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Trees and shrubs have died TWICE

Hi....
SO the false red plum trees and privet hedges at the front of our property have been there for a good 30 years or more . The privet goes around the whole property of 1/3 acre and is a good 8 foot tall. Healthy. There is a line of plum trees behind the privet at about 3 foot distance from hedge.

Suddenly 2 years ago, one patch, a length of approx 10 foot of the privet, and 2 trees and some shrubs in the border all died completely within about 6 months  - gone! :( 

Weve had all of the plants and trees removed. The soil was totally dug out and taken away to a good depth by professional landscapers. New soil put down, fertilizer and new privet planted - it did well for a while - now its dying again! Ive treated it for honey fungus (not ideal I know but we are desperate) but still they are dying. The rest of the hedge and border (which links to it, there is no brake) is perfectly healthy.

The gas board have been out to replace pipes and so they even checked for me that is wasn't a gas leak!

The front of our house looks such a mess as one half has a hedge and trees and the other half is open to the road to onlookers...plus I dont know what to do now!! Should I replant? WHAT can I replant? Will it be an open ugly space for ever?....We are getting stressed about it now.
ANY advice or suggestions or options would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much
Yours-in-need
Jen xx

Posts

  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    Did you find any honey fungus? What did you use as treatment? I ask because as far as I can tell there isn't any treatment available to amateur gardeners other than soil excavation and removal.

    The RHS have a download-able list of plants with some resistance to honey fungus which might be a help.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Hello Jen,  I'm sorry you're so stressed about it but do try not to be. People all over the country have been reporting that privet hedges have been partly dying off for no apparent reason (us included) so you are not alone. My own belief is that many of these old privet hedges are just dying of old age and probably climate change. It's been hotter and wetter in many areas over the last couple of years. Honey fungus may also be getting more prevalent, although I'm certainly no expert.
    Have you talked to the landscapers again? Did they guarantee their work at all? It might be worth contacting them if you haven't already done so.
    I would be very wary of re-planting anything at the moment unless you can identify the problem. If you are a member of the RHS, you can get good advice from them so it may be worth a subscription!
    Ultimately you may just have to have a fence instead.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Welcome to the forum  :)
    Normally l'd hazard a guess at a weather related problem, stress due to drought etc, but the fact that it happened in the one section and then did it again after all the soil was replaced has me stumped. Did you find any traces of honey fungus? 
    My only other thought would be some type of weedkiller?  If it's near the road maybe the Council have been spraying. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Privet does get honey fungus. I think one of our forum members had a severe case on his hedge a while ago - might have been @BobTheGardener.
    Any photos of the site from when it was looking bad?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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