What hedging plant goes well with Beech?

I've recently planted about 30 beech whips along a fence line and have been thinking of adding another layer to help thicken up the hedge faster and increase the privacy.

However, just to add some variety is there another suitable hedging plant which would complement the beech well? Something that holds onto its leaves in winter like beech would be preferable.

 

If you’ve planted the green leaved variety you could use the copper leaved variety as a contrast perhaps?

 

An interesting idea, thank you.

So that's the one referred to as Purple Beech?

 

Yes, a cultivated form of the green leaved Beech, known as both Copper Beech and Purple Beech. I’ve seen a mixed hedge with the green and copper varieties alternating.

 

Why not just do another row of the same beech? It's normal to do a double, staggered row if you want a good, thick hedge anyway. A gap of around 18 inches between the 2 rows is ideal.
I'm personally not fond of the two tone hedging - there's a berberis one in a garden near me, but it's not my garden, so it's always down to your own preferences. Just prep the area well before planting, especially if you intend doing it over summer, because you'll get more weed growth and it's easier for the site to dry out. Alternatively, prep the site and wait until autumn which is easier for the whips, but it's also bare root season by October/November and therefore much cheaper to buy a quantity of plants.

 

I absolutely love a copper beech tree but not a fan as hedging. It’s a marvellous colour but even a small expanse of it seems to absorb the light, it’s so dark. Some colours can pop against it but many including greens seem to just fade away somehow.

We inherited a small run (maybe 2m) which I kept, because I love them, but I’ve now allowed them to grow into small trees where I can enjoy the play of light and colours against the sky. I’m still working on getting the planting right against them. Aspect will have some effect and ours face north.

 

I think a photo your site and details of aspect would help with suggestions @TheMadHedger. It really depends on growing conditions and the look that you're after. Another staggered line of the same beech would certainly give you a denser hedge. Also, using the same species rather than another hedging plant would mean the same growth rate, making maintenance easier.