View Single Post
  #6   Report Post  
Old 11-05-2004, 08:04 PM
John Rouse
 
Posts: n/a
Default security hedge suggestions

In article , Nick
writes
Hi there

Am new to all this so please bear with me!!

I'm looking for a hedge that will grow quickly and will be
bushy and dense from ground level up to keep people out.
I've heard about Leylandi but have seen some (I think) that
seem to get bushy only at head height and therefore can let
people walk between the trunks.

I have a stodgy dense wet clay soil like fudge.

Any reccommendations please re. type of plant, spacing, when
to plant and feed, how to prepare the soil and where to
buy in bulk at a good price.


Not sure quite where this list came from, but here it is:

Creeping Juniper Juniperis horizontalis 'Wiltonii' - Also known as 'Blue
Rug' because it has long branches and its prostrate shape forms a
flattened blue carpet. It has a thorny stem and foliage.

Blue Spruce Picea pungens 'Globosa' - Rigid branches, irregular dense
blue, spiky needles. Height 1-1.25m x 75cm - 1 m. Slow growing. Moist
rich soil.

Common Holly Ilex agulfolium - Large evergreen shrub, dark green spiked
leaves. Large red berries on female plants only. Any well drained soil.
Plant with garden compost and bone-meal.

Giant Rhubarb Gunnera manicata - Giant rhubarb-like leaves on erect
stems, abrasive foliage. Can grow up to 2.5m high. Plant by water-side
for effect.

Golden Bamboo Phyllostachys aurea - Very graceful, forming thick clumps
of up to 3.5m high. Less invasive than other bamboos. Hardy. Young
shoots in spring.

Chinese Jujube Zizyphus sativa - Medium sized tree with very spiny
pendulous branches. Leaves glossy bright green. Bears clusters of small
yellow flowers.

Firethorn Pyracantha 'Orange Glow' - Flowers white in June, with bright
orange-red berries. Thorny stem. Height 10-15ft. Suitable for north or
east-facing wall or as impenetrable hedging.

Shrub Rose Rosa 'Frau Dagmar Hastrup' - Excellent ground cover, pale
pink flowers, very thorny stem. May to September. Plant with garden
compost and bone-meal.

Pencil Christmas Tree Picea abias 'Cupressina' - Medium-sized tree of
columnar habit, with ascending spiky branches. Attractive form with
dense growth. Avoid dry chalky soils.

Juniper Juniperus x media 'Old Gold' - Evergreen. Golden-tipped foliage.
Prickly foliage. Height 2ft. Spread 6ft. Low growing. Excellent ground
cover.

Purple Berberis Berberis thunbergil 'Atropurpurea' - Rich purple
foliage. Thorny stem. Medium-sized deciduous. Any soil sunny position.

Mountain Pine Pinus mugo 'Mughus' - A very hardy, large shrub or small
tree, with long sharp needles, of dense, bushy habit. Leaves in pairs, 3
- 4cm long, rigid and curved, dark green, cone.

Blue Pine Picea pungens 'Hoopsii' - Small to medium-sized tree, spiky
needled stem, densely conical habit, with vividly glaucous blue leaves.
Likes moist, rich soil.

Oleaster Elaeagnus angustifolia - Small deciduous tree, about 4.5 to 6 m
(15 to 20 feet) high. Smooth, dark brown branches that often bear spines
and narrow, light green leaves that are silvery on the undersides. The
flowers are small, greenish, fragrant, and silvery-scaled on the
outside, as are the edible, olive-shaped, yellowish fruits, which are
sweet but mealy. Hardy, wind resistant, tolerant of poor, dry sites, and
thus useful in windbreak hedges.

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa - Also called Sloe; spiny shrub. Usually grows
less than 3.6 metres (12 feet) tall and has numerous, small leaves. Its
dense growth makes it suitable for hedges. White flowers. Bluish-black
fruit is used to flavour sloe gin.

Fuschia-flowered Gooseberry Ribes speciosum - Fruit bush, spiny,
produces greenish to greenish-pink flowers in clusters of two or three.
Extremely hardy, thrive in moist, heavy clay soil in cool, humid
climate.


In addition, the following thorny plants can also be considered:

Aralia, Chaenomeles, Colletia, Crataegus (including hawthorn/may),
Hippophae (sea buckthorn), Maclura, Mahonia, Oplopanax, Osmanthus,
Poncirus, Rhamnus, Rosa (climbing & shrub roses), Rubus (bramble),
Smilax, Prickly ash(Zanthoxylum).

Although they will take some time to grow, the end result justifies the
effort. They should deter even the most determined burglar.

John
--
John Rouse