Ivydene Gardens Plants:
Hedge Garden Use List

The Hedging Gallery shows colour photographs of some of the following plants to be used in hedges.

Hedge laying

The art of hedge laying developed as a way of making a stockproof barrier out of available material such as living woodland plants.

The process involves partially cutting through the living stems near ground level, and bending them over as 'pleachers'. They should lie close and depending on the style of laying, the pleachers are anchored by stakes and binding to form a type of living fence. This 'fence' has the following purposes:-

• It forms an immediate barrier to stock or people.
• It provides protection from browsing animals for the young shoots, which grow up from the base.
• It improves the micro-climate by slowing the wind and raising the air humidity, so helping the growth of the young shoots.
• Hedge laying retains sufficient of the pleachers to maintain some habitat for birds, small mammals and invertebrates.
• New shoots also sprout along the pleachers, thickening the hedge for the first few years after laying, until most of the pleachers eventually die. By this time the new shoots from the base have grown up to form a thick hedge.
• Laying keeps the trees of the hedgerow small and manageable. Laying every 10 to 20 years rejuvenates the hedge.

Kent Wildlife Trust had a 2 day hedge laying course in September 2005, which 20 volunteers took part in at the Trust's Marden Meadow Nature Reserve, as part of their Wildlife Study Days. The Trust is the leading conservation organisation covering the whole of Kent and Medway, dedicated to protecting Kent's wildlife for everyone to enjoy. Over 800 volunteers support their work, managing 50 nature reserves (7,000 acres of land), carry out survey work, man visitor centres and general administration.

The plants in the Hedge Garden Use will be split into the following Soil Types:-

Any,
 

Acid or
 

Alkaline

Then, the Hedge Garden Use list is sorted in the following table under the following height of plant range:-

Below 2 feet in height
Between 2 and 6 feet in height
Above 6 feet in height

11.5 x 2.5
10 x 3
8 x 3
 

Arundinaria japonica
Arundinaria murielae (Fargesia murieliae)
Bocconia cordata
 

Bamboo
Bamboo
Deciduous Rhizome
 

5 x 5
5 x 4
3 x 10
5 x 4
2.5 x 5
5 x 5
3 x 5
 

Aucuba japonica
Aucuba japonica 'Crotonofolia'
Aucuba japonica 'Rozannie'
Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'
Buxus microphylla
Buxus sempervirens 'Elegantissima'
Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'
 

Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
Deciduous Shrub
Deciduous Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
 

15 x 10
12 x 12
8 x 10
8 x 8
8 x 8
 

Acer campestre
Berberis darwinii
Berberis julianae
Berberis x ottawensis 'Superba'
Berberis x stenophylla
 

Deciduous Tree
Evergreen Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
Deciduous Shrub
Evergreen Shrub
 

Hedges, Screens and Windbreaks from Notcutts

The following plants have been split into:-

• those that make low informal hedges,
• those informal hedges that are favoured for their flowers, and
• those formal hedges that are used for their colourful foliage.

The informal hedges are trimmed closely using shears, while the flowering hedges are best pruned using secateurs. All hedges have a windbreak and shade effect. The height given are those that could be attained within 10 years of planting.

Low growing Hedges not normally exceeding 3 to 4 feet, which are mainly informal and deciduous.

Hedge Height in feet

Planting Distance in feet

Plant Name

Foliage colour and Comments

2
4
0.6
3
2
2
3
5
4
5
2
0.8
1.5
 

1.2
2
0.3
1.5
1
1.2
1.2
2
2
2
0.8
0.7
0.7
 

Berberis thunbergeii 'Atropurpurea Nana'
Berberis verruculosa
Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa'
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavandula 'Hidcote'
Lavandula 'Munstead Dwarf'
Lavandula vera
Potentilla 'Goldfinger'
Potentilla 'Jackman's var.'
Prunus x cistena
Santolina chamaecyparissus
Santolina chamaecyparissus nana
Santolina virens
 

Reddish-purple.
Glossy Green. Evergreen
Glossy Green. Evergreen
Silvery-grey
Silvery-grey
Green
Silver
Green. Yellow flowers.
Green. Yellow flowers.
Deep crimson.
Grey-white. Evergreen.
Grey-white. Evergreen.
Bright Green. Evergreen

Foliage, Flowering and Berrying Hedges. These are usually informal; and 3 feet wide is the minimum width that should be allowed.

Corylus avellana 'Aurea' (yellow foliage) and Corylus avellana 'Purpurea' (purple foliage) together make a beautiful hedge.

Hedge Height in feet

Planting Distance in feet

Plant Name

Foliage colour and Comments

6
5
8
6
5
4
4
5
0.5
15
15
10
6
6
6
6
8
15
15
13
8
5
5
6
6
4
8
6
4
8
10
10
10
6
8
5
4
6
6
6
5
5
6
6
5
5
5
10
10
5
5
5
8
8
8
 

2
2
2
2
2
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
3
3
3
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
2
2.7
1.5
1.5
1
1
3
1.6
2
2
1.5
2
2
2
1.5
2
3
3
4
2.5
3
3
3
3
2
3
2.5
1.5
4
4
4
2
2
2
2
2
 

Berberis darwinii
Berberis panlanensis
Berberis stenophylla
Berberis thunbergeii
Berberis thunbergeii 'Atropurpurea'
Berberis thunbergeii 'Erecta'
Berberis thunbergeii 'Helmond Pillar'
Berberis thunbergeii 'Red Chief'
Buxus sempervirens
Corylus avellana 'Aurea'
Corylus maxima 'Purpurea'
Cotoneaster lacteus
Escallonia 'Apple Blossom'
Escallonia 'Edinensis'
Escallonia rubra 'Crimson Spire'
Escallonia 'Slieve Donard'
Euonymus japonicus
Fagus sylvatica (Common Beech)
Fagus sylvatica purpurea (Copper Beech)
Griselinia littoralis
Hippophae rhamnoides
Ilex x altaclerensis 'Golden King'
Ilex aquifolium 'J. C. van Tol'
Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum' (Golden Privet)
Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet)
Olearia haastii
Osmanthus burkwoodii
Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin'
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo'
Pittosporum tenuifolium
Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' (Cherry Plum)
Prunus lusitanica (Portugal Laurel)
Prunus laurocerasus rotundifolia (Cherry Laurel)
Pyracantha rogersiana
Rhododendrum luteum
Rosa 'The Queen Elizabeth'
Rosa 'The Compass Rose'
Rosa xanthina 'Canarybird'
Rosa eglanteria (Sweet Briar)
Rosa glauca
Rosa rugosa 'Blanche Double de Coubert'
Rosa rugosa 'Rosarie de L'Hay'
Rosa 'Zephirine Drouhin' (Thornless rose)
Rosmarinus 'Miss Jessop's Upright'
Symphoricarpos 'Magic Berry' (Carmine berry)
Symphoricarpos 'Mother of Pearl' (White berry)
Symphoricarpos 'White Hedge' (White berry)
Syringa vulgaris 'Maud Notcutt'
Syringa vulgaris 'Primrose'
Syringa microphylla 'Superba'
Tamarix gallica
Tamarix ramosissima 'Pink Cascade'
Viburnum tinus
Viburnum tinus 'Eve Price'
Viburnum tinus 'Gwenllian'
 

Dark Green. Evergreen
Sea-Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Green.
Red-Purple
Green
Red-Purple
Wine-Red
Dark Green. Evergreen
Yellow.
Dark Purple.
Olive-Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green
Dark Green
Purple
Apple-Green. Evergreen
Grey-Green.
Green/Gold. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Green/Yellow. Evergreen
Dark Green.
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Red to Green.Evergreen
Dark Purple. Acid soil
Mid-Green. Evergreen
Dark Purple
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Bright Green. Evergreen
Mid-Green. Acid soil
Dark Green. Pink flower
Dark Green.White flower
Grey-Green.Yellowflower
Dark Green. Pink flower
Grey-Purple. Pink flower
Mid-Green. White flower
Green. Purple-red flower
Mid-Green. Pink flower
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green.White flower
Dark Green.White flower
Dark Green.White flower
Mid-Green. White flower
Mid-Green. Yellow flower
Dark Green. Pink flower
Blue-Green. Pink flower
Mid-Green. Pink flower
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen
Dark Green. Evergreen

Coniferous Hedges and Screens.

The following trees will form dense evergreen formal hedges (Cupressocyparis x leylandii - Leyland Cypress -are fast growing and are not included, since they were designed as windbreak trees for agricultural not domestic use). Informal hedges can be formed by planting conifers in irregular lines and interplanting with shrubs. Screens can be composed of the following trees; which should be planted 5 feet apart in a row (when they touch, every other plant can be removed), or a staggered row is preferable.

Hedge Height in feet

Planting Distance in feet

Plant Name

Evergreen Foliage colour and Comments

10
8
12
8
8
20
 

2
1.5
1.5
1.5
2
2

Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest'
Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine)
Pinus radiata (Monterey Pine)
Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine)
Taxus baccata (Yew)
Thuja plicata 'Atrovirens' (Western red cedar)
 

Yellow.
Dark Green.
Bright Green.
Blue-Green.
Dark Green.
Dark Green.
 

Hedge Shrub Height in feet

Planting Distance in feet

Hedge Shrub Plant Name

Evergreen Foliage colour and Comments

3
2.5
2.5
4
3
3
4
4

2
2
2
3
1
2
2
3

Cryptomeria japonica 'Compressa'
Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Gold Coast'
Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Mint Julep'
Juniperus squamata 'Meyeri'
Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone'
Pinus mugo (Dwarf Mountain Pine)
Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold'
Thuja occidentails 'Sunkist'
 

Dark Green to Plum
Yellow
Mint-Green
Blue-Grey
Yellow
Bright Green
Yellow
Yellow

Foliage Hedges.

• Field Maple foliage and wood is red in Spring, leaves turn orange-red in Autumn.
• Hornbeam is easier to establish on clay soils than Beech, which it resembles. Stands exposed sites.
• Quickthorn is excellent on its own or can be mixed with Beech, Hornbeam, Privet etc (plant sections of 5 of each tree rather than sections of 1, since hawthorn is very vigourous).
• Beech make dense twiggy hedges; the dead leaves persisting throughout the winter. Avoid planting in permanently wet clay soils.
• Privet berries well. The golden version is semi-evergreen and makes a bright hedge. The common version is semi-evergreen and rarely without leaves.
• Plum has white flowers in March and is fast growing.
• The Sloe has dense twiggy bushes with spiny branches crowded with white flowers in March/April. The "sloes" are used to flavour gin in the Autumn.

Hedge Height in feet

Planting Distance in feet

Plant Name

Foliage colour and Comments

9
8
8
15
15
6
6
9
12
 

1.5
1.5
1
1.5
1.5
1
1
1
1.5
 

Acer campestre (Field Maple)
Carpinus betulus (Common Hornbeam)
Crataegus monogyna (Quickthorn)
Fagus sylvatica (Common Beech)
Fagus sylvatica purpurea (Copper Beech)
Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum' (Golden Privet)
Ligustrum vulgare (Common Privet)
Prunus cerasifera (Myrobalan Plum)
Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn, Sloe)
 

Red to Green
Mid-Green
Dark Green.
Dark Green
Light Red to Purple
Green/Yellow. Evergreen
Dark Green.
Dark Green
Mid to Deep Green