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Front Garden Wall Hedge Ideas

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  • ddo101ddo101 Posts: 31
    edited September 2022
    Hello all. Looking for some suggestions for hedging for my front garden wall. I removed Ilex crenata after it failed to establish after a couple growing seasons.  Looking for similar small leaved evergreen but with a slightly higher growth rate. I think I failed with the Ilex as I bought it too tall - I think smaller to begin with will ultimately get to where I want it quicker - focus on roots and let it establt. Pittosporum and osmanthus burkwoodii are options I'm considering, but they appear slow growth rate too.  I'm looking at griselinia too but haven't seen any "in the wild" only online - worried they may be a bit too rigorous.  Any other ideas??
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    The problem is, anything that grows quickly will want to get too wide and tall for that space. A good compromise might be Lonicera nitida which is fairly fast but can be pruned hard to keep it short and narrow. Or privet, but a lot of people don't like it, maybe because it's common. It's common because it's unfussy, easy to grow and forgiving of hard pruning.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ddo101ddo101 Posts: 31
    Hehe, yes, @JennyJ I think that's exactly why I've shied away from privet, but perhaps a bit unfairly.  Thanks for your other suggestion. Will have a look!
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    Griselinia would work well there, assuming your bed is open at the bottom. I have two hedges of it in my garden, one is six foot tall and just a foot deep. It can be easily controlled and is not thuggish.  Alternatively, a row of Calamagrostis Karl Foerster would look good there and would complement your other grasses.

    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 732
    There is a variegated griselinia that is slower growing.
    Southampton 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Osmanthus burkwoodii is nice IMO. Have you considered Yew? We are coming up to bare root season and can be bought cheaply in bundles. I would go for 60-80cm at 4 or 5 per m. Yew isn't as slow growing as people make it out to be. 

    Escallonia "Iveyi" also makes a nice hedge.

    The Ilex you used was promoted as a Box substitute a few years ago, and it seems a lot of people have been unhappy with it's performance.


    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2022
    Your garden looks very contempory I would start a new tread with privit. Euonymous Green Pillar is probably too slow but it is being used as an alternative to box. It can get scale insect but wiil recover. For something different Corokia cotoneaster.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Euonymus Green Spire is great, but is columnar in habit, so not really great if you want a continuous hedge.

    We have about 8 varieties of Pittosporum, they all grow quite quickly once established. Avoid the very dwarf varieties (Midget, Golf Ball), as they won't be tall enough for a hedge.

    We have a Privet hedge in our front garden, and love it. They don't have to be square/rectangular, they can be fun.


  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I like your use of privet @KeenOnGreen, especially the contemporary shape.  Here's a photo of my narrow Griselinia hedge @ddo101 (in front of my neighbour's monster laurel hedge).  Plus a photo of my Calamagrostis block planted "hedge" to help with your thoughts.





    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • ddo101ddo101 Posts: 31
    @Plantminded @KeenOnGreen @GardenerSuze @Loxley thank you all for some great feedback and ideas.  I think privet is back on my shortlist as is griselinia!  
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