an interesting choice I saw was the Cherry Laurel. Very pretty texture suitable with training into a tall formal hedge. It is one of the recommended shrubs from Texas A&M and one of those beautiful hedges you see in English landscapes. One of the things to ask yourself when growing a hedge is how much maintenance is required to keep it looking nice year after year. Some of the more formal hedges will require yearly pruning and shaping (if not more because you know how fast things can grow in Texas). Just a thought.......Below is a link to the Texas A&M list. Good luck shopping around.......Maryl Texas A&M

nativetexas, you are most welcome. It can either be grown as a hedge/screen from soil line upward or the multi-trunked plant can be pruned at the base to display bare trunks. Pruning up a few feet would allow for under plantings, which could add additional interest. Of course, you could also get the same effect by planting in a bed in front of the Sweet Olive. To give you some perspective, I believe we planted Sweet Olive in 2009 with plants about 36-40 inches high. Today those plants are 12-14 feet in height, growing in dappled shade. I don't know how well Sweet Olive might do with your soil and knowing how spread out San Antonio is, soil conditions probably vary, depending on the specific area. Thought the following might at least provide a bit of information from someone in your general area who grows Sweet Olive. Best of luck with your research and new plantings, whatever they might be. ... Mary The following comments about Sweet Olive were written and posted on another garden site by a San Antonio gardener. "Great as an understory planting under tall oak trees! Mine are about 18 feet tall and require little supplemental water. The fragrance in late winter, early spring and about the first of October is almost enchanting! In 20 years, I have never had to do a thing to these small trees - no pruning, no leaf rake up, no spraying for insect infestations and no fertilization. The deep green foliage is very attractive and the almost delicate appearance contrasts nicely with the oak. They should be used more, but they are difficult to find at garden centers. Neighbors and passersby always ask from where the delightful smell is emitting. I tell them and they never have heard of the "sweet olive".