On Sun, 27 Oct 2002 16:22:23 +0000, cormaic
wrote:

A contractor colleague has a garden on the western edge of
Anglesey, only 100m from the sea, and needs to plant a high hedge to
screen an undesirable extension that his neighbour is having built.
Whether the extension is undesirable because Barry didn't get the
contract to build it, or whether it's just an eyesore is not revealed.
Anyway, he asked me to suggest a suitable hedging plant, and I
gave the stock answer of 'Escallonia', but, he reckons the hedge needs
to be 2-3m in height, and be up at that height by next summer at the
latest.
So, any suggestions for an evergreen, salt-tolerant,
wind-proof, reasonably tall, low-maintenance hedging plant that is
readily available and capable of being planted by a man more
accustomed to laying sewer pipes than laying hedges would be much
appreciated. :~)

No-one has yet mentioned Olearia Traversii. My only concern is whether
it would be hardy enough. Does the Gulf Stream get through to
Anglesey? Takes any amount of salt gales, although may lose the odd
branch when mature, as it tends to be brittle. No flowers of any
consequence. Grows pretty quickly, but I can't guarantee 2m by next
summer, although I've seen old stumps re-grow at almost that rate.
Eventually reaches 3 - 4m. Remember that with most fast growing
things the tops outgrow the roots and they blow flat in the first
gale. The recommended method is to prune them hard at 3ft and again at
5 to allow the roots and lower trunk to strengthen. And as someone
said in another thread, when planting, small plants make stronger
roots than big plants do.

Another possibility is Tamarisk, but again, I'm not sure about
hardiness. Incidentally, escallonia will make 3m, but not in that
time.
--
Chris
De-* virgin for e-mail reply