Tim Watts wrote:
Hi,

I've got good topsoil (6-12") on top of heavy clay (Sussex), reasonable
drainage. Having just chopped a 10' hawthorn hedge down to 3' for now[1],
I'm looking to start planting a new hedge between the hawthorn trunks and
take the hawthorn out when the new plants start to establish.

Are there likely to be any problems with my top 3 choices so far:

Box,

The prunings of box are an irritant after a short while fermenting.

Yew,

Yew is poisonous in all parts. Not a good choice on a field boundary.
Both of the above are rather slow growing.

Beech.

Nice appearance and the golden brown leaves stay on in the winter. It is
a slight martyr to whitefly in some years.

You should also consider cotoneaster (deciduous) but fairly dense.
Loicera nitida is fairly well behaved as a hedge.

I'd also have holly and pyracantha if I was starting from scratch, but
you say you don't like spiky things. I'd also be tempted to put crab
apple, rosa rugosa and blackthorn in as well.

I might plant a hybrid hedge - I rather fancy crafting an arch in the coming
years over a pedestrian gate and I heard yew is good for that. Bit of beech
might make for some colour. May not bother with the box.

Any thoughts most welcome

Chunks of the same plant for about 6-8 feet look good

BTW I hate spiky plants...

Pity there are some nice ones, and they are stock proof!

Regards,
Martin Brown