Help with a new hedge

Takethedogalong

Looking to replace a boundary hedge. Ideally looking for something that is easily cut two, three times a year, grows to 1.5-1.75 metres in height, can be kept fairly in check width wise, but has other desirable features such as interesting colour, flowers, fruits. Considering a purple Berberis, a red laurel, or possibly hazel. Red hazel sounds very nice.

Can anyone help or advise, as I don’t want anything invasive, or high maintenance. To be cut be shearing, want it to be quite thick at lower lever as well. Not interested in hawthorn, yew, leylandii, holly or privet!

Thanks for any ideas😁

EasyT

Berberis would be my choice as not too fast growing. I also like Pyracantha but they can get a bit tall in my view and not as easy to keep in check

brue

We have a lot of different hedging. The easiest has been the hornbeam and also the beech (beech keeps it's nice autumn leaves, purple and green mixed is quite attractive and gives some privacy. The berried prickly hedges are a bit of pain, they look nice but spread by seedlings and are stiff to cut. We have a nice mixed hedge of hawthorn.  sloe. wayfarer, eglantine and hazel, the hazel is very upright and needs traditional layering. Our best new hedge is yew, strong and easy. Hmm lots of choice TDA, be careful with your choices! That said I much prefer hedges to fences. 

Edit   Photinia, Red Robin might be nice?

Rocky 2 buckets

I have a Photinia rr, it’s a bit open, I’ve had to interplant to thicken it up. Beaut colours of the new leaves👍🏻

cyberyacht

Pyracantha? Anti-social thing. Only fit for Indian Fakirs.

JVB66

Great security though and only needs minimal  looking after,

Rocky 2 buckets

Good point it really disrupts the thieves & burglars nefarious comings & goings😂😂

brue

Yes, I can see that might be needed. Don't be tempted to buy the dwarf Red Robin either, our neighbours did this and now have a one foot hedge...

Takethedogalong

Thanks ET. My concern about Berberis is that it can be invasive, but how invasive I am not sure. Lovely colours though.

EasyT

My daughter planted a Berberis hedge in her previous garfen, I pass it regularly Not been any problem at all over 20 years 

Takethedogalong

Beech would be lovely, especially if use green and copper. How fast does it grow though, as this will be newly planted, and we both have dogs. The Photinia RR is a lovely possible. 

We have just been chatting and hazel might bring us more problems, as we already have hazel trees, and the ruddy squirrels plant their nuts all over, we are forever tugging up seedlings. Would be a cheap option though, growing our own😂 but they do make a mess digging lawns up.

Takethedogalong

Got some pyracantha, and Mum has a pyra hedge which indeed has deterred thieves. I use certain roses, such as Albertine and Alberic Barbiere as tea leaf deterrent. It akin to razor wire, but far more ornamental. 

brue

We had to put up stock fencing first but you might get away with wire mesh and small posts. Beech grows quite fast and you can buy it in bundles of different sizes. EBay is your friend, some good growers on there. 

Takethedogalong

Thanks brue, will take a look. We have plenty of wire fencing. It will be holly into forsythia, (existing) then whatever new, into snowberry, then privet. Quite a mix, plenty of colour. The snowberry could be on borrowed time mind.....😁

Impy

Elaeagnus - evergreen, with white fragrant insignificant flowers in winter, trim hedges in early and late summer.

Takethedogalong

Thanks, that is interesting. I am not very well up on shrubs, so doing some reading. Going to be spoilt for choice now. Gap is around 3-4 metres, although might do more if we think it needs it.👍

Rocky 2 buckets

I’m more practical than ‘dwarf’ anything brue😊, a hedge to me is a barrier to stop either folk or the wind not to step over👍🏻