Before the winter is over, why not think about planting a hedge to create an attractive boundary or division in your garden, not only are they useful for keeping children and pets in, they can be natures answer to barbed wire and can help keep intruders out. They are environmentally friendly and can provide shelter and food for wildlife. Hedges offer beauty and interest in all seasons and soften the lines of buildings and hard landscaping making properties look more in keeping with their gardens.
Hedges can also help to reduce the impact of strong winds by filtering them, solid walls and fences can cause turbulence
Boundary Hedges There are many hedge species suitable for boundary hedging. Laurel, Privet, Beech, Hornbeam and Thuja. All of these hedges are either leaf retaining or evergreen therefore providing year round privacy.
Security Hedges Boundary hedges can also perform a similar task to a security hedge however hedging plants with thorns will always be the most effective deterrent. Pyracantha, Berberis Darwinii and Berberis Stenophylla are all suitable choices. Hollies will also make an excellent prickly hedge although rather more slowly. Suitable deciduous hedging species include Quickthorn, Blackthorn and most Roses. A mixture of plants can be equally effective, Mixed Native hedges are excellent for security as are simpler mixes such as Hornbeam and Quickthorn which combined are prickly and leaf retaining for winter.
Hedges for Screening Perhaps you need to screen an ugly building, or create privacy in an overlooked garden. Maybe you live near a busy road and want to filter the noise and pollution? In certain situations it could be best to plant a combination of hedge and trees, keeping the hedge at a manageable height allowing the trees to act as the high level screening. If you need to screen noise and pollution then the hedge needs to be deep and dense. If space allows the best species are Leylandii or Laurel ideally planted in a double row. Other suitable species include Thuja, Portuguese Laurel, Yew, Evergreen Oak and Hornbeam. Stilt hedges can also provide high level screening and as the name suggests the hedge is ‘lifted’ clear of the ground, growing on clear stems of between 1 and two metres with a further 1-2 metres of hedge. Stilt hedging offers screening at high level without the sense of ‘imprisonment’ that a wall of such a height would bring.
Low level hedging and path edgings Small hedges and path edgings add a well designed touch to paths, borders and kitchen gardens with obscuring views to other parts of the garden. Smaller hedging varieties include common box which can be clipped regularly to create crisp defined edging. Other more informal low level hedges, often include flowering shrubs such as Lavender, Rosemary, Perovskia, Spirea Anthony Waterer, Cotton Lavender and Potentillas.
Mixed Native Hedges Mixed hedgerows are a valuable source of food for wildlife and provide essential shelter for birds and insects. Native hedging is usually supplied as a bare root plant, available from November through to the end of March. With a carefully considered selection then you can achieve interest through the seasons from spring blossom to summer fruits, autumn colour to winter structure. If you aim to have at least 70% Hawthorn and Blackthorn then the remainder can be made up of a wonderful selection of as many different native hedging species as possible for maximum wild life appeal.
There are even more possibilities with hedges, perhaps you are looking for a flowering hedge, a hedge to create a backdrop to a herbaceous border or to frame a vista within your garden? If you need any help or advice in selecting the best hedge for your garden call us on 07850 761865 or email enquiries@haskett.co.uk
Published in Our Views by zeal
