On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:14:04 GMT, "keith kent"
wrote:


"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
wrote:
The soil is sandy, quite acid and free-draining. I
want something informal - I'm not really keen on neatly clipped hedges
- and prickly and sturdy enough to do the job, and reasonably fast
growing. Flowers/berries would be a bonus as it's a bit of a gloomy
dark site.

I was thinking pyracantha would fit the bill? Any other suggestions?

Finally, is now an OK time to plant hedging shrubs? I gather that
autumn is the ideal time but I never got round to it last year and
want to get something in before the summer if possible.

Thanks for any help.

Pyracantha would probably fit the bill. You could always mix it with Rosa
rugosa and blackberry. That should provide a pretty impenetrable mass.
How about adding a blackthorn for good measure? A good selection of
flowers and fruits there.

Not too sure about the sandy/acid soil, though. You could plant now, but
you would have to water pretty regularly with that sandy soil. A decent
amount of compost to plant into would help.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

How about mixed berberis with the Pyracantha.
Keith


I have seen them mixed in a hedge but the pyracantha grew faster and
dominated the berberis.
A pyracantha hedge looks best if you get a mix of varieties with
yellow and red berries rather than just one colour.