Shrubs/hedge near fence

Leif

I asked in the In My Home forum about hedges near fences and was warned that privet is not good as it will force the fence back. Are there any suitable hedging plants for near a fence? The fence is not very high (5 feet) and I want something that goes to 6 feet, and fill a gap 4 to 5m long. There is already a Wiegela by the fence which does not damage the fence.

I have a Camellia in a large pot, which I am tempted to place about 2 foot from the fence, which will spread ~1.5m. (2 other Camellias destined for this purpose died in the wet weather.)

fwor

I must admit I didn't agree with the answer in the other thread about hedges damaging fences. My experience with long runs of hedging is that if the fence does not allow light through, the hedge stops putting out shoots towards it and puts its efforts into the directions where it will get light.

I don't know about the Camellia (never had much luck with mine - they always grow Ok but the flowers get badly affected by frost), but I had a Forsythia hedge at my old place which was in front of a fence for the decade or so I was there and never caused it any harm. Quite attractive when in flower, but perhaps a bit informal-looking for some people - and it did have a habit of self-rooting where you didn't want it to...

Leif

I have a huge Camellia near the front door, and it is covered in flowers in spring. This year they suffered damage, as you say, discolouring yellow when they should be red. It is still a splendid plant.

blossomhill_2

fwor wrote: »

I must admit I didn't agree with the answer in the other thread about hedges damaging fences. My experience with long runs of hedging is that if the fence does not allow light through, the hedge stops putting out shoots towards it and puts its efforts into the directions where it will get light.

You are right, and even if there are shoots on fence side they can be pruned off

LincolnshireYokel

Theres many plants can be used as hedging, apart from privet

Have a look here, theres more species for sale you can shake a stick at

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/?gclid=CMW857Wu5bACFZMctAod8VgiGA

Leif

LincolnshireYokel wrote: »

Theres many plants can be used as hedging, apart from privet

Have a look here, theres more species for sale you can shake a stick at

http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/?gclid=CMW857Wu5bACFZMctAod8VgiGA

Thanks, but my concern is to find plants suitable for near a fence. Unfortunately I have got conflicting answers.

Have the people who have said privet etc is okay by a fence got a privet by a fence? Sorry to question you but this is the sort of thing you decide one day, and 4 years later need to start again if you get it wrong.

lou37

My neighbour has a large old privet hedge which got a bit patchy, so she put a fence up in front of it. They have co-existed happily for at least 20 years - no sign of the privet coming through the fence (although it will go over the top if not clipped back).

iharding

When we moved in last year, part of the garden was bordered by a completely unruly, dense, and unmaintained privet hedge. I've been gradually cutting it back and digging up the stumps - only a couple of metres left to go now :-)

Behind this hedge, in various places, were an open rail fence, a lap panel fence, and a shed. None of these had been damaged in any way even though the bushes had grown right over them (even the shed!) and projected quite a long way the other side. It certainly got us off on the right foot with our neighbour when she realised how much more light was falling on her garden.