| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Garthy |
Hedges. Suggestions?I have just moved into a corner plot property. The back garden is enclosed but side and front are not due to it being an "open-plan" area (don't you just love local authorities!). So I guess the way forward is rather than put up a six foot fence and then have them tell me to take it down again is a fast growing hedge. Have been warned off Leilandi so has anyone got any suggestions and when to plant?View user's profile |
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| gil |
What do you want the hedge for ? Privacy, keeping people / animals out, edible fruit ? Do you want it to flower ? Autumn through spring would be a good time to plant.
And the faster it grows, the more you'll have to trim it. |
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| Garthy |
Yes privacy and something fairly solid . I am extending the garden so the kids and dog can have bigger runaround. Ideally something fast growing. Not too worried about a flowery one though. | ||
| gil |
Privet would be the (safe) option. If kids, then non-spiky ? | ||
| gil |
these any help ?
http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=10910 http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=10508 http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?t=10286 |
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| BahamaMama |
Yew - grows faster than you think, sturdy, attractive and can be mutilated and will survive, carve into interesting shapes etc.... | ||
| Garthy |
I like privet not sure about yew - yew has berries doesn't it? Can see youngsters picking those and eating them! Is privet a quick grower and fairly inexpensive. My dad has privet hedges all roung so could i take cuttings? | ||
| gil |
Privet sometimes has berries, and I think they are poisonous. Having said that, it is the hedge of choice for many folk, and you don't tend to hear of people having toxic accidents with it. I'm sure you could take cuttings - someone else on here will doubtless know how and when. It certainly grows fairly fast, and will need trimming once or twice a year. Can be pruned quite hard and survive. |
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| Garthy |
ok i'll investigate further. Thanks for all your help, Gil. and others! | ||
| wellington womble |
bucks nurseries specialise in hedging, and do all sorts of collections (spiky, child friendly, edible, everygreen, flowery, native - loads of stuff) and might give you some ideas. I'll see if I can sort out a link. | ||
| wellington womble |
here you go. | ||
| cab |
Its toxic and tastes mingign. Which rather makes people poisoning themselves less likely. Also doesn't seem to flower and fruit when kept trimmed back (such as in a hedge). Personally I think its boring, but it sounds like the right plant for the job here. |
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| Cho-ku-ri |
Remember 'fast growing' hedges mean more trimming for the rest of your life. By the time even Leylandi hedges get thick enough to withhold children they will be able to open the gate, so I don't see the point. I would put up a cheap rabbit type wire fence interplanted with Beech. Gives privacy and ever changing foliage with avarage growth/maintenence.
The rabbit wire will keep in escapee Guinea Pigs, Tortoises etc and help deter dogs. 
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| Treacodactyl |
Perhaps an unusual choice but what about Berberis Darwinii? Yes it has spiky leaves but the ones growing here do seem to have large spikes so would be ok for children while putting people off. It's evergreen, flowers and has edible berries which the birds love. I've found it does take a while to establish and then it can grow quite fast.
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Berberis+darwinii |
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| marigold |
Privet is vile - the flowers stink. I like lonicera nitida - easy to grow and you can sculpt it into intersting shapes. It needs trimming fairly often, but if you establish it well it will quickly make a nice dense hedge that will stand being bashed into by kids. The young growth is quite soft, so should be easy to whizz over with a hedge trimmer and compost fairly quickly. | ||
| cab |
Its a nice plant, but it doesn't grow upwards as quickly as privet. Doesn't, on its own, form such a thick hedge so quickly. |
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| tahir |
It's always nice to have a bit of variety, I'd go for something using hazel and hornbeam as a base with lots of other stuff thrown in; roses, honeysuckle, holly, hawthorn etc..... |