Photo attached

Should be able to be maintained in a hedge like that by an annual pruning in early spring (like now). May look a little fuzzy by the end of the season but even in the inspiration photo it is plain to see that this is not going to be a tight and tidy hedge plant like boxwood :-)) New growth during the season may produce a bit more of a natural or ragged look. As long as you don't leave it too late, the rough edges can be trimmed back if you prefer.

My concern is that the willows may become too much work to manage.

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i suppose it depends inf you are 20 1ish ... or 60ish .... willow is aggressive.. and will need one or two trimmings per year ... its not a plant i would want to have to prune at my age ..

how about a pic of your spot.. and ask for suggestions other than those in the box you are already in ... i dont understand why you need a 10 foot hedge????

look here.. look for single non pruned plants.. frankly.. one will fit in your 8 by 10 spot .. do not fixate on the pix of many plants on an estate with a gang of 20 gardeners to prune them ..

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=Dappled+Willow&iax=images&ia=images

ken

I'd go with red osier dogwood. You'd get winter color and spring flowers. Chances are, you can find a variegated version. And it should be native to you. Win, win, win.

If you prune the dogwood into a hedged shape, you will not get flowers. And the shrub willow also produces dark red/wine colored stems in winter. It is no more of a chore to prune than is the dogwood.

I think some are making much more of this than is necessary :-) It is really not that big a deal!

Rather than "rows" of soldiers consider doing a mixed bed planting where your arrangement is more natural. You'll still have the privacy but the maintenance would be easier and it would look nice trimmed or not.

I personally would not use willow- IMO there are too many other things better suited that do not demand that much pruning.