Going planting griselinia hedging – any general advice re planting , depth , spacing and ground preparation including compost , soils and feed.
When is the right time to half ten foot wide hedge? It s 8 foot high.
My house of 25 yrs on a half acre has now had a new build dropped right in front of me in the neighbors site. I am looking into their kitchen and second level bedrooms. Suggestions for a suitable screen of evergreen trees or large shrubs wuold be very much appreciated
I inherited an untended 15 year old beech hedge and lopped them to 6 ft . Can I prune the branches which have grown untended back without loosing all of its foliage? Pictures attached.
I had some hedges planted & they look very bad. He planted 2 sizes in the front. The smaller plants are alright. As you can see the others do not look good. Also the ones in the back look very bad. What do you think?
I have a long established and neglected common box hedge in a mature garden. I am wondering how best to prune and encourage the hedge – many of the shrubs have grown straggly and some of them (which were in the shade of a tree that has now been removed) are lying on the ground … read more
I have a Portuguese laurel hedge growing out the front of my house. One side looks fine. The other side looks like something is eating it or something weird.
Could you recommend small conifer trees (that will grow to approx 10 ft tall) that I could use for shelter on either side of my house. Both planting strips are approx 40 meters in length but on one side of the house the width of the strip is very narrow, only 2 feet wide, the … read more
Can you comment on the following hedging plants with regard to their suitability for front garden in an urban setting: Portuguese Laurel Cherry Laurel
I would like to know what is the best way to plant laurel hedging?
I got a Laurel hedge growing around our property. On one side it is bordered by post and rail fence lawn, and the other is a steep bank. Majority of hedge is thriving, however, one section (about 6yrds) is lagging way behind. It is about half the width of surrounding hedge, and not as high, … read more
Can you advise me on best practice for growing a privet hedge? It was planted in march 2014. Should it be filling in by now? I have wire around plants as I have rabbits in garden any tips on getting it to fill in?
We back onto a house which has Leylandii planted and which have grown very high and overhang into our garden. I can’t cut them back to the party wall as the foliage is brown so am wondering what can I do to prevent them continuing to grow and overhang the shared wall as we are … read more
Recently planted red robin hedges in side my fenced garden. The problem I am now having is my lawn meets the fence, and in turn grass is growing in between the hedges. I have been strimming these areas, but this is not a long term solution. Any suggestions ? In hind sight I should have … read more
When can I put cuttings from shrubbery that I want to put in a bank I have created? I have rooting powder.
I am having a problem with ivy growing up through a mature hedge…..any suggestions?
Need help in selecting a boundary for shelter in our garden in a very exposed area of North Kerry, in the countryside approx. 7km from the sea/coast. I don’t want it to grow too high, would like to keep an open feel to the area but creating a shelter belt with little maintenance is paramount … read more
I planted this hedge about 2 years ago. Growth fantastic. Towards end of last year 3 plants started to fade and I replaced them and they are doing brilliantly. However the one next to them has now faded, (leaves dying off and branches discoloured). Any idea what may be causing this and is there a … read more
Hi Gerry, I sat these laurel plants bareroot in October where doing good until bad winds in February now they are brown/spotty and leave tips breaking is there anything I can do to save them. have fed and watered well and also have bark around base of plants
I’m wondering what the best hedge would be for screening? I’ve been thinking of Laurels, but believe they’re an invasive species? I’m looking for something affordable and hardy & evergreen. In addition, I want to get this done ASAP so something that can be planted year round (or late Spring). It’s for a border area … read more
I planted photinia hedge spring 2013. I probably plante half and then finished it 2 months or more later!! so the second half of the hedge didn’t get as good a start unfortunately. I have pruned it well twice yearly since to thicken it well. The good half is beautifully thick but the other half … read more
Looking for hedge options for a windy site bearing in mind that my client likes to keep it natural as possible to her surroundings, which is a country house. Also no shiny greenery. Also fairly uniform with wind braking qualities. Thinking of a mixed hedge. what do you recommend ?
After lots of looking decided I like look of Escallonia hedge. I like the small dark leaves and flowers. I rang a few nursery’s and they have said Escallonia is getting a disease. Is it worth risking going ahead and buying it or am I better off going for something else.What would you recommend? It … read more
Please can you advise what trees I can plant in a very exposed coastal site in South Wexford . I need these trees for some privacy. The must be able to survive in high winds and will be about 20 to 30 feet from the house. I have attached photo of what I envisage
I have a wide double row beech hedge. How and when can I cut it back severely ? One row grows towards the front, and the other to the back. The middle of the hedge is like an empty “tunnel”.If I cut back one side I will leave the trees on that side with hardly … read more
Is a box hedging suitable as a low ‘divider’ between a garden border and a piece of meadow. Not looking for anything high – around 3ft would be fine.No animals in meadow. Something that is easily maintained when established. Any other suggestions re hedging? What are pros and cons re box?. Soil quality good. Hedge … read more
When is the correct time to clip my box hedge and is there any special way?
I wish to plant a hedge along a timber railing around the hse its almost 3/4 acre! It is exposed,and I’ve already lost red robin along one side 2 yrs ago I was thinking laurel but saw purple beech recently and thought thet were very nice what would you recommend?
Would you plant Alder , willow or Birch to form the best hedge/screen in a wet/ boggy area at the back of my site approx 100 ft from the house?Would the trees go bare at the bottom ?I really want to form a hedge/screen there eventually. Have you any other ideas? The ground is very … read more
I was wondering can you advise me on what hedge to plant. I live on the top of a very windy hill and need good shelter. I would prefer something evergreen but maybe with a flower or a bit of interest. I have a privet lining one side of the house, we had to take … read more
I have a long garden and want to section a part into an intimate garden room so I wish to plant a thick fast growing hedge 8′ to 10′ high. Would you recommend Lawson’s Cypress?
I sowed some bare root beech hedging in February last year. Out of 200, I counted about 40 which did not bud last year even though I watered them in dry spells. Should I replace these now or could they bud this year?
My soil is clay and I planted a Hornbeam hedge last February. I didn’t cut it back when I planted it and it is very bare at the bottom. Could I cut it back at this time of year to encourage it to sprout at the bottom in the spring? Also I’m going to plant … read more
I have a Golden Leylandi hedge about 30 yrs old, the back of which is completely bare. Can you recommend a replacement hedge that can withstand wind and heavy frost.
Will a holly (Ilex aquifolium) hedge be suitable for planting very close to the sea and also be resistant to a heavy frost. How large are the plants available to buy from nurseries as I would like it to be as high as possible?
100ft long, 16ft high, lived through all the frost, Beautiful. But now we redoing paving on one side and the wall on the other side has no foundation and needs to be replaced. Hedge growing beside it. ? do we replace it and or take our chances that it will live another bad frost winter? … read more
I planted a Laurel hedge last March, it has grown vigoursly, is now (mid October) a good time to start pruning it ?.
I have a large rural garden surrounded by fairly flat fields, so the prevailing wind is stronger than usual. i want to block this wind as much as possible using trees and shrubs. any suggestions?
I have a laurel hedge that is about 2/3 year old. However i only planted it last october. Should I prune the hedge and put fertiliser on it for the winter? I want the hedge to be thick and tall. Some of the trees are filling out while others are quite tall and not so … read more
My grissilinia hedge was badly dmged by frost, but is showing signs of life now. I have pruned all the dead wood. I now have 1/2 hedge with spindly limbs, & the other 1/2 is cut down to the ground as new shoots are coming. Should i leave these long spindly (but healthy) limbs, & … read more
I planted bareroot Blackthorn / whitethorn hedge in January 2010 and some of the plants have developed well and are over 3ft high while others are developing at a slower pace. However, in order to develop the thickness of the hedge and promote growth near the base of the plant should I cut the hedge … read more
I have an 1/2 acre garden with a thornbush border but I have problems getting rid of weeds around the trees. I have used weedkiller and have got rid of some weeds but it grows back again.
Laurel hedge, planted 5 years age, 12ft hi, never trimmed on top, want to grow another 3ft high, worried that bottom of hedge will will start to go bare, should I trim top to prevent this?
I have an 8 yr old Beech hedge which has begun to die back in the past 3 years in sections. I have heavy clay. On reading your problem section, if the die back is caused by a root rot or fungus is there anything I can treat the ground with in order to replant … read more
Would you recommend a name of a fast growing hedge and one that would stand up against the winters we are having of late?
I have laurel that were potted and planted 8/10 weeks ago. the leaves are going yellow and falling off. are they dying. please advise what i can give them (any fertilizer etc ) they are weed free and have been watered. some have new growth( the green laurels) but alot are going yellow.
About 8 weeks ago i planted about 180 potted laurel to replace my dead escallonia hedge. I have watered them , i think sufficiently. Now about 1 in 6/7 are turning yellow and the leaves are falling off. Some I can see are sprouting new shoots but the yellowish ones are not. do you think … read more
I have a well kept, healthy, 5ft high, 40yd long, 20yr old Portuguese Laurel hedge. Last autumn the leaves on one plant turned grey/silver, through the winter some branches died. That plant is now growing new silver/grey leaves. The leaves are olive greenish – like eleagnus ebbengei. But, the leaves on three more plants dotted … read more
Leaves on my griselinia hedge are curling and going yellow, then brown. Dug up some and roots are brown and dead. Others still seem ok. Is this damage from frost or could it be caused by recent strong winds? Our site is very exposed.
I need to decide on a hedge for our site I would like a good ever green one that would be able for our frosty winters.. Bearing in mind I will also have to sow this hedging on the road boundary in front of the house.. So I would like a nice hedge. have you … read more
I have a hornbeam hedge abouot 6 ft tall that i set last year. Is it ok to trim at this time of the year? or is there a certain time to trim it back
I have a nice size south facing garden in surburbia but need advice on what fast growing, relatively maintenance free trees to plant along back wall to get some privacy. Blanced with the fact I don’t want too much loss of light or risk of fall damage!! Evergreen probably best to ensure year round privacy.
I planted laurel hedging last october but i have noticed in the last couple of weeks the tips of the leaves have turned brown. What could be causing this? and some of the new growth have also withered and turned brown. i put 10 10 20 fertiliser on it about 6 weeks ago as i … read more
When is the best time to take out a mature grisilinia that has been affected by the snow and frost? how far apart should the new plants be & how should we prepare the soil in advance of the new hedge? Finally is there anything we can do to protect it against snow & frost … read more
I have a 4ft high wire fence running 10m on the boundry of my garden. I would like to screen this for more privacy. I don’t want anything too wide as my garden is small and I would like it to be evergreen and have colour. I would like some height too. Do you have … read more
Escolina hedge that is bare and shows no sign of life at all, is there any hope or point in leaving it until mid summer to give it a chance? Or should i Just cut it down now before over taken with weeds.Also on another point if Laurel was planted is it ok to cut … read more
I have a Viburnum tinus growing in my front garden and I want to cover my front wall with it however it is growing outwards instead of side ways how do I trim it to grow the way I want?
I have a laurel hedge in place since last year,about 300 metres.Some parts of it are thriving but one side which is very open to wind is lagging well behind. I have had a wind breaker in situ since they were planted but does not seem to have worked.The wind really batters the house and … read more
In a very exposed site, 600m above sea level, in the roundwood area, could you recomend red robin hedging or would you suggest anything quick growing and more suitable to enclose a patio area.
Griselinia Hedge about 8 ft high and 6 feet thick 20 yds long May be killed by last winter’s frost. Would like to prune sides by about 1 foot each side on off-chance that it may revive. Should I?
We have replaced escallonia with laurel at front. We have Grisalina of bout 400 foot down over 10 years, on clearing all leaves from around it and feeding with fish and bone, seems as if there are tiny shoots at bottom in part. Should we cut the top down alot to give it a chance. … read more
We planted a laurel hedge about 3 years ago now. I must admit we did not weed around it until this year. I would like to know should we take al lthe grass away around and between plants. So we have about 20 metres planted, does all of this need to be grass and weed … read more
I am planting a hedge on a new build in an open location on the edge of a bog in galway. I am considering laurel, green privet or cypress hedge. Which would give the best coverage, take the best in this particular location and be able to withstand the recent hard winters?
I am about to plant some laurel hedging. would it be ok to set at 2ft apart even though the potted laurel is only 18inch in height or should i go every 18inchs apart? what would be the difference in the hedge getting established?
Is cotoneaster franchetti a good hedging plant and is it able to withstand frost
Is it too late to plant a Laurel Hedge Bare rooted? If not up to when can you plant it and how far should the spacing between be?
Our 6ft griselinia hedge was destroyed by frost. I am a bit nervous about replanting griselinia and wondered if laurel would be a hardier replacement? If so is it too late to plant a 5 ft laurel hedge which are more than likely going to be bareroot. Does planting them quickly after they have been … read more
We had an escallonia hedge for the past 17 years and needless to say after the past two winters it is dead. We are up high and the hedge is at the front of the house, 200 ft long, and gives good privacy. What would be the best fast growing hedge to plant in its … read more
I planted my new laurel hedge last Sat. My garden centre said Laurel should thrive in my clay soil – is this true, is there anything I can do in the way of feeding looking after it to make sure it does thrive? I put a shovel of compost in with each plant. Also, is … read more
Im replacining my frost burnt griselenia hedge with laurel. I was thinking of trying slips as a cheap option or is this a waste of time?
Im replacing my badly frost damaged grysellania hedge with laurel. Do i need to take up all the roots or can i just cut down to ground level before i plant?
I planted this hedging about 3 weeks ago and the leaves on a good number of the plants are going white. Is this Box Blight? What would you recommend to do?
we just cut down all our hedging at front of house, it provided great shelter and privacy.. can you suggest what would be good to replace this and maybe be frost resistant. We would like to get privacy back asap also we like the red robin tree/shrub would be advise? its very windy and exposed … read more
I had escallonia hedges that died during the winter i will be replacing these with laurel do you think this is a good hedge for the front of a house ? also is it now too late to be setting it.
Looks like your description of ‘leaf spot’, with black spots on older leaves; but lots of dead leaves under foot, still green but crispy; flurries fall off if it’s touched when passing. Could this be related to the Escallonia virus. New growth seems ok but wondering will it become infected too &/or will we be … read more
I planted new laurel hedge about 2-3 weeks ago about 100 plants all looked good and healthy but 5 -10 of them have started to turn yellow and look like they are dying, some leaves look very limb unhappy. watering several times a week not sure was it the frost or over or under watering … read more
I planted a Laurel hedge 2 weeks using 2 year old potted plants. Some plants are developing yellow leaves. What is cause of this.I did water them when planting and again during the dry spell. I used pelleted poultry manure when planting.
Im planning to set some castlewellan gold leylandii to replace my dead hedge. i have cut down all the hedge to ground level but left the roots in. can i still plant the leylandii about 1foot in from the roots?
My escallonia hedge appears to have been killed by the severe winter and i am considering replacing it with something more hardy like hornbeam. Has it any advantages/disadvantages verses beech.
I have a Laurel Hedge for past 5yrs, some of which have had yellowing leaves and then the plant dies off. I have only half of the plants left and am wondering will they all die? Can they be saved?They are growing on a bank at end of the garden.This happened before the snowy/frosty weather.Any … read more
Escalonia hedge completly burned with frost. Approx 5 years old. No leaves just sticks! What can i do because it was a lovely hedge?
I recently cut all my escalonia hedge (frost damaged)down to the root( left roots in). Could you please advise on a good replacement, that grows fast and survies harsh winters. What about Gold leylandii-Castlewellan Gold ?
i am planting trees in our garden, the trees are being planted by the roadside for privacy the trees i would like to set are mountain ash and silver birch, how far apart should they be set i would like to set them close so we could have some privacy from the roadside.
My Escallonia hedge is dead! I thought I might replace it with rose hedging. Would this be truly hardy should we experience another winter like the last one? If so, which roses would be suitable?
I need to replace 100 ft of dead escallonia hedge. What would you recommend for an exposed site with heavy, clay soil thats relatively easy to maintain? I’d like to maintain it at 5-6 ft high? I was considering variagated holly? Any advice please and thank you.
How far apart should i plant hornbeam hedging.I will be planting two rows. Also,what is the maximum height a copper beech hedge should be allowed grow to?
I planted 50 laurels in novmeber. they were 3-4ft. they got damaged from the frost and now all the leaves seem to be falling off. some are brown and others are prefectly green that fall off. do i need to prune them yet or could they be dying.65 also do leaves grow back when they … read more
I have laurels for a hedge. But the local dogs use it for a short cut.leaving gaps at the bottom.what thorny bush might i plant to fill out the gaps.
The Grisilinia hedge at the front of my house has succumbed completely to the weather (just like all the others in my area). I’m hoping to replace it with 6 or 7 shrubs. They’ll need to be tough, frost-hardy, decorative if possible, and I’ll need to keep them at about 4 feet high. The site … read more
Please can you advise the name of a quick growing shelterbelt/ screening for a south coastal garden which is very windswept. I have tried escallonia but without success
Have been reading through other peoples questions. Our garden has also suffered. My escallonia suffered from a disease last year, I cut it back but I’m afraid this years frost has finished it. We have a boundary is 120 ft made up of olearia, not a leaf left on it. That hedge was planted with … read more
We are looking forward to planting a bare root hedge in mid march! Laurel or beech seem to keep coming up as suggestions. We would like an evergreen hedge as the road at the front is very busy and so will give some privacy. There is about 470 ft on 3 sides. do you have … read more
hedge made up of many plants but lots dying and many sparse areas from 3ft down. Should i fill the gaps or start again? if so which plant would you suggest for chalky soils
I planted a bare rooted Griselinia Hedge two years ago this March, I am worried about the hard frost we are havingat the moment. It seemed fine during the smow but now I am seeing some leaf dropage and a bit of discoulour with it. Is there any thing I can do to protect it? … read more
I planted my Laurel Hedging a year ago. It is about 5 feet high but the recent frost have burnt alot of the leaves. Some are completely brown and some are are brown with a little bit of green in the centre. What should i do to bring them back to been healthy? Before they … read more
After cutting a dead Griselinia to the base, can a yew hedge be planted in between the stubs and when is the best time to plant.
Looks like the the cold spell has killed my 5yr old griselinia hedge. It only has a few leaves left.I’m thinking of cutting it to the ground and planting maybe a Cherry Laurel in between.I’d like a hedge that’ll grow fairly quickly. Is Laurel at good choice? When is the best time to plant and … read more
My 2 metre high mature escollonia screening hedge is badly damaged after the 2 cold winters and also has lost most of its leaf from severe leaf spot. If I cut it back will it resprout or what is the best replacement that will grow fairly fast and can be mantained at a height of … read more
I planted a new hedge last year and i want to kill off the weeds around it ,what will i use and when should i do it?
We have a large amount of Golden Privet hedging around the front garden. It looks really miserable after the frost & snow. Is it likely that it might be dead? It’s turned completely brown.
I think my Griselinia Hedge has become a victim of the frost. I only sowed it last year and it was doing well. The leaves are gone all brown and musty looking. I know i`m going to have to replace it, so i`m wondering what is good low hedge for on front of a house, … read more
My 30 year old griselinia hedge has been badly damaged with the frost/snow, is there any point of giving it some type of liquid feed to stimulate the regrowth? most of the leaves of all dark brown.
I want to plant a new boundary hedge I was told laurel would be good. My previous hedge was a gresilia, which died from the snow last Jan. when is the best and latest time to plant a laurel hedge
I am planting a Laurel hedge. when is the best time to plant . is it the best fast growing as I have 40ft to plant as my previous hedge died with the frost. Can I cut back my old greselia hedge in half and plant the new one next to it. what is your … read more
Just wondering what is the name of the low red coloured shrub that is planted in a x shape in the formal Shrubs/Trees picture(hedges & shelter belt section). I had a Tom Thumb planted as a low hedge and it died in the hard frost Jan 2010. I am looking for a replacement low hedge … read more
I have a large deck with a planter running the full length of the decking. What would be a good evergreen shrub to form a secluded and sheltered feel to the decking. Something, which wouldn’t loose leaves. I was wondering would bamboo be a good choice?
I am committed to Planting a hedge on both sides of my site, Escalonia macrantha is preferred optionI have prepared ground inside an existing mesh fence 150 feet in length at each side. should i plant potted plants in October/November What can i do to prevent frost damage ?
I am thinking of planting a new Griselinia hedge. I know that we are coming into the right time of year to plant bare root. I have heard that as a cheaper option that you can get cuttings from existing hedge a plant these. Can you outline the process and tell me if the hedge … read more
When is the right time to prune copper beech hedge? it was only planted this April. I want to thicken it, is there any thing i can do?
I have a hedge of golden privet that was planted about 7/8 years ago. This past year about 3 or 4 of the plants have died, I notice some more starting to die. I had a lovely hedge around the garden but now there are gaps where the plants have died. Any idea what’s causing … read more
I wish to plant Holly for privacy but the area to be planted is opposite, an opening (entrance),with hedges on either side thus creating a wind tunnel effect. The site is exposed.
I would like to plant 6 Bay trees in my front garden to make a divide between my garden and my neighbours but I am afraid they will it die in winter due to frost can you do any thing to prevent this?. Or is there any other form of hedging that is thin and … read more
need help….side back wall on a busy road,lots of noise and kids hanging around,want to fight this with nature,not fencing…need privacy fast!House detached,wall about 18ft from any buildings and about 22ft long…..sun rises this side in moring and gets sun till about 12,then at about 5ish for an hour in the summer…..on this same side,to … read more
we just built a house and we are on an acre of land and we just got our grass sorted in our garden and now it is time to gain some privacy, one side of the garden has a ditch with plenty of trees so can you please recommend some everygreen shrubs to plant around … read more
how far apart should beech be planted to give a good hedge?
I have read that its a good idea to repeat planting a plant in a planting sheme to give some form of harmony. Can you describe how to achieve this and suggest hardy plants for a neat but not too formal or informal beautinful evergreen and varigated mixed hedge of year round intrest to provide … read more
We recently planted some griselinia to form a hedge at the front of our house. We bought some mulch bark to cover the soil to reduce weeds and so the area looks more pleasing to the eye. We purchased the mulch from a local recycling centre. We have been told that the mulch bark may … read more
Last November I planted a mixed natural hedge of whitethorn, blacktorn, carpinus, hazel, guilder rose & spindle. Can you please advise what month is the best to cut back the whitethorn & what height should I cut it to. Also should I cut back the other varieties mentioned above at the same time.
i want to disguise a four foot high bank in my lawn.what would you suggest to use.i need something thats frost resistant but pleasant to look at as it is close to the house
I have planted griselinia in a deep raised bed created along a low wall (3ft) to provide screening from neighbours. (Final height of hedge req. 4ft ) I realise it is a vigorous grower and I do not want it bare at the base. Planted last month 18inches high should I cut back now or … read more
As the hedge is 35 years old with very dense roots is it practical to just cut the existing hedge and try to plant something between the old stumps. Any recommendations on what is best to plant as a replacement and when is the best time to do so ?
I have an escallonia hedge and its planted with two years it died with the bad frost but thankfully i got it back with feeding it chicken manure for the roots and tomato feed for the leaves and weeding around it but now my problem is its growing high and i have a beautiful pink … read more
I planted a Griselinia hedge last year and I would like to know what fertiliser you would recommend for strong, fast growth.
About 2 months ago I planted 196 potted laurel shrubs to form a hedge. All was well until 2 weeks ago when I noticed the leaves on 5 or 6 plants were being eaten as well as turning yellow then brown. These plants are now under stress. I have clipped any grass around the plants … read more
Is it possible to transplant hedging this time of year? what hedges would you recommend for shaded areas?what climbers would you recommend for shaded areas?
I have a large arrangement of Buxus shrubs that appear to be continually deteriorating after the frost. The leaves are turning yellow/brown and are extremely dry. I have been watering and waiting to see if there is any recovery but the problem seems to be spreading further up through the plants from the roots. Is … read more
I have a problem with a row of hedging I have had recently planted. I’m by no means a gardening expert but I believe the type of hedging to be prunus laurocerasus. It was planted roughly 16 weeks ago. The leaves on most of the plants have turned yellow are now shedding profusely. The hedge … read more
I have a 5 yr old Griselinia hedge that got badly damaged by the frost. What can i do ?
i want to snip off some pieces of existing fushia shrub i have. is it too late to simply stick it in the ground, can i make a hedge out of it, if so, how far apart should it be set?
In a previous message I asked if cutting back the top/new growth of a copper beach hedge will help it to thicken at the base. I belive your answer was no. All the other advise I received from garden centres suggested I cut back the new growth in late July to encourage more growth further … read more
I have 3 yr laurel hedge and for the first time some of the plants have sprouted a white flower.Is this something to worry about as some of the affected plants are otherwise healthy while the rest have had their leaves turn yellow.
I recently planted a laurel hedge as a screen. The plants are 3 – 4 ft high. Should I cut them back/down to promote growth at bottom.
I recently (last week in march) planted a copper beach hedge inside a 3 ft high pariimiter wall. 90% of the trees are showing signs of growth i.e. sprouting or new leaves. I’m hoping the other 10% will come good in the next few weeks. If they dont what should I do. Should I also … read more
I planted small conifers 25 years ago. With constant cutting and shaping these grew into a beautiful manicured hedge. This year alot of brown patches have appeared in the hedge. Has it run its course or has the harsh winter effected it? Is there anything I can do now to nurse it back to health?
We live about 1 from the coast in north mayo. we are on top of a hill and the north wind blows straight in our back door. the back garden is split level so our boundry line is 6-7 feet below our footpaths. what type of trees/hedging can we plant , fast growing preferably, about … read more
I want to plant a hedge on a sloped garden. Because the garden is only 24Ft wide I want a low tight evergreen hedge and want to maintain the hedge at approx 2Ft in height. A tall hedge wouldn’t look right. Can you suggest 2 evergreen plants that would go well together if planted alternatively … read more
Looking for an evergreen hedge for the end of my garden to block the view of a small appartment block behind us, something that will grow upright and dont need any clipping
I have a griselinia hedge that is about 40 years old. But in the last couple of years it has developed dead patches, whole plants just died. I would thin them out and the two plants either side would fill in the gap. But at one end of the hedge, at the entrance to the … read more
I planted a bare root Griselinia Hedge last March. I want to give it a boost when is the best time to feed it and what is the best feed to give it. It is quite long as I planted about 130 plants.
My house/site bounds a farmer and I have 35 meters of a perimeter hedge that is in very poor condition. I am considering planting a laurel as a screen.
Both my escallonia and laurel hedging are struggling, what is the best fertilizer to use, bearing in mind that cow and horse manure are not really an option as it’s sheep country where i am located.
What garden hedging would you recommend to replace ugly panel fencing that is separating two detached houses? Something that is practical, easy on the eye,easily maintained and will enhance the garden with its shape, colour and overall appearance.
I have just planted bare root laurel hedging should they be topped to allow them to bush out or leave until they reach required height .
I planted over 90meters of Lauel Hedge,they are about 1.5ft high, 3 wks ago,it has rained once since,should I be watering everyday or will they be ok? soil is good- do i need to feed,if so what brand do you recomend? what other tip have you to help grow over the coming months.
Our house is west facing.We are on aprox 1 acre of land totally exposed. our knowledge of gardening is non existant . The back garden(field)gets waterlogged from the elevated field behind which has cows in it for most of the year. We would like to section off a piece of the garden at the back … read more
What are the best growing plants for living beside the sea. I have a small garden and find that the wind sweeps up the side of my house and burns the plants I have their. I am going to alter my garden this year and would welcome your suggestions please. I am open to all … read more
I have a small front garden and want to create a boundary but what plants can grow about 4 foot tall or more with limited soil beneath? probaly none except in pots would you agree ?
I am going to plant a laurel hedge around my new house, it is very exposed to the wind on one side. I was going to erect a wind barrier{the green mesh}, along this side. how long will it take for this hedge to establish itself as an adequate shelter and is there any advice … read more
I have a neighbour who constantly goes around his yard on a motorbike. We are situated below a hill and is is situated on the hill. My mother owns land beside my house and there are four large beech trees. Someone was sugesting to try put up some noise/wind barrier from tree to esb pole … read more
I have a beautiful griselinia hedge but since we had that terrible cold weather I have noticed that the leaves are falling off will this do the hedge any harm?
I am planning a small bay tree maze as a feature in my kitchen garden. I have read that if left to grow up to 12 metres, bays will take all the nutrients out of the soils, but I am wondering, if kept well-pruned, do you think it will be alright and leave enough nutrients … read more
I have an escallonia hedge for the past 5 yrs, very slow growth only up to 4ft. The leaves keep falling off it – yellow and black colour. What is a fast growing replacement for it? I live in a windy area and the soil is quite poor.
My neighbour and I are trying to find a way to build and render my 2.5 storey extension wall, without compromising his 5m tall leylandii trees, which are planted about 70cm from the boundary wall (on his side). There is currently no growth on the “our” side of the bottom half of the trees, due … read more
I have planted laurel hedging on the boundaries of my site ranging in height at present from 3 ft to 5 ft. I now wish to prune this hedging and wonder when is the best time to prune and what is the best way to prune the hedging.
I planted 140 copperbeech hedges in 2007 but 110 didnt take, garden centre replaced them and I replanted them in dec08, but again 65 didnt take, planting them all the same way good base with compost, 1ft apart and zigzag formation against a post and rail fence with wire. I’m very dissapointed,and I’ve no idea … read more
I have a new garden on quite an exposed site near sea. Last year I planted 20 Rowan trees as wind break, but they are not enough. Can you suggest what other trees I could put in front of these for shelter and what space I would need to allow between say silver birch and … read more
My green privet hedge appears to be failing gradually over the last number of years. It is covers quite a large area and divides the garden in half. Should I dig out and replace with new plants or should I plant a different hedge? I want to keep it formal.
We are looking to plant a hedge on the border of our 1 acre site. The soil is heavy but we have raised beds on perimeter.We are looking for-something that is reasonably fast growing for privacy- 5/7ft tall as overall height- something evergreen- low maintenance- Not too expensive (as there is a lot to plant)
When or do I prune my escalonia hedge it is about three years old but only a year in the ground, it also so has some yellow spots on it. If yes how do I prune it. Also I have whitethorn in the hedge do I prune that too?
How do you take cuttingd and is it right to plant them in pot or to plant in the ground where they are being left?
My daughter has a beech hedge in Darver Co Louth.approx 5years old.Last spring the leaves on about twenty very mature plants seemed to shrivel up and eventually they went bare and seem to be dead.I wonder if this is some kind of fungal attack as three apple trees in the area also produced very small … read more
I set a red robin hedge 3 years ago to block an unsightly bramble hedge. I now intend to kill off the bramble hedge.as it needs constant pruning to stop it growing through my hedge. My problem is what to replace it with. It is on a very steep bank with a drop off at … read more
My garden is very bare and wind-prone also my clay seems heavy. What can i do? any ideas would be great thanks up in windy donegal.
Our Beech hedge is about 13 years old and we (ourselves) have kept at a height of 12 foot. Its about 500 feet long but does not have a tapered shape. It looks beautiful and gives great privacy but from a maintenance point of view we really find it too high and we feel we … read more
I planted a copper beech hedge 11/2 years ago and it is still very sparse. Just recently, some long shoots have started to grow and I cut these to try to encourage low growth. How can I thicken up my hedge? This is my second attempt. My first bare root hedge failed.
I planted a willow hedge in early March. The willows were on average 6ft tall when planting. i can see now that they are about 9 ft or more but the leaves are starting to turn yellow and die. I have other willow trees and this is not happening to them and it much too … read more
I am looking to grow a wiollow fedge along a very low wall in my garden as an alternative to a hedge or fence. Can you please help with some poointers? Thank you
I was hoping you can help me or point me in the right direction. I bought and planted 500 bare rooted beech trees, 5 per meter, to form a hedge around my garden in May. It all apeared to be growing well until last month when leafs on a few plants start to brown and … read more
Beech hedge – Planted 1.5 yrs, went well for the first while but now dying back from the top down. No obvious signs of insects. No chemicals used in the area. Couldn’t be drought!?! Beside a meadow.
We planted Griselinia hedge 2 years ago along the driveway into our house, about 10 of the plants didn’t take, my in-laws have huge Griselinia plants let grow wild in their drive so I was wondering if it’s possible to take cuttings from their hedge to replace those that didn’t take in mine? If so, … read more
What is the best time to cut beech and laurel hedges if I want to reduce them in height by about 1 foot ?
I have a fairly large area of my boundary that i planted with evergreen gorse, it has flowered, its in good nick and about 5ft high. last year i trimmed it back and it made it very neat and formal.when is the best time to do so? i want it to get to a max … read more
Recently planted a bare root copper beech hedge, at a 100 metres in total and set out with the typical guidelines of 18 inches apart, compost used etc. The next step is to figure out how and when to prune this particular type of hedging? The bare roots themselves are approx two foot and a … read more
I have just replanted a Beech hedge, to help it along what do I need to do. Also there is very little growth at the bottom of the hedging, do I need to cut it down, to improve the growth and is now the time to be doing that.
Would like some advise or suggestions on shrubs or trees (not cypress) as wind shelter.
Want to plant a hedge at sides and back of house windy area height 4 to 6 feet leaves all year round if possible
We are at the end of an estate and have quite a bit of ground beside us. We are currently in the process of setting our lawn and were opting for a hedge as well as a boundary for same. Have you any recommendations/advise as we are complete novices??
I have an Griselinia hedge and I want to take cuttings so I can plant some more hedging. But I don’t have a clue what I need to do.
Gerry, Boundary hedge is a blackthorn hedge. What would you suggest for trying to stop it growing in to garden as it is growing very strong and can be hard to cut back every year. Would like to put a mixed border inside the hedge but not sure what would grow considering the blackthorn will … read more
I want to do a topiary of life size Irish Wolfhound (or perhaps bigger) 1. Anywhere in Ireland I would get the frame ? 2. What would be the best plant to use(Limey area)
Recently planted a bare root copper beech hedge, at a 100 metres in total and set out with the typical guidelines of 18 inches apart, compost used etc. The next step is to figure out how and when to prune this particular type of hedging? The bare roots themselves are approx a foot and a … read more
i have a fairly big lawn out the back of the house and i want to plant some trees for shelter as the wind can be very strong at times, i don’t want to take away from the sun setting eithre as that is where it sets in the evening.Could you please advise me on … read more
I want to grow a hedge behind a 500mm high old stone wall, to give some privacy to my garden and to act as a shelter belt for my planned fruit/veg garden. Can you please suggest a quick growing evergreen (not laylandes!) – that will withstand windy conditions. The location has full sun for most … read more
I have a 7 year old Escallonia hedge planted next to a wall, it is 4 ft wide and i want to cut it back to 2tf (only cutting back on one side) and it will be going back to bare wood. Is it ok to do this now ?
We built a new house 3 years ago. And while I decided at the time to go for an informal hedge of mixed shrubs. I find now that it is not working. I would like a hedge as a backgound to a shrub border. Would like to plant escalonia – but from what I have … read more
i live 1km from the atlantic ocean and wonder would a boxwood hedge grow here ?our site is prone to wind quite a bit ,can this be grown from slips ?
Hi Gerry, Just wondering is it really possible to grow a bamboo hedge in Ireland with no wall/fence sheltering it? Was thinking of Pseudosasa japonica. Thanks ,muiris
Dear Gerry, I have inherited an overgrown garden. My question is in relation to a line of hawthorn trees that i believe was once a hedge. What, if anything, can i do to prune these trees back into shape. The trees are spindly and in some cases the tree trunks are 2m before the first … read more
Is it a good time to plant bare root hedging? If so, what is ideal spacing between plants? I have one garden centre nearby but would like price comparisons, Is there a specialist nursery from where I could get trees ordered/delivered. I am considering a beech hedge! Thanking you in advance
I have a hedg of Griselinia (approx 200 plants) and there are a number of them that appear to be dying. The leaves are turning yellow (with light black spots) and then falling off. Can you tell me what this might be and how can I treat it.
Hi Gerry,Please could you suggest some suitable hedge types for a front garden in a suburban estate that won’t mind being kept fairly low (1m max). It’s a difficult site – north-facing, very exposed and windy, about 1km from the sea with a heavy clay soil that is a bit prone to waterlogging in places. … read more
I need to place some pots at various points around the border of a new patio for decoration but also to deter visitors from driving up on the patio accidentally. It is a very, very exposed windy site. What will work best?
rosa rugosa rubra…..I planted over 300 as a hedge next to our drive two years ago. This summer I noticed a few that had been so aggressive that they had tried to burrow under the kerb (1.5metres away) and then tried to surface via the tarmac base coat. What sould I do??? I dont mant … read more
While watching the BBC programme “Wild about your garden” recently I saw them construct a living willow screen.As one would be ideal in my garden could you please tell me how to go about it. Many Thanks.
Gerry, Can you recommend a suitable feed for a young beech hedge (2.5 years old) ? Should feed be applied now or in early spring ?
When is the best time of year to sow griselinia? Can you advise on ground preparation for sowing? Is it possible to buy bareroot plants now and plant them temperarily until intended area is ready and dryer, as budget is low.
Hi Jerry. we planting yew hedging approx 4 ft tall in April. on a border of a sloped garden. We have been very careful with watering when necessary. Wen we found it bronzing and some of plants loosing leaves one foot from the soil, we added more soil and some suitables feed. It still doesn’t … read more
Hi Gerry, I have a couple of holly trees approx 2m high – they have never been pruned but I would like to restrict their height and train them into a ‘hedge’ shape. Should I just lop the top third off? When should I do it – Spring? Thanks , Conor
Hi Gerry, It’s currenly apx 8 feet deep X apx 7 feeet high.I heard that you can cut it back hard on one side one year and repeat the process the following year.What would you advise please and Thanks.
I planted an eccallonia hedge from one litre pots one week ago. When planting I added some fertilizer and compost to the ground. However after the weekend rain most of the plants have lost their leaves or their leaves are brown. Is this due to the fertilizer. Will these plants recover or will i have … read more
I’m establishing a laurel hedge from small plants. They have grown approx 6 foot in 4 yrs but are “leggy” at the bottom. How should I prune them? e.g. cut back to 2 foot high or just trim lower side branches? thanks, Conor
We have a large hedge of viburnum tinus. Some plants have wilted, the leaves have gone brown and the shrub eventually dies. We replaced these. Now the same thing is happening to a number of them. Is there anything to do to save them as they are 6 years old? What could be causing the … read more
Hi Gerry, I have a laurel hedge along the front wall of my house. Its 30ft long and planted two years. In the past week the leaves are turing, yellow..brown..black at the top of the plant working its way down through it. I dont think it is water logged as I have checked. I would … read more
Enter the detail of your question BRIEFLY (in up to 100 words).Hello Gerry,I have just taken down 3 Leylandi and another hedge bush at the back of my garden. I am having a a wall built instead. The wall will be 180 inches long then a door/gate about 30 – 33 inches wide and a … read more
At what time of year should Griselinia be prunned and are there any special tips for looking after the hedge
we have an old sally hedge which we want to get rid of. We cut it down to the base is there anything else we need to do. We want to set new hedge in its place.
I have a blackthorn hedge which did have birds nesting in it up to now. Is it safe to clip the hedge now?Have all fledglings flown by now or do some birds hatch later in the summer? Thank you !
we are looking to plant hedging to surround a large garden of 1 acre. what is the fastest growing hedging available and lowest maintence.?
Hi. We planted an Escallonia hedge about four years ago and its growing well. Last year during the summer the leaves got black spots and turned yellow and the hedge seemed to die. So in the autumn we cut it back to see if it would come back this year. Once we had cleaned around … read more
Hi Gerry, In recent years my copper beech hedge (which was planted in 1998) has had some greenfly but I’ve never been worried enough to spray. However this year the hedge and my next door neighbours green beech are alive with greenfly, just wondering should i spray and what to spray with…thanks, Paschal
HELLO ONE SIDE OF GARDEN HAS ALL EVERGREEN PLANTS.LEAVES FALLING OFF THEY HAVE BROWN SPOTS AND NO SIGN OF FLOWERS .CONIFERS GOING BROWN AT THE TOP OF TREE.HAV PETS AND KIDS AROUND ,SO WITH THEM IN MIND WHA CAN I DO?
Gerry, We have a new hedge on an open, windy site. We sowed Escallonia last September & it’s now beginning to flower & look good. We’ve been told we should prune it now to strengthen it for next year. Is that true? Thanks for your help.
Hi Gerry, I’m looking for some advice on planting boundary hedging on a large site asap? I have had a few landscape gardeners recommend Beech hedging but the leaves die off in the winter. Can you recommend a fast growing conifer hedge that will provide ample screening, look well and will require as little maintenance … read more
Hi Gerry,We have a problem with boundary conifers we put down october 06, in the bad weather they got alot of windburn at the side facing the bad wind and has turned all brown wheras the other side is perfectly green, is there a chance that they will come again or is there anything we … read more
hi gerry, i was clipping my 3yr old beech hedge yesterday and i noticed a bright white fluffy insect on some of it. what should i do?? worried…
Hi Gerry, could you please advise on the best windbreak shrub for a site on the side of a mountain. North winds enter on the same level as the house. NW winds enter from above a rock face approx. 6 meters above sitel level. Windbreak needed on top of rock face. No space on ground … read more
I want to plant a shelter/ screening belt site 87m41m East and west roughly 87m. Entrance at the north.I would prefer trees as opposed to hedges. What types and quantities should I have. Many thanks.
Gerry, What hedge would you recommend to plant to give shelter on an exposed site. What do you think of Leylandii. Have you any alternatives to Leylandii and have you any management tips for this hedge. Regards
Gerry, I would appreciate if you could advise on how and when to prune a beech hedge. thanks, regards, Mary Flood
Can you recommend a suitable hedge that will grow to approx 8 – 10ft very fast. It will be used as a ditch instead of replacing old fencing that is there as present. Thank you