Shrub Bushes & Screening Conifers

Homeowners who plant hedges for privacy usually want quick results, and for most people, Leylandii springs immediately to mind. Some people love them for being wide, dense and fast growing (5m in the first 10 years) and available in several colours. Others hate them, especially the thought of a neighbour planting them! There have been many examples of feuds, court cases and worse over uncontrolled hedges, but they can be excellent (particularly for wind-screening) if carefully managed (i.e. pruned). And lots of conifers, including yew and juniper, make fine, slower-growing and almost maintenance-free hedges.

If you fall into the ‘love ‘em’ camp, we stock Cupressocyparis Leylandii plus other fast-growing conifers, including other Cupressus in colours from blue to gold. We also find that Western Red Cedar(Thuja plicata) makes an excellent slower growing alternative but do ask our staff for advice.

Yew bushes make arguably make the best dark and dramatic hedge that can be precision-cut to good effect. However, they are slow growers so buy mature plants if you want an immediate effect. When established, they make the perfect backdrop for any garden as many histioric gardens testify.

Take care to properly space your conifers, so at maturity they form the perfect wind break. By overcrowding them for an instant screen you will be inviting insects and diseases.

In recent years we have found that Pittosporum and Griselinia, both excellent evergreens, have become top sellers for screening. These grow fast and so produce privacy quickly but can be pruned regularly, and unlike all conifers other than yew, will even shoot back if cut back hard. Both withstand salt laden coastal winds but are not suited to very cold spots.

Box is a traditional choice for hedges, with smaller varieties trimmed to edge borders. In Tudor times it outlined formal knot-gardens. Available in both shrub and tree varieties, Box, with its fine small leaves, can be topiarised, pruned to make a neat hedge, or grown up to 7m (20ft) high for a strong, wind-shielding hedge.

For complete shade try the taller form of sweet box (Sarcococca confusa) with glossy dark green small leaves and sweet-smelling small white flowers in February.