Hi Mike,

Firstly, thank you for your suggestion.
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...

Yes, I like escallonia too -- note that varieties come from Northern
Ireland, which has some pretty tough climates ......If you want that kind
of hedge, Thuja plicata is
infinitely better, as you can clip it as you like, and it will clothe
down to the ground: not a lot more expensive in money, and a hell of
a lot nicer to live with. I really wouldn't worry about shade on the
road: people have to drive sensibly, and if you produce a shady patch
under fifty yards long it's irrelevant unless it's also on an already
exceptionally dangerous bend.

I had a look about Thuja plicata, it seems it can very big too. If it or
escallonia would not dry up our vegetable beds while we keep giving the
hedge a regular pruning/trimming, we can consider using either or having a
mixed one.


On the whole, I'd say you could ignore any formula for wind-breaking.
The clue is in the word "breaking": you can never actually _stop_
wind. The thing to do is to break it up: let some trees absorb part
of the energy so that smaller plants down wind won't get hammered. If
you make a solid barrier, either of trees or a stone wall, the wind
will shoot up over the top, and come down the other side in the form
of turbulence. This roundy-roundy turbulence may be even worse than a
straight blast. Only experiment over a few years will tell you
exactly what your site needs.

Things to consider include the time of year when the wind is worst:
an evergreen barrier may not actually be relevant during the spring
and summer months when most of your plants will be growing. Deciduous
trees often look most natural in British conditions, and the winter
winds will be broken quite enough by their bare trunks and branches
to let your display of snowdrops, primroses, early daffodils or
whatever flourish: for my money, they'll look better, too.
I have planted some daffodils on both sides of the bank where the present
fence situated. However, as the increased traffic, we would like to get a
bit more privacy all the year round. The wind here can be really strong.
The metal support of the mini-greenhouse we bought from Lidl last year had
been bent by the wind.

Tomatoes and beans are not European species: you've got to expect to
give them extra protection....

Thank you again for all your advice. We will try and pick up those suitable
in our garden.

With regards,
CK from Aberystwyth, Wales