Hedge choices

 

Hi,

I've got good topsoil (6-12") on top of heavy clay (Sussex), reasonable
drainage. Having just chopped a 10' hawthorn hedge down to 3' for now[1],
I'm looking to start planting a new hedge between the hawthorn trunks and
take the hawthorn out when the new plants start to establish.

Are there likely to be any problems with my top 3 choices so far:

Box,
Yew,
Beech.

I might plant a hybrid hedge - I rather fancy crafting an arch in the coming
years over a pedestrian gate and I heard yew is good for that. Bit of beech
might make for some colour. May not bother with the box.

Any thoughts most welcome :)

Ta

Tim

[1] And spent 5 days and 5 gallons of petrol chipping 150ft lengths worth of
the b****rd stuff!!!

BTW I hate spiky plants...

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

 



   The soil will be filled, and drained dry of water and nutrients, by
the  mature  established  root system of the hawthorns; no amount of
top-lopping
changes that. The stumps  will very quickly re-sprout  and  (with
appropriate trimming) create a dense new hedge in a few years.
  
   That competition will make it almost impossible to establish small
new hedge plants and make them grow.

   Janet

 

  wibbled on Tuesday 20 April 2010 15:35


OK - Point taken. But ignoring that, because there's not a lot I can do
about it[1], do any of the plants object to clay?

[1] OK - I could chop the hawthorn down now (3' is easy to handle now the
bulk is off) but it will take a while for the new plants to establish and
the hawthorn is actually quite gappy in places - I was going to start
there... Having a bit of a hedge in place for now isn't a bad thing.

I could also add slow acting fertiliser if necessary.

Cheers
Tim

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

 

says...

Probably a bit late into this thread but I would cross box off the list
as if you get Box blight it defoliates them and it looks awfull!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

 

  wibbled on Wednesday 21 April 2010 12:40



Not at all late :)

OK - didn't know that - Box is off. Bit slow growing anyway (I'd like a
hedge in less than 10 years starting with tiny cheap saplings).

Thanks!

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.