Hedges
5 best types of hedging for shelter
Sep
There are several different types of hedging can be used for privacy. The ones you choose all depends on what you want privacy from. Garden privacy, eg from overlooking neighbouring houses or passing traffic etc.
Hedging is also used for privacy when submitting planning applications. The reason for this is to show how the development ( either private, commercial or agricultural ) will blend into the surrounding countryside and make it private from neighbours etc.
You can choose from different varieties of hedging either deciduous or evergreen. Deciduous hedges can be more beneficial to wildlife while evergreen hedges provide more privacy.
Also, your location and the position of your site will help determine what type of hedge you will use
The 5 hedges I would recommend best for privacy are as follows:
- Laurel
- Beech
- Griselenia
- Privet
- Whitethorn
Laurel (Prunus Laurocerasus)
Laurel hedges are a fast growing dense evergreen hedge with a large distinctive green leaf.
It tolerates most soil conditions and will also grow in under the shade of trees and walls etc. It will also tolerate extreme wind conditions and also extremes of heat and cold. It will grow on average at a rate of between 12 and 24 inches per year.
Beech (Fagus Sylvatica)
A deciduous hedge, beech hedges hold onto the dead leaf for the winter, so if planted a proper rate per yard will provide excellent privacy. It’s the new leaf in the spring actually shoves off the old leaf so you are provided with privacy all year round. Beech is available in both green beech and copper beech Growth rate is about 12 inches per year.
Griselenia (Griselenia Littoralis)
Griselenia is also a fast growing dense coastal evergreen hedge that provides excellent privacy all year round. It has a fairly small oval lime green leaf. It will not tolerate extreme weather conditions, therefore Griselenia should not be planted any more than five miles inland from the coast.
The growth rate is about 12 inches per year.
Privet (Ligustrum Ovalofolium)
Privet hedging is an evergreen vigorous hedge that is often used for privacy. It has a small leaf and grows at a strong rate in most conditions. It is extremely frost hardy. It is evergreen in most situations but in extremely cold conditions can lose some of its leaves. Green privet and golden privet are available.
The growth rate is 12 to 18 inches per year.
Whitethorn { Crataegus Monogyna}
Whitethorn also known as hawthorn hedging is a deciduous hedge that is mostly used in agricultural applications to provide field boundaries and to provide stock proof hedging. It can provide good privacy along roadside boundaries when planted thickly enough. It has a small green leaf with white flowers in spring and clusters of red berries in the autumn. Its also very thorny.
Growth rate is 12 to 36 inches per year
These in my opinion are the best five hedging varieties for privacy. They provide dense, fast growing hardy hedges that if planted at the correct rate per metre and cared for the first three years (weed control etc) should provide optimum privacy.
