Native trees/shrubs for a windbreak?

[BobG]

I've got a 30' gap in my garden that I need to fill with a tall hedge or some fast(ish) growing trees. The hedge is 250m above sea level in a very exposed area. I have a staghorn tree in the garden but this regularly loses branches to the wind.

I'd like to use native plants to keep the garden in keeping with the surrounding fields.

Trees that are found in the area include ash, sycamore, hawthorn, rowan, damson, elder and yew.

 

What would you suggest that I plant?

[ScottF]

I'm local to you, BobG so can sympathise. I wouldn't suggest this everywhere, but in addition to the species you listed as growing well near you (perhaps not the sycamore) I'd include blackthorn. It's not easy to prune, but is very resistant to salty wind, as well as shallow acid soils and our other various Welsh delights.

 

Make sure your hedge isn't too dense- it has to be wind-porous to work, otherwise it just creates equally-destructive turbulence.

 

 

The sloe gin will just be a bonus.

[born2trot]

Guelder rose does well up here in N-east Scotland , its a most stunning sight in winter the berries hanging like jewels. Added bonus it provides late on berries for some bird species:thumbup1:

[coppiceer]

Anything growing in those condiditons will struggle to establish. I would think about erecting some temporary windbreak netting to slow the wind down until the shrubs are well established.

 

Otherwise you should make sure that the species that you plant will have a similar growth rate. The advantage of Holly is that it is prickly and evergreen. In the right conditions it grows quite quickly. But it will always be smothered by a fastgrowing species like hawthorn.

 

Good luck.