Yew Hedging Conifers

Taxus baccata, Yew Hedge

Taxus Baccata, more commonly known as Common Yew or English Yew, creates a beautiful and quintessentially English evergreen hedge. Yew Hedging plants are a classic and have been used for centuries as defining features in the gardens of many English country homes. With lush dense and deep green foliage, Yew is one of the most popular choices for a formal evergreen hedge. Yew hedges have a slow growing nature making them well suited to a formal hedge and even Topiary shapes. Yew Trees remain one of the most popular choices for a hedge with our customers. For more information about Yew Hedges please scroll further down the page.

Yew tree spacing, Yew Hedge, Yew Tree, Growing a Yew Tree, How far apart to plant Yew Trees, Small Yew Trees

Yew Hedging Trees 30-40cm High 1L pot

Yew Trees, Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew’.

  • Yew Trees are 30-40cm in height.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 3 per metre.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 120 trees for Free Delivery*

Original price was: £3.50.Current price is: £2.50. Excl. VAT

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Instant Hedging Taxus Baccata hedge low hedge partition hedge topiary hedge formal hedge slow growing hedge Instant Landscaping Yew hedge low garden hedge Yew Trees Potted Yew Hedging, Growing Yew

Yew Hedging Trees 60-80cm High 10L pot

Yew Trees, Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew’.

  • Yew Trees are 60-80cm in height.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 2.5 per metre.
  • Slower growing evergreen conifer trees, requiring less maintenance once established.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 25 trees for Free Delivery*

£15.00 Excl. VAT

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Yew Hedge, Yew Tree, Growing a Yew Tree, How far apart to plant Yew Trees, Boundary Tree

Yew Hedging Trees 80cm+ High 10L pot

Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew’.

  • Trees are 80cm+ in height.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 2.5 per metre.
  • Slower growing evergreen conifer tree, requiring less maintenance once established.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 18 trees for Free Delivery*

£17.00 Excl. VAT

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Instant Hedging Taxus Baccata hedge low hedge partition hedge topiary, Yew hedge, Yew Tree

Yew Instant Hedge 125-150cm high

Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew

  • Hedges are 125-150cm in height by 1 metre wide.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 1 per metre.
  • Slower growing evergreen conifer tree, requiring less maintenance once established.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 2 troughs for Free Delivery*

Original price was: £170.00.Current price is: £150.00. Excl. VAT

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Instant Hedging Taxus Baccata hedge low hedge partition hedge topiary hedge formal hedge slow growing hedge Instant Landscaping Yew hedge low garden hedge, Yew Tree

Yew Instant Hedge 100-125cm

Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew

  • Hedges are 100-125cm in height.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 1 per metre.
  • Slower growing evergreen conifer tree, requiring less maintenance once established.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 3 troughs for Free Delivery*

Original price was: £150.00.Current price is: £135.00. Excl. VAT

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Instant Hedging Taxus Baccata hedge low hedge partition hedge topiary hedge formal hedge slow growing hedge Instant Landscaping Yew hedge low garden hedge Yew Trees Potted Yew Hedging, Yew, Rootballed

Yew Hedging Trees Rootballed 125-150cm

Taxus Baccata, ‘English Yew’. Rootballed Trees

  • Trees are 125-150cm in height.
  • Recommended Planting Density – 2 per metre.
  • Slower growing evergreen conifer tree, requiring less maintenance once established.
  • Excellent as a formal hedge and also makes great topiary.
  • Small, dark green leaves and red berried fruits in Winter.
  • Buy 12 trees for Free Delivery*

Original price was: £30.00.Current price is: £25.00. Excl. VAT

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About our Yew / Taxus Baccata hedging plants.

Yew hedging plants, also known as Taxus baccata are classic hedging plants and have been used for centuries as defining features in the gardens of many English country homes. Yew hedges have stood the test of time and are still a very popular choice for a new hedge. Yew hedges are often considered slow growing, but often grow more quickly than anticipated. At 30cm on average per year, a six-foot hedge can be achieved in an acceptable timeframe. There are advantages to being slower growing! Once your Yew Hedge has reached the desired height and shape it will be much easier to maintain. Yew hedges can be easily clipped with hedge trimmers and are very tolerant of close clipping making them very suitable for topiary. Yew hedges have small, linear, dark green leaves. The male plants produce yellow cones in spring, which give rise to the small, red, seed-bearing fruits on female plants. A Yew hedge will make an excellent feature within any contemporary or traditional setting.

Why Plant a Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedge?

Yew has often been labelled as ‘The King of Hedges’. This must have something to do with the widespread popularity of yew hedges in the many fabulous gardens of Palaces, Country Houses and Stately Homes. This long lived conifer tree makes the most magnificent hedge that will continue to look impressive for decades. Due to its slow growing nature, Yew lends itself beautifully to creating Topiary and elaborately shaped hedges. The small leaves trim very well with hedge trimmers and the slow growing nature make the maintenance of Yew hedges much less of a chore. Yew hedges are tough, resilient and hardy plants and will tolerate most conditions and soil types except waterlogged sites.

Are Yew / Taxus Baccata Evergreen Hedging Plants?

Yew/ Taxus Baccata are fully evergreen conifer trees.

How fast does Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedging grow?

The growth rate for a newly planted Yew Hedge is around 20-30cm per year on average but sometimes quicker. The speed of growth will also vary depending on things such as how well the ground is prepared prior to planting. Has the planting site has been sufficiently decompacted. Are the Yew plants, planted correctly. After planting, are the Yew plants fed and watered regularly. Potted plants will generally establish quicker than rootballed or bare root Yew tress as there is no disturbance to the root system.

How Tall will Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedging Grow?

Yew trees can grow up to 12 metres or more when fully grown so a Yew hedge can be as high as you like really. Yew trees can comfortably be maintained as a hedge anywhere from 1 metre high upwards.

How many Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedge plants per metre?

The spacing of plants in a Yew hedge really is dependent on the size of plants that are being planted as well as the time you are prepared to wait for the hedge to grow and also budget constraints. If using our 10 litre potted Yew hedging plants, then we would recommend planting at 2.5 or 3 plants per metre. We use 3 plants per metre for our Instant Yew hedge grown in 90 litre troughs. This way the plants are just about touching when planted, so giving them space to grow into, but not too much that you are left with big gaps in the hedge. We give a recommendation of the planting density for each plant size on the website. Our recommendations are based on planting at a density that the hedging plants will touch after 1 full growing season. This is only a guideline and please use more plants to reduce this timescale or less plants per metre if you have time to wait.

How do I plant Yew / Taxus Baccata hedging?

Most of the Hedging plants that we sell will require the same planting procedures. We give advice on how to plant a Yew hedge here on our website. https://hedginguk.com/hedging-advice/how-to-plant-a-hedge/

When to plant a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge?

Our favoured time for planting any hedge is in the Autumn. Our main reason for this is that it requires less work. The plants have started to slow down for the Winter. With little top growth at this time of year, the plants are requiring less water. Normally as we come into Autumn the weather has begun to change and brings with it, a fair amount of rain. The volume of rain is normally sufficient for us to turn the watering off almost completely on the nursery until Spring. The soil temperature is usually still warm enough for the plants to start making new roots after planting. With any luck, any Autumn planted hedging has a good chance of having enough roots established to be off the mark quickly come Spring with very little work.

Of course, if you are buying and planting bare rooted or rootballed Yew hedges then this is really only available from Autumn through to Spring anyway. If you are planting potted yew hedges then the planting season is extended and planting can take place outside of this timeframe. Obviously, any Summer planted hedges will require more effort (watering) to ensure success.

When to trim a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge?

We trim our Yew hedges 2 times a year on the nursery. We generally do this Late Winter/ Early Spring, then once in the Summer. Sometimes, if necessary or we miss the Summer trim we do them again in the Autumn. However when planted in the garden as a hedge Yew can be trimmed once a year. Yew hedges will tolerate hard pruning if the hedge has grown wider or taller than desired. Trimming your Yew hedge more frequently will require less work each time and less trimmings to dispose of.

Can you hard prune a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge?

A Yew hedge is very tolerant of hard pruning. If your hedge has grown too wide or taller than desired then there is a very good chance it can be restored with a hard prune. Hard pruning is best carried out in late Winter before the new growth starts to come through. If undertaking a very hard prune, (back to the main stems) then we would recommend to just do one side of the hedge in one season and the other side of the hedge the following season. This will limit the amount of stress imposed on the plants at any one time whilst also leaving some cover on the remaining side retaining some privacy and protection whilst the hard pruned side recovers.

How to trim or cut a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge?

A Yew hedge is easily cut or trimmed using hedge trimmers. Very closely clipped Yew hedges and hedges with elaborate designs and shapes are often closely clipped with handheld hedge shears.

Feeding a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge?

We would recommend at least one annual feed for your Yew hedge. Slow releasing feeds are generally considered best as they provide a steady release of nutrients over a longer period of time. The best time to feed a Yew hedge is in the Spring just as the new leaves come through. On the nursery we would follow this up with a late Spring feed and also at least one feed in the summer.

What type of soil and conditions will a Yew / Taxus Baccata hedge grow in?

A yew hedge prefers a moist but well drained soil and a sunny or partially shaded position. However, Yew hedges are very versatile and will grow in most reasonably fertile soils and will even tolerate chalk soils. They will not grow in very wet sites or waterlogged soils. Yew hedges will grow in full sun or partial shade, although they will grow quicker the more sun they receive.

Are Yew / Taxus Baccata hedges easy to maintain?

Being a slower grower of all the hedging plants we grow and sell. Yew hedges will be one of the easiest hedges to maintain with just an annual trim. However as they lend themselves so well to being shaped as topiary hedges, many creative gardeners use Yew to create some fantastic and sometimes unusual hedges. These more creative creations will always look their best with regular trimming throughout the growing season.

Do you grow Instant Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedges?

We do grow Instant Yew hedges here on the nursery in 90 Litre troughs. Our Yew instant hedges have 3 plants per every metre of hedge. The root systems of the 3 plants are all knitted together to form a continuous 1 metre strip of hedge. The top part of the hedge will have been trimmed numerous times to create more density and to encourage the plants to knit together as a hedge.

What Yew / Taxus Baccata hedging plants do you have for sale?

We grow a range of sizes of Yew hedging plants for sale here on the nursery. We grow potted Yew hedging plants, mainly in 10 litre pots. For more immediate impact, we also grow our Instant Yew Hedges in 90 Litre troughs. The instant hedges come in 1 metre lengths but do require 2 strong people to lift them.

Do you grow your own Yew / Taxus Baccata hedging Plants?

All the Yew hedging plants that we sell are grown outside here on our nursery in Holmeswood, Lancashire producing robust plants that are quick to establish.

Are Yew / Taxus Baccata Hedging plants poisonous?

The short answer is yes. All parts of Yew hedging, including leaves and berries are toxic to Humans, Livestock and animals if injested. If the hedge to be planted is in the vicinity of livestock, pets or very small children where there is a chance that the foliage or berries of the hedge could be eaten by mistake, then we would suggest planting an alternative species of hedging such as Elaeagnus Ebbingei, Griselinia Littoralis or Photinia Red robin which have no toxic effects reported. We grow and sell thousands of Yew Trees every year and are not aware of any problems arising from any of our customers after planting a Yew hedge in close proximity of either pets or young children. We would however suggest that after pruning your Yew hedge that all the material that is cut from the hedge be collected up and disposed of in green waste bins rather than composting at home.

Growing Advice

  • Evergreen Tree: dark green foliage that is present all year round
  • Features: Soft, flat needle-like leaves
  • Likes: tolerant of full sun to full shade
  • Suitable for Hedges: 1 – 4 metres high but can grow up to 20 metres high
  • Yew Hedge Planting Distances: Plant in a single row. 2 – 3 plants per metre.
  • Soil Preference: Any that is moist and well drained
  • Unsuitable for: Waterlogged soil, also soil that remains very dry all Summer
  • Average Growth rate: Slow to medium, growing up to 30cm per annum
  • Trimming: Summer to early autumn to maintain shape

Further Info

Taxus Baccata, Yew Hedging description

English Yew is a conifer plant and extremely popular as a formal hedge. Its dark green needle-like foliage is soft to the touch, with bright green new growth and flowers visible in Spring and small red berries in Autumn. Relatively slow-growing, Yew hedges are easy to maintain once they reach the desired height and are well suited for shaped hedging or topiary. English Yew is found extensively across large estates, stately homes, English heritage sites and National Trust properties, where many yew plants will be hundreds of years old. Whether planted for its longevity, dense screening or general versatility, English Yew has been a hugely popular tree used for topiary and as a hedging form over the centuries.

Yew hedges can grow in a variety of soil types and conditions, including shade and full sun, but they will not tolerate waterlogged soil.  Yew prefers to be planted in moist, well-drained soil, meaning a little more site preparation may be required before planting. It is important not to allow the roots to become waterlogged as this will cause roots to rot and the plants will normally die. When planted in the right conditions Yew trees are known for their longevity. Whether tightly clipped or left to provide a more natural loose hedge, Yew will create an attractive and versatile hedge for your outdoor space. Please have a look at our Yew hedges and trees guide and Why Yew Hedges are the Perfect Choice for Privacy and Aesthetics blog articles for more information on this popular hedging plant.

Yew/Taxus Baccata plants grown and supplied by Hedging UK

Hedging UK grow and sell a range of sizes of English Yew Hedging Plants year-round.  We grow them as individual plants in 10 Litre pots. The 10 litre potted plants are available at different heights throughout the year. We grow rootballed Yew trees that are lifted from our fields through the dormant months (Autumn to late Winter). We also have our pre grown Instant Yew Hedges grown in 90-litre troughs. The 90 litre troughs each measure 1 metre in length and contain several plants that have been interwoven into an instant hedge. These instant hedges provide more immediate impact.

Advantages of a Yew/Taxus Baccata

  • Fantastic as a Formal Hedge and Topiary
  • Can be maintained as a neatly clipped hedge, or trained into elaborate shapes.
  • Evergreen hedge with year-round foliage
  • Relatively slow growing, with less pruning and trimming required
  • Easily pruned using hedge trimmers or shears.
  • Tolerant of most growing conditions and soil types, as long as they are well-drained
  • Dense foliage for screening and privacy, also providing protection for wildlife
  • Berries provide food for birds and small animals in Winter, though please see below.

N.B. Whilst the flesh of the berries will be eaten by birds and small animals, all parts of the plant including the seeds of the berries are poisonous to humans and animals.

Yew planting and growing conditions

Yew is a hardy plant that can thrive in the right conditions. Yew does not like a very wet soil whilst in our experience they also don’t like a soil that dries out too quickly in the Summer months either. An ideal soil would be one that retains moisture in the Summer but does not become too wet in Winter. A moist but well-draining soil is best. If your soil is not ideal for a Yew hedge then some prior adjustment to the planting site may help a Yew hedge establish more successfully. For wetter soils try to improve drainage to the planting site. You could also potentially raise the planting beds to reduce moisture retention around the crown of the plants. If your soil dries quickly in summer then adding organic matter to the planting site and using a mulch will help to retain moisture. Yew will grow in Full sun to full shade although less quickly or densely the more shade they receive. Please refer to our guide on How to plant a Hedge for more information.

Creating a Yew Hedge

Be sure to space your hedging plants at the recommended spacing for a yew hedge for optimal establishment. Please also refer to our Planting Guide for Yew Hedges for general advice on preparation of the site and planting. Yew hedges like all plants will establish quicker the better the planting site is prepared and the more care they are given in the early years after planting. In the early years after planting and before the hedge reaches its ultimate height. A frequent trimming of the sides of the hedge will encourage inter branching and upward growth. This will speed up the vertical growth and create a denser hedge at the same time. On the nursery we generally feed all the instant hedges a few weeks after they are trimmed and try and trim them 3 times during the growing season. Yew hedges respond very well to pruning and can be cut back hard if necessary. This makes them an excellent choice for topiary and formal garden designs.

Yew Hedges growth rate

Yew trees typically grow at about 30cm per annum which on the nursery, we would class as slow to moderate for a hedge species. The advantage of a slower growing species is that once the desired height of hedge is achieved, the less maintenance is required to maintain this height. There is also less waste to dispose of. As mentioned earlier, frequent side trimming and feeding during the growing season and keeping the plants well-watered through the summer can increase the amount of growth achieved quite dramatically.

Yew Hedges pruning and maintenance

The best-looking Yew hedges are ones that have been neatly clipped into a formal shape or interesting design. Yew trees are perfect for achieving this look with their slow growing nature and small dark green linear foliage perfectly suited to creating a formal hedge. Yew hedges can be clipped using hedge trimmers and normally keep their shape with just one trim a year. However, to keep a formal hedge as a stunning feature year-round, more frequent, lighter trimming may be preferable. To encourage bushier growth just trim the sides of the hedge and leave the top shoots until the desired height is achieved. Ideally taper the sides of the hedge making it narrower at the top than the bottom to allow light to reach all the way to the lower branches. For more information on trimming and pruning hedges, please refer to our useful guide.

Yew Hedging common pests, diseases and problems

Yew hedges are generally very resilient and don’t often suffer from many problems. However, like all plant’s, Yew can be susceptible to some common pests and also stress issues caused by the physical conditions of the planting site.

Yew for some reason are favoured by a little-known pest called Vine Weevil. It is mainly the larvae of the pest that cause the problems as these little white grubs (similar in appearance to maggots) are hidden in the soil and feed on the roots of the plant. This normally happens over the Autumn or Winter and signs of a problem don’t appear until the Spring when plants start to regrow and the foliage shows signs of distress with discolouration. Vine weevil are best treated with specific nematodes in Spring or Autumn applied via a watering can or irrigation system.

As mentioned earlier Yew don’t like very wet soils. Wet soils can lead to root rot and ultimately lead to failure of the plant. Consider if Yew is the best option for your soil, if it gets very wet in the Winter months and adjusting the site with drainage is not an easy solution.

Other problems for Yew Hedges Include drought, Winter damage, Salt Damage, scale insects, spider mites. You should inspect plants regularly for such problems, especially during the growing season, to help catch issues early for effective management.  Infestations should be treated with appropriate insecticides or natural remedies. Please refer to our Yew species guide for more useful information.

Call Hedging UK Today

Here at Hedging UK we are known for being a friendly, family run business and specialist growers of quality hedging plants. All of our Yew Hedging plants are grown outside on our own nursery in Holmeswood, Lancashire, producing robust plants that are quick to establish. Our hedge plants are available to purchase at wholesale prices across the UK through our mail order service. Our customers include Landscapers, Local Authorities, Garden Centres, Tree Surgeons, Schools and Private customers. Our experience in this market enables us to offer the best quality hedging plants with a price and service to match.

Our nursery is located in Holmeswood, Lancashire in the north west of England and is not open to the general public. Whilst the nursery is predominantly a mail order business, customers are welcome to come and see our range of hedging plants and purchase plants at the nursery, but please do so by appointment only, contact our team today.

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