gasdoctor wrote:
good discussion but...Apart from Yew, and no one has said why its
good, what are the alternatives. I, like the orginal thread stater
need a fast growing inexpensive hedge.

Consider thuya plicata, perhaps. More expensive than Leyland, but
much better-looking.

Yew is good because it's native, and because it forms a dense and
easily manageable barrier; not as slow-growing as you may think,
either, but certainly not as fast as others. You can't use it near
livestock, though. Have a look at Buckingham Nurseries' collection of
hedging plants.

Mike.