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Front of house hedging ideas and solutions

AJones33AJones33 Posts: 16
in Plants
Hi there

Happy weekend and I hope everyone is keeping safe. 

We’re looking to plant some hedging at the front of our house - a terrace Victorian house in a city centre. The area to be hedges is about 4m length. Purpose of the hedge is to provide a bit of boundary and smarten up the look of the house. It’ll also have the added bonus of helping shield from pollution from passing cars. We’d plan to keep the hedge 4ft high and don’t mind waiting a couple of years to get to this height (and so save money by buying younger plants). Definitely evergreen.

I love the look of deep green hedges - the colour of box/ ilex crenata. However I think these are out of the question as they will take a long time to achieve the desired height.

I also love the look of red robin hedges when they are dense. But I also seem to see a lot that are a more straggly looking which I’m not so keen on. But we’re happy to invest the time into trimming it to help it get dense. 

I wondered on what thoughts were on planting a red robin and cherry laurel mix? I noticed that their leaves are similar shape so it could work quite nicely? And the laurel might help thicken out the hedge? Perhaps 1.5ft plants, planted 1ft apart to achieve a dense hedge?

Or any ideas for what could be mixed with red robin (eg one red robin hedge, one deep green hedge, one flowering hedge?) all planted in a row?

Or alternatively any other ideas of hedging? I’m not sure on privet. Yew was another option as it is dense but could be quite dark?

Thanks. Would love some suggestions. I wonder around seeing beautiful hedges but not sure how they are achieved/ what the plant is!

Thanks
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  • Fran IOMFran IOM Posts: 2,872
    @AJones33 You only posted yesterday but your thread seems to have slipped through without a response and I'm not sure if any posters will pick up on it as there have been so many other posts since then. This will bring it to the fore again and hopefully someone will give you some advice.  :)
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    How about golden yew -taxus baccata semperaurea? Yew has a reputation for slow growth but actually grows quite quickly when young, about 20-30cm a year.
    Or if you want a flowering hedge how about escallonia.
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • AJones33AJones33 Posts: 16
    Thank you Fran :)

    Thanks butterfly - Would that work well with red robin do you think?

    Wondering if there is anything else that looks like bux but grows a bit quicker to achieve the desired 4ft height?

    thanks
  • Alan Clark2 in LiverpoolAlan Clark2 in Liverpool Posts: 2,190
    If you Google for "hedging plants" you will find suppliers which offer a great variety of plants suitable for a low hedge.
  • AJones33AJones33 Posts: 16
    Thanks Alan. The final height we’re looking for is 4-5ft. I love the look of bux/ilex crenata but I don’t know if it would get to this height in a couple of years (unless we spent a fortune on the plants). So looking for a similar solution to these plants.

    i also love red robin. But worried it may be a bit too much red along the front to the house and so wondering if there’s anything we can blend with it to add w bit of variation. Also want to ensure that the hedge is dense and I thought maybe blending with red robin may help achieve this? Just wondering what to blend with it 

    Thanks
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    The most important question @AJones33 is - how much room for the hedge do you have? I don't mean in height, but depth.
    Cherry laurel becomes massive. so I'd avoid that, unless you have about 6 feet in depth to play with. 
    I always think Photinia is awful, but our climate here doesn't suit it. If it grows well in your area, then go for that alone.
    Be aware that plants don't magically grow to the desired height, then stop. Anything which grows to that height in a couple of years will need constant maintenance.

    I'd have Hornbeam if it was me. Can be kept tight, and makes a beautiful hedge, retaining the foliage in winter. Or purple beech - Fagus sylvatica Purpurea. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AJones33AJones33 Posts: 16
    Thanks. We have about 4ft depth so perhaps not laurel. Hmm. I love the suggestions of yours, but would love something that retains green in winter 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited May 2020
    Yew [golden] or holly  :)

    There's also Lonicera - the shrubby one - not the climbers [honeysuckles] 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    You just have to learn to be patient...plants don't just grow at will. And if you buy something at that height it will be a struggle to keep happy. 

    Presumably you already considered a nice variety of privet? I also love purple beech and it looks wonderful with its dried out leaves over winter. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • AJones33AJones33 Posts: 16
    Ooo these are ones to consider.
    We’re definitely happy to wait a few years for the plant to get to the height desired. With that in mind do you think it’s ok to buy 1.5-2ft plants and wait for them to get to the desired height with our involvement to encourage?

    Thanks 
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