Choosing the right type of hedge
Formal Hedging
A formal hedge with clean lines can look stunning and define a garden. Formal hedges can be used to frame or divide a garden into spaces or rooms. Creative designers use formal hedges to frame aesthetic focal points and to create a sharp canvas from which to show off a picture perfect planted border. However it does not have to be a Chelsea designed garden to benefit from a formal hedge. To us a carefully selected, planted and cared for formal hedge will look far better than any wall or fence as a boundary to any part of a property. We see many people taking a considerable amount of care and attention when maintaining their hedges. It’s easy to see why when the end result looks so great, both enhancing their garden or property and creating a border that has a much softer contrast to the harder materials used for building a property such as brick or stone.
Our top hedging plant choices for a formal hedge:
Coastal Hedging
A coastal hedge will require the plants to be tolerant of salt winds and spray. Many plants would struggle in such a location but there are some that are well adapted to this situation and will not only tolerate the conditions but also provide a useful layer of protection to many other plants in the garden that would otherwise suffer and fail to establish. As exposure to these conditions will vary depending upon how close to the coast and how exposed you are, It’s worth considering what kind of hedges are growing well in your local area. It may well be that even though you are close to the coast you are still somewhat protected from damage caused by salt winds and spray and your choice of plants will be greater.
Our top hedging plant choices for a coastal hedge
Different Coloured Hedges
With green more often than not being the most prominent colour in a garden. Providing a contrast by using a different coloured hedge can create a different aesthetic to the garden which is often a desirable feature.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for Coloured hedges
Flowering Hedges and Hedges with Berries
Hedges with flowers or berries or both, will attract wildlife such as birds, bees and butterflies into your garden. Flowers or Berries will also add bursts of colour at different times of the year increasing the interest and enhancing the garden.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for Flowers & Berries
Intruder Deterrent Hedges
Some hedging plants work tremendously well as intruder deterrents due to their thorny or prickly nature. This means they can be used to make natural Security Hedges to protect your property from unwanted guests. The benefits of using hedging plants over a security fence include:
- Cost: Plants would be much cheaper than installing a security fence or a wall.
- Flexibility: The security hedge can be kept at any height and width up to the chosen plants maximum growing dimensions. security hedging can also be grown under windows and behind existing walls to increase existing security without looking out of place.
- Appearance: Just because it is used for security doesn’t mean it needs to look severe. An intruder deterrent hedge will actually enhance a property whilst still providing great security.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for Intruder deterrent hedges
Hedges For Windy Sites
Many properties are exposed to strong winds. The use of a hedge will greatly reduce wind exposure by filtering the wind, allowing the wind to travel through the hedge whilst greatly reducing its strength in the process. Walls and fences work differently by diverting the wind like a solid barrier, the wind simply deflects over or around them quite often damaging the wall or fence in the process. Protecting a garden from strong winds with a suitable hedge not only increases the enjoyment of using the garden but it also creates a shelter bed for plants to thrive in an environment where strong winds would mean they were otherwise unable to do so.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for Windy sites
Tall Hedges – Hedges Taller than 6.5 foot (2 metres high)
Tall hedges are great for extending privacy for lower sited properties or screening unwanted views or unsightly buildings. There is however government legislation that can restrict hedges that have been allowed to grow beyond what is deemed to be an acceptable height as this can have a major impact on surrounding properties. A high hedge is classed as 2 metres and above or above 6.5 foot tall. If it is likely that a tall hedge could cause a conflict with a neighbouring property then it would be better to come to an agreeable decision between those involved as to what an acceptable height is before any conflict can occur. It might well be that the hedge and privacy it brings could benefit all concerned and some agreement can be made as to shared maintenance of the hedge. Problems with nuisance hedges more commonly occur when the hedge has been neglected and grown well beyond the realms of where it is sited and invaded the enjoyment of surrounding properties. Local councils have the power to insist that a hedge be cut back to a stipulated height should it be deemed a nuisance after a complaint is raised.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for High hedges or screens
Low Hedges – Hedges lower than 4 foot – 1.2 metres
Low hedges are a great feature of many gardens and properties. Low hedges are often preferable to a wall or fence when a property borders close to a road, or for dividing parts of a garden without using structural barriers. A low hedge in front of a house will enhance the aesthetics of property whilst still defining the boundaries and not restricting the views.
We generally recommend slower growing species of hedging plants for low hedges as this will reduce the amount of maintenance required to keep the hedge at the desired height. If time is of the essence it would be preferable to buy bigger plants of slower growing species than to opt for fast growing hedging plants that would create a low hedge quickly but then require more maintenance annually.
Our top Hedging Plant choices for Low hedges
Hedges For Wet Soils
We predominantly grow evergreen hedging plants, and although some will tolerate wetter soils they would not do well on a waterlogged site.