Buxus semperivens might be OK. Taxus baccata is another. Both are evergreen
and relatively slow growing so won't give you the problems that can come with X
Cupressocyparis leylandii and other conifers commonly used for hedging. An
advantage with Taxus baccata (Yew) is that it has red berries, so has some
aditional colour for at least some of the year, and if it ever does get too
large, can be cut back as hard as you like (within reason) and will grow back
from mature wood. I've seen them left to grow into mature trees only to be cut
back to a stunp, then happily grow again from the trunk and form a hedge.
Conifers are something to be avoided in my opinion, and I think that's likely
to be the concensus when most gardeners are asked.

I hope this is helpful, but if you don't like my suggestions feel free to come
back with any further thoughts and I'll see what else I can find for you.

Dave.

"DaveDay34" wrote:
Buxus semperivens might be OK. Taxus baccata is another. Both are
evergreen
and relatively slow growing so won't give you the problems that can come
with X
Cupressocyparis leylandii and other conifers commonly used for hedging.
An
advantage with Taxus baccata (Yew) is that it has red berries, so has some
aditional colour for at least some of the year, and if it ever does get
too
large, can be cut back as hard as you like (within reason) and will grow
back
from mature wood. I've seen them left to grow into mature trees only to
be cut
back to a stunp, then happily grow again from the trunk and form a hedge.
Conifers are something to be avoided in my opinion, and I think that's
likely
to be the concensus when most gardeners are asked.

I hope this is helpful, but if you don't like my suggestions feel free to
come
back with any further thoughts and I'll see what else I can find for you.

Very helpful - thanks.

Buxus semperivens - aka Box right?
Taxus baccata (Yew)

Both these seem to be good suggestions with the added advantage of limited
maintenance requirement.

The most important point I neglected to mention in my op was that one end is
very close to a house - will the root systems of either be a problem here?

Conifers - I hate conifers in England - well the leyandii and similar which
always look out of place. Anyway, they grow too fast/too high for this
application.

Of the two suggestions, Box is probably better as the yew is toxic.

--
William Tasso

Buxus semperivens - aka Box right?
Taxus baccata (Yew)

Both these seem to be good suggestions with the added advantage of limited
maintenance requirement.

The most important point I neglected to mention in my op was that one end is
very close to a house - will the root systems of either be a problem here?

Conifers - I hate conifers in England - well the leyandii and similar which
always look out of place. Anyway, they grow too fast/too high for this
application.

Of the two suggestions, Box is probably better as the yew is toxic.

--
William Tasso

Yes, Box and Yew. Sorry I didn't clarify that. A Yew hedge kept small should
not be a problem. Box is never likely to get to be a problem in normal
circumstances (with regard to damaging house foundations).

A tip with planting a new hedge that I have given to many people now. Plant
the plants so that side branches can be bent downward along the length of the
hedge. They will need tying into some stakes/canes for a while, but this will
reduce the number of plants needed to produce the hedge and will keep the cost
down. The plants will soon grow and fill out the gaps, and the plants will
grow better in the long run through being given some extra room each to put out
their roots.

I hope this is clear. Not always easy to explain things without
pictures/diagrams. Come back to me if you're confused.

Dave.

"DaveDay34" wrote:
Buxus semperivens - aka Box right?
Taxus baccata (Yew)

Both these seem to be good suggestions with the added advantage of
limited
maintenance requirement.

The most important point I neglected to mention in my op was that one end
is
very close to a house - will the root systems of either be a problem
here?

Conifers - I hate conifers in England - well the leyandii and similar
which
always look out of place. Anyway, they grow too fast/too high for this
application.

Of the two suggestions, Box is probably better as the yew is toxic.

Yes, Box and Yew. Sorry I didn't clarify that. A Yew hedge kept small
should
not be a problem. Box is never likely to get to be a problem in normal
circumstances (with regard to damaging house foundations).

A tip with planting a new hedge that I have given to many people now.
Plant
the plants so that side branches can be bent downward along the length of
the
hedge. They will need tying into some stakes/canes for a while, but this
will
reduce the number of plants needed to produce the hedge and will keep the
cost
down. The plants will soon grow and fill out the gaps, and the plants
will
grow better in the long run through being given some extra room each to
put out
their roots.

I hope this is clear. Not always easy to explain things without
pictures/diagrams. Come back to me if you're confused.



Splendidly clear - thanks Dave.

I'll see what I can find locally, but with Wisley only 20 minutes away I
should be ok round here.

--
William Tasso

On Fri, 22 Nov 2002 10:36:43 -0000, "William Tasso"
wrote:

Greetings one 'n' all

May I task you with suggesting a suitable plant for a small hedge which is
to form part of a border with a neighboring property? Only needed to mark
the border - it does not have to be animal proof.

Essential properties:
Normal height 3-4 feet (1 - 1.5 metres) when fully formed.

Desirable properties:
Evergreen
limited spread
cover to ground (to inhibit weed growth)

Growth speed, flowering, berries etc are largely immaterial in this case.


Oh why evergreen?!!

If it's dense enough?

If I needed a hedge around 4' I would be sore tempted by one I found
he

(It's a photo of a Snowy Mespilus pruned as a low hedge. )

http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.u...uct_10125.html

And, OK, they've got them for sale too. It might anyway be a good
place for you to compare prices though - I'm quite sure they have
box hedging plants as they specialise in hedges and have wholesale
quantity price breaks.

Respect

Hussein