A garden hedge can be a beautiful and functional feature of any garden. You may decide you want a hedge for a variety of reasons. Perhaps it’s to gain some privacy from your neighbours, or to make your property more secure from the outside world. You might want to shelter your garden from the wind to make it a better place to relax or just use it to define the border of your property. You may just want to replace an existing fence with a more wildlife friendly and natural alternative.
However, choosing and growing a hedge is not as simple as picking any plant and putting it in the ground. Different species of plants have different requirements and characteristics, and some may be more suitable for certain locations than others. Here, we will give you some tips on how to choose and grow a garden hedge and introduce you to the most popular options as well as one or two more unusual ones.
Choosing The Type of Hedge you want.
Your first step is work out what sort of hedge is ideal for you. You can narrow down your options by asking yourself a few simple questions.
- Would you prefer an evergreen hedge that’s the same all year round or would you be equally happy with a deciduous one that loses its leaves each Autumn. If privacy is your main reason for growing a hedge you are more likely to be suited to an evergreen one that is an effective screen all the time.
- Do you need a fast-growing hedge that will soon be a reasonable height or are you happy for one that takes longer to reach its desired size.
- How tall does your hedge need to be. The taller you want the more likely you need a fast growing one. Some hedging plants don’t grow that tall so are only useful when height is unimportant.
- Hedges can be either a formal style which is closely clipped and tidy or informal where it is left to a more natural shape. Formal ones need regular pruning so are more time consuming to maintain.
- Do your soil conditions and climate suit certain types of hedging plants more than others.
- Are you interested in a hedge that may offer more to wildlife. For example, one that has berries that birds love in the Autumn like hawthorn.
- Does the location of your hedge affect your choice. Perhaps it’s in a heavily shaded area that full sun plants won’t grow well in.
- Does the hedge all need to be of one type or would you consider a mixed species one. These can be more attractive to wildlife.
Once you have considered these factors you can look through the options and make your decision.
Common Types of Hedges
- Leyland Cyprus. Commonly known as leylandii this is a very fast-growing evergreen that can reach heights of 30m or more if left alone but can be planted and grown into a hedge. Its high rate of growth is ideal for someone wanting a tall hedge quickly, but it is high maintenance as you need to prune often to keep to control. In recent years leylandii have been the cause of several expensive disputes between neighbours due to excessive heights blocking light. The roots also drain a high level of water from surrounding ground and can cause subsidence to nearby buildings.
- Yew. This dense evergreen makes a great garden hedge. It grows at a rate of up to 30cm per year and is easy to maintain as a hedge when it reaches its desired height. Its berries are enjoyed by birds but are poisonous to both humans and pets. It is simple to shape so it’s a good choice for anyone wanting to practice their topiary. Very easy to grow it is happy in any sort of soil and grows well in shaded areas. In the first few years it does need a lot of water but that apart requires little effort to maintain.
- Hawthorn. A deciduous plant that starts off in Spring with a delightful white blossom and then produces red berries in Autumn that will bring birds to your garden. For anyone wishing to attract wildlife it is one of the best choices. It does have thorny branches, so you need to take care when trimming it. It is easy to grow in most conditions and is a relatively quick growing adding around 50cm a year.
- Hornbeam. Also known as Common Hornbeam or European Hornbeam it is a native tree that is semi evergreen. It retains its leaves through the winter though they change colour in Autumn from green to brown. It forms a dense hedge that gives privacy to your garden. Easy to grow, it takes little maintenance and can be hard pruned if necessary. A very popular choice that makes a very good formal single species hedge but can also be combined with other similar types.
- Beech. Another very popular hedging choice, it is similar to Hornbeam in that it keeps its leaves throughout the winter only losing them when the new growth is ready in Spring. The standard Beech is green leaved but there is also a Copper variety with darker purple/brown foliage and you can easily combine the two into a hedge if you so desire. Fairly fast growing you can expect to gain 40-60 cm a year. Easy to grow it handles most soils and will grow in full sun or partial shade.
- Privet. At one time this was by far the most popular choice for hedging in the UK being used as the standard for whole housing estates. Nowadays there is a much wider choice available, but it is still fairly popular. It forms a dense green hedge with is evergreen in all bar the coldest winters. It has white flowers in Spring and black berries in Autumn which are poisonous to people and pets but are happily eaten by the birds. The green privet is the most familiar but there are other varieties notably the more colourful golden one. It will handle most conditions and grows around 25-30 cm a year. Easy to prune its well worth considering for anyone who wants a dense formal hedge.
- Box. This small leaved evergreen is the perfect choice for someone who requires a low hedge to define a border or edge. It can also be made into a taller hedge, but it only grows at around 10cm a year so is not idea for someone who wants privacy in their garden and can’t wait for the amount of time it needs to reach that height. Grows in most soil types and copes with partial shade. Easy to maintain, you can trim it once or twice a year but not later than September. It has been affected by Box Blight, a disease caused by fungi in recent times but remains a popular choice.
- English Holly. You may not immediately associate holly as a hedging plant, but it is actually a popular choice either by itself or mixed with other native species. It is a slow growing plant (10-15cm per year) so it’s not the perfect choice for someone wanting quick results but if you have the time, it can be made into a hedge that offers both privacy and security. Fairly easy to grow it is especially suitable for shady areas. Its red berries are popular with the birds, but it should be noted that holly plants can be either male or female and only females produce them. Its hard to tell from young plants but if you are buying several plants for a hedge, you should (hopefully!) get a mix of both sexes. Don’t forget that holly berries are poisonous to people.
- Blackthorn. A deciduous plant that is similar to hawthorn but does have very different shaped leaves. It has white flowers in the Spring and in Autumn grows berries called sloes that are often made into sloe gin. Like its name suggests it has thorny branches and it makes a dense hedge that also provides security. It is a fast-growing hedge that can add 50cm in height each year. It is easy to grow in most soils and in both full sun and partial shade. Can be maintained easily and is best trimmed in late winter or early spring. Blackthorn is a good choice for a wildlife friendly hedge either by itself or as part of a multi species native hedge.
- Cherry Laurel. Also known as the Common Laurel this evergreen has been a popular choice for hedges for a long time. It has large glossy green leaves and grows fast at up to 60cm per year. Easy to grow even in heavily shaded areas it is ideal for someone who is looking for an easy to maintain dense hedge that is attractive to wildlife.
Anyone interested in a laurel hedge should note there are a wide range of types available some of which are fast growing and others that are slower. Choices include Bay, Portuguese, Caucasica, Compact and Spotted.
The ones above are ten of the most popular hedging plants available in the UK today but there is a huge choice out there if you are looking for something a little different. A couple of my favourites are –
- Pyracantha. Also called firethorn, this is the ultimate security hedge with thorns that can be described as vicious. Care is needed even when wearing decent gardening gloves. It is a fast-growing plant that is easy to grow in all but the darkest spots. Pyracantha flowers in May and produces masses of berries in the Autumn that can be red, orange or yellow depending on the variety.
- Rosemary. Better known as a herb that can be added to cooking there is no reason why you cannot grow Rosemary into a hedge. It grows at a rate of between 25 and 40cm a year and grow to around 1.5m. It produces fragrant flowers than can be white, blue or purple depending on the variety you choose. It likes full sun and well-drained soil. It is drought-tolerant and is a hardy plant that can withstand all bar the coldest conditions. For anyone who is looking for a low to medium sized hedge it is well worth considering.
Planting a Hedge
To plant your hedge there are a few simple steps but you should always read the instructions for the specific plants you have purchased. Generally, you should do the following –
- Plan so you plant your hedge at the ideal time of year. This is likely to be in the period between early Autumn and early Spring.
- Measure the length of the space you wish to grow your hedge in.
- Calculate how many plants you will need to fill this area.
- Clear the area of weeds.
- Dig a trench that is likely to be between 20 and 30 cm deep but this will vary depending on which type of plant you have. You should remember not to place your hedge too close to your properties boundary as you need to allow for the plants to spread out as they grow.
- Soak the plants in a bucket of water for about an hour before planting. This will rehydrate them and help them to avoid transplant shock. If the plants are in pots, gently remove them and tease out the roots. If they are bare-rooted, trim any damaged roots.
- Plant the plants in the trench, spacing them evenly according to the instructions for your type and size of plants. Make sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface and firm the soil around the roots. Water the plants well and mulch the base of the hedge with bark, straw, or grass cuttings to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
- Stake plants where necessary.
- Water your plants regularly but be careful not to over water.
- Keep the hedge and the surrounding soil clear of weeds.
- Feed once a year with a suitable fertiliser.
Conclusion.
Choosing and planting a garden hedge can be an enjoyable project that can enhance the beauty of your garden and the privacy and security of your property. Here we have given some suggestions as to the questions you should ask yourself before choosing which type of hedge is ideal for you and a general plan for how you should go about planting it. Hopefully you have found this article useful. Happy Gardening.