[judas25]

When is it the best time of the year to move small to meduim sized shrubs elsewhere within my garden?

Also when is it the best time of the year to plant evergeen hedging (we plan to have Laurel and not the horrible Leylandii) to hide a horrible looking type of fence we have.

[poultrygeist]

Hi judas25.

I would have thought the dormant season would be best. ie. Winter months.

If you buy pot grown hedging, you can plant anytime, but bare rooted would be dormant season again.

Be prepared for your laurel to grow and grow and grow ! We have 2 that have reached 10' and about 8' across. The grow about 2' a year.

But better than leylandii as you say !  

Rob

[judas25]

Thanks for you reply.

What are the alternatives to Laurel - It must be evergeen and defintely not Leylandii.

[poultrygeist]

I've used these a couple of times and they have this interactive guide to help....

GUIDE

If nothing else, it gives you ideas.  

Rob

[judas25]

Thanks Rob - a pretty good website too.

[judas25]

the PHOTINIA FRASERI RED ROBIN looks nice

[Johndeb]

Hi
There is a pretty good list of hedging on the Ashridge Trees site - we buy ours from them and I think they are pretty good. You might also look at Portugal Laurel - it does everything that Common Laurel does but looks nicer.

[mrs bouquet]

What you choose for your hedging may depend on whether  you want to keep it clipped or not because laurel does not look very nice when its large leaves are cut through into formal hedging and so you have to prune rather than clip.  If you want a clipped look you might consider copper beech hedging it looks good in winter and makes a nice rustling sound.  What ever you choose, good luck.  Mrs Bouquet

[Johndeb]

Mrs B is right of course.  That was why I suggested you look at Portugal Laurel.  It has smaller leaves than common laurel and so can be clipped neatly with either shears or a hedge trimmer.  About the only way to get a good look with the common laurel is to do it by hand, using secateurs...

Good luck

J

[mrs bouquet]

Sorry forgot to say that new growth of laurel and photinia can both get hit by late frosts, which will turn it black around the tips.  Also Photinia will do well on neutral and chalk soil, but it definitely does not like heavy clay.Mrs Bouquet

[SnooziSuzi]

I have a hawthorn growing in my front garden and this year I noticed loads of seedlings shooting up underneath it so I've potted them on and will use them to fill the gaps in my privet hedge, with the view to replacing it altogether in a few years time  

[Elaine G]

Hi Suzi

Is your hawthorn high maintenance or easy to look after.
I have leylandii and laurel that I would love to get rid of!

Elaine

[SnooziSuzi]

well, the one that I have growing is fairly low maintenance, but then it is more of a tree than a shrub.

When the seedlings have put on enough growth (probably by next autumn / winter) I'll plant them out and I'll keep them more compact like the rest of the hedges.  Aparantly wildlife love hawthorn hedges so I'll feel like I'm doing my bit for the good bugs in my garden!

[Johndeb]

To look its best, a hawthorn hedge should be clipped every other year (that way it flowers and berries best). But it does get a bit shaggy as a result.  If you clip it annually, it is tidier but you will lose most of the berries.