Bare Root Season Coming…

A lot of questions in the last week had been solely about bare root hedging.

Bare Root Season Coming….. I promise.

But we need the cold weather to settle in first before they can be taken up and delivered to us safely. Until then I am very glad people are planning ahead, it does save a good bit of hassle at a later stage once you have your site measured, type of hedging picked and budget acknowledged. Better still when the ground is prepared and holes are dug. That way all you have to do on the day is just put your hedging in and forget about it until next year.

So let’s talk few different options for people to consider. The advantages, the amount of maintenance, site suitability and of course colour.

When it comes to hedge plants I put them into two categories: deciduous and evergreen. It is very easy to get full privacy out of evergreens, it gets slightly more tricky with plants that lose all their leaves for the winter months. And it really is from November until March, so a long enough spell to consider.

Laurus Nobilis – Bay Leaf Tree 

With evergreen plants, Laurus nobilis is my all-time favourite. Bay leaf is versatile (use it for cooking or flower arranging as well as a privacy creator), a great grower, easy to maintain and looks stunning with its glossy dark leaves that smell gorgeous. It will do well in close proximity to the sea, and won’t be bothered by a bit of wind either. The only thing you have to remember about is watering during the summer months. Bay leaf will grow very tall if left to its own devices and will create a unified wall of green screening.

Elaeagnus Ebbingeii

Another that I have warmed to recently is Elaeagnus ebbingeii.

This is another hardy evergreen shrub that will perform amazingly in all sorts of conditions. And I just have to mention a flush of white flowers appearing on the plants in early autumn, the smell is simply stunning.

We have them in the garden centre now and I just can’t get enough of that scent. So much so that I shall put one in the garden as a feature.

The plant itself gives you amazing coverage with a slight twist in the colour scheme as it is silver with a touch of brown and green shining through.

Fast grower, it will fill out any given space in no time at all.

Portugese Laurel 

The last evergreen hedge worth mentioning today is Portuguese laurel.

Slower growing than the other two, but just as big in the long run, this plant will create a very elegant and formal hedge.

The leaves are dark green, but there is redness to its stems that intensifies in the winter time offering extra colour.

Those are my three choices when it comes to an evergreen hedge. We offer more options than those, of course, those are merely my favourites.

Deciduous Hedging 

If I was to plant a deciduous hedge in my own garden now I would definitely make it a mixed wildlife-friendly one.

I think it is the most exciting of all, with different colours appearing from early spring to early winter.

And if planted right, will still offer you a fair share of privacy and shelter.

Rosa rugosa, Whitethorn, Bird Cherry, Hazel and Blackthorn would be the core of my hedge with copper Beech, Hypericum and Fuchsia added for a speck of colour every few feet.

Between rose-hips, flowers, berries and nuts throughout most of the year this type of hedge will hold interest and be a great source of food for your friendly garden friends.

The trick with this type of hedging is to make sure you plant at least 1 plant a foot; when they grow and intertwine together the wall of branches should be thick enough to protect you from view and give shelter to the garden. With all the thorns it will definitely be a great barrier!

If you are looking for a more unified hedge line within the deciduous types then Beech or Hornbeam would be the plants to go for.

Great growers, easily maintained, their fresh colour looks stunning all through the summer, and there is absolutely nothing to fault those plants on.

and finally….

As usual, we will always offer advice should you need some, just pop into the centre.

Otherwise, wait patiently for all of you needing bare root plants, they will be with us next month. And for all of you just starting up: hedging and trees should always be the first ones to go into any new garden. For shelter, privacy and to stand as the core of your future creations.

Thank you,

Magda O’ Byrne