Need suggestions for fragrant hedge plants.

[jenandlaw]

I have a relatively large backyard and want screening on the sides from neighbors.

The number one criterion is FRAGRANCE. I would like plants that put off wonderful smells. Flowers aren't necessary if the foliage itself smells good. I would like plants that smell all four seasons if possible. I know there probably aren't a lot of plants that smell all four seasons, so a variety of plants with different smelling cycles would be ok.

I would like a tighter hedge that you can't walk through. I don't mind more than one species as long as it can grow and interweave with other species (like a tapestry hedge).

The facts:
* Location: 20 miles south of Nashville, TN. I'm in zone 6b.
* All plants must be evergreen. Don't want to lose the privacy in the winter.
* I don't mind pruning/trimming every couple of months.
* Would like either fast growers or plants that can be purchased at decent maturity for not much $.
* Ideally I would like a hedge at least 7 feet tall.
* Soil has lots of clay. I could entertain the notion of building up a berm with better soil or building a raised bed (this would decrease the required height of the hedge).
* Area to be covered ranges from full sun to full shade in summer. Full sun in winter.
* Cost is definitely a factor.


Please feel free to ask questions I have not answered. I tried to think of everything you might need to know, but I probably forgot something. Also, if you have some other fragrant privacy idea other than a hedge, please feel free to suggest it.

Reading over this list, I can't imagine that anyone knows of plants that fit these criteria. Any help you can give me, though, is greatly appreciated.

[bonsaiboy]

Some mimosa trees are very fragrant in the spring time. They should work.

[jenandlaw]

Ok, thank you for the suggestion.... but how do you get mimosa trees to grow in the kind of hedge I described?

[applestar]

How WIDE is your proposed planting area? Will it support staggered double row of planting? This will also determine the growth habit of the plans -- most likely shrubs -- vs. tolerance to pruning.

Also, you did say cost is a factor, but an inexpensive but sturdy fence for vines to climb on could be another option.

I always like to recommend a hedge row of native plants that provides habitat for wildlife (food source, cover, and nesting site).

[bonsaiboy]

One can prune a mimosa into a hedge.