Hedging Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing and establishing a hedge involves more than selecting a plant that looks attractive. Soil, drainage, light, available space, plant size and ongoing maintenance all influence whether the hedge will perform successfully.

These answers cover the questions we are most frequently asked about selecting, ordering, planting and maintaining hedging.

Use our Find My Hedge selector if you need help comparing suitable species.

Choosing a hedge

Which hedge is best for privacy?

The best privacy hedge depends on the required height, available width and growing conditions.

Popular options include:

• Yew

• Cherry laurel

• Portuguese laurel

• Holly

• Privet

• Thuja

• Beech

• Hornbeam

Evergreen hedging provides the most consistent year-round screening. Beech and hornbeam are deciduous but may retain some dried foliage through winter when regularly clipped.

Where privacy is needed above normal hedge height, pleached or specimen trees may be more suitable.

Read our guide to hedging for privacy and screening.

Which hedge grows fastest?

Leylandii is among the fastest-growing hedging plants, but its vigour creates a significant maintenance commitment.

Other relatively fast-growing options include:

• Cherry laurel

• Thuja

• Privet

• Oleaster

• Photinia

• Hazel

• Hawthorn

• Dogwood

The fastest-growing plant is not automatically the best choice. In a small garden, a more manageable hedge planted at a larger initial size may provide a better long-term result.

Compare suitable species in our fast-growing hedging guide.

Which hedge is lowest maintenance?

Slow or moderately growing plants generally require less frequent trimming than vigorous species.

Yew can be a good low-maintenance option once established, although it develops more slowly than laurel or Leylandii.

Other possibilities include:

• Holly

• Beech

• Hornbeam

• Osmanthus

• Some compact-growing evergreen shrubs

Maintenance also depends on the desired shape. A tightly clipped formal hedge needs more attention than an informal flowering boundary.

Read our guide to low-maintenance hedging.

Which hedges are suitable for shade?

Suitable options may include:

• Yew

• Holly

• Cherry laurel

• Portuguese laurel

• Privet

• Hornbeam

• Beech in partial shade

Deep shade beneath established trees is more difficult because the hedge must compete for water and nutrients as well as light.

Read our guide to hedging for shade.

Which hedge is suitable for clay soil?

Hornbeam is often a dependable option for clay and heavier soils.

Other possibilities, depending on drainage, include:

• Hawthorn

• Field maple

• Privet

• Holly

• Dogwood

• Blackthorn

• Hazel

• Native mixed hedging

Beech can grow in clay where the soil drains adequately but is less suitable for persistently wet ground.

Explore our recommendations for hedging on clay soil.

Which hedges tolerate wet ground?

Potential options include:

• Alder

• Willow

• Dogwood

• Hawthorn

• Blackthorn

• Hornbeam

• Viburnum opulus

• Some native mixed hedging

The cause of the waterlogging should still be investigated. Severe compaction or uncontrolled surface water may require drainage or ground improvement before planting.

Read our guide to hedging for damp and wet soil.

Which hedges are suitable for coastal gardens?

Coastal hedging needs to tolerate salt-laden winds and exposure.

Suitable choices may include:

• Griselinia

• Oleaster

• Escallonia

• Hawthorn

• Blackthorn

• Holly

• Privet

• Sea buckthorn where appropriate

Local exposure varies considerably. A sheltered coastal courtyard has different conditions from an open boundary facing prevailing winds.

View our guide to hedging for coastal areas.

Which hedge is best for wildlife?

Native mixed hedging normally offers the greatest diversity.

A mixture may include:

• Hawthorn

• Blackthorn

• Hazel

• Field maple

• Dogwood

• Holly

• Spindle

• Guelder rose

• Wild privet

Different species provide flowers, fruit, nuts, nesting habitat and shelter at different times.

Read our guide to hedging for wildlife.

Which hedge is best for security?

Dense or thorny plants can discourage people from crossing a boundary.

Options may include:

• Hawthorn

• Blackthorn

• Pyracantha

• Holly

• Berberis

• Rosa rugosa

• Mixed native hedging containing thorny species

The hedge should not obstruct safe visibility around driveways or paths.

Explore our guide to thorny security hedging.

Plant sizes and stock types

What is bare-root hedging?

Bare-root hedging is field-grown and lifted while dormant with little or no soil around the roots.

It is generally:

• Cost-effective

• Lightweight

• Suitable for long hedge runs

• Available during the dormant season

• Best planted promptly after delivery

The roots must be protected from drying before planting.

What is root-balled hedging?

Root-balled hedging is field-grown and lifted with soil retained around the root system, normally secured with hessian and wire.

It is often available in larger sizes and can provide quicker impact than small bare-root plants.

Root balls can be extremely heavy, so access and handling must be considered before ordering.

What is container-grown hedging?

Container-grown plants have established roots within pots or containers.

They can normally be planted over a wider part of the year than bare-root or root-balled stock, provided the ground and weather are suitable.

Container-grown does not mean maintenance-free. Plants installed during warm weather need particularly careful watering.

What is instant hedging?

Instant hedging is supplied in mature, pre-grown sections that form a continuous hedge immediately after installation.

It provides:

• Immediate screening

• Established density

• A consistent appearance

• Faster visual impact

It is heavier and more expensive than young individual plants and may require specialist delivery and handling.

Explore our instant hedging options.

What is pleached hedging?

Pleached trees have clear stems supporting trained panels of branches.

They provide elevated screening above a fence or wall and are particularly useful for:

• Overlooking windows

• Narrow gardens

• Patios

• Formal designs

• Screening at height

View our pleached hedging options.

Should I choose bare-root or root-balled hedging?

Choose bare-root plants where:

• Value is important.

• The hedge is long.

• Smaller plants are acceptable.

• Planting can take place during the dormant season.

• There is time for the hedge to develop.

Consider root-balled plants where:

• Greater initial height is required.

• Quicker visual impact is important.

• The budget allows larger plants.

• Delivery and access are suitable.

• Professional planting is required.

The best option depends on the species, season, hedge length and available budget.

Quantities and spacing

How many plants do I need?

The number depends on:

• Hedge length

• Species

• Plant height

• Stock type

• Recommended spacing

• Root-ball dimensions

• Whether a single or staggered row is required

Do not use one universal number of plants per metre for every product.

Use our hedge plant calculator, then confirm the final quantity against the individual product specification.

Should I plant a single or double row?

A single row is suitable for many formal garden hedges.

A staggered double row may be appropriate for:

• Native hedging

• Wildlife boundaries

• Agricultural planting

• Wider informal hedges

• Situations where quicker density is wanted

A double row requires more plants and considerably more width.

How wide will my hedge become?

The maintained width depends on:

• Species

• Plant spacing

• Initial size

• Pruning

• Available light

• Desired height

• How early trimming begins

Some laurel and conifer hedges can become very broad. Yew, privet, beech and hornbeam can normally be maintained at a more controlled width when trimmed regularly.

Always allow enough room to access both sides where possible.

Planting

When is the best time to plant a hedge?

Bare-root and root-balled hedging is normally planted during the dormant season, generally from autumn to early spring, subject to weather and stock availability.

Container-grown plants can be planted over a wider season.

Avoid planting when the ground is:

• Frozen

• Waterlogged

• Severely compacted

• Extremely dry

• Unsuitable for excavation

Autumn planting often gives roots time to begin establishing before the following growing season.

How should the ground be prepared?

Good preparation may include:

• Removing turf

• Clearing perennial weeds

• Removing rubble

• Relieving compaction

• Assessing drainage

• Preparing a connected planting trench

• Improving unsuitable soil where appropriate

• Establishing the hedge line

• Confirming plant spacing

Do not simply dig isolated holes into heavily compacted ground. Prepare a sufficiently wide rooting area along the hedge line.

How deep should hedging be planted?

Plants should normally be installed at approximately the same depth at which they were previously growing.

Planting too deeply can bury stems and restrict oxygen around the roots. Planting too shallowly can expose roots and reduce stability.

Existing soil marks and the root flare can help identify the correct depth.

Should fertiliser be added when planting?

Fertiliser should not be added automatically.

The appropriate approach depends on:

• Soil condition

• Species

• Nursery guidance

• Root type

• Season

• Whether a mycorrhizal product has been specified

Excessive fertiliser can damage roots or encourage unsuitable top growth before the root system establishes.

Follow the product and planting specification rather than adding high-strength fertiliser by default.

Does a new hedge need stakes?

Small bare-root plants may only need canes or guards. Larger container-grown and root-balled plants may require more substantial support.

The support system depends on:

• Plant height

• Root-ball size

• Exposure

• Species

• Soil

• Hedge position

Pleached trees normally require a planned support system to maintain alignment and stability.

Can you plant hedging beside a fence?

Yes, but allow enough space for:

• Root development

• Mature hedge width

• Air circulation

• Fence maintenance

• Trimming access

• Watering

• Mulching

Plants positioned hard against a fence may become thin on the restricted side and difficult to maintain.

Delivery and access

Can large hedging plants fit through a normal gate?

Not always.

The root ball, container, branches or pleached frame may be wider than the gate. Large plants may also be too heavy to move manually.

Before ordering, measure:

• Gate width

• Passage width

• Door height

• Tight corners

• Steps

• Slopes

• Overhead restrictions

• The complete route to the planting area

Read our hedge delivery, access and planting guide.

Will the delivery driver carry the plants into my garden?

Not unless this has been specifically agreed.

Supply-only orders may be delivered kerbside or to an accessible unloading point. Large plants can require additional people or mechanical equipment.

Where professional planting is included, movement to the planting area will be planned as part of the service, subject to the agreed access.

How quickly should hedging be planted after delivery?

Plants should be installed as promptly as possible.

Bare roots must be kept moist and covered. Root balls and containers must not be allowed to dry out.

Protect plants from:

• Direct sun

• Strong wind

• Frost

• Heat

• Physical damage

• Waterlogging

• Pets and wildlife

Contact us if unexpected circumstances delay planting.

Watering and aftercare

How often should a new hedge be watered?

There is no fixed schedule suitable for every hedge.

Watering depends on:

• Soil

• Rainfall

• Temperature

• Wind

• Plant size

• Species

• Root type

• Season

• Exposure

Water deeply enough to reach the full root system, then check the actual soil moisture before watering again.

Lightly wetting the surface is not sufficient for large plants.

Can a new hedge be overwatered?

Yes.

Persistently saturated soil reduces oxygen around the roots and can cause symptoms that resemble drought, including yellowing, wilting and poor growth.

Always check the soil before assuming the hedge needs more water.

Where the ground remains waterlogged, investigate the drainage rather than continuing to add water.

Should I install irrigation?

Irrigation is especially helpful for:

• Long hedge runs

• Large root-balled plants

• Pleached trees

• Exposed sites

• Gardens that are difficult to water manually

• Customers who need a consistent watering method

An irrigation system still needs to be monitored and adjusted according to rainfall and season.

Explore our hedging-irrigation system.

Should new hedging be mulched?

Mulch can help:

• Conserve soil moisture

• Suppress weeds

• Reduce grass competition

• Moderate soil temperature

• Improve the appearance of the hedge line

Keep mulch clear of the main stems and avoid piling it deeply around individual plants.

View our bark mulch for hedging.

Why is my new hedge losing leaves?

Possible reasons include:

• Normal seasonal leaf fall

• Transplant stress

• Insufficient water

• Excessive water

• Wind damage

• Frost

• Root disturbance

• Heat

• Pests or disease

Deciduous hedging planted during dormancy may have no leaves at all. Some evergreen plants may also shed older foliage after planting.

Check the soil moisture and overall plant condition. Contact us promptly with photographs if significant decline continues.

When should a new hedge be trimmed?

The timing depends on the species, season and condition of the plants.

Formative trimming helps encourage branching and a dense base, but recently planted hedging should not be cut indiscriminately.

Follow species-specific advice and avoid disturbing nesting birds.

How long will a new hedge take to establish?

Smaller plants may need several growing seasons to create a dense continuous hedge. Larger plants provide more immediate impact but still require time to establish their roots.

Establishment depends on:

• Plant size

• Species

• Soil preparation

• Weather

• Watering

• Weed control

• Exposure

• Plant health

Visible top growth is not the only measure of progress. A new hedge may initially concentrate on root development.

Read our guide to looking after newly planted trees and hedging.

Maintenance

How often should a hedge be trimmed?

This depends on the species and desired appearance.

A formal privet or Leylandii hedge may need more than one trim each year. Beech, hornbeam and yew can often be managed with less frequent trimming.

Flowering hedges should be pruned at a time that avoids unnecessarily removing flower buds.

Always check for active bird nests before cutting.

How can I keep the hedge dense at the bottom?

Encourage lower branching from an early stage and maintain the hedge with a slightly wider base than top.

This allows light to reach the lower foliage.

Also:

• Avoid planting too close to a solid boundary.

• Keep the base free from weeds.

• Water during establishment.

• Do not allow the top to become excessively wide.

• Trim regularly rather than making occasional severe reductions.

Can an overgrown hedge be reduced?

Some hedging plants tolerate renovation pruning better than others.

Yew, privet, hornbeam and many deciduous hedges may respond to careful reduction. Leylandii and some other conifers normally do not regenerate from old brown wood.

Large reductions may need to be spread over more than one season.

Seek species-specific advice before cutting a mature hedge severely.

Ordering from Landscaping Emporium

Do you supply hedging without planting?

Yes, supply-only options may be available for customers or contractors who can unload, store, handle and plant the chosen stock correctly.

Confirm the delivery method and unloading requirements before ordering.

Do you provide professional hedge planting?

Yes. Our planting service can include:

• Site assessment

• Species advice

• Measuring

• Quantity calculations

• Delivery coordination

• Ground preparation

• Planting

• Stakes and supports

• Irrigation

• Mulching

• Protection

• Initial aftercare advice

Learn more about our hedging supply and planting service.

Which areas do you cover?

Professional planting is available across much of North West England, including parts of:

• Lancashire

• Greater Manchester

• Cheshire

• Merseyside

Principal locations include Blackburn, Bolton, Chorley, Clitheroe, Formby, Knutsford, Lytham, Manchester, Preston, Ribble Valley, Southport, Warrington, Whalley and Wigan.

Availability depends on the project, access and location.

Find the right hedge

Browse our hedging plants, use the Find My Hedge selector, or calculate approximate quantities using our hedge plant calculator.

If you remain unsure about species, plant size, stock type, delivery or professional planting, contact Landscaping Emporium with photographs and measurements of the proposed hedge line.