Best Native Hedge Plants: What To Choose (2023)

FAQs

Best Native Hedge Plants: What To Choose? ›

Native shrubs and trees like hawthorn, field maple, blackthorn, beech, hornbeam and holly make an ideal mixture of hedging plants. Grow rambling plants, such as wild rose, bramble and honeysuckle, through your hedge to provide even more shelter and food for wildlife.

Native shrubs and trees like hawthorn, field maple, blackthorn, beech, hornbeam and holly make an ideal mixture of hedging plants. Grow rambling plants, such as wild rose, bramble and honeysuckle, through your hedge to provide even more shelter and food for wildlife.

Choose the features that fit the type of hedge you want. Think about leaf colour, flowers, fruit, prickles, autumn interest, wind and salt tolerance. Decide how much maintenance work you can manage, as it will require a continuing commitment. Some hedges are fine with one cut a year, others need at least three.

Camellia, laurel and hawthorn are all good privacy hedges. These fast-growing hedges are all evergreen and reach a good height. Evergreen shrubs and evergreen trees for gardens make for the best hedges for privacy as you don't want your privacy to be compromised when the leaves fall off in fall.

Some of my favorite dog-friendly hedges are planted with camellia, osmanthus, shrub rose, fringe flower, arborvitae, cypress, and pyracantha. Plant them far enough apart that they have space to grow, but close enough that they will grow together to create a dense hedge.

Chose native trees and shrubs for a new hedge, e.g. hawthorn, beech, spindle, blackthorn, hazel, holly, field maple, buckthorn. Grow a variety of plants along the hedge bottom, e.g. dog's violet, garlic mustard and hedge woundwort. It will become a wildlife haven.

Bare root hedging should be planted between mid-October and the end of March. Rootballed evergreens are best planted from the start of September to mid-October or from the beginning of April to mid-May. Good soil preparation before planting will go a long way to getting your new hedging off on the right track.

The best year for planting bare-root hedging and trees is between October and April, when the trees are dormant. Keep an eye on the weather and avoid planting when the soil is waterlogged or frozen. When you receive your plants, ensure the roots of your trees have moisture.

Generally speaking, we recommend planting most evergreen shrubs at a distance of 1-4 plants per metre (25-100cm) apart. Planting 25cm apart will allow the hedges to fill in the space quicker, but you will see just as much success if planting 50-100cm apart in the long run.

What are the three types of hedges? ›

There are three types of hedge accounting: fair value hedges, cash flow hedges and hedges of the net investment in a foreign operation. The risk being hedged in a fair value hedge is a change in the fair value of an asset or a liability.

Buxus, also known as boxwood, is perhaps the most well-known and popular choice for hedge plants. It is distinguished by its small leaves which gives it its primary advantage over other plant species. This is because the size of leaves can create a formal, tight hedge.

Both garden privet, Ligustrum ovalifolium, and wild privet, Ligustrum vulgare, are common hedging plants, perfect for creating fast-growing privacy and shelter at garden boundaries.

Eugenia is one of the most commonly used plants for privacy hedges in southern California. This non-invasive evergreen can grow up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Given that it grows quickly, it won't take long to have a living fence.

There are two wonderful varieties of panicle hydrangeas (cone-shaped blooms) that reach 6'-8' x 6'-8' wide, making them ideal for a privacy hedge. Limelight hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight') has green blooms on old wood that fade to pink and is adaptable to various soil types.

Arborvitae 'Green Giant'

The thick growth offers the best privacy and it can also act as the the perfect backdrop for other flowering varieties of shrubs. It can grow up to 6-10ft (2-3m) so especially useful for providing a screen from neighboring properties.

Schip Laurels. Also known as “Skip Laurels,” the Schip Laurel hedge is another fast-growing variety, growing tall and thin. This hedge can tolerate full sun or full shade, making it one of the most resilient hedges available.

Some of the best options for kid- and pet-friendly hedges include Green Mountain boxwoods (Buxus X 'Green Mountain'), hollies (Ilex spp.), evergreens such as cypresses (Cupressus spp.)

Privet is an evergreen shrub that is commonly grown as a garden hedge plant. All parts of the plant are toxic to dogs in large doses. Symptoms are usually limited to gastrointestinal upset, but fatalities are possible with large doses.

What to Plant. A hedgerow should include a wide variety of large and understory trees, berry and nut bushes, flowering and native trees and shrubs, evergreen trees and shrubs, herbs, vines, flowers, and ground covers. The sky's the limit for your species as your aim is diversity with a mix of evergreen and deciduous.

Does Red Robin make a good hedge? ›

A delightful evergreen, Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin' is ideal for formal or garden hedging as it takes well to trimming and looks just as attractive when left a little bit bushy.

During the winter months, gardens can often look dull and uninviting, which is why Dogwood is a favourable hedge plant; it brightens up the garden, until fresh foliage and spring flowers emerge.

A hedge should last at least 30 years, and some gardens have hedges 100 years old or more. Partly it depends on the plants used – if they can be trimmed hard back they can have a longer life – but it also depends on the maintenance given, and how the hedge was developed when young.

Waiting for a hedge to mature usually takes 5-6 years. With InstantHedge, a mature hedge can be planted in one day.

The best time to water hedging plants is in the morning or evening as watering during the day can lead to the moisture evaporating off the surface of the soil before it reaches the roots of your plants.

Fall is the Best Time to Plant

The combination of warm soil and cool air stimulates root growth to help your tree or shrub get established before the ground freezes.

Prune in winter – early spring

It may seem counterintuitive to cut a hedge if you want it to grow, however all good gardeners know that pruning is the magic in creating a thick, tall and fast growing hedge. Trimming a hedge promotes growth by encouraging the hedge to produce new leaves and branches.

Plants in a sheared, formal hedge are generally planted 1 to 2 1/2 feet apart. Shrubs in an informal, natural hedge should be spaced further apart. A spacing of 2 to 4 feet is appropriate for medium-sized (6 to 8 feet tall) shrubs. Large shrubs (8to 12 feet tall) can be spaced 4 to 6 feet apart.

The cheapest way to plant a hedge is to plant bare-root plants in the dormant season, between November and February. Many hedging plants can be grown in this way, including beech, hornbeam and yew. Discover how to plant a bare-root hedge. Evergreen hedges, such as privet, are best planted in early autumn.

WATERING HEDGES

Most of our hedges are highly drought-tolerant, but they do require regular water for the first few seasons while roots are becoming established. Additional water may be required in extremely hot, dry summers to keep hedges flourishing.

How often should you lay a hedge? ›

Hedgelaying resets this cycle to encourage new growth from the base and prevents the hedgerow from turning into a line of trees. If well managed, a hedge should be laid within its first ten years of growth and then again, every fifty years or so.

Boxwood is a shrub with dense, broadleaf evergreen foliage that has been popular in the landscape since ancient times.

Kudzu grows out of control quickly, spreading through runners (stems that root at the tip when in contact with moist soil), rhizomes and by vines that root at the nodes to form new plants. Once established, kudzu grows at a rate of one foot per day with mature vines as long as 100 feet.

Boxwood Shrubs

As the boxwood's root system grows over the years, it will move outward and eventually find its way to the weak points in the plumbing or foundation. Once the roots find weak points, they will burrow into them, causing extensive damage as the roots continue to grow away from the center of the shrub.

Oakleaf varieties are the easiest type of hydrangeas for beginners to grow. Why are oakleaf hydrangeas so easy? They aren't picky! Oakleaf hydrangeas can tolerate colder weather, handle more sun, withstand drought, are more disease/pest resistant and grow in sandy soil better than other hydrangeas.

The forsythia is a fast-growing, hardy shrub that blooms early—providing a sunny sight before the rest of the landscape greens up. Forsythias make an excellent choice for those wanting a fast-growing flowering hedge. For best results, plant forsythia 4-6 feet apart when creating your hedge.

Ideal for the shady border, hydrangeas are happiest when located where they receive morning sun and afternoon shade. However, they will tolerate a good bit of sun, provided they receive adequate moisture.

For an effective hedge you need attractive plants that are fast growing. They should also have dense foliage. Consider the mature height and width of the plants. It's important that your hedge is continuous and does not leave gaping holes.

Emerald Green Arborvitae is the ultimate choice for a dense privacy hedge. With an Emerald Green hedge, there is zero chance of seeing anything through it. It grows slowly and requires very infrequent pruning. Although it grows slowly, it will become quite tall if given enough time.

English laurel (or Cherry Laurel) can make an enormous fast-growing hedge. Under the right conditions, it can grow up to 3 feet per year! It does very well in heat. It has glossy evergreen foliage and makes a very attractive large hedge with regular pruning 1-2 times per year.

How do you make a wildlife hedgerow? ›

A hedgerow should include a wide variety of large and understory trees, berry and nut bushes, flowering and native trees and shrubs, evergreen trees and shrubs, herbs, vines, flowers, and ground covers. The sky's the limit for your species as your aim is diversity with a mix of evergreen and deciduous.

Suggested plants

Native hawthorn, field maple, blackthorn, beech, hornbeam and holly make an ideal mixture of hedging plants and growing rambling plants such as wild rose, bramble, old man's beard (Clematis vitalba) and honeysuckle through them provides more shelter and food for wildlife.

Although crabapples and rowans are the best choice for attracting bees and birds to your garden, the trees that sustain the most wildlife are all native trees - oak, willow and birch - in our ancient forests.

Borders, filled with flowering plants and shrubs, give nectar rich food to butterflies and bees, as well as seeds, berries and cover for birds and small mammals. Trees, and hedges offer roosting and nesting sites for birds and mammals, as well as valuable shelter and cover from the elements and possible predators.

For an effective hedge you need attractive plants that are fast growing. They should also have dense foliage. Consider the mature height and width of the plants. It's important that your hedge is continuous and does not leave gaping holes.

Aside from very wet soils and fully shaded areas, resilient Hawthorn will grow well in all soil types and sites, and is especially hardy in exposed, windy and coastal locations making it one of Hedges Direct's most popular hedging plants.

Native shrubs and trees like hawthorn, field maple, blackthorn, beech, hornbeam, wayfaring and holly make an ideal mixture of hedging plants. Grow rambling plants, such as wild rose, bramble and honeysuckle, ivy, clematis through your hedge to provide even more shelter and food for wildlife.

Some of the best hedging plants for dry, sandy soils are amelanchier, beech, berberis, box, choisya, Norway spruce, cotoneaster, dogwood, Elaeagnus, elder, escallonia, euonymus, holly, cherry laurel (but not on chalk), spotted laurel, lavender, lonicera, potentilla, pyracantha, spiraea, thuja smaragd, weigela and yew.

Among needle-bearing evergreens, yew bushes are perhaps the most classic hedge plants. They are popular partly because they tolerate shade. While some yews grow tall enough to serve as privacy screens, yews are slow growers.

Are dead trees good for wildlife? ›

Dead trees provide vital habitat for more than 1,000 species of wildlife nationwide. They also count as cover and places for wildlife to raise young in the requirements for Certified Wildlife Habitat designation.

Douglas Tallamy, in his book “Bringing Nature Home,” claims that an oak tree supports over 4,000 different species of insects and animals, more than any other tree.

Bog plants

A bog garden is an excellent alternative to a pond and will attract all kinds of creatures, including damselflies, newts and frogs, plus birds and even bats. Plant with moisture-loving flag irises, marsh marigolds and purple loosetrife. Find out how to make a wildlife bog garden.