Hedge - screening
pottering girl
Posts: 236
I am moving to a new house in a conservation area that has planning approval for landscaping. The landscaping includes the planting of a native hedgerow all around the garden. The plot backs on to open fields and I want to provide as much screening as possible as soon as possible (there is no screening/security at all). So knowing that a native hedgerow will take some time to mature and that even then it provides little screening in the winter, I had an idea that I could plant another row in front of the native hedgerow of hornbeam to provide screening. I do like hornbeam and prefer this to the look of a native mixed hedgerow but I won't be able to change the planning consent to allow just hornbeam and I also like the idea of a native hedge because of its attraction to wildlife. Is this idea silly or will it work? I have also considered adding honeysuckle etc but I would prefer hornbeam. Any thoughts appreciated.
Posts
Has it got to be mixed native? Hornbeam is native.
Hawthorn makes a denser hedge.
Beech, also native, hangs on to its old leaves til spring
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks nutcutlet, you may be on to something there, the landscape plan which has been approved says native hedging and lists the following. Hawthorn is the prime planting with a few of the others thrown in.
Acer campestre
Cornus sanguinea
Corylus avellana
Crataegus monogyna
Ilex aquifolium
Rosa canina
Lonicera periclymenum
Maybe a mix of hawthorn and hornbeam. In the past I have used a double row of hornbeam to make a lovely hedge. Perhaps first row of hawthorn and then second row hornbeam. Our hornbeam hangs on to its leaves well too and has new leaves very early in Spring.
Should have added, I think hornbeam does better in wet soil than beech - our soil is clay ish and therefore retains water well.
I love a mixed hedge and it's more appropriate to a traditional country garden.
Beech and hornbeam are native to the more southern parts of the UK. I don't know how they do further north, someone will know. I have hornbeam in 2 aspects and it doesn't cope well in the one that's exposed to full sun and prevailing wind, though I think the soil is poorer and drier there as well and that may be the biggest problem
In the sticks near Peterborough
I know I will absolutely hate the thorns of the hawthorn even though it looks so pretty when in flower. I like to keep hedges very tidy and formal looking. I have had other spikes shrubs and they don't last long. Would love yew but not patient enough for that. Such a difficult decision - I really want the garden framed right for the rest of my garden plans. Hornbeam seems to do really well in this part of the country.
In a previous garden I planted a mixed hedge of hawthorn, hazel and beech - once it had established we added wild dog roses and honeysuckle which added to the security and thickened the appearance of the hedge in winter.
We didn't clip it tightly but trimmed it once a year so that it was 'hedge shaped' rather than allowing it to grow into a row of trees.
If I were planting it again I'd probably include some holly as well.
I still see the hedge from time to time and it's a real success.
Last edited: 05 December 2016 12:48:27
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If the hedge is partly for security as well as screening, then hawthorn will do a better job than hornbeam just because of its thorns!
If the fields are used for livestock, then yew is a complete no-no because of its toxicity.
dfa, did you plant equal amounts of those three initially?
bcd, yes indeed, no-one would attempt to climb through hawthorn I agree, that's why I am thinking of using both in equal measure and yes, there are horses occasionally in the field so couldn't use yew or laurel.
There is nothing more varied, interesting or beautiful, as well as wildlife friendly, as a native hedge. You have lovely spring flowers, delicate new leaf growth, summer flowers and scent and autumn berries! In winter the holly holds its leaves. It doesn't take long to get going, either, and if you employ someone to lay it for you it will give a dense, secure barrier. You will then be able to cut it as you like, although I feel that a very formal hedge seldom fits in well with a country setting. We have beech hedge on heavy clay and it does very well; it must be at least 50 years old and it looks good but it isn't nearly so useful to wildlife and it has no blossom or berries.
Trying to remember ... it was a long while ago ... Think it was more or less three hawthorn, two hazel and one beech, but not planted in a regular pattern ........ that's about what it looks like now but it was back in the early 80s if I remember correctly.
Horses will love to lean over and nibble young shoots - plant your hedge well in from the boundary so they can't get at them.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.