Hedging advice 10 December 2018 at 12:30PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 6 replies 2K views

Jay2804

Hi, Im looking for some advice, i recently bought a cottage on a hill which gets pretty windy at times, I want to start planting hedging around but will need around 300 meters worth so needing the cheapest hedge, im looking at hawthorn but they go bald in winter and beech is expensive, ideally i want all year round hedge

Any ideas?

downshifter

I have a privet hedge on the north boundary of my garden which is blown by winds from all directions. Evergreen. It's big and bushy (not clipped and suburban) and when in flower smells gorgeous. Bees and other insects absolutely love it, judging by the purring that comes from it in the summer!

Why not plant a mixed hedge?

DS

Davesnave

I presume you are looking at internet bare root prices from places like Buckingham Nurseries, not your local garden centre? Buying on-line bare root is very cost effective, which is important when you are doing things by the hundred metres. There's about half a dozen different suppliers.

A shelter belt may be composed of more than just the usual native species, but there's always a trade-off between getting shelter and losing views. Near to the house, on the side with the 'worst' winds you could consider growing scots pine, evergreen oak and holly, either together, or with deciduous species, including hornbeam, which has similar attributes to beech. Sheltering my main garden from the south/south east I have formal yew hedges. They're only 7 years old but already over 6' high. You can't beat yew for that job.

Be careful not to put poisonous plants like yew, prunus lusitanica, evergreen oak, or laurel anywhere that stock can get to them, or else you won't be popular!

These are nurseries I've used - no complaints about any of them:
https://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/index.html


https://www.hedgenursery.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3fvz6rWV3wIVDOR3Ch1O0AR9EAAYB
CAAEgIavPD_BwE


https://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk/shop/bare-root-hedging/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3fvz6rWV3wIVDOR3Ch1O0AR9EAAYASAAEgJHyfD_BwE

andrewf75

you can get mixed native hedging pretty cheap. Hawthorn, blackthorn, elder etc. Once established with brambles etc growing through it, its pretty dense even in winter despite the trees being deciduous.

rosy10

I'm also a fan of putting in a mixed hedgerow - bare root hedging is very cheap . I'd go for a staggered double row of native. Our council used to run a free scheme for hedging, (sadly not this year) - yours might do the same?

Dick_Turpin99

Hedges Direct do some good mixes

https://www.hedgesdirect.co.uk/acatalog/NT-flowering-native-packs.html

UnluckyT

The woodland trust to bare root trees, they're not very big to start with though.
You can get mixed tree packs, or buy the different types of trees see either singly or in as many as you require.