On 09/04/2015 17:47, Christina Websell wrote:
"Tim Watts" wrote in message
...
On 07/04/15 22:42, Spider wrote:
On 06/04/2015 20:25, kev wrote:
We are planning to plant a hedge of Leylandii and will let them grow to
about 6-7'. What would be an ideal distance from the boundary 16-18"?


I confess I agree with the others: Leylandii and Lawsonii make good
masters but poor servants. You'd be better off planting a Yew hedge.
It's evergreen. It's one of the smartest hedges there is. It can be
clipped tightly without going brown.

Although yew is exceptionally toxic to humans which might be a
consideration. OK there's lots of plants you don't go eating, but yew is
quite a bad boy in that respect.


Yes, I agree with that. Browsing animals have been found dead under yew
trees (esp. goats) and the berries are toxic (except to birds). I wouldn't
risk a yew hedge if there was a chance of a child eating a berry.

Maybe a beech of some sort which does not lose its leaves even when they
die off - or hornbeam?

A beech hedge is a great idea.

Talking about yews, I have a little self-seeded one that is only about 6-8
inches high. I don't want to keep it but am reluctant to discard it. Any
ideas? I thought about talking to the local vicar as we don't seem to have
one in our churchyard and selling him the idea of "it's traditional to have
a yew tree in a churchyard, you don't have one, and I do. I would like to
make a gift of this small yew to the church"
Do you think that might work?
Or would anyone like to bonsai it?
I don't have to make an emergency decision as it will be only about an inch
or so bigger next year. Some churchyards yews are over a thousand years
old.



Why so much fuss about Yew.
It is the only hedging plant who's clippings have a value as they are
used to prepare an anti cancer drug.
The toxicity of the foliage increases as it wilts. Cattle and horses can
eat it fresh without to serious effect but when it's wilted and mixed in
with Hay that's when it gets really toxic.
A great hedge and well worth planting.
David @ a very sunny and warm side of Swansea Bay