Jen&Rog Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 I'm hoping to plant a living hedge and debating what will work best on my soil. Salix was an obvious choice as I'd like to weave it.. but I'm getting the feeling that this prefers damp soil, and ours is sandy, and pretty dry in summer. Anyone had any success with living hedges and any advice on what might work in our soil? I don't want a dense hedge, but do want height - something to slightly screen off the kids' area and hen house but still allows light to filter through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Hazel perhaps? Added benefit of nuts maybe? Our cube and run is screened in the summer by jerusalem artichokes, but that dies down in winter. Maybe a trellis and honeysuckle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 There's a thornless blackberry called Veronique - beautiful pink flowers, grows as fast as any bramble and will give you lots of fruit too! It fruits on last year's canes so you can't prune it too hard to begin with, but it would mix in well with another plant to support it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Loads here http://www.hedgingandtrees.co.uk/sandy_soil.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Ooooh yes - blackthorn! DIY Sloe vodka or gin or rum! HIC!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Mind you, I think blackthorn is the bush from somewhere nasty - it has punctured my ride on mower, and regularly punctures me when pruning. It comes back when you think you have mowed it off, or pruned it to within an inch of its life. Those spikes are murderous I also wouldn't plant field maple unless you are sure what you are doing. It looks attractive, but it grows exceptionally fast so a lot of maintenance is involved. Willow does prefer moisture, as does alder. Hornbeam likes clay, I'm not so sure it does well on sand, so I'd double check before planting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 They are big thorns aren't they! Mr Fox needs to be exceedingly stupid to squeeze through a hedge made of that! And only get the berries you can reach - those inner ones are for the birds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
