[evie2]

I have 20 feet down the side of the front garden I want to put a hedge in.  It was planted with dogrose but I want something softer and less dangerous (huge thorns) it also has to be border collie proof, Mist leaps tall hedges from a sitting position and Pip uses the demolition approach of going straight through

I could go for the quick growing, evergreen leylandii kept pruned to within an inch of its life but I fancey something like bamboo, budlia, honeysuckle or something of that nature  

[Goosegirl]

Apart from the ubiquitous privet, there is Viburnum tinus, Escallonia, a different conifer variety (but select carefully as they can go bare at the base), or spotted laurel. I would suggest the first two as they are both evergreen, have flowers and, with the correct pruning, make good hedges of a decent height and in a reasonable time.

[evie2]

I've had a google and I like the look of Escallonia C F Ball the hedge will be in full sun all day which is ok for this one and I wont have to wait too long for decent growth, thanks GG

[jezza]

hi thuja plicata (coniferousfamily) can be cut back and regrows or yew (taxus baccatta) it  cuts well ,if you get enough clippings from YEW it can be processed by specialist companies for cancer treatment   jezza

[Casey76]

Thuja are as bad as leylandii, and can grow as tall and as fast if not kept under strict control (they are a "thug" hedge in France - as leylandii are in the UK).

Yew is fast growing, and produces a dense hedge (though may be a little bare at the base).  The seeds are poisonous though - however I've never seen anything other than birds eat my yew berries.

Jezza - I'm fairly sure the taxols in yew are now synthetically produced, though they were first discovered in the natural plant!

[sunshineband]

I think whatever you plant you may need to 'reinforce' the inside of your hedge evie, with some chainlink to ground level to retain your dogs in the garden. If you plant in a zig-zag, this will soon be hidden in the depths but will prevent them from pushing through both when it is first planted, and if any bare sections appear later on.

We have had to do this in the base of our privet hedge, leaving a few very small spaces for hedgehog travel

[evie2]

I have weld mesh to hand and plan to bury it to a depth of one foot it should also help stop the hedge encroaching too much into the neighbours garden ( they don't like encroaching foliage)