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Hedge
I am considering using Portugese Laurel as a replacement for a conifer hedge. I am getting conflicting information about how fast it grows. I need it to be fairly fast as i am badly overlooked by the house behind, which is higher than mine. I need a hedge of at least 3 metres asap. Can anyone help with info on growth rate please? Any other suggestions gratefully recieved. My garden is quite small, so not suitable for trees.
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On average - and it greatly depends on the climate where you are - an established laurel will grow around 12 to 18 inches a year, sometimes more if the conditions are right, and as they mature, they'll often put on a good bit more than that.
If you buy them, don't make the mistake of thinking bigger is better. Bigger specimens are harder to get established. Around three feet is about the best size. They need room to grow out as well as up, as they're not the type of hedge you can clip tightly and keep narrow like Beech or Hornbeam. Remember that anything which grows quickly will also need a lot of pruning. Laurels can also become truly enormous if left to their own devices.
As you're replacing conifers, make sure you enrich the soil before planting anything else. Conifers take a huge amount of nutrition out of the soil. Manure, compost and a general feed dug in first. Keep the plants well watered till established. A mulch after watering is also beneficial.
Hope that's of some help
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thank you. I understood that the Portugese Laurel was slower growing than the Cherry Laurel. I know that grows at a terrific rate, which is why i was thinking the Portugese one. Yes, i will dig in plenty of soil improver and manure. I am really struggling to find an evergreen hedging plant which will screen quickly. I ferl i am living in a goldfish bowl at the moment!
I bought Portuguese laurel last year and im quite disappointed in its growth rate, i think its pretty slow.
You can always make a private space away from the hedge as it grows. You could use trellis, build a simple pergola, or just place strategically some plants in pots - bamboo, buddleia, cherry laurel etc.
I planted three small fruit trees and now in their second spring after planting out they are quite tall (on semi-vigorous root stock approx 15ft when grown). So fruit in pots may well do.
Last edited: 19 June 2016 23:41:16