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Living fence
Minosgardener
Posts: 95
in Plants
I saw a beautiful idea for a partition fence in a garden made from weaving willow together. Each separate plant was approx a foot apart and than intertwinned with each other. I would love to have a living fence around my front garden, but would not use willow as it isn't advised to use it near a building.
Wondering what other plants you could use to create the same idea. Somebody suggested ivy but I think that would be a nightmare. I am struggling to get rid of the stuff from the back garden - I don't want it taking over the front as well!
Local garden centre suggested hawthorn but can't imagine how you would get the same affect unless he was just suggesting something as a divider as opposed to the above idea.
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Hi Minos, intertwining hawthorn would be very painful but perhaps that's not what he meant
I don't think you'd have a problem with willow roots if you kept it back to hedge size but there is a but. Either you cut it back every year to get those whippy growth and weave them in. Or you don't cut it back and those intertwined branches get thicker and thicker and eventually look rather solid and lacking the bright colours of young growth.
In the sticks near Peterborough
What about laurel whips? My mother in law wanted a low hedge as a boundary to the neighbours driveway and garage. It has filled out and is between 2-3 foot high and looks good all year round.
Hawthorn can be layered, so could be suitable i suppose, but i wouldnt know how to do it! Dont really know how to do layering.
I wonder if there is a variety of willow that would be ok by the house? Or you could try that root barrier stuff
Hazel is fairly easy to twist into shapes too :
Would hazel work?
Oh sorry Bekkie just saw your suggestion.
Willows roots are an issue near houses and drains but the living fence, with its root competition, constant pruning and juvenilsation, means that the roots are not an issue. The Willow is never allowed to grow full size, hence the roots are much smaller.
Lots of info here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=588
I go past a woven willow 'fedge' regularly - it's been in place around a small cottage garden for several years and doesn't appear to be causing any problems and looks really attractive
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hello all, sorry for taking my time to reply. Dovefromabove that is exactly what I am talking about
Maybe I can go for the willow tree 'fedge' then after all!
Ooo am all excited again! Will measure and order then. Ach if only I could order the Scarlet ones as setts that would make one heck of a sight
Have you thought about using fan or espalier trained fruit trees? or even a larger version of step over trained fruit trees.