Conventional gardening wisdom has it that beech only grows happily on chalky soil and that hornbeam needs heavy clay to thrive, and I have been guilty of parroting this maxim from time to time. But, in fact, beech will grow perfectly well on acidic soil with a clay subsoil, and hornbeam, while certainly very happy on a rich clay soil, 'thrive best on fresh and well-drained sand or gravel soils', according to HL Edlin in British Woodland Trees.
Today when wet, cold and grey, the little laurel looked exquisite. It was certainly tempting me. New beech leaf though is something to behold... No, can't make up my mind.
Cotoneaster franchettii is lovely, evergreen, nice soft green leaves, lots of berries for the birdies, easily trimmed. They do not need to be closely spaced. Not sure if it likes chalk. I have a privet - Ligustrum ovalifolium - hedge out the front. Evergreen? Nope, it is completely bare, has been every winter since I planted it 4 years ago. And I chose Privet because I wanted an evergreen. But in the summer it is covered in white blossom and thick with butterflies, it really is a wonderful sight. That is what stops me pulling it out. Forsythia has lovely yellow bloom in spring, before many other flowers. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica, produce an incredible profusion of flowers in spring/summer, and edible fruit with a lemoney flavour, but they need to be cooked with sugar. Although deciduous, the bush grows thick and provides a lot of privacy. It is thorny. My nighbour has a Pittosporum, lovely shrub. The RHS site will doubtless provide a long list of hedging plants.
Generally it's thought that Hornbeam does better than Beech in wetter ground. I can vouch for that. I love Hornbeam. It grows best in good soil, but tolerates most. Beech is perfectly happy in neutral to slightly acidic clay - my Dad's certainly loved it!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@LeifUK, yes I have cotoneaster franchetii on the short list. There are wild or dropped cotoneasters scattered about, and they seem to do well. And cotoneaster seems to thrive on bare chalk, and that plant can handle dense shade apparently, so it does tick all the boxes.
I have a privet hedge already. And a few other specimens scattered about. And I got a definite _no_ from the better half.
Japanese quince is lovely, always a welcome sight. I'm a pittosporum fan, I have one already.
I could settle on four to eight choice shrubs. And wait it out. That is an option. I could relocate some existing plants.
I'm almost considering planting little troops of plants. A couple of laurels, three beech, four yews, five cotoneasters, and a section of rosa rugosa. Rather than eight metres of beech say.
I was trying to avoid spending lots of money. I have another section in the garden that also needs a hedge, so I'm wondering if I can spread plants between both plots.
I got in a pro for their opinion. They looked at my field maple hedge, and suggested going all out for that. Also agreed that the Rosa Rugosa would be good. And he then suggested an alternative of training some fruit fans.
Anyway, I have found myself mulling over the planting, probably way too much. I nearly went with the field maple, as I do love it, and think it would suit as single specimen.
I was tempted by a native hedge mix, it's just there's a lot of the same close by.
So I've ordered wild pear, for something a little different, I love the shape of pears and love the blossom. I'll probably need to condition the soil a bit and keep it tended to as it settles in, but like beech, it's said to hold leaves if clipped. Have great blossom in the spring, and interesting leaf colour in autumn.
I figure it can take the exposed spot, will be good for wildlife, if I can beat the beasties to the fruit then perry might be an option.
I'm not sure how I'll deal with the shadier end of the row, whether I should try and get the pear going there, or plant a shrub/beech/laurel.
Fingers crossed! I'll take some pics, and hopefully in a few years I'll post a picture of a mature resplendent hedge.
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Lovely ideas and you certainly know your plants Titley. Excellent border! (No nasty leylandii. Awful plant - should be banned from domestic homes.)
Sorry - Tetley. (Spelling wrong.)
Hedges look much nicer when curved, or somewhat rolling.
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2001/oct/14/gardens :
Conventional gardening wisdom has it that beech only grows happily on chalky soil and that hornbeam needs heavy clay to thrive, and I have been guilty of parroting this maxim from time to time. But, in fact, beech will grow perfectly well on acidic soil with a clay subsoil, and hornbeam, while certainly very happy on a rich clay soil, 'thrive best on fresh and well-drained sand or gravel soils', according to HL Edlin in British Woodland Trees.
Today when wet, cold and grey, the little laurel looked exquisite. It was certainly tempting me. New beech leaf though is something to behold... No, can't make up my mind.
Tulip tree, if only I had the space.
How about a wild cherry hedge? I'm still tempted by beech, but I do think I should go for something a bit different. Wildlife friendly is good.
Cotoneaster franchettii is lovely, evergreen, nice soft green leaves, lots of berries for the birdies, easily trimmed. They do not need to be closely spaced. Not sure if it likes chalk. I have a privet - Ligustrum ovalifolium - hedge out the front. Evergreen? Nope, it is completely bare, has been every winter since I planted it 4 years ago. And I chose Privet because I wanted an evergreen. But in the summer it is covered in white blossom and thick with butterflies, it really is a wonderful sight. That is what stops me pulling it out. Forsythia has lovely yellow bloom in spring, before many other flowers. Flowering quince, Chaenomeles japonica, produce an incredible profusion of flowers in spring/summer, and edible fruit with a lemoney flavour, but they need to be cooked with sugar. Although deciduous, the bush grows thick and provides a lot of privacy. It is thorny. My nighbour has a Pittosporum, lovely shrub. The RHS site will doubtless provide a long list of hedging plants.
Generally it's thought that Hornbeam does better than Beech in wetter ground. I can vouch for that. I love Hornbeam. It grows best in good soil, but tolerates most. Beech is perfectly happy in neutral to slightly acidic clay - my Dad's certainly loved it!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@LeifUK, yes I have cotoneaster franchetii on the short list. There are wild or dropped cotoneasters scattered about, and they seem to do well. And cotoneaster seems to thrive on bare chalk, and that plant can handle dense shade apparently, so it does tick all the boxes.
I have a privet hedge already. And a few other specimens scattered about. And I got a definite _no_ from the better half.
Japanese quince is lovely, always a welcome sight. I'm a pittosporum fan, I have one already.
I could settle on four to eight choice shrubs. And wait it out. That is an option. I could relocate some existing plants.
I'm almost considering planting little troops of plants. A couple of laurels, three beech, four yews, five cotoneasters, and a section of rosa rugosa. Rather than eight metres of beech say.
I was trying to avoid spending lots of money. I have another section in the garden that also needs a hedge, so I'm wondering if I can spread plants between both plots.
I got in a pro for their opinion. They looked at my field maple hedge, and suggested going all out for that. Also agreed that the Rosa Rugosa would be good. And he then suggested an alternative of training some fruit fans.
Anyway, I have found myself mulling over the planting, probably way too much. I nearly went with the field maple, as I do love it, and think it would suit as single specimen.
I was tempted by a native hedge mix, it's just there's a lot of the same close by.
So I've ordered wild pear, for something a little different, I love the shape of pears and love the blossom. I'll probably need to condition the soil a bit and keep it tended to as it settles in, but like beech, it's said to hold leaves if clipped. Have great blossom in the spring, and interesting leaf colour in autumn.
I figure it can take the exposed spot, will be good for wildlife, if I can beat the beasties to the fruit then perry might be an option.
I'm not sure how I'll deal with the shadier end of the row, whether I should try and get the pear going there, or plant a shrub/beech/laurel.
Fingers crossed! I'll take some pics, and hopefully in a few years I'll post a picture of a mature resplendent hedge.
Pyracantha or berberis? bring the birds in from the woodland in the winter for the berries, but stop unwanted deer visits?