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planning a hedge (1 Viewer)

jpscloud

Well-known member
... to replace a section of very overgrown leylandii, about 20 metres in length. What I'd like to do is cut the leylandii down to about 5' stumps, remove all green from them and use them as support for the new hedge. I don't want to remove the stumps because of the expense... I had a section at the back of the garden where this had been done before I moved in, but fenced rather than hedged. The stumps took over 6 years to rot, which should be enough time for the new trees to get established.

I'm thinking hawthorn, blackthorn and possibly a damson and an apple or pear. I'd really love to get a cobnut tree in there too - I think this is what I've seen planted in Manchester along part of Princess Parkway and they were covered in nuts this year.

Anyone have other suggestions? I don't want anything exceptionally tall in there and would prefer things that don't mind being overgrown then pruned.
 
I think that is a good plan. Hawthorn makes an excellent hedge which can be made even better with a few wild roses, honeysuckle and blackthorn. Mixed hedges are really good for wildlife. I would put in at least one holly too as evergreen provides cover for nesting and protection from the worst of the weather and berries for thrushes. Variety of species will increase the appeal for a variety of birds. I don't think apple or pear is a great idea if you want to keep it as a low (below 6') hedge; they generally need more height and control of pruning for fruit, unless you would allow them to grow into proper trees within the hedge, which could be quite nice.
 
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Holly - of course! I definitely will include holly, I don't have any at all at the moment. I think the attention an apple or pear tree would need might be beyond me, I'll have to look into varieties that are independent! I wouldn't mind letting it grow taller than the hedge, I'd just have to site it correctly.
 
I was reading in a book that some kinds of apple trees get a lot of holes in them to be used as nest/roost sites by birds like screech owls. Im sure cutting the branches a certain way could also help develop such holes, too. I used to have some evergreens down the property line (at another house) and they often had birds in them. Clumping several evergreens together periodically in the hedgerow would be beneficial, I think
 
Field maple, beech and alder are good tree additions that are happy to be kept in check in a hedge, and hazel as you suggest is an essential in any hedge I think. The beech sections will of course hold their leaves in the winter. Some dogwood will be great for pollinating insects, as would dog roses as Joanne said. Some spindle or maybe even a little cotoneaster would be good berry producers.

We often plant mixed native hedges and tend to go with hawthorn and blackthorn making up almost half the mix, with a selection of the others I've mentioned to make up the rest. The hawthorn and blackthorn are bushy and help bind everything together.

I would definitely get a couple of fruit trees, but plant them in a space near the hedge where they can thrive on their own.

Whatever you do have fun with it, even if you plant little 3 foot hedging plants in 3 years you should have a bushy hedge that is taller than you and buzzing with wildlife!
 
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Holly - of course! I definitely will include holly, I don't have any at all at the moment. I think the attention an apple or pear tree would need might be beyond me, I'll have to look into varieties that are independent! I wouldn't mind letting it grow taller than the hedge, I'd just have to site it correctly.

Remember if you are using Holly and want berries the plants are mainly male or female ( I understand there are some that aren't ) so you will need a female AND there will need to be a male within pollenating distance.

Most variagated hollies are male.
 
Also, leaving the stumps in will be a positive thing anyway, attracting deadwood insects and fungi as they decompose. You could maybe drill some small holes in them before you plant the hedge, which would provide instant cubby holes for bugs before they start to rot.
 
Thanks for all the fantastic ideas everyone - I have one extremely large leylandii on its own in the back fence of the garden, which I'll leave alone. The other stand really needs to come out, the space can do so much more for wildlife.

Great tips re. holly, my mum's a bit of an expert so I'll ask her to help me choose a few plants. Alder is lovely, must have one of those too.

Ivy is a definite, I have it in all my hedges. My well meaning neighbours managed to kill a bit of it off last year - they must have sprayed some that invaded their garden. That's the problem with shared hedges |:||
 
Good idea to grow ivy up the stumps. Re holly: yes, you do need a female for the berries but there is probably some male holly around to pollinate it; look around your locality. I'm not so sure about alder, it gets pretty tall so you may not have room for it; also it likes wet soil. Damson is another good one for encouraging thrushes.
 
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I'm not so sure about alder, it gets pretty tall so you may not have room for it; also it likes wet soil.

Good point about the soil, it won't be so happy in dry areas. It does work as a hedging plant though and can easily be kept in check with trimming, just like a beech hedge.
 
Cheers Marmot, I bought five pyracanthas (two yellow, super-vigorous, two orange and one red - I'd have bought all red for the birds if they'd had stronger plants of it!), two lovely ivys, rose albertine, a nice hazel cultivar and two clematis montana so far. I got distracted and planted the hazel and the montanas on the other side of the garden, so I'll have to get some more!

I think the other hedging for the leylandii side will be mostly blackthorn (sloe) and holly with some ivy and honeysuckle.

I was absolutely delighted to find a nice strong self-sown holly seedling in another quite shady corner, so am now coddling it - it's in the perfect place already. Mum has offered me some holly plants she propagated which are now up to 2' high, just have to go and dig 'em up!

I've started to trim the leylandii back a bit in readiness for lopping them. It's going to be a massive Easter project I think!

I've been coveting viburnums when I walk past and smell their amazing scent on these sunny Feb/Mar days we've been having - I love the look of that one you've given a link for, Marmot... I have the perfect place for it too!
 
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A slight word of caution regarding Blackthorn.

I had lots of it in a hedge and it's great for all sorts of reasons, but if you cut it back, it has a tendency to sucker all over the place: fine if you have a big garden and don't mind it popping up in the borders and/or lawn, but it can become a bit of a nuisance.
 
Thanks David - that is a thought. I may need to leave the garden to its own devices some years depending on circumstances. I suppose lopping a few suckers off would be a reasonable trade-off as long as they're not too invasive. I really would like sloe (nothing at all to do with making my own sloe gin, of course!!) although a damson or two might be a good alternative - and there's always damson gin!
 
Ok, the leylandii are down! I've left stumps roughly 4-5' with the end tree stumps about 10-12' (because I couldn't cut them any lower, the trunks were too thick!)

At the far end (south east corner) I've started planting. I'm using mainly pyracantha rather than hawthorn, as it makes a denser dog/cat excluding hedge and has great benefits for birds and wildlife. Intermingled will be holly (I dug up 8 small plants that were presumably bird-sown at my parents' garden and am nurturing those in pots for the moment), honeysuckle, rose albertine and ivy.

I have a ton of brushwood to clear, and will use the poles to make, erm... stuff... when I think what to make! A large rose arbour/shade pergola is first on the list, as are plant supports and rustic trellis.
 
Ok here goes with some pics:
 

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And then of course there's this... the picture doesn't do the volume justice!!
 

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