I have a boundary to my garden which is adjacent to a public footpath approx 50m long. Approx 30m of it has 6ft fencing with hawthorn hedge at about 8ft tall to the footpath side. The hawthorn runs all the way down to the bottom but is very thin to the last 20m as it has grown so tall I.e. 20ft. I have cut all this back down to about 6/8ft but still this hedge is probably in partial shade due to two large neighbouring beech trees. I need some privacy to my garden as the hawthorn hedge can be easily viewed and passed through. I have toyed with the idea of planting leylandii behind the hawthorn just to act as a fast growing screen until the hawthorn picks up (if it does).
I like the hawthorn because the birds like it and it has excellent security values, but the leylandii sounds ideal as a fast growing hedge but the horror stories and the fact its not native make me nervous. How would these two interact so close to each other I.e. hawthorn and leylandii 2 ft apart? Does anyone have any thoughts on this being a good or bad idea?
-
bullthistle
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1152
- Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 10:26 am
- Location: North Carolina
Granted hawthorn is great security however isn't the screen thick enough without adding more? If you were to plant arborviate I would plant them at least four feet from the hawthorn, they might not do well under the beech, or ask your local garden center what they might suggest because they grow real tall and I presume you don't want blockage 20 feet in the air. You have different plants in the U.K. so I don't know what you think of cherry laurel. It grows real dense but it might not be enough height.
Hi
You could also:
1. Plant more hawthorn into the existing hedge - Cut the new ones back hard and they will thicken up the base. The hedge does not have to be skimpy at the bottom. If people can walk through, then it sounds like the plants are too far apart anyway.
2. Have the hedge laid by a hedgelayer. That will make it inpenetrable in a couple of years time.
3. You could plant something else into the hedge. Obvious candidates would be wild roses if you are happy with deciduous plants, or holly if you want evergreen. Eithe/both would also make it into more of a barrier.
Good luck
You could also:
1. Plant more hawthorn into the existing hedge - Cut the new ones back hard and they will thicken up the base. The hedge does not have to be skimpy at the bottom. If people can walk through, then it sounds like the plants are too far apart anyway.
2. Have the hedge laid by a hedgelayer. That will make it inpenetrable in a couple of years time.
3. You could plant something else into the hedge. Obvious candidates would be wild roses if you are happy with deciduous plants, or holly if you want evergreen. Eithe/both would also make it into more of a barrier.
Good luck