Best Hedges for your garden

[@mammothmotouk]

What a beautiful approach. I really enjoyed this video. You have a very calming tone and have given me all the inspiration I need. Thank you.

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you and good luck with your plans

[@irinamaslukhina]

I am just starting to plan my new garden, sooo happy to find your channel!!!! Thanks a mil for all that info! Priceless❤

[@MurphysGarden]

How exciting, good luck with all your plans! Welcome to the channel and thanks for watching Jenny

[@hollymerchant9550]

I'm in need of a privacy hedge.. you gave me some great ideas! Thanks!

[@MurphysGarden]

Glad it helped. That was one of my earliest videos and most of the hedges are quite common plants and ones I’ve planted in our garden. Now I have more experience there are several other varieties that make great hedges and which I didn’t consider back then. If you are interested my videos on ‘Evergreen trees’ and ‘deciduous trees’ and even my pleaching video includes some lovely perhaps more unusual varieties that also make really good hedges too. We saw a lot of ‘Eleagnus ‘quick silver’ at our recent visit to the Chelsea Flower Show- makes a lovely hedge and it’s as tough as old boots! Hope this helps Good luck Jenny

[@mellowman8695]

Great video! One of the best I have ever seen on different hedges congrats.

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you, really appreciate your comments

[@uberraschtedame1510]

We had a Leylandii hedge it looks great in the early stages but after a few years it's growth capacity becomes unmanageable, it required 50% of all the work in the garden it kept going and going and it was a back breaker. It is a monster, 30mx8m, too fast, too strong, too big, all the material is not compostable and it became a serious pain. We had to remove all of it after 13 years of torture and it was the best decision we ever made (the worst being planting it), now we have Photinia Red Robin (4m max) and we are extremely relieved. Smaller and slower is better on the long run.

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, leylandii is a bit of a thug!! Far better to have a slower growing hedge that’s easier to maintain

[@markmulder996]

Over the last year i've aquired a bit of additional garden, and when moving the border of my property i've removed about 20 meters of well established Leylandii and just over the last few days planted about 40 meters beech hedge. The thing that shocked me the most when removing the Leylandii is that there's absolutely no life in them at all. 20 meters of Leylandii i took down and not a single thing lived inside there except maybe a handfull of spiders, and mosquito's. Birds ignore them completely I'm hoping my double row beech hedge will be much more of a wildlife sanctuary.

[@MurphysGarden]

We planted the leylandii purely as an instant windbreak for the garden. It serves its purpose well but I’ve found the same as you, the birds just aren’t attracted to it nearly as much as the beech, hornbeam and yew. I sometimes wish I hadn’t planted it but it provided the instant screening we were so desperate for and meant we could get all the other plants established which do attract the wildlife. Perhaps, like you, we will be chopping it all down in a few years from now! Thanks for watching and sharing your experience Jenny

[@taxusbaccata6332]

If you want wildlife then plant mixed native hedging - hawthorn, blackthorn, elder, rowan, hazel, spindle, holly etc. Also oak, which also holds its leaves, instead of beech supports much more wildlife and can cut into a hedge.

[@executivesteps]

Excellent job. Lots of good info. I’m dealing with boxwood blight right now in a 15 year old planting. May go to a Japanese holly but they may not get enough sunlight. I’ve seen them get a bit leggy in semi-shade. Thanks again.

[@MurphysGarden]

Recently watched a Bunny Guinness video about blight resistant box hedging that she was trialing, hope it works as nothing is quite as good as box. Might be worth a look kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z53NpIRujsllgqM Have seen lots of people using yew but cut at a low height, they have done this at the beautiful David Austin Rose Garden and it looked nice. Not sure if it would need lots of cutting throughout the season to keep at the desired height, but might be worth looking into?

[@radharcanna]

Great advice there. I’m thinking of planting blackthorn by the roadside but I’m worried that it won’t be dense enough and that it will be hard to shape.

[@MurphysGarden]

I don’t have black thorn but got lots of hawthorn. It’s hard to cut manually as it’s so thorny, we have one that needs to be cut with the hedge cutter manually and it’s horrible to deal with. However, if it’s roadside you may be able to get it cut with a flailing machine. We have a local farmer who cuts all the roadside hedges with his tractor and flail attachment. If it’s cut regularly it will thicken and shape up well and it is loved by birds and wildlife. Lots to weigh up to make sure you choose the right hedge for you and your garden! Good luck Jenny

[@radharcanna]

@@MurphysGarden Thanks for that advice Jenny. It’s given me a few ideas. It might be a good idea to take a look at some hedges.

[@miltonkphotography1380]

I don't quite understand the dissatisfaction with privet, yes if it's only cut once a year it will never be neat and dense, but if you trim it frequently and are not afraid to be brutal with it, it can be a very forgiving choice for a hedge, age is not a concern. I agree with you that Yew is beautiful but don't give up on the privet If you have the time to put the effort in its worthy addition to beautiful variety you have in your garden👍🏽 Looking forward to more videos through the seasons

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, you’re right, the key is to cut it regularly to stop it getting scruffy. It’s a good screen and I will stick with it for now at least!

[@JoshuaSPaul551]

Hi, do you use weed control fabric below when planting all your hedges? Thanks

[@MurphysGarden]

We have done with hedging plants that are spaced out such as the yew but for the beech which we planted in a staggered double row we haven’t but instead we mulched with bark chippings. The fabric is less work in the long run I think but either is fine. Hope that helps.

[@marshhen]

What a great video, you just get in and provide the information in a clear way. It is great to see the examples and hear about your experiences with each one. Great video. New subscriber.

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you for your positive feedback

[@JC-hu1wd]

I planted thuja plicata 20 years ago they were about 3 - 4 foot high. I have it about 6 ft high and trim it once or twice a year to keep it tidy. I paid about £12 a plant back then. Its been a good hedge for added privacy and looks. There's a 5 ft fence behind it on the other side.

[@JC-hu1wd]

Recently I have planted mixed wildlife hedging for another longer border. This also has a 6 ft fence behind it and neighbours overlooking. So I've integrated hawthorn, wild roses, spindle, into this established border to thicken it up. It will be a few years until it gets going.

[@MurphysGarden]

Sounds like a good choice, sounds nicer and less thuggish than leylandii!

[@bluejackscanada]

I cut the leaders on my 4 foot high Hicks yews, and the next year they only grew 3-4 inches. The year after that they grew 12-18 inches. (no fertilizer) I have heard cutting the leader slows them down, but in my experience by year 2 and 3 they are back in growth mode. Especially in full sun. This spring I will fertilize with slow release and see what happens.

[@MurphysGarden]

That’s interesting to know, an annual trim would certainly keep a yew hedge well under control then but if you make a mistake then it’s quite forgiving and would soon grow out. Thanks for the feedback, good to know Jenny

[@bluejackscanada]

@@MurphysGardenAlso my neighbor's hicks (about 50 years old I estimate) was about two feet over the property line. I cut it back to old wood. (about 3/4 inch in diameter). It looked terrible the first year. Big open spaces. The second year a few stubby buds on 3/4 inch branches. The third year, that old wood was back to aggressive growth in full sun (12 inches in a year) Now it has filled in those spaces and some branches lower down got more sun and sprouted new growth. My neighbor now wishes she hacked back her side of the Yew 3 years ago, as my side looks so tight and full and the snow load pushes her branches to the ground in winter. Amazing plant!

[@bellacopley1]

Very informative, thank you for posting. Love Murphy. 🐶

[@KC-re1de]

Amazing content. I love the name of your channel too. Your gardening style is exactly what I love. I hope you make many more videos :)

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you for your kind comments

[@manw8888]

Great videos showing some of the different hedges and their advantages/disadvantages. We've just planted 40 metres worth of western red cedar hedging that are about 1-1.2metre tall. We are wanting to provide the best conditions for it to grow quicker to give us more privacy. Can you recommend a good biostimulant/feed for it?

[@MurphysGarden]

Using mycorrhizal fungi at the time of planting can improve the nutrient status of the plant influencing mineral nutrition, water absorption, growth and disease resistance and gets plants off to a much quicker start. As the trees are already planted, then I would give them a seaweed feed about every month during the growing season for the first year. Seaweed contains several useful plant nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium, phosphate and magnesium and so that will ensure they establish well. Don’t worry if you think they aren’t doing much in the first year, they say that the first year, they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year they leap. We have definitely found that to be true. Thanks for watching and happy gardening Jenny

[@manw8888]

@@MurphysGarden many thanks for your reply Jenny, I'll give it a seeweed feed monthly from April, hoping for it to gain an additional 30cm this year. I see some really useful videos on your channel, and can't believe you have so much hedging!

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, we have got a lot and although it’s a lot of work come hedge cutting time, it has drastically changed the feel of our garden. Before planting our garden was overlooked and very windy and exposed making it difficult to grow much. Now, it feels secluded and intimate and is full of birdsong, it has grown surprisingly quickly. Thanks for your support Jenny

[@timspoor]

Nice video showing good hedge options :)

[@harryhj5981]

Love this video, very useful. I opted for three varieties of hedging all planted five months ago (Dec-20): Hawthorne (grows amazingly quickly), Blackthorn (very slow but early days) and Hornbeam (very late to the party like Beech)

[@shelbylengwenat3774]

Thank you, Great video!

[@Frank020]

Privets do well if you cut it agresdively it will renew itself if it is in the sun. Mine is close to rear door so hopefully it's not too allergic if I cut flowers. 21 ft away.

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, our old privet looks better than it’s ever looked after 10 years plus of quite severe annual cuts, I think it has regenerated. I’m sure that distance from your back door will be ok Thank you for watching!

[@Frank020]

@@MurphysGarden do you think laurel is good for long summers at 95-100 deg full sun? skipper laurel?

[@MurphysGarden]

@@Frank020 Living in the UK we don’t experience temperatures like that very often! However t it is drought tolerant once established and likes full sun so it sound like a good choice.

[@SilvioDiego]

very useful and exactly what I was looking for.

[@msafiullahhorticulturist7800]

Great video 👍

[@MurphysGarden]

Thanks 👍

[@dianeperrymore6881]

I just found your channel recently and have really enjoyed watching your videos. What zone do you garden in so I can compare to mine which is 7a in Oklahoma, USA. I really like how structured your garden is and how if the plant isn't happy where you planted it you move it. I hope to get caught up on all your videos and look forward to more.

[@Really10801]

Leylandii makes a beautiful 80' tall tree, if it doesn't blow over in the wind, but I would really suggest people avoid Leylandii as a hedge... it wants to grow to 80' tall, and will fight you every year, not worth the constant work. Consider Schip Laurel instead, only grows to 10 or 12' or one of the many Holly varieties that are right sized for your situation.

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes, hope I don’t regret planting leylandi! It was great at providing that instant privacy we needed and we cut it three times a year to keep it under control and not too big, certainly there are better hedges which are a lot less work.

[@savedfaves]

If you’re worried about your box hedging and drainage, maybe consider spraying a compost tea on the soil. Biology is the best drainage and improving your soil biology could help you out there. Compost tea is what Harvard use on Harvard Yard. They spray it on once a year at least. You can look up frequency. They use their own garden waste and leaves to make it themselves and there’s instructions for recipes on that. Once they started doing this it solved their problem they were having on the lawn the students walk across. They chose this as an alternative to putting up a keep off the grass sign. I know farmers who use a rotational or holistic planned grazing system of cattle management to intensify the natural fertility and then have a long period of rest experience drastic improvements in drainage. Orders of magnitude. No expert, but I would assume spraying an organic compost tea in the local area may help with drainage.

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you, good tip

[@savedfaves]

@@MurphysGarden I edited my comment to add more context. Lovely garden and dog, you have.

[@writethisthat3613]

love hedges!

[@Johnrider1234]

We planted 500 common privit

[@butterbiggins2168]

Very useful and comprehensive video . Where are you based ?

[@LittleRapGuy]

great video

[@ianm139]

Cool video. I'm looking for a hedge that is fast growing with a max height of somewhere between 4 and 5 ft could you recommend please.

[@MurphysGarden]

I would go for yew as it’s easy to maintain at your final desired height of 4-5ft and looks neat and structurally good all year. Depending on how big your hedge is and your budget try and get them as big as you can afford if you want a fairly instant hedge. I got some 60-80 cm and at the time they cost £5 plus Vat each. Buy the root balled In the autumn from a wholesale nursery as it’s much cheaper that way.

[@ianm139]

@@MurphysGarden Thanku for the advice appreciated I live in york can you deliver?

[@MurphysGarden]

@Ian M I am not a nursery and don’t sell plants myself but just find a nursery locally that does- good luck!

[@urlultimateracingleague7370]

@@MurphysGarden I got sorted. N Thanku

[@nicolagraham1678]

Very good video and nice to hear a fellow Co.Down girl, me thinks 🤔

[@MurphysGarden]

Thank you, yes Bangor, Co. Down, where are you from?

[@edstud1]

I love hedges but they require a lot of maintenance!

[@MurphysGarden]

Yes they do , it’s a big workout for us when it’s time to cut them! It’s worth it though for the structure they bring and all the birds Thanks for watching Jenny

[@Ajinkyanangare376]

Which hedge plants grows fast?

[@MurphysGarden]

Lleylandi is certainly the fastest growing hedge but the disadvantage is that it needs to be cut two or three times a year to keep it in check and it can become quite a thug if it gets out of hand! Beech, and hornbeam are lovely but are deciduous. If you want formal, evergreen then go for yew. Red Robin (Photinia) is also worth consideration (not included in my video) but provide good year round interest with bright red new leaves and small white flowers. Good luck, whatever you decide.

[@Ajinkyanangare376]

@@MurphysGarden do they grow fast in india?

[@ruthnarendran8775]

Where are you located pleas and what growing zone?

[@MurphysGarden]

We are in Shropshire in England, which is in the north west of England, bordering Wales. The Uk is USDA hardiness 6-9 but here we would be 7. Hope this helps and thanks for watching Jenny

[@finlaybiddlesden2426]

Didn’t the neighbours complain about your hornbeam hedge going above the 6-foot fence..?

[@MurphysGarden]

No, we don’t have neighbours directly next to us but rather a communal driveway. The neighbouring house with the windows we wanted to block out sits sideways and so their garden isn’t affected by our hedge.

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Hard to believe that anyone is pushing monoculture hedges in GB in the twenty-first century.

[@bellacopley1]

🥱

[@dvhgffgetfffcvttcsa2732]

Shut up.