Hedgerow for wildlife

Hi

I need some recommendations for a hedge between me and the neighbours please.

I want to leave the bottom of our garden to go a bit wild and try and make a little haven for as much wildlife as possible.
Rather than replace a wire fence with a new one we want to use a hedge instead.
We would like something fast growing that is dense from top to bottom to keep the dogs in and out. It also would need to be suitable for bird nesting or to encourage other wildlife.
It would need to be 20 meters long and get to around 5 feet to give us some privacy and we are happy to maintain it both sides as the neighbours are fine.
I like the look of a a pyracantha but I believe these can take some years to get to 5 feet.

Any ideas recommendations for our requirements?
It will be on the left hand side in the photo below, the swing will be going come winter.

This is a different view from right at the bottom


Cheers

SM

 

Ahh this is my forte.........I have planted hundreds of metres of hedging for wildlife. You want a mixed hedge but it will not be quick growing to begin with. The usual recommendation is that it should be Hawthorn dominant, about 50%. Buckingham Nursery does some mixed native hedging and I have used them and they are good with reasonable prices. Nice strong plants. I go for the ones called "mixed native hedging" which is a bundle and is 50% hawthorn and includes hazel, wild roses, spindle, blackthorn, field maple and others.

It's best and cheapest to buy bare rooted in winter. Get the biggest plants that you can afford if you want it to get big quickly......minimum of three years if you are being realistic. The bigger the plants are the more watering you will need to do in summer for the first year at least and probably the second summer too. Given the situation with close neighbours I would be inclined to add some privet as well, which is evergreen and has the bonus of being pretty fast growing, maybe a foot per year in good conditions, and it has berries too for the birds in winter and the flowers are pollinated by a moth but I can't remember the name.

Another nursery I have used is 3 Fat Pigs.

Again good strong plants but I'm not sure they have a package of mixed native hedging but you could select your own mix......

For some reason they are not letting me post the links so you will have to google them.

 

The drawback of a mixed hedge is that it grows at different rates, so to keep it tidy it has to be trimmed regularly.

Most of the hedging that will maintain wildlife is not fast growing apart from some of those mentioned by Redwing above.

Hebe and Escallonia have a growth rate of approximately 1ft a year and insects, particularly bees love the Hebe, birds will nest too. Ceonothus has a similar growth rate but not as long lived as the others.

 

Hi and thanks for your input.
I had a look at Buckingham and they appear to be hedge dot com.
There are a few other considerations that I did not take into account.
The planting area will be somewhat shady and I think evergreen would be best suited.
There are a lot to choose from but I quite like the look of a laurel.
I may stick to one or two types in the shade and add different ones as I come out and into the sun.
I need to research this a little more and will do as suggested and buy the dormant plants in winter.
Also should I leave the wire fence in place and plant one row either side of it? Not sure if this would help or hinder the hedge growth?

Cheers

SM

 

Tbh, if you want the garden to be dog-proof, then having the fence in the heart of the hedge would be good. I would be tempted to plant just on one side (you will be able to prevent the young plants being blown about by the wind, by securing them to the fence as well). But then the possibility of planting on both sides has never arisen...!

 

Hi Sian

The reason I asked is because they recommend planting 7per Meter for added density, in two rows staggered so I though the fence could separate the two rows?
Also benefitting the dog situation.

Cheers

 

Laurel is not a hedge for wildlife; it will provide some roosting protection for birds when it's really cold and perhaps some nesting sites but I don't think it's particularly good for wildlife generally and it gets pretty big and grows thick. It will however provide privacy. Seven per metre for laurel is way too close for laurel. You would not need a double row for laurel.

If you decide on a mixed hedge as described above a double row would be good. I generally plant 4 per metre and yes keep the fence for the reasons Sian in Belgium states. Privet is hard to beat if it's privacy you want.

 

Hi Redwing

I would like to combine everything and it grow in a shady spot
Privacy is an added benefit but being at the bottom of the garden is no major problem.
Keeping the fence benefits the dog situation.
I would like an evergreen again not essential if the fence us staying.
Wildlife friendly is the most important aspect for nesting, Shelter and food.
I will draw up a short list for your critique after I have done some more research but I only want to do it once and not regret it.
Thank you all for the help, very much appreciated

 

Here are a few options I have been looking at
cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus Rotundifolia)
Pyracantha Red Berries
PHOTINIA fraseri Red robin
Cotoneaster Franchetii Hedge
Ribes sanguineum white icicle
Flowering Currant Hedge (Ribes Sanguineum)

 

I bought 3 different coloured pyracantha.

June 2011 (left hand side along fence) ...


And by September 2013. The height of the fence was 6' plus a 1' trellis. This picture shows the yellow on (together with rosa rugosa and passionflower). It was certainly 5ft tall by that time. The red and orange varieties were slightly taller but no so much that it matters.



I moved last year so I don't have any idea how tall/broad they might be now, but, it doesn't take too, too long for them to grow to 5'

 

Photinia and Laurel won't be much good for wildlife so if you plant those it will because you like the look of them. Pyracantha is good for pollinating insects and the thrushes will take the berries, same with the Cotoneaster and Ribes. Someone mentioned Escallonia, another good one for a sunny spot loved by bees.

You mentioned some is in part shade which will will suit Honeysuckle which is another good addition but BEST is Hawthorn for the sunnier stretches. I think you are going to have a rather nice mixed hedge.

 

Thanks again for the input really helpful.
M the pictures are really useful to get a good idea of what to expect so



The position for the hedges is south facing but the two apple trees are creating the shady area although I would now probably describe it as semi shaded as the sun squeezes through the gap at the back early morning and in the evening the sun is shining from west over the house so they will be getting some light then too. Probably worrying a little too much about shade tbh

When planting mixed varieties, should I keep all the same together or mix them all up?

Also when is best to plant, I was thinking November time?

I am so looking forward to planting these hedges roll on winter

 

Mix them up.