Cotoneaster (Left)

Cotoneaster hedging presents a captivating and versatile option for enhancing landscapes with its unique characteristics. Renowned for its dense foliage, this hedge species boasts small, glossy leaves that transform from vibrant green in spring and summer to stunning shades of red or orange in the Autumn.

Its adaptability to various soil types and its resilience against urban environments make it a favoured choice among gardeners and landscapers alike.

Cotoneaster hedging not only offers aesthetic appeal but also serves functional purposes, such as providing privacy, windbreaks, and habitat for wildlife.

Its clusters of delicate flowers in late spring attract pollinators, while its bright berries in autumn provide sustenance for birds.

As the seasons change, cotoneaster hedges remain a dynamic and attractive element in any outdoor setting, showcasing nature’s beauty and resilience.

Growth rate: Strong Growing, Average 30cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m – 4m

Price: £29.99 each

Laurel (Top Right)

Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), is a popular and practical choice for hedging for a variety of compelling reasons.

Its lush, evergreen foliage ensures year-round privacy and screening, making it an excellent option for creating secluded outdoor spaces.

The dense growth of its glossy leaves offers effective noise reduction and windbreak capabilities, making it especially suitable for urban or exposed areas.

Laurel is also highly adaptable to different soil types and can tolerate both sun and partial shade, allowing it to thrive in a wide range of garden environments.

Its rapid growth rate facilitates the swift establishment of hedges, quickly transforming outdoor spaces. Additionally, this hardy hedge species is relatively low-maintenance, requiring only occasional trimming to maintain its desired shape.

In terms of aesthetics, Laurel’s deep green leaves bring a touch of elegance to landscapes, providing a versatile backdrop for other plants or garden features. Overall, Laurel’s combination of practical benefits and aesthetic appeal makes it a favoured choice for hedging in the UK.

Growth rate: Fast Growing, expect 30cm – 60cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m to 5m

Price: £29.99 each or 3 for £80

Pittosporum (Bottom Right)

Pittosporum hedging, is a popular and versatile choice for creating hedges. This evergreen shrub is valued for its attractive glossy leaves, compact growth habit, and adaptability to various garden settings.

One of the notable features of Pittosporum hedging is its ability to tolerate both sun and partial shade, making it suitable for a range of growing conditions. Its dense foliage provides excellent privacy and screening, making it an effective solution for creating secluded outdoor spaces or borders

Pittosporum hedging is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care once established. Its leaves are typically resistant to damage from salt and pollution, making it a practical choice for urban and coastal areas.

Growth rate: Fast Growing, expect 60cm per year 

Height: Easily maintained at 1.8m to 3m 

Price: £29.99 each or 2 for £55

Dwarf Honeysuckle (Top Left)

Dwarf honeysuckle also known as box honeysuckle or shrubby honeysuckle, can be a charming and practical choice for creating low hedges or border plants.

Dwarf honeysuckle species typically feature dense, bushy growth and delicate, often fragrant flowers that can attract pollinators to the garden. Their compact size makes them suitable for defining pathways, edging flower beds, or adding a touch of visual interest to various parts of the landscape. Unlike the sprawling growth habit of traditional honeysuckle vines, dwarf honeysuckles are more controlled and easier to maintain.

They also work well in cottage gardens, rock gardens, or as focal points due to their vibrant flowers and sometimes colourful foliage. These shrubs are often less demanding in terms of pruning and care compared to larger hedging options, making them an excellent choice for gardeners who prefer lower-maintenance plants.

Growth rate: Slow Growing, expect 10cm – 20cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 0.5m to 1.5m

£14.99 each or 3 for £35

Red Robin (Top Right)

Red Robin, scientifically known as Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin,’ is a vibrant and visually appealing choice for hedging. This evergreen shrub is widely recognised for its striking young foliage, which emerges as a brilliant red colour before maturing into a glossy green. The contrast between the red and green leaves creates a dynamic and captivating effect, making Red Robin a popular option for creating eye-catching hedges.

Aside from its aesthetic appeal, Red Robin offers practical benefits as well. It forms a dense hedge that provides privacy, noise reduction, and wind protection, making it suitable for various landscaping purposes.

Its adaptability to a range of soil types and its ability to tolerate both sun and partial shade make it versatile for different garden conditions. Regular pruning helps maintain its desired shape and encourages the growth of new red leaves, keeping its vibrant display intact.

Growth rate: Fast Growing, expect 20cm – 40cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m to 4m

Price: £12.99 each or 3 for £30

Hedgeline Taxus Baccata (Bottom Left)

Hedgeline Taxus Baccata, also known as English Yew, is a classic and timeless choice for hedging. Renowned for its longevity, dense growth, and rich cultural history, Taxus Baccata has been used for centuries to create elegant and enduring hedges. Its dark green, needle-like leaves and red, fleshy arils create a striking visual contrast that remains attractive throughout the year.

English Yew is well-suited for formal hedges, as its growth can be easily controlled with regular pruning. Its slow to moderate growth rate ensures that it maintains its shape and requires less frequent maintenance compared to faster-growing species. Additionally, Taxus Baccata can be meticulously trimmed into various designs, including straight lines, curves, and intricate topiaries, allowing for creative and distinctive landscaping layouts.

One of the remarkable features of Hedgeline Taxus Baccata is its tolerance for heavy pruning, which enables it to rejuvenate even from old wood.

While English Yew is toxic if ingested, it’s generally not a concern for hedging purposes, as it’s unlikely that people or pets will consume its foliage. Its toxicity does, however, make it deer-resistant, which can be a valuable attribute in areas with deer populations.

Growth rate: Medium Growing, expect 20cm – 30cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m – 5m

Price: £29.99 each

Ilex Crenata Japanese Holly (Bottom Right)

Ilex Crenata, commonly known as Japanese Holly, is a popular and versatile choice for hedging due to its compact and neat growth habit, as well as its resemblance to traditional boxwood.

This evergreen shrub features small, glossy leaves that give it a refined appearance, making it an ideal alternative to boxwood hedging, especially considering the challenges posed by boxwood blight in recent years.

Japanese Holly is well-suited for creating formal hedges, topiaries, and border plantings. Its dense foliage ensures year-round privacy and screening, and its slow growth rate means that it requires less frequent trimming than some other hedge species. This can be particularly advantageous for those seeking a low-maintenance yet elegant hedge solution.

The adaptability of Ilex crenata to different soil types and its tolerance of shade make it versatile for various garden conditions. It can also be shaped and pruned into various forms, allowing for creative landscaping designs. Additionally, Japanese Holly is generally resistant to pests and diseases, adding to its appeal as a reliable hedging choice.

Traditionally boxwood has faced challenges due to disease, Ilex crenata shines as a durable and attractive alternative. Its ability to maintain a well-groomed appearance and its adaptability make it an excellent option for those looking to create formal, elegant, and manageable hedges that will enhance their outdoor spaces for years to come.

Growth rate: Slow Growing, expect 10cm – 20cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 0.5m to 1.5m

£9.99 each or 5 for £45

Silverthorn (Left)

Silverthorn (Elaeagnus pungens) is a versatile evergreen shrub commonly used for hedging. Its known for its striking variegated foliage, Silverthorn brings a touch of elegance and interest to the landscape. The leaves feature a blend of dark green and silvery-yellow hues, creating a shimmering effect that stands out among other plants.

Silverthorn is valued for its hardiness and adaptability to various soil types and conditions. It can tolerate both full sun and partial shade, making it suitable for a range of garden settings. The shrub’s dense growth and thorny branches provide effective privacy and security, making it a popular choice for hedging, screening, and windbreaks.

In addition to its ornamental appeal, Silverthorn produces small, fragrant flowers in the autumn, followed by small red berries that mature in spring. These berries are not only visually appealing but also attract birds to the garden.

Additionally, Silverthorn’s resistance to salt and pollution makes it a suitable choice for urban environments and coastal areas.

Growth rate: Medium Growing, expect 30cm – 50cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 2m – 3m

Price: £12.99 each  3 for £30

Wilsons Honeysuckle (Top Right)

Wilson’s Honeysuckle is a compact and dense evergreen shrub commonly used for hedging and landscaping. It is known for its small, glossy, and variegated leaves that feature a mix of green and yellow tones, providing a bright and eye-catching appearance. This variety is often chosen for its vibrant foliage that adds a touch of colour to the garden, especially during the colder months.

Wilson’s Honeysuckle is favoured for creating low hedges, borders, and edging due to its neat growth habit and ease of maintenance. It responds well to regular pruning, allowing gardeners to shape and maintain its desired size and form. The variegated foliage adds visual interest to the landscape, making it a versatile choice for both formal and informal garden designs.

In terms of care, Wilson’s Honeysuckle prefers well-draining soil and can tolerate sun to partial shade. Regular watering and occasional feeding can help ensure its healthy growth. Because it is a compact and slow-growing shrub, it’s relatively low-maintenance, making it suitable for those seeking a hassle-free hedging option.

Growth rate: Fast Growing, expect 30cm – 60cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m to 1.5m

Price: £29.99 each or  2 for £55

Golden Honeysuckle (Bottom Right)

Golden Honeysuckle, scientifically known as Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesen’s Gold’ or simply Golden Box Honeysuckle, is a popular evergreen shrub often used for hedging and landscaping purposes. This variety is valued for its bright and eye-catching foliage, making it a standout feature in garden designs.

Golden Honeysuckle features small, rounded leaves that are golden-yellow in colour, providing a striking contrast to the typical green foliage found in many landscapes. The vibrant hue of the leaves adds a cheerful and lively element to outdoor spaces, especially during the duller months of the year.

Golden Honeysuckle is a versatile plant suitable for a variety of landscaping uses. It is often employed as a low hedge, border plant, or ground cover due to its compact growth habit. Regular pruning can help maintain its shape and size, ensuring that it remains neat and tidy.

In terms of care, Golden Honeysuckle prefers well-draining soil and can tolerate various light conditions, including full sun to partial shade. Like other varieties of Lonicera nitida, it’s generally considered to be a low-maintenance shrub, making it suitable for gardeners of different skill levels.

Growth rate: Slow Growing, expect 20cm – 40cm per year

Height: Easily maintained at 1m to 2m

£29.99 each or 2 for £55