I've had a Aucuba rozannie(non-variegated) in a pot for a few years now and it hasn't grown that big as result, but seems healthy. Just as a consideration for using them in other ways
With regards to taste if you like it then it's good 😉.
A hedge of any sort will be constantly growing...be it Hornbeam, Beech, privet. To keep a hedge narrow requires work./constant maintenance. It will need to be trimmed. Do you really want to start that sort of maintenance regime? Is your neighbour going to be happy for you to go on to his drive to prune the back? Will they be happy if your hedge sticks out and scratches their car?
Your bed doesn't look very wide...less than 1m? No room for hedge and pretty plants in my opinion. IF you want privacy may I suggest a fence . Then you can plant lovely plants in your narrow border. Trellis and climbing plants would add height.
Below is a pic of Beech hedge cut through to create an entrance for new houses. Untrimmed it must have reached 2 - 3 m wide. Bare and very ugly in the middle.
Incidentally in the right place I actually like Aucuba and used to grow several in our last garden. Pics below are a single shrub of Aucuba japonica Rozannie.
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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
With regards to taste if you like it then it's good 😉.
A hedge of any sort will be constantly growing...be it Hornbeam, Beech, privet.
To keep a hedge narrow requires work./constant maintenance.
It will need to be trimmed.
Do you really want to start that sort of maintenance regime?
Is your neighbour going to be happy for you to go on to his drive to prune the back?
Will they be happy if your hedge sticks out and scratches their car?
Your bed doesn't look very wide...less than 1m?
No room for hedge and pretty plants in my opinion.
IF you want privacy may I suggest a fence .
Then you can plant lovely plants in your narrow border.
Trellis and climbing plants would add height.
Below is a pic of Beech hedge cut through to create an entrance for new houses.
Untrimmed it must have reached 2 - 3 m wide.
Bare and very ugly in the middle.
Incidentally in the right place I actually like Aucuba and used to grow several in our last garden.
Pics below are a single shrub of Aucuba japonica Rozannie.