Hedge advice please

[Kirbstones]

I'm new to the website and new to gardening. I've knocked down a small retaining wall with the intention of replacing it with a hedge. Ideally I'd like something that is evergreen, medium speed growth, wildlife friendly and easy to look after. Please could you let me have your thoughts about the best option and when would be the best time to plant the hedge. Sorry for such a basic query. Any assistance appreciated.

[Kirbstones]

Wow, thanks everybody for your help!

 

Ideally we would like the hedge to grow to 5-6 feet high, close clipped as it will be around the front of the house, evergreen and child/pet friendly.

 

I think we'll wait until later in the year to plant out as this seems to be the cheaper option.

 

The soil seems to have quite a bit of clay in it, if that helps. It's not bad soil though and we are able to grow plants successfully.

 

Thanks again everybody. Any further suggestions very welcome:thumbup:

[MATTMOSS]

Clay soils are generally good soils for most plants with plenty of nutrients, only downside is sometimes they can be prone to waterlogging.

 

So you want a neat, medium hight, evergreen, child friendly hedge?

 

So some of my suggestions would be:

 

Privets =

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Ligustrum vulgare

 

Laurels = (are poisonous if a lot of leaves are eaten, a lot of plants dont do you much good when eaten)

Prunus laurocerasus - Cherry laurel

Prunus lusitanica- Portugul laurel

 

Lawson cypresses =

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Alumii'

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'columnaris'

+others

 

Leyland cypresses=

Cupressocyparis leylandii - clip twice a year when established!

+others

 

Taxus baccata = Yew (poisionous to livestock)

+variations of

 

Thuja plicata = Western red cedar

 

Various species of Cottoneaster

 

Quercus ilex = Holm Oak

 

Euonymus japonicus = Japanese spindle

 

Buxus sempervirens - Box - easy to clip into different shapes!

 

Some which are not evergreen but I think are a bit interesting and worth looking at:

 

Lonicera nitida = Honey suckle

 

Ribes = Currant

 

Hornbeam= Carpinus betulus - holds dead leaves through winter.

 

Fagus sylvatica = Beech (also holds dead leaves)

 

Myrobelan plum= Prunus cerasifera 'pissardii' -deep red leaves

 

I hope this helps you a little bit, there really is a lot to choose from.

Hope it goes well and you end up with a good hedge what ever you decide to go with.

 

Matt

[Kirbstones]

Thanks everybody!

[jhonnyjigsaw]

who cares you mug i am come to your house and smash it up big time.

[Twolegged]

I see lots of good ideas above, but may I add a suggestion: escallonia?

It's kinda almost-evergreen, in that it has leaves in winter but they look a little tired. The rest of the year it has lovely glossy leaves, and it flowers in the summer. Out of all the hedges I planted, my favourite was one of assorted escallonia varieties; the mixture means that at least some it is in flower all summer. It seems happiest in coastal areas, and reputedly dislikes cold dry winds, but the one I planted has thrived 1000ft up the Yorkshire Pennines, where there is plenty of cold wind -- though not much dry

 

Another possibility is berberis darwinii, if you don't mind the prickly leaves. Evergreen, with vivid yellow-orange flowers in spring, and blue beries in aqutumn. Makes a very pretty hedge.

 

One of the suggestions above is Leylandii, but I would suggest thinking carefully before planting any form of conifer hedging. They are evergreen, and if regularly trimmed, they can look very neat (if you like the very neat and tidy look) ... but if neglected, they are impossible to restore. Conifers do not regrow from brown wood, so an overgrown conifer cannot simply be hard-pruned and left to regenerate; that would kill it. Even if well-maintained, their acid needles are unfriendly to anything growing underneath, and they don't hold much interest for birds.

[aiden]

as twolegged has said escallonia is good , but has one down side it generally gets very woody when old 20+ years