After the strong winds, it seems our fence posts are on their last legs. The only thing we can do now is plant a hedge.
So much better for the wildlife, better looking and of course great in the wind. I’m sure the neigbours would be fine with this.

Leylandi is out of the question, thinking more of beech or horn beam, maybe mix them up a bit with some berry varieties such as hawthorn.

Any other recommendations would be great. Also how long do they take to grow? How far apart to plant and how much does each bush cost?

Thanks

hawthorn/blackthorn a git with kids and a git to prune.

remember beech/hornbeam shed leaves so go pretty see through in winter and will need to be tidied up.

I’ve got a box/privet hedge and a laural (related to bay leaves, might not be laural)hedge. Evergreen so good that way.

Was 2 quid a stick (root and 24″ of stem), planted 2′ apart. Let them grow 8″ higher than I wanted, then pruned hard to 4″ below the height i wanted back so they infilled and got depth with no big branch/stock to mar the top. Took 5 years until they were a good thick 3’6″ high(could have gone a lot higher) but looked ok at year 3.

Easier to tidy up on grass/paths, but a got on gravel/slate and don’t rot down for ages so awful for the compost heap.

http://www.hedgenursery.co.uk has all you need to know, we went with an inner layer of mixed native wildlife friendly and an outer layer of privet.

Planted a beech hedge about 18 months ago. Whips started at 18 inches high, so we paid a bit more to start with a bit more height. Planted two rows, each row c12 inches apart. Each whip spaced c18 inches from each other. Whips are staggered. Already looking lovely. Will be ace when it’s about 5 years old.

use link that qwerty suggests, beech will hold onto leaves around 10 months of year, but is classed as fairly sterile so does not attract wildlife which prefers hawthorn/blackthorn/holly mix

Google Conservation Hedge. Very nice and you can get it laid (oo er) in time which looks stunning.

[edit] Here you go;
http://www.botanicaplantnursery.co.uk/the-conservation-hedge-per-metre-2631-p.asp

Whilst Beech and Hornbeam aren’t mutually exclusive they tend to thrive in different areas so I would go with one or the other depending upon what others in the area have – they make a lovely hedge. Leave blackthorn, hawthorn etc for borders with fields – not with neighbours- they are livestock hedges not natural garden borders.

remember beech/hornbeam shed leaves so go pretty see through in winter and will need to be tidied up.

Both Beech and Hornbeam keep most of their leaves through the winter, and they’re a nice reddish-brown, so they still act as a decent windbreak. You could intersperse with a bit of hawthorn as well, not as thorny as Blackthorn, but berries for the birds in winter.
Hornbeam used to be cropped for tool handles, firewood, etc, as coppicing in woods. The wood is very hard and fine-grained, good for wood-planes, needs working while green, because it’s other name is Ironwood…

“not with neighbours- they are livestock hedges not natural garden borders.”

depends if you want to keep your neighbour their side 😉

ill be sticking up a beech / hawthorn mix for a wind break when i break out my crazy pave – so realistically next autumn 😉

I have absolutely no Idea about the foliage!… But I can dig when you need help… 😀

I’ve got a mixture of field maple, guelder rose, hawthorn, blackthorn, dog rose & elder.

Still early days so the hedge has lots of gaps but the field maple and guelder rose are going well so far.

I’m a fan of a simple privet. Birds love it and it looks lovely. Plant now to reduce water demand compared to planting in April/May. 18-24″ apart, couple quid per plant 18″ high.

Holly also makes a good four season hedge.

privet is dead easy to grow from cuttings

will grow to any shape you like – you will never be able to kill it by pruning

Thanks chaps.

We already have a large sturdy beech hedge. It’s amazing for the birds, there are always several nests in there.
Not so keen on laurel as we also have that.

Will talk to the neighbour and see about privet.

Solarpowered – yes come and help, that would be a hoot.

I see a pink hedge forthcoming…

I’d *love* a hedge like that. It’d be amazing for butterflies and other fauna

I have several different areas of hedge as we have quite a large garden.

Earliest was planted 5 years ago to this mix

http://www.3fatpigs.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9&products_id=10

It is now about 5 foot high and 4 foot wide, I double planted it as needed a thick hedge in that area.. It is attractive through the year and yes there are jaggy bits but no problems with the kids.

I have planted some blackberry in it now too so that we get berries to use in Autumn.

Also have another small younger hedge of crab apple, the blossom is very nice in springtime and lots small fruits in winter.

Other ideas to add to a mixed hedge are hazel or damson (again edible)

My father in law has a hedge which is over 50 years old which was originally made by cutting down a row of trees which were on the border of the orchard and filling in the gaps with a mix. The damson and apple trees still bear fruit in the hedge.

Whatever you choose prepare the ground well, dig it over and add in plenty of well rotted compost or horse manure if you have access to it, ask around plenty stables glad to get rid but it needs to be well rotted.

Can recommend the 3 fat pigs nursery, I have ordered form them quite a few times now, the plants have been good and delivery speedy.

http://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/hedging-plants-trees-shrubs-bareroot/hedging-packs/Edible-Hedging

We’ve just planted 50 meters of mixed native hedging, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, Dog Rose, Field Maple and crab apple, the plan is to lay it in about 5-7 years time.

It is mostly in between us and a field, and we’re supposed to have a stock-proof barrier, eventually we will have.

Hate privet, we’ve got some out front which is slowly succumbing to honey fungus, at some point I think we’ll pull it up and replace it with what we have done in the back, again if laid it will look much nicer, even when the leaves do drop.

For something a bit more unusual consider Osmanthus x burkwoodii – it’s evergreen, small leaved, moderate growth so easy to manage and has really fragrant white flowers in late spring.

What do you mean by laying it in 5 years?
I thought thAt was something that you did to rejuvenate an old hedge?
When I first planted my native hedge I cut it in half after planting then have cut it back quite hard couple of times a year since. It is now really thick.

We planted a Cotoneaster a few years ago when our fence came down – looks great all through the year and the berries in Winter are a plus for wildlife. Keep it well trimmed and it will look mint
We planted 18in high whips about 3 yrs ago and already they have doubled their size.
Privet is functional – but boring!

What do you mean by laying it in 5 years?
I thought thAt was something that you did to rejuvenate an old hedge?

You are correct, that is one reason to lay a hedge, particularly an old one.

Or you can do it to make it form a stronger stock proof boundary, but also because it looks nice.

Why are hedges laid?
Laying hedges is just one of the techniques in managing hedgerows. Other techniques include “Trimming” and “Coppicing” (Cutting off at ground level to encourage the hedge to regenerate). Left unmanaged a hedgerow will continue to grow upwards and outwards and will eventually become a line of trees. Where farmers keep cattle or sheep a good hedge is essential, for although barbed wire fences can easily be erected they do not provide shelter like a hedge. Hedges are also important for our wildlife and for their scenic value. A well-managed hedgerow is thick and bushy, an impenetrable barrier to sheep and cattle and a haven for wildlife. Cattle will lean against a hedge and make gaps whilst Sheep push through the base, hedge laying prevents this. The cut stems, which are bent over at an angle, prevent the sheep pushing through the stakes driven into the hedge and the binding along the top makes the fence strong to resist the weight of cattle. Laying the hedge also tidies it up and encourages the shrubs to regenerate keeping the hedge bushy and healthy. Once a hedge has been laid regular trimming will keep it in good order for up to 50 years when it may be appropriate to lay the hedge again, or even coppice it.

National Hedge Laying Society