Hedging advice please!

Corneycobs

Hi, hoping someone can advise me!

Our new home has 18m frontage onto a main road (we're in a triangular corner plot). It's currently got a dwarf brick wall with flowerbed and three spotted laurel bushes (each about 1.5m wide and 1.75m high) evenly spaced (so one at each end and one in the middle).

I'd like to get rid of the flower bed, unfortunately I'm not much of a gardener and the previous owner was -- which means there's lots of plants in there and a LOT of maintenance to stop it looking scruffy. Also a solid hedge wouldn't stop light but would stop passers by looking into the garden, making it a bit more private. My idea is to plant laurel hedging (to grow to 1.75m high) all along the 18m and do away with the flower beds.

I'm so confused with the options for hedging though. Do I buy small, and wait for them to grow? How long will this take? Or do I buy 5ft plants, giving us what we want in about 3 years' time? Do I get bareroot or potted?

I'm guessing I'm looking at about £600 - £1000 in plants alone, would they be easy enough for me (complete novice) to put in and care for, saving on paying labour?

Please could someone give me some impartial advice? Thanks!

SailorSam

You'll save a lot of money if you get bare -rotted plants and are willing to wait, and you'll probably have a healthier and stronger hedge.
http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/

Corneycobs

SailorSam wrote: »

You'll save a lot of money if you get bare -rotted plants and are willing to wait, and you'll probably have a healthier and stronger hedge.
http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/

Thanks, how big would you recommend I get? And how long would they take to grow?

Corneycobs

SailorSam wrote: »

You'll save a lot of money if you get bare -rotted plants and are willing to wait, and you'll probably have a healthier and stronger hedge.
http://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/

Just had a look at that site, and because you can't get bare rooted spotted laurel, I had a look at cherry laurel instead.

At a density of 7 per metre (recommended on site) at 50/70cm, it comes in at £336, which I don't think is too bad.

Just wondering if I can plant them myself! :cool:

wallbash

Just wondering if I can plant them myself! :cool:

If you can dig a trench , why not.

SailorSam

Did you notice where it says about special offers, free delivery and 5% off over £250.
When i planted some i dug a trench before they arrived so that i could get them in the ground straight away, before the growing season begins.