Evergreen Hedging Plants
Hedging plants for a great evergreen hedge are either pot grown or sold as 'root balled'. We provide a guide to some of the best evergreen hedging plants.
Evergreen Hedge plants are popular for providing year round screening and protection. Generally evergreen hedge plants are sold as pot grown plants, or as field grown plants that are sold 'root balled' in the cooler months. An interesting innovation is the use of 'Ivy Screens' as hedging alternatives.
You may wish to consider some other characteristics of hedging plants. If you are looking for a fast growing evergreen hedge remember that 'fast growing' can often mean 'big' as well, so if you are looking for a smaller, easily managed hedge then 'fast growing' may not be for you.
Evergreen Hedges for Shade
Evergreen hedges for shade are another sought after type, be a little wary here, we see a lot of nurseries and growers suggest that a particular hedging plant is suited to 'full shade', the reality is that while they may grow in full shade, this does not mean 'deep shade' with low light levels, in these situations most hedges will always be 'looking for light' so growth may well be spindly and sparse.
The problem is the definition of shade, we have 'full shade', and 'deep shade', the customer wants a hedge that will grow well in 'full shade', but they actually mean deep shade, very low light levels. The grower has hedging plants that will grow in 'full shade', the problem begins with the definition.
Buying Evergreen Hedging Plants
You have two choices here, pot grown plants or field grown plants. So what's the difference?
Pot grown plants are going to cost a little more, they are more expensive to grow, they use more water, are more labor intensive and unless you are buying very small plants have probably been repotted 3-4 times. However a pot grown hedging plant will have a root system that is intact, will be easier to manage and plant.
Field grown plants are cheaper, they are grown 'in a field' and generally require little maintenance compared to their pot grown relatives. They are usually dug with a 'root balling machine' so the roots are actually cut, so some root damage will occur. You are actually 'transplanting' your evergreen hedge. If it's a good quality plant then success rates are good. Again these root balled evergreens need to be planted as soon as possible, and watered in with a seaweed fertilizer.
List of Evergreen Hedge plants :
- Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus 'Rotundifolia')
- Box Hedge (Buxus Sempervirens)
- English Yew(Taxus baccata)
- Escallonia
- Box Compact (Buxus semp. suffruiticosa)
- Euonym us fortunei
- Griselinia Littoralis
- Golden Leylandii (Cupressocyparis Castlewellan Gold)
- Green Leylandii (Cupressocyparis Leylandii)
- Lonicera (Lonicera nitida)
- Weigela (Weigela Florida Variegata)
- Cotoneaster Lacteus
Where was your evergreen hedging plant grown?
Seems like a funny question, however if it was grown in a warmer and sunnier climate, and trucked in, then we hope that it acclimatise to our cooler climate, so ask the question, where was the hedging plant grown, has it been allowed to acclimatise.
More Hedging Plants for the UK including a wide range of hedging styles suitable for hedges in almost any situation, hedging plants include low and tall growing plants, hedging plants for shade and sun as well as flowering, fast growing and slow growing hedges.
- Buxus
- Camellia
- Carpinus (Hornbeam)
- Cypress
- Escallonia
- Grisellinia
- Hawthorn Trees
- Ilex (holly)
- Laurel Prunus laurocerasus rotundifolia
- Lavender
- Ligustrum (Privet)
- Magnolia
- Taxus (Yew)