The huge range of choice when it comes to types of hedging may be a surprise to some people. To many all hedges look the same, but they really are missing a trick - getting the right hedge for your garden can really add to your floral displays. It's not just about providing you with a border, there is texture and colour, as well as attracting all kinds of wildlife.
So when you are looking for the right hedge plant for your garden, there is plenty that you want to consider. We want to help you, so we are dedicating this blog to some of the most popular hedging species around - so whatever you are looking for we can help you find the perfect Garden Hedges & Hedging Plants for your garden.
The most popular hedging plants
We'll run through some of the best hedging species now, looking at what they can offer you, how quickly they grow and tips on planting and maintenance.
Cherry Laurel
We'll kick things off with the Prunus Rotundifolia - otherwise known as the Cherry Laurel. This dense evergreen hedge is the perfect option for you if you are looking for an excellent privacy screen, but it offers far more than that on top.
The dark green leaves are wonderful to look out at all year round, offering the perfect backdrop to you beds packed with vibrant colour. Not that these hedges don't bring their own flashes of colour - with pretty little white flowers in Spring, followed by bright red berries in Autumn Cherry Laurel hedges bring plenty to the table.
They are quick growers, up to 60cm a year, and thrive in either full sun or partial shade, so they are perfect for a border. Like most hedges, they will need to be pruned and cut back to keep them in a handsome shape, but if you're after a dense evergreen hedge, then this should be right at the top of your list.
Leylandii (Conifer)
Another classic evergreen hedging plant now, the Conifer. There are many similarities between the Leylandii and the Cherry Laurel - both with dense, dark green foliage and both providing excellent borders for privacy in your garden.
Conifers have been proven to protect against pollution, particularly traffic emissions, and they are excellent at reducing noise. If you live by a busy road, this will come in handy.
They are also fantastic homes for a whole range of wildlife - if you love looking out at birds, squirrels, hedgehogs, badgers, shrews, bees and bats, then Conifers are definitely worth your consideration. As evergreen hedges go, these are particularly attractive to animals.
There are a range of Conifers available, but most of them will be quick growing - up to 80 cm a year for the fast-growing varieties. They are incredibly hardy plants, so can withstand extreme conditions, even in coastal regions. They are a dependable hedge.
Beech
If you are looking to move away from the classic green foliage of most UK hedges, then a Beech hedge could be the one for you.
Even within the Beech family there is plenty of choice. This can range from the Green Beech hedge, which has vibrant green leaves in the Spring and Summer, which change to a wonderful bronze coloured leaves in the Autumn and Winter. The leaves don't fall off, they just change colour - so you get all the benefits of the new colour, without the chore of having to clear the leaves!
Another option is the Copper Beech hedge - it gets the same bronze leaves in the Autumn/Winter, but in Spring and Summer you are rewarded with beautiful purple foliage. It's really striking, and stands out against the green of your lawn.
Beech hedges are also fast growers (around 30 - 60 cm a year) up to around 5m when full grown. A perfect border for your garden.
Box Hedging
A return to the classic hedging plants now as we look at the Buxus Sempervirens, or Box Hedge plants. These tend to be much smaller, slow growing plants, which also means that they are low-maintenance. It's why they are often used as features along pathways.
They only grow around 10-15 cm a year, so keeping them in shape doesn't take much effort - a little prune here and there is all you really need. Their bright green foliage is really lovely as well, and is as popular with bees as it is with gardeners!
As an evergreen hedging plant, you can enjoy year-long interest with these neat little plant - Box Hedging is well worth your consideration.
Privet
We're going to focus on one particular variety of privet for this blog - the Golden Privet. With its golden yellow foliage all year round, joined by the fragrant white flowers in the Summer and stunning little glassy black berries in Autumn. Those berries come with the added bonus of attracting all manner of wildlife.
They also provide you with a dense screen for privacy and protection against noise, and will grow quickly up to around 4m. It's basically got everything you could want from a hedge!
Pyracantha
We'll finish with the Red Firethorn - a prickly hedge barrier with evergreen foliage, but the real attraction is what happens later in the year...
First, you'll get some lovely fragrant white flowers in the Summer, which are like a magnet to butterflies, but that still is just the precursor to the main event... In Autumn and Winter you'll see an explosion of bright orange red berries, which add a wonderful flash of colour, just when many of your other flowers will begin to die back. A great way to keep interest in your garden all year round.
They can grow around 60 cm a year, and are incredibly hardy, so suitable for pretty much anywhere. They don't require much maintenance, other than cutting back when it gets too large. This hedge is a great option for seasonal interest.
Most Popular Hedges - Conclusion
We hope we have given you some inspiration as find the best hedge plants for your garden - have a look through our extensive range of Bare Root and Hedge Plants. Start planning your dream setup today!
