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Hedge - Escallonia???
Sue Akehurst
Posts: 17
in Plants
My daughter wants my advice on a hedge for her front garden. She has done quite a bit of research and either want a laurel or she likes the idea of an escallonia as it flowers. I think this is a good idea, (others I suggested was copper beech), as it has small leaves and would make a neat hedge but have only grown it as a shrub. Has anyone got any ideas? And any tips for the escallonia if we decide on that and how long would it take to grow. The hedge is a bit to protect the house from the road and pavement, about 7 metres long and the final height would be about 4 - 5 feet, no taller as dont want to block the light too much. Would be grateful for any help. Thank you.
0
Posts
It can look very nice as a hedge, flowers attract pollinators and has the benefit of slightly prickly leaves. Can be close trimmed and maintained with ease. Copper beech is equally effective as a hedge. Laurel I don't like, personally I think it's too vigorous as a hedge, and having to cut a few for customers, I find them a pain, needing 2 cuts a year at least. Go with the escallonia IMHO.
I agree with Dave re the laurel, once it gets going the growth is rapid. It would be hard work keeping it to 4 or 5 foot. This is a large plant.
Do you get flowers if you clip an escallonia?
In the sticks near Peterborough
To give some perspective here that may help, my E iveyi has grown from 2' tall to over 8' tall in two years...
Equally, I have an 'apple blossom' that looks like a manky old loo brush after three years but the odd brutal trim is starting to shape it and it is thickening up. It would NOT be a hedge!
I too would advise against laurel. It's a thug and the more you cut it back the more the perisher grows. Very dark green leaves are dull and look awful when they're cut with hedge trimmers as these shred the large leaves.
Escallonia would be lovely, easy to maintain and is also quite hardy. I've had Lonicera Baggesdon's Gold wiped out by heavy frosts and wouldn't even try a pittosporum here.
E. macrantha makes a lovely hedge, larger leaves which have a lovely scent when crushes and flowers well .
Verdun - you are in an exceptionally mild corner of the UK. All your planting advice should come with a health warning for even mildly frosty places!!
Thank you so much all of you who have taken the time to reply to my post. I am really grateful for all your advice. I have passed it on to my daughter and I think you have all helped her make the right choice and I think that is going to be the escallonia. I have to say you cant meet a better bunch of people than gardeners, you are always such lovely people always so ready to help. Thanks again.