{"title":"Hedging Plants","description":"\u003cp\u003eHedge plants and sapling trees for sale, delivered direct from our UK nursery. Buy online for year-round planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShop bareroot, potted or instant trough hedges, plus native British species, shrubs, saplings, whips and bushes.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"berberis-darwinii-hedge-plants-darwins-barberry","title":"Darwin's Barberry Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDarwin's Barberry Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Secure hedge, specimen shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 3m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium. Dense, upright, arching\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen thorny shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Berberis darwinii\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot Grown Delivery Only:\u003c\/strong\u003e Year-round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvergreen, prickly, clippable, flowering and scented: Berberis darwinii has everything you could ask from a secure hedging plant, and makes a splendid specimen bush. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt flowers in April, with dense clusters of fragrant, bright orange and yellow flowers bubbling out from beneath the green leaves. These develop into decorative bunches of edible purple-blue berries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ideal conditions in the warmer western and southern parts of the country, it'll flower again in autumn. \u003cbr\u003eBut it has a runner-up prize for cold regions too, where the freezing Winter air causes the leaves to flush burgundy red. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrown as a hedge, it clips nicely into a neat, formal shape. \u003cbr\u003eAs a shrub, it's better to let it grow more freely so you get lovely arching stems laden with flowers and berries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/berberis-hedging-plants-barberry\"\u003eberberis varieties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003eornamental shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained. Drought tolerant when established\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist but well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep shade, waterlogged conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clips well, once a year after flowering is ideal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy, salt tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for any well-drained soil, but on chalk you must mulch yearly to keep the soil moist. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTolerates partial shade well, but full sun is necessary for prolific flowering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's tolerant of coastal conditions and can be planted in exposed spots and inner city areas too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's drought tolerant when established, but can be prone to mildew on dry soils without regular mulching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat to add colour and structure to the winter garden, Berberis darwinii combines well with the vibrant stems of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwoods\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillows\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiny leaves contrast well with the broad foliage of evergreens such as Fatsia japonica and Bergenia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderplant with tulips like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/ballerina-tulip-bulbs\"\u003eBallerina\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/princess-irene-tulip-bulbs\"\u003ePrincess Irene\u003c\/a\u003e to pick up the orange tones of the blossom in spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect for secure boundaries that can be seen and admired from a window.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis South American species, known locally as Michay, was allegedly first identified by Charles Darwin in 1835 during the second voyage of the Beagle. \u003cbr\u003eRecent analysis of that voyage indicates that may be a tall tale, but what is marketing without a good yarn?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn any event, it was certainly imported to Britain by the great Cornish plant collector William Lobb in 1849.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit's edible and was a traditional food in its native lands. The flavour is on the tart side for most people's tastes, so it's better suited to making a surprise jam.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54992624451910,"sku":"BERBDAR-P9","price":4.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54992624484678,"sku":"BERBDAR-3L","price":16.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/darwins-barberry-hedge-berberis-darwinii-img-1.jpg?v=1756593712"},{"product_id":"berberis-thunbergii-hedge-plants-green-japanese-barberry","title":"Green Barberry Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGreen Barberry Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Secure hedge, specimen shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 2m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium. Dense, thorny habit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deciduous thorny shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Berberis thunbergii\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBareroot Delivery Only:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nov-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBerberis thunbergii is the classic green form of Japanese Barberry. This compact deciduous shrub reaches nearly 2 metres, perfect for secure boundaries without towering height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach spring brings clusters of small, sweetly fragrant yellow flowers that glow against the fresh green foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSummer sees bright red berries develop, persisting well into autumn as the leaves transform into hot red-orange before dropping for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a specimen shrub, the graceful arching stems create an elegant fountain shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dense growth provides nesting sites for small birds, while spring flowers support bees and pollinators from April through June.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/berberis-hedging-plants-barberry\"\u003eberberis varieties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003eornamental shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained including clay and chalk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Well-drained, drought tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Waterlogged sites, deep shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clips well, very tough\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy, coastal and urban tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrives in virtually any well-drained soil. Best flowering and autumn colour in sunny positions, but grows reasonably in partial shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTolerates coastal salt spray, urban pollution, and exposed windy sites. \u003cbr\u003eWon't tolerate waterlogged soil or deep shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMix with purple-leaved \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/purple-berberis-thunbergii-atropurpurea-hedge-plants\"\u003eBerberis atropurpurea\u003c\/a\u003e for dynamic colour contrasts throughout the seasons.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a specimen, position where arching stems have space to develop their graceful form. Looks striking against darker evergreen backdrops like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-holly-hedge-plants-ilex-aquifolium\"\u003eholly\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/pyracantha-hedging-plants\"\u003ePyracantha\u003c\/a\u003e, which showcase the autumn foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnderplant with late-flowering \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/daffodil-narcissus-bulbs\"\u003edaffodils\u003c\/a\u003e that echo the yellow flowers, or early tulips for spring colour harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn wildlife gardens, plant to maximize dense cover for small and ground-nesting birds like wrens, robins, and blackbirds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Japanese native, barberries have become widely naturalised in China and North America, so much so that they're regarded as invasive in the Great Lakes and North East of the USA. \u003cbr\u003eThe spines are highly modified leaves, rather than true thorns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, the Chinese extracted the chemical berberine from the wood and bark to make dye, known today as \"natural yellow 18\", mainly for paper and silk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis species was introduced to Europe from Japan in the 1860's. It's named after Karl Peter von Thunberg, one of the \"apostles of Carl Linnaeus\", who first described it around 1784.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe consider it as having an honorary RHS Award of Garden Merit, in that it doesn't hold one itself, but several of its cultivars do.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992624517446,"sku":"BERBTHU-40\/60","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/green-barberry-hedge-plants.jpg?v=1755205286"},{"product_id":"alder-buckthorn-hedge-plants-frangula-alnus","title":"Alder Buckthorn Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAlder Buckthorn Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlder Buckthorn\u003c\/strong\u003e is a large native shrub or small tree that is ideal for country hedging. It produces red berries in the spring that mature and darken to almost black in autumn, which contrast well with its lovely yellow autumn foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood for hedges up to about 5 metres high. Browse all of our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/buckthorn-hedging-plants\"\u003evarieties of Buckthorn hedge plants\u003c\/a\u003e, our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/native-british-hedging-plants\"\u003enative hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Alder Buckthorn hedge plants are only delivered bareroot, during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative deciduous shrub\/tree.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVery hardy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoist, acidic soils.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood for wildlife hedging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMax. Height: 5m.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Alder Buckthorn\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's extremely hardy and will grow on wet, boggy sites. It'll grow well in any fertile, acidic soil conditions. It tolerates partial shade or dappled shade underneath large trees. In the wild, it grows in open woods, scrubland, hedgerows and wet areas like bogs and riverbanks. Avoid growing on chalk or in very shady sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen grown as a specimen tree, alder buckthorn needs no routine pruning, although it'll tolerate hard pruning if necessary to maintain its shape. Prune in late winter or early spring, outside the nesting season for birds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpacing an Alder Buckthorn hedge:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant at 3 plants per metre, 33 apart. You can also plant at 5 plants per metre in a staggered double row, with 33 between each plant along the row and 40 between the rows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlder buckthorn is great as a small specimen tree in a wildlife border. The berries are loved by birds, especially thrushes and the flowers are excellent for bees. It can be combined with other berried shrubs like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna\"\u003ehawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e, and underplanted with small herbaceous perennials such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/ivyleaf-cyclamen-hederifolium-bulbs\"\u003ecyclamen\u003c\/a\u003e, and sweet violet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs part of a native hedge, it can be planted alongside other native trees, shrubs and rambling plants such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/blackthorn-sloe-hedge-plants-prunus-spinosa\"\u003eblackthorn\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/field-maple-hedge-plants-acer-campestre\"\u003efield maple\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-holly-hedge-plants-ilex-aquifolium\"\u003eholly\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/dog-rose-hedge-plants-rosa-canina\"\u003edog-rose\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/wayfaring-tree-hedge-plants-viburnum-lantana\"\u003ewayfaring tree\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/native-green-ivy-plants-hedera-helix\"\u003eivy\u003c\/a\u003e. Using a wide variety of species creates varied habitat for wildlife and a long flowering season with pollen and nectar produced for many months of the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite its name, the alder buckthorn is neither an alder, nor does it have thorns. Recently, botanists have determined that the former \u003cem\u003eRhamnus frangula\u003c\/em\u003e really belongs in its own genus, and it is now officially called \u003cem\u003eFrangula alnus\u003c\/em\u003e. It is also known as black dogwood, breaking buckthorn or glossy buckthorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was used as a dye plant in the past with a yellow pigment made from the foliage and bark. A blue or grey dye can be made from the ripe berries and the unripe berries produce a green pigment.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlong with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/purging-buckthorn-hedge-plants-rhamnus-cathartica\"\u003ePurging Buckthorn\u003c\/a\u003e, this plant is the only food source for the beautiful yellow brimstone butterfly.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers \u0026amp; Bees:\u003c\/strong\u003e  It is an excellent host for bees and butterflies, although the tiny flowers aren't really visible amongst the leaves. It isn't the most ornamental shrub, but it is excellent for wildlife.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirewood: \u003c\/strong\u003eThe charcoal made from buckthorn wood is one of the best for making gunpowder. The wood is durable and easy to sharpen, so was used historically for nails, skewers and arrows.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992624550214,"sku":"RHAMFRA-60\/80","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/buckthorn-alder-rhamnus-frangula-1-hedging.jpg?v=1755205285"},{"product_id":"berberis-julianae-hedging-plants-chinese-wintergreen-barberry","title":"Wintergreen Chinese Barberry Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWintergreen Chinese Barberry Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Secure hedge, specimen shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 3m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium. Dense, thorny habit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen thorny shrub\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Berberis julianae\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBareroot Delivery Only:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nov-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBerberis julianae, known as Wintergreen, Chinese, or Julia's Barberry, is a dense, seriously spiny shrub that makes a strong, impenetrable hedge of up to 3m.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts new spring leaves unfurl in copper shades amongst yellow flowers, which ripen into black berries. \u003cbr\u003eThe evergreen leaves mature to dark green in summer, then turn warm ruddy red late Autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dense growth and long spines make an excellent intruder-proof hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/berberis-hedging-plants-barberry\"\u003eberberis hedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Any well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moderate, well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Waterlogged sites\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very tough, clips well\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy to -15C, salt tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBarberries will grow well in sun or partial shade but you'll get the best flowers and berries in a sunny position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey're great for exposed or seaside gardens, and for polluted inner city sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA secure hedging plant with year round interest is rare, your other options that fit that bill are pretty much \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/berberis-darwinii-hedge-plants-darwins-barberry\"\u003eBerberis darwinii\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/pyracantha-hedging-plants\"\u003ePyracanthas\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts yellow spring flowers, copper-tinted young leaves, and pleasant autumn foliage colours that kick in when the last herbaceous perennials are dying back and then last all winter all make it an excellent evergreen backdrop to any flower border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a great plant for wildlife gardens:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe early single flowers are a vital source of food for bees, which become active in the cold seasons whenever the temperature is above 10C. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLike most of the barberries, its dense stems are perfect cover for small garden birds, especially those that nest near the ground, such as wrens.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe berries aren't very showy, but blackbirds and thrushes love them.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA native of Central China, this is one of the hardiest barberries, tolerating temperatures as low as -15C. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis species was brought to Britain from China by the prolific plant collector Ernest H Wilson in 1900. It was named by the German botanist Camillo Schneider (1876-1951), after his wife, Julia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHerr Schneider should have gone down in history as the 20th century's greatest Berberis scholar, but his life's academic work and manuscripts were destroyed by Allied bombing in 1943.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 20\/30cm","offer_id":54992624582982,"sku":"BERBJUL-20\/30","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/wintergreen-barberry-berberis-julianae-flowers-1.jpg?v=1756803626"},{"product_id":"blackthorn-sloe-hedge-plants-prunus-spinosa","title":"Blackthorn \/ Sloe Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBlackthorn \/ Sloe Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlackthorn, or sloe,\u003c\/strong\u003e is a native tree that makes a wonderful deciduous wildlife hedge. Its sharp black thorns provide an impenetrable barrier for keeping intruders out and stock in, while a froth of small white, open flowers bring sublime beauty in early spring – an iconic sight in the British countryside. In autumn, the shrub produces small purple-black sloes, covered in a pretty bloom; these berries make wonderful sloe gin. Blackthorn is the perfect secure boundary to any sizeable garden or field, and is tough enough to be a roadside hedge, in sun or part shade, and will thrive in any soil except waterlogged sites. Fast growing, it'll reach about 4-6 metres, but is easily kept in check by annual pruning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plants on this page are bareroot saplings, ideal for planting as hedging or in woodland projects. If you're looking for another kind of hedging, evergreen perhaps or something for smaller gardens, here's where you can browse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blackthorn hedge plants are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and overall more convenient for hedge use, unless instant impact is your priority. If you are only buying a few plants for ornamental use, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative deciduous shrub.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVery hardy.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAny soil except waterlogged or chalk, anywhere but shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerfect native wildlife hedging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThorny barrier.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite blossom in spring; purple sloes in autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMax. Height: 4m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Blackthorn\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's extremely hardy and tough. It'll grow anywhere with decent drainage, apart from in chalky soils. If your soil is chalky, try using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna\"\u003ehawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e instead. It's a native British shrub, recognisable for its distinctive clouds of white spring blossom on bare branches, then purple sloes in autumn. It's also drought tolerant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a tough hedging plant and will \u003cstrong\u003eregrow quickly after clipping,\u003c\/strong\u003e so it can be hard pruned annually to keep it in check. Do this wearing suitably tough gloves, in winter but not in freezing temperatures. Blackthorn can also be left to grow, if you prefer a more natural shape to your hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlackthorn has a reputation for its sharp thorns, so take care where you plant it; however, its dense network of foliage and branches means it's popular with birds who use it for nesting and for foraging under cover (they also love the autumn sloes). Plants are quite vigorous, and can grow up to 60cm each year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Blackthorn hedge:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlant at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA blackthorn hedge is great anywhere you want to keep out intruders, keep animals in or encourage wildlife – in all but the smallest of gardens. In a city garden, it's definitely a statement of rural intent, that frothy white spring blossom bringing a gorgeous hit of countryside charm. Consider it for enclosing an allotment, as it provides a home for a huge range of wildlife and pollinators and also gives you sloes for gin and vodka in October and November.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe hedge alone will be a real draw for wildlife, attracting pollinating insects, birds and all kinds of small mammals to its dense cover. To continue the ecological theme, underplant with common dog violet, hedge woundwort or dead nettles and don't tidy up too much. The leaves and fallen berries are rich pickings for hedgehogs, insects and other creatures. Team it with a wildflower meadow on a sunny bank for maximum pulling-power for insects, birds and mammals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlackthorn is an essential component in some of our hedge mixes, including our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-bird-friendly-hedge-plants\"\u003eBird Friendly hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, and combines well with other native hedging plants such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/crab-apple-hedge-plants-malus-sylvestris\"\u003ewild crab-apple\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-native-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sanguinea\"\u003edogwood\u003c\/a\u003e. Treat as a good old-fashioned pick and mix create a mixed hedge to provide fruit, flowers and protection all year round.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992624877894,"sku":"PRUNSPI-40\/60","price":1.12,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992624910662,"sku":"PRUNSPI-60\/80","price":1.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992624943430,"sku":"PRUNSPI-90\/120","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/blackthorn-flowers.jpg?v=1755634242"},{"product_id":"box-hedge-plants-buxus-sempervirens","title":"Common Box Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Box Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon box\u003c\/strong\u003e is the go-to variety if you want plants to shape into sharp-edged evergreen edging hedges or topiary. Left uncut, the shrubs can grow into small trees more than 5m. They respond well to cutting, forming dense, springy plants packed with small, glossy, bright green oval leaves. Box is shade tolerant, hardy down to -20C and frost resistant, so all areas of the UK can enjoy it. Add to that a slightly citrusy, fresh smell, and you have a winner! We stock other varieties of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/box-hedging-plants\"\u003ebox hedging\u003c\/a\u003e here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bare-root plants are delivered in winter and are only planted when they're dormant, from November to April. They can be pre-ordered in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and more convenient for hedging, unless instant impact is your priority. If you are buying a few plants for ornamental use, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSize sold: 15-40cm.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHedge Height: 30-200cm.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: All well drained soil types.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Formal\/Topiary.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 5\/m.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Native Evergreen, glossy, bright green.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBest for low-growing hedges and for creating topiary shapes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Common Box\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBox will grow well in poor, dry soils including chalk, and it thrives in shady conditions; the leaves can be scorched by sun and winds. It doesn't like poor drainage or waterlogging, but it'll grow in heavy clay on a slope or on top of a ridged bed where the drainage is good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe other thing that Box hates is poor air circulation, which is a necessary condition for box blight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs it's slow-growing, you only have to clip it once a year, and it can eventually grow to 2m as a hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Common Box hedge:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlant at 5 plants per metre in a single row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBox is one of the best hedging plants for a formal look, whether that's as traditional as a parterre or as contemporary as geometric topiary. The ornamental, evergreen low-growing hedges look equally good frosted in winter or glossy green in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt clips so tightly that you can achieve knife-edge lines with it, due to the sheer number of small leaves. Box can act as a frame for bedding schemes and stop plants spilling over paths - think of Monty Don's Jewel Garden at Longmeadow. Here, the rich tones of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dahlia-tubers\"\u003edahlias\u003c\/a\u003e and grasses tumble around. Ornamental kitchen gardens on country estates were often edged with box to create a productive yet visually stunning vista.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuxus sempervirens is one of the favourite plants used for topiary, as it's so dense - think of the ubiquitous box balls you see in many a modern garden. However, box can live for several centuries and grow up to 6m tall, as many huge examples in stately homes will testify.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/hedging\/box-blight-hedge-disease\"\u003ebox blight\u003c\/a\u003e became a problem, the tradition of clipping plants on Derby Day is no longer advised. Buxus is better trimmed in winter, as box blight likes warm, damp conditions where plants are overcrowded. Spores then enter wounds to a plant. Clip in winter, on a dry day when the temperature is above freezing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere really is no other plant that can be sculpted as accurately, with such reliable coverage as box. However, if you would prefer something with about the same look but faster growing and without the risk of disease, consider using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/shrubby-honeysuckle-hedge-plants-lonicera-nitida\"\u003eLonicera nitida\u003c\/a\u003e or Ilex Crenata.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNative to southern England and across South-western Eurasia, thriving on hillsides and woodland. England's most famous wild populations of Box are on Box Hill in Surrey, the Cotswolds, the North Downs and the Chilterns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn English folklore, Box was associated with sorrow and branches were thrown onto coffins by mourners. As a contrast, Box trees are considered sacred in Georgia, where twigs are taken to church on Palm Sunday to bring protection to the home and good luck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoxwood is highly prized for its density, close-grained texture and warm yellow tone. It is made into inlay and marquetry - even as a substitute for ivory! Traditional uses include croquet mallets, recorders and stringed instruments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContaining steroidal alkaloids and flavonoids, Box has been used medicinally for centuries. Maladies supposed to be helped by box include gout, urinary tract infections, intestinal worms, skin problems, haemorrhoids, epilepsy and headaches. Homoeopaths use the leaves to treat rheumatism and fever.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlowers \u0026amp; Bees:\u003c\/strong\u003e Box has been awarded the RHS's Plants for Pollinators Award - bees love it, and it provides a sheltered home for birds, small mammals and insects. Fairly inconspicuous male and female green-yellow flower clusters are produced in April and May. Pollinated female flowers develop into a brown, woody seed case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirewood: \u003c\/strong\u003eIt will burn well, but as it is one of the most expensive timbers in the world, costing as much as £40,000 per cubic metre, it is not advised!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 15\/20cm","offer_id":54992624976198,"sku":"BUXUSEM-15\/20","price":2.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 30\/40cm","offer_id":54992625008966,"sku":"BUXUSEM-CN-30\/40","price":6.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/40cm","offer_id":54992625041734,"sku":"BUXUSEM-30\/40","price":2.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/box-common-buxus-sempervirens-hedge-3.jpg?v=1755205285"},{"product_id":"cherry-laurel-hedge-plants-prunus-laurocerasus-rotundifolia","title":"Common Laurel Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Laurel Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003ecommon \u003c\/strong\u003eor\u003cstrong\u003e cherry laurel \u003c\/strong\u003eis a vigorous garden superhero that relishes inhospitable conditions and will make a stunning, shiny green hedge all year round. Its seriously glossy, greeny-yellow leaves, which can be up to 15 cm long, are so verdant and lush that they look almost tropical. Naturally bushy, it blocks out light very well, and helps to dissipate strong, prevailing winds.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summer, it's festooned with tall, white, flowers that are richly scented and pull in bees and butterflies.\u003cbr\u003e\nAutumn brings large, shiny, black, inedible \"cherries\" that are hugely popular with birds.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt's almost infinitely forgiving of mistakes, so it's hard not to produce a good Laurel hedge!\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eView the rest of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/laurel-hedging-plants\"\u003elaurel hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\nA similar but less vigorous option is Portuguese laurel, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/portuguese-laurel-hedge-plants-prunus-lusitanica-angustifolia\"\u003ePrunus lusitanica\u003c\/a\u003e. For restrained evergreen hedging with smaller, matt leaves, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/privet-hedging-plants-ligustrum\"\u003ePrivet hedging\u003c\/a\u003e has the same propensity to thrive where no other plant dare go.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bareroot plants are delivered during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSize sold: 30-60 cm\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHedge Height: 1m to very tall\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSoil: all soils\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eUse: Evergreen\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 2-3\/m\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eColour: Bright Green\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eGreat for poor soils and brightening a shady corner\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGrowing Common Laurel\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt'll grow in any soil apart from waterlogged. It's very shade tolerant, and is a go-to choice for shady sites with poor, dry soil.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt's low maintenance and can be hard pruned at anytime if necessary, although it'll bounce back better if you do this in winter.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Cherry Laurel hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003eLike most formal hedging, plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eIts vigour is second to none, its rounded, shiny leaves play with light to brighten a dark corner of the garden, and it can be shaped into individual balls or lollipops that look fantastic.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlant a laurel hedge next to a low, stone wall, and you can 'extend' your wall by several metres by trimming the laurel flush to the wall's face. It'll provide a perfect screen to block the line of sight from nearby buildings, and is an ideal windbreak to provide shelter in a garden so that you can grow more tender ornamental trees and plants.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLead and stone statuary or planters look especially good against its vibrant green and are indicative of how laurel can be used in a more formal setting where you use laurel to provide structure in the garden as opposed to the more commonly used but slower growing box or yew.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother use is as ground cover for game and wildlife, although it's probably best not to grow it next to a field containing livestock because it's poisonous to them.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eHow to Clip \u0026amp; Prune Laurel Hedges \u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome formative pruning will make it as dense as possible. Do not clip Laurel Hedging straight after planting, but wait until new leaves appear, showing that the roots have established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eLaurel can put out new growth from the junction of stem and leaf.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eTo encourage this growth, cut back a branch so two or three leaves remain.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eA new side shoot will come from each leaf within a few weeks.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eDo this yearly until there is a good structure of bushy branches.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eA mature hedge is best pruned with secateurs and loppers when practical, which won't leave ragged foliage.\u003cbr\u003e\nThe best time to use a hedge trimmer is the middle of Spring, when the vigorous new growth will cover the ragged foliage.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrim your hedge into a sort of \"A\" shape, with a flat top. A slight taper to a hedge - wider at the bottom than at the top - allows light and air to get to the lower branches, keeping them healthy and covered in leaf.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHard Pruning Old Laurel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Laurel cut to the ground will grow back. Mid-winter is the best time for surgery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat we refer to as cherry or common laurel is not a true laurel like the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/sweet-bay-leaf-laurel-hedge-plants-laurus-nobilis\"\u003ebay leaf laurel\u003c\/a\u003e (Laurus nobilis): it belongs to the cherry family, the genus Prunus. It has a long tradition of use in gardens here since it was first introduced from the Ottoman Empire in the 1500s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe long-lasting foliage is a standard element for floristry.\u003c!-- wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBefore Laurel, the main evergreen broadleaf available in Britain was \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-holly-hedge-plants-ilex-aquifolium\"\u003eHolly\u003c\/a\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/box-hedging-plants\"\u003eboxwood\u003c\/a\u003e is too slow for tall barrier hedges around a garden), and it's mostly a case of \"everything Holly can do, Laurel can do better\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c!-- wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCherry laurel has \u003cstrong\u003eheavier, bigger leaves\u003c\/strong\u003e than Holly that are better at \u003cstrong\u003eexcluding light\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003etraffic noise\u003c\/strong\u003e. They also stop effectively weeds from getting started in their dense shade. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c!-- wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it grows quickly to considerable heights, whereas Holly has medium-to-low vigour and so isn't ideal for really tall hedges.\u003cbr\u003e\nThere is a splendid laurel hedge outside Bristol providing shelter from the M5 that is around 20 feet, 7 metres, tall; you can't achieve that with Holly in a reasonable time frame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:paragraph --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992625369414,"sku":"PRUNLAURO-30\/50","price":2.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992625402182,"sku":"PRUNLAURO-60\/80","price":4.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 80\/100cm 3L","offer_id":54992625434950,"sku":"PRUNLAURO-3L","price":11.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/cherry-laurel-prunus-laurocerasus-rotundifolia-hedge-leaves-2.jpg?v=1755466841"},{"product_id":"cherry-plum-hedge-plants-prunus-cerasifera-myrobalan","title":"Cherry Plum Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCherry Plum Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCherry Plum, Prunus cerasifera\u003c\/strong\u003e is an untidy looking large shrub or small tree with a shaggy canopy that makes an excellent \u003cstrong\u003ecountry or urban hedging plant\u003c\/strong\u003e. Prunus cerasifera is one of the first woody plants to flower each spring, starting in February and usually continuing until April. It has a few thorns. Its small, red\/purple plums are edible, about an inch wide and are ripe in July. They're sweet and quite tasty, like a greengage with a less intense flavour. It makes an equally good hedge plant and screening tree. When it's grown as a tree, it develops a twiggy, wild looking canopy that is good for blocking sight and tends to attract nesting birds. It'll grow on most well drained soils and will reach 6-8 metres if it grows freely as a tree. The plants on this page are young saplings, ideal for planting as hedging or in woodland projects. You can also buy large, ornamental \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/black-cherry-plum-trees-prunus-cerasifera-nigra\"\u003ePurple Cherry Plum trees\u003c\/a\u003e here, which have a much tidier canopy.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nCherry Plum hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWhen you are ordering Cherry Plum plants for a hedge, we generally recommend that you use plants that are graded at 60\/80cm. They're cheaper than large plants, easier to handle and they'll establish well in poor conditions.\u003cbr\u003e\nUse the larger, 90\/120cm high plants if you want a taller hedge quickly or for instant impact as a specimen tree.\u003cbr\u003e\nAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Cherry Plum hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlant Cherry Plum hedging at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003cbr\u003e\nYou can also plant Cherry Plum at 6 plants per metre in a staggered double row, with 33cm between each plant along the row and 40 between the rows.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992625500486,"sku":"PRUNCER-60\/80","price":1.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992625533254,"sku":"PRUNCER-90\/120","price":3.45,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992625566022,"sku":"PRUNCER-40\/60","price":1.84,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/cherry-plum-prunus-cerasifera-fruit-3.jpg?v=1755634298"},{"product_id":"colorado-blue-spruce-sapling-trees-picea-pungens-glauca","title":"Blue Spruce Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBlue Spruce Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlue Spruce\u003c\/strong\u003e is a natural variant of the Colorado spruce, being a medium-sized tree with blue tinted, grey-green needles. Especially beautiful by water, it also makes a good no drop Christmas tree. To 15m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreens\u003c\/a\u003e, our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003esapling trees and hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spruces are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for ornamental use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our sapling trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 15m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Moist, slightly acidic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSilvery-grey foliage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLooks good beside water\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Blue Spruce\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's not fussy about soil, but will be most vigorous on rich, moist, slightly acidic sites. Good drought tolerance when established. Suitable for exposed, windy sites.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 20\/40cm","offer_id":54992625697094,"sku":"PICEPUNGLA-30\/40","price":4.08,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 15\/25cm","offer_id":54992625729862,"sku":"PICEPUNGL-15\/30","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/blue-spruce-mature-tree.jpg?v=1755543003"},{"product_id":"common-green-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica","title":"Green Beech Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGreen Beech Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGreen Beech\u003c\/strong\u003e is superb as formal garden hedging. It adds value to your property on par with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/yew-hedging-plants-taxus\"\u003eYew\u003c\/a\u003e, which is by default the most valuable in most places.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike an evergreen hedge, Beech gives you seasons of shifting colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn spring, its branches are clothed with bright green leaves with a wisp of furriness that mature to a rich green in Summer, and remain for most of Winter russet-coloured in the autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiny flowers mature into beech nuts in the autumn. The bark is smooth and grey, the colour of elephant hide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a well-clipped hedge, you get the changing foliage colours from spring to autumn, and then it'll hold onto its dry leaves through the winter (known as marcescence), giving you the privacy of an evergreen hedge but with all that variety in colour and tone across the year.\u003cbr\u003eAs a tree, it can reach 35 metres, and tends not to hold its leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/copper-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica-purpurea\"\u003ecopper beech hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e, all \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e, or buy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/beech-trees-fagus\"\u003ebeech trees in large standard sizes\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHedge: 1m to very tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSite: any well drained soil, sunny\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBest Non-Evergreen Formal Hedge Plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 3\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLush glossy green foliage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHolds Autumn leaves in Winter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdds value to your property\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot Beech plants are delivered during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePot-Grown Beech plants are delivered year round.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Beech Hedge: How many plants do I need per metre?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe planting density for your Beech hedge depends on the purpose, a normal garden boundary hedge is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/hedging\/how-many-hedge-plants-metre-spacing-distance\"\u003e3 plants per metre\u003c\/a\u003e, spaced at 33cm, in a single row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStock-proof country hedge (traditional in some areas): \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/hedging\/double-staggered-row-hedge-spacing-planting-distance\"\u003e6 plants per metre\u003c\/a\u003e, in a double row (i.e. start one row 16.5cm after the other), with 40cm between rows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA decorative hedge within your garden could be 2 plants per metre, spaced at 50cm, in a single row.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat size Beech hedge plants should I buy?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy default, we recommend the smaller sizes, up to 80cm tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e60\/80cm tall the most popular size, considered an ideal compromise between price, size, root disturbance, and waiting time until you get a mature hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIf you need instant height, or are filling gaps in an existing hedge, then pick the biggest size that fits your budget.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmaller plants:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre cheaper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEasier to plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEstablish well because their roots are more intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMay not need support in sheltered site with no threats\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAre easy to clip attentively and ensure a very bushy hedge from the base\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is a trough?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA trough is a large plant container made from strong, flexible woven plastic.\u003cbr\u003eOur troughs are 100cm long, and 30cm square at the ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContains 5 beech\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs cheaper than buying 5 potted beech\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlants can develop more roots in the extra space\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeeps plants growing together in a straight row\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIs easy to carry \u0026amp; move as a liner for plant containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne trough of Beech plants is a ready-made metre long section of hedge that is \u003cstrong\u003ebest planted\u003c\/strong\u003e directly into well-prepared soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut, the plants could stay in their trough and \u003cstrong\u003einsert into a large container as a liner\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cbr\u003eThey'll need irrigation; in the long term, also top-ups of soil as the potting medium settles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlong with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/yew-hedging-plants-taxus\"\u003eYew\u003c\/a\u003e, Beech is a go-to hedge for increasing the value of your property, and is the most popular deciduous garden hedge in the UK today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA space enclosed by beech has a weightlessness to it that cannot be achieved by the more sombre dark colours of evergreen hedging. A beech hedge will provide 'bones' for your garden year round so that you can divide your garden into rooms, or just create an elegant boundary with your neighbour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA clipped beech hedge is a tremendous backdrop to a herbaceous border, providing a contrast to the colour of the flowers and a flat background to set off the architectural shapes of plants like Acanthus or any dark, evergreen topiary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne planting idea is to grow a pretty Ivy such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/sulphur-heart-paddys-pride-ivy-plants-hedera-colchica\"\u003eSulphur Heart \/ Paddy's Pride\u003c\/a\u003e under the hedge, which smothers the weeds and frames its base nicely. On a slightly grander scale, statues looks wonderful against a beech hedge: stand a stone or lead urn, planter or figure against it and immediately your garden will look more sophisticated and complete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce a hedge is well-established you can experiment with cutting niches into it to contain statues or sculptures. To add drama, intersperse some copper beech amongst the green (or go the whole hog and just plant a copper beech hedge).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Green Beech Plants\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeech will thrive in any well drained soil, in a sunny position.\u003cbr\u003eIt's wind resistant, ideal on the tops of banks (where it loves the drainage).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeech \u003cstrong\u003edoesn't like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWet soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWinter waterlogging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFull shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf it takes more than a day for surface water to drain away after heavy rains, then your soil is probably too heavy for Beech, in which case \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hornbeam-hedging-plants-carpinus\"\u003eHornbeam\u003c\/a\u003e is the closest alternative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's easily clipped to shape and only requires yearly pruning making it low maintenance once established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt rarely succumbs to disease: when it does, it's usually tar crust, which typically affects old trees, not hedges.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 20\/40cm","offer_id":54992625828166,"sku":"FAGUSYL-30\/40","price":1.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992625860934,"sku":"FAGUSYL-40\/60","price":1.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992625893702,"sku":"FAGUSYL-60\/80","price":1.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992625926470,"sku":"FAGUSYL-90\/125","price":2.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 120\/150cm","offer_id":54992625959238,"sku":"FAGUSYL-120\/150","price":3.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 150\/175cm","offer_id":54992625992006,"sku":"FAGUSYL-150\/175","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Trough \/ 150\/175cm 1m Trough","offer_id":54992626024774,"sku":"FAGUSYL-150\/175cm 1m Trough","price":169.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Trough \/ 125\/150cm 1m Trough","offer_id":54992626057542,"sku":"FAGUSYL-125\/150cm 1m Trough","price":149.94,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/green-beech-hedging.webp?v=1757102573"},{"product_id":"common-hazel-hedge-plants-corylus-avellana","title":"Hazel Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHazel Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFor harvesting nuts for eating, have a look at the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/cosford-cobnut-hazel-trees\"\u003eCosford\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHazel\u003c\/strong\u003e, the wild Cobnut, is a superb, naturally bushy hedge plant with pretty, rounded, slightly serrated green leaves. Come the autumn, it forms the palest green hazelnuts, tightly held in an Elizabethan green lace ruff. In late winter or early Spring, the male part of the plant produces resplendent, fluffy yellow catkins which dangle decoratively along the hedge. It grows at a cracking rate, gaining about 45cm every year. If grown separately hazel trees will reach about 10 m.\u003cbr\u003eBrowse our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hazel hedge plants are only delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and all-round more convenient for hedges, and will tolerate sub-par aftercare better than larger plants.\u003cbr\u003eIf instant impact is your priority, or if you're only buying a few plants for ornamental use, then you may as well use bigger ones to save yourself waiting for a year or two.\u003cbr\u003eAll our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground: the roots aren't measured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHedge Height: 1m upwards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll soils apart from very acidic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClassic component of conservation hedging,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGood for coppicing or as a specimen tree.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Bright Green with lovely autumn tints\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFruit: edible nuts in autumn, catkins in February\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLocation: Shade tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Hazel Hedging\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey're wonderfully easy going, ignoring even waterlogged soil or deep shade (both might be too much together, but the survival rate for 100 hazel planted in the wet shade will be non-zero), they'll thrive on chalk, and acidic soil is fine. The only place Hazel won't grow is on the coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter its first prune immediately after planting (as always with country hedging), it needs little encouragement to thicken out and form a dense screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Hazel hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHazel is a superb hedge plant, and interesting enough to be used as a specimen tree in a park or along a drive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf your hazel is to be for cropping, you should brut your hazel's branches by snapping, without breaking off, the ends of all the new shoots that were made this year. Count up to six or seven leaves on the new shoot from where it comes out of the older wood and crimp the shoot there by bending it over. \u003cbr\u003eNote that hazel tends to crop poorly on fertile soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pure hazel hedge is a thing of beauty and practicality in its own right. Grow it to be laid for fences, or just trimmed to the correct height - every other year is fine, and better for wildlife.\u003cbr\u003eBecause it supports so much wildlife and is resilient as anything, it's ideal for a range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/mixed-hedging-plant-packs\"\u003emixed hedging\u003c\/a\u003e uses. Its golden catkins delight beekeepers, as hazel pollen ripens early in the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can coppice hazel to produce lovely, bendy withies or stakes for use in the garden: perfect for making decorative arches or wigwams to grow gourds, runner beans, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/sweet-pea-seedling-plugs\"\u003esweet peas\u003c\/a\u003e over.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992626090310,"sku":"CORYAVE-40\/60","price":1.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992626123078,"sku":"CORYAVE-60\/80","price":1.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992626155846,"sku":"CORYAVE-100\/125","price":2.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/common-hazelnuts-corylus-avellana-1.jpg?v=1755543128"},{"product_id":"common-native-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sanguinea","title":"Common Red Dogwood Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Red Dogwood Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCornus sanguinea\u003c\/strong\u003e is the native British dogwood. It's a large deciduous shrub with blood-red and green stems in spring, white flowers in summer and black fruit in September and October. It's a great country hedge plant that loves wet sites.\u003cbr\u003eFor more ornamental bark colours, see our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood varieties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dogwood plants are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e When you are ordering dogwood plants for a hedge, we generally recommend that you use plants that are graded at 40\/60cm or 60\/80cm. They're cheaper than large plants, easier to handle, and they'll establish well in poor conditions. Use the larger, 90\/120cm high plants if you want a tall hedge quickly, or for gaps in established hedges.\u003cbr\u003eAll our hedge plants are measuredby their height in centimetres above the ground when planted\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 3-4m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any, loves very wet sites with good sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Mixed native country hedges, wildlife cover.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 3\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDouble row: 6\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Dogwood\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike willow, dogwood really loves wet soil beside water and doesn't mind being underwater for most of the winter. However, with you to help it establish, it'll thrive in poor, dry soil just as well, especially with a good amount of sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Dogwood hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a classic component of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-conservation-hedge-plants\"\u003emixed native hedges\u003c\/a\u003e; it could make a hedge by itself, but it would be relatively easy for an intruder to scramble over it. It's a bit too untidy to make it a good specimen shrub, but it can be allowed to grow freely as attractive wildlife cover, especially for water fowl in the wet locations that it loves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnown as bloody or blood-twig dogwood in America, it has a fistful of common names, including dog cherry, catteridge, gadrise, and peg or prick wood (no comment).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFormer botanical names include Cornus latifolia or sylvestris and Swida sanguinea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe name Dogwood comes from the Saxon Dagwood or \"skewer-wood\". The stems of Common Dogwood are very straight, can be sharpened easily and are ideal as skewers for your home-made barbecues during those long hot English summers.\u003cbr\u003e\nÖtzi the Iceman, who was rudely awakened in the early 1990's from his 5,000 year nap, had viburnum and dogwood arrows, along with a copper axe, a stone knife, and a Yew bow.\u003cbr\u003e\nHe was promptly arrested for possession of offensive weapons without a licence, and has been incarcerated in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992626188614,"sku":"CORNSAN-40\/60","price":1.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992626221382,"sku":"CORNSAN-60\/80","price":2.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992626254150,"sku":"CORNSAN-90\/120","price":4.68,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/common-dogwood-cornus-sanguinea-autumn-leaves-4.jpg?v=1755634316"},{"product_id":"common-osier-willow-hedge-plants-salix-viminalis","title":"Common Osier Willow Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Osier Willow Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Osier Willow, Salix viminalis\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a large, fast-growing waterside shrub, with dense, flexible stems and an upright growth habit. It's very vigorous, growing up to 1.5 metres per year. It has long, slender leaves that open following the appearance of catkins in spring, which are green on females and yellow on males. In the wild, it rarely reaches more than 4-6m tall, but with pruning it can grow close to 10m. \u003cbr\u003e If you want a supply of willow withies to weave, or if you need a screen in a hurry, it's a great choice. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e See our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow plants\u003c\/a\u003e or view our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging and sapling plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bareroot plants are delivered during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 6m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Ideally wet, with full sun, but will tolerate most soils except chalk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrows on the coast, but not with roots in seawater. Brackish water is tolerable. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Screening, soil stabilisation, withies for weaving.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 2 per metre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Salix viminalis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWillows love wet soil and plenty of sun. They won't grow in salt water, but otherwise are happy in exposed coastal locations with salty winds. They'll tolerate sites with industrial pollution, but not chalk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a row of Salix viminalis: \u003c\/strong\u003ePlant at 2 per metre, 50cm apart in a single row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's excellent for growing as a low maintenance tall screen or windbreak; it's extremely vigorous and its shoots don't have enough side branches to make a \"proper\" formal hedge. For extra interest and wildlife value, interplant with other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow varieties\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts matted, fibrous roots, are ideal to reduce soil erosion on banks beside water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/trees\/why-willows-and-drains-do-not-mix\"\u003eWillow roots will clog pipes and drains\u003c\/a\u003e if they get into them like nothing else (Poplar and Alder are close contenders), so don't plant them closer than 10-15 metres to buildings.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992626286918,"sku":"SALIVIM-60\/80","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/common-osier-willow-leaves-salix-viminalis-1.jpg?v=1755543129"},{"product_id":"copper-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica-purpurea","title":"Copper \/ Purple Beech Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCopper \/ Purple Beech Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopper beech is one of the most elegant hedges available to the British gardener. It has all the qualities of green beech hedging; it grows almost anywhere where there are reasonable light levels and where the ground isn't waterlogged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopper beech, when properly clipped, will bush out to form a waterfall of purple leaves from tip to toe that look superb for the entire growing season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Autumn, the leaves turn ruddy-copper before drying and, like green beech, remain on the branches. Anyone blessed with the space to grow a copper beech tree as a feature should certainly invest in one; they're magnificent trees that draw the eye to some distant part of the garden or neighbouring field. Most of us aren't that lucky, however, so a hedge of copper beech adds panache and a sense of theatre to a garden full of greens and silvers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn other respects like growth rate, habit, soil preferences, disease resistance and so on, it's identical to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-green-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica\"\u003eGreen beech\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note that new \u003cstrong\u003eCopper Beech leaves\u003c\/strong\u003e are \u003cstrong\u003emostly green when they first open\u003c\/strong\u003e, darkening as they fully open and mature. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBrowse our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/beech-hedging-plants-fagus\"\u003ebeech hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Beech plants are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and overall better for hedge use, unless instant impact is your priority. If you are only buying a few plants for ornamental use, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is a trough?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA trough contains 5 beech, and is better value than buying 5 potted beech of the same size.\u003cbr\u003eThe trough keeps the beech growing together in a nice row, it's easy to carry and remove, and the ready-made section of hedge should be planting directly into well-prepared soil, and watered very well so that the water has time to penetrate the large block of potting soil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 1m to very tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: well-drained, likes full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Formal\/Native\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: copper - purple\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDramatic backdrop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Purple Beech\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeech is a true British native, and as such it's happy growing across the majority of the conditions found in the British Isles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs full sun to thrive and won't tolerate wet sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeech cannot stand wet feet or more than a bit of shade, but given good drainage and close to full sun, they'll handle pretty much any soil, be it poor or chalky.\u003cbr\u003eEven if it didn't need it, you would want to plant it in full sun anyway for the effect of the light shining through the leaves in Spring and Winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpacing a beech hedge\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecommended \u003cstrong\u003edouble row spacing\u003c\/strong\u003e: 4 per metre, 50cm apart along each row, rows 40cm apart\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStandard single row spacing: 3 per metre, 33cm apart\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStaggered double row spacing: 6 per metre, 33cm apart along each row, rows 40cm apart\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe density of leaves means that your privacy is guaranteed if you grow it as a boundary or perimeter hedge. Being 'everciduous', if you trim the trees in mid-summer they'll hold onto their leaves throughout the winter, maintaining the privacy and year round structure in your garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA copper beech hedge is a perfect tool for dividing and defining space in a garden and provides a fantastic opportunity for colour combining; silver foliage and really bright colours stand out so well against it. Imagine a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/perennial-plants\"\u003eherbaceous border\u003c\/a\u003e full of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-pretty-pinks-perennial-plants-six-varieties\"\u003ePink colours\u003c\/a\u003e enveloped by a rich purple hedge, rather like a photo frame containing and focusing attention on the picture within.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a solid copper beech hedge feels like overkill, take inspiration from a garden like Hidcote, where they have a famous tapestry hedge of copper beech interspersed with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-holly-hedge-plants-ilex-aquifolium\"\u003eholly\u003c\/a\u003e. Alternatively, mix up some \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-green-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica\"\u003egreen beech\u003c\/a\u003e with the purple variety to ring the changes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopper beech’s foliage starts life in different colours, from quite green to almost pink, but always translucent and a thing of wonder in May with the early morning or late evening sun behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat differentiates copper beech from green beech is the near-continuous change of foliage colour that takes place through the year.\u003cbr\u003eThe early pinks \u0026amp; greens of late spring darken to a true copper in summer, then as autumn approaches it carries on through increasingly deep shades of purple to the darkest green before the foliage dies.\u003cbr\u003e‘Marcescence’ is the word for retaining dead foliage through winter, adding a cheerful note of soft, crisp golden-brown leaves from late October to the beginning of April.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike green beech, it's this range of colour that copper beech displays for nearly ten or eleven months out of twelve makes it one of the most consistently remarkable sights you can find in any garden throughout the year. From formal to informal and short to tall, there is no other hedge plant like it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeech \u003cstrong\u003eclips beautifully\u003c\/strong\u003e. As a young plant, beech grows surprisingly quickly, but as each branch is clipped, smaller branches sprout from the 3 or 4 buds beneath the cut. Every time the hedge is cut, this process repeats and an enormous network of branches and sub-branches is built up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis structure requires nourishment and support, so as it gets larger the hedge devotes an increasing proportion of its energy to maintenance, and not growth, i.e. it slows with age.\u003cbr\u003eThis deceleration makes for a perfect hedge plant: it gets to your required size relatively quickly and thereafter grows relatively slowly. You can get away with clipping a mature beech hedge once a year, and you will keep it looking very neat indeed with 2 clips. That puts beech in pretty much the same hedge maintenance category as yew and box.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca\u003eBeech\u003c\/a\u003e is \u003cstrong\u003eforgiving of mistakes\u003c\/strong\u003e. Unlike almost all coniferous hedge plants (apart from \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/yew-hedge-plants-taxus-baccata\"\u003eYew\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/western-red-cedar-hedge-plants-thuja-plicata\"\u003eThuja\u003c\/a\u003e), beech regrows from old wood. This means that if you cut deep and expose the inside of the hedge, new shoots will appear to repair the hole before long.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992626549062,"sku":"FAGUSYLPUR-40\/60","price":3.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992626581830,"sku":"FAGUSYLPUR-60\/80","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992626614598,"sku":"FAGUSYLPUR-90\/120","price":8.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 120\/150cm","offer_id":54992626647366,"sku":"FAGUSYLPUR-120\/150","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 150\/175cm","offer_id":54992626680134,"sku":"FAGUSYLPUR-150\/175","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Trough \/ 125\/150cm 1m Trough","offer_id":54992626712902,"sku":"FAGUSYLPU-125\/150cm 1m Trough","price":149.94,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 150\/175 10 Litre","offer_id":54992626745670,"sku":"FAGUSYLPU-150\/175-10L","price":41.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/copper-beech-fagus-purpurea-hedge-narrow.jpg?v=1755634331"},{"product_id":"cornelian-cherry-sapling-trees-cornus-mas","title":"Cornelian Cherry Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCornelian Cherry Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCornus mas\u003c\/strong\u003e, the \u003cstrong\u003eCornelian Cherry\u003c\/strong\u003e, or \u003cstrong\u003eedible dogwood\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a small tree or large shrub and is ideal as either a specimen or as part of a mixed hedge. It flowers early in the year (which is great for bees), usually starting in February, sometimes January, with loads of small, yellow, witch hazel-like flowers appearing on the bare branches. It looks fantastic when the morning or afternoon sun is behind it and shines through the branches. The flowers ripen into bright red, acidic, edible cherry-like fruits, which give this tree its common name of Cornelian Cherry (Cornel is another word for dogwood). The leaves turn a lovely reddish-purple in the autumn to finish off the show: it doesn't have brightly coloured new bark, but mature plants have moderately interesting, flaky brown bark. All of which make it one of those \"three tricks in one\" garden plants that help create year round interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt can reach 5 metres if it's pruned into a tree, but about 3 metres is typical for a shrub in the wild.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all of our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003evarieties of Dogwood\u003c\/a\u003e, our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003eshrub hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cornelian Cherries are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 3-5m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any. Thrives on chalk and damp soil.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Hedging, Specimen, Waterside\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Yellow flowers in Jan\/Feb - March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEdible red fruit in June-August\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Edible Dogwood\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDogwoods are tough shrubs that thrive in damp soils near water, but once established are also fine in dry, poor soil. They won't flower much in more than partial shade, so if you are planting them as a specimen, the more sun the better.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo be clear, this dogwood should \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e be hard pruned down to ground level every spring as you would with an ornamental dogwood like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/midwinter-fire-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sanguinea\"\u003emidwinter fire\u003c\/a\u003e, although it's fine to hard prune it if it gets overgrown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormerly classified as Cornus mascula, we say that it has a technical RHS Award of Garden Merit because four of its cultivars do.\u003cbr\u003e\nLittle is known of its origins in Britain, except that it has been naturalised here for several hundred years and is native to Southern Europe and Turkey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit tastes like a sharp plum when fully ripe, but even slightly under ripe ones are too sour to enjoy fresh, and they do not all ripen at the same time, so it is often made into jams (you will need to add pectin).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, the fruit was commonly preserved in brine like an olive, and it's making a bit of a comeback in permaculture gardens, especially on wet ground where most fruit trees struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is caffeine in the seeds, which can be roasted and ground into a powder.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992626843974,"sku":"CORNMAS-60\/80","price":3.96,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/cornelian-cherry-cornus-mas-dogwood-berries-1.jpg?v=1757073563"},{"product_id":"cotoneaster-franchetii-hedge-plants-orange-berries","title":"Cotoneaster franchetii Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCotoneaster franchetii Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCotoneaster franchetii\u003c\/strong\u003e is a medium sized, bushy shrub that makes a dense, attractive hedging plant. It's almost evergreen in the UK; it keeps its leaves in a mild winter and loses them, usually in late winter, if the weather is harsh. This is normal and doesn't hurt the plants. It has pale pink flowers in the spring, followed by masses of decorative orange berries in autumn. Its neat green foliage clips beautifully, so you can keep it looking very tidy. \u003cbr\u003eAccording to a study by the RHS, it's by far the most effective hedge plant for absorbing air pollution. \u003cbr\u003e It's good for hedges up to about 2-3 metres high. \u003cbr\u003e Browse all of our other varieties of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/cotoneaster-hedging-plants\"\u003eCotoneaster shrubs \u0026amp; trees\u003c\/a\u003e, our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/coastal-salt-tolerant-hedging-plants\"\u003ecoastal hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bareroot plants are delivered during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMost effective plant for absorbing air pollution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHedge Height: To 2-3m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: all soils apart from waterlogged, shade \u0026amp; urban pollution tolerant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrows on the coast.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Formal Hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 3\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvergreen in mild winters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrnamental orange berries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Cotoneaster franchetii\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's not fussy about soil as long as it isn't waterlogged, and it doesn't mind a bit of shade either. It likes heavy clay, and is widely planted in polluted inner city areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a well-behaved shrub for the back of a border, easy to keep looking tidy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs hedging, it's often mixed with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/cotoneaster-simonsii-hedge-plants-red-berries\"\u003eRed Berried Cotoneaster Simonsii\u003c\/a\u003e for a bit more colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Cotoneaster franchetii hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003eLike most formal hedging, plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a Chinese plant that was brought to Europe in 1895 by the French Abbot Soulie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to a 2020 RHS study, it is the best hedge plant for absorbing urban air pollution by a long chalk.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627007814,"sku":"COTOFRA-40\/60","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627040582,"sku":"COTOFRA-CN-40\/60","price":14.88,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 120\/140cm","offer_id":54992627073350,"sku":"COTOFRA-120\/140-7L","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Trough \/ 125\/150cm 1m Trough","offer_id":54992627106118,"sku":"COTOFRA-120-150cm 1m Trough","price":134.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/franchets-cotoneaster-franchetii-berries-1.jpg?v=1755634421"},{"product_id":"cotoneaster-simonsii-hedge-plants-red-berries","title":"Cotoneaster simonsii Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCotoneaster simonsii Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHimalayan Cotoneaster \u003c\/strong\u003eis a strong growing, upright, semi-evergreen shrub that clips neatly as a hedging plant. Cotoneaster simonsii is almost evergreen; it keeps its leaves in a mild winter and loses them, usually in late winter, if the weather is harsh. This is normal and doesn't hurt the plants.\u003cbr\u003eIts small, dense leaves make it ideal for hedging and it responds well to regular clipping if you want to keep it really neat. It has lots of charming, tiny flowers in spring and bright red berries in autumn and early winter. Cotoneaster simonsii is good for hedges up to about 2 metres high. It's often planted in a mixed hedge with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/cotoneaster-franchetii-hedge-plants-orange-berries\"\u003eOrange Berried Cotoneaster franchetii\u003c\/a\u003e for a bit more colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all of our other varieties of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/cotoneaster-hedging-plants\"\u003eCotoneaster shrubs \u0026amp; trees\u003c\/a\u003e. Alternatively, see our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/coastal-salt-tolerant-hedging-plants\"\u003ecoastal hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBareroot hedge plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-Apr) and are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627138886,"sku":"COTOSIM-40\/60","price":2.82,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/cotoneaster-simonsii-berries-1.jpg?v=1755543132"},{"product_id":"crab-apple-hedge-plants-malus-sylvestris","title":"Wild Crab Apple Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWild Crab Apple Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe native, \u003cstrong\u003ewild Crab apple \u003c\/strong\u003etree\u003cstrong\u003e, Malus sylvestris\u003c\/strong\u003e, is an excellent hedging plant, commonly planted in mixed country hedges, and pretty enough to make a decent ornamental tree for an average sized garden.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe glossy leaves have serrated edges and turn yellow in Autumn. The glorious white and pink blossom is sweetly scented.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo a varying degree depending on age and location, it has spines.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe plants on this page are young saplings, ideal for planting as hedging or in woodland projects. Browse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/crab-apple-trees-malus\"\u003eornamental Crab apple trees\u003c\/a\u003e here (these are sold in larger sizes), or view our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/native-british-hedging-plants\"\u003enative hedging\u003c\/a\u003e and our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWild Crab apple hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nFor a hedge, we generally recommend that you use plants that are graded at 40\/60cm or 60\/80cm. They're cheaper than large plants, easier to handle, and they'll establish well in poor conditions. Use the larger, 90\/120cm tall plants if you want a high hedge quickly, or if you are planting them near \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/apple-fruit-trees\"\u003eapple trees\u003c\/a\u003e as pollination partners.\u003cbr\u003e\nAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eSizes available: 40\/60cm, 60\/80cm, 90\/120cm\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eAlmost any soil except very poor or waterlogged.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eTolerates dappled shade.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eEdible fruit.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eFragrant white blossom with hints of pink.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHeight: To 9m\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003ePollinates orchard apple trees\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eBareroot Delivery Only: Nov-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGrowing Crab Apples\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eNative crab apples are very tough and will grow pretty much anywhere except in full shade or on very poor, sandy, dry soils.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese hardy plants have a shrubby habit when grown as a tree, with densely packed, twiggy branches. They tend not to grow into an even form without a guiding hand to shape them, but be selective with your pruning cuts; too much trimming will just cause the tree to produce loads of new stems (this quality makes them such a great hedge plant), so focus on removing inward growing stems, and if you want to remove a large branch, consider doing it in chunks over two or three years if you can.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch4\u003eSpacing a Crab apple hedge:\u003c\/h4\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a hedge, it's invariably mixed with Hawthorn to give it more strength, and because it'll look even lovelier with the different blossom, leaf colour, and fruit. It's a classic component of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-conservation-hedge-plants\"\u003emixed country hedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt makes a decent, if unevenly shaped, ornamental tree for an average sized garden.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIts long flowering season makes it an easy pollination partner for orchard apples: for this purpose, we recommend \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/john-downie-crab-apple-trees-malus\"\u003eJohn Downie\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/golden-hornet-crab-apple-trees-malus\"\u003eGolden Hornet\u003c\/a\u003e, which also have better quality fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627302726,"sku":"MALUSYL-40\/60","price":1.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992627335494,"sku":"MALUSYL-60\/80","price":1.64,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992627368262,"sku":"MALUSYL-90\/120","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/wild-crabapple-malus-sylvestris-fruit-1.jpg?v=1755385697"},{"product_id":"crack-willow-hedge-plants-salix-fragilis","title":"Crack Willow Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCrack Willow Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCrack Willow\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSalix fragilis\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a large, wide spreading deciduous waterside tree with dark green leaves and catkins in spring. The tree has beautifully fissured bark when it's mature and an upright canopy. Fallen branches are so good at rooting in wet soil that in some parts of the country, a single crack willow has cloned itself for long stretches of river bank. All willows are good for bees and butterflies. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCrack Willow plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April). All of our young trees and shrubs are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tree is closely related to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/white-willow-hedge-plants-salix-alba\"\u003eSalix alba,\u003c\/a\u003e and gets its name mainly because its whippy young stems are easy to snap cleanly off the branches, but also because the trunks of old trees tend to split open. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992627401030,"sku":"SALIFRA-60\/80","price":2.34,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/crack-willow-mature-tree.jpg?v=1755542985"},{"product_id":"dog-rose-hedge-plants-rosa-canina","title":"Dog Rose Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDog Rose Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDog Rose\u003c\/strong\u003e is the cheapest and most commonly used native wild rose for use in prickly, secure country hedging. It's an incredibly hardy, fast-growing and versatile plant that will grow pretty much anywhere except on the very wettest sites. It carries clusters of single, scented pale pink flowers in early summer that bees love, and small red hips in autumn that attract birds. \u003cbr\u003e Standing alone, they'll grow to 1.5 metres, but when they're pushed up against other plants in a mixed hedge, they can reach over 3 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/wild-rose-plants\"\u003eroses for hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or see our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/thorny-hedging-plants\"\u003ethorny hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Rosa canina hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April). \u003cbr\u003e All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative. Very prickly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAny soil except waterlogged.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTolerates shade well.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 1.5m by itself, or over 3m in a mixed hedge.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePale pink, scented flowers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed rose hips in autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreat for bees \u0026amp; other insects.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot Delivery Only Nov-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Dog Rose\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a hedge plant, it'll grow anywhere with a bit of sun and soil that isn't waterlogged. If you are growing it as a shrub, it likes full sun to flower and fruit really well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpacing a Dog Rose hedge:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can grow it as a climber\/rambler over a fence, wall, or up a tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a very common component of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-conservation-hedge-plants\"\u003emixed country hedging\u003c\/a\u003e. It'll make a decent enough, shaggy country hedge by itself, but it needs something like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna\"\u003eHawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/blackthorn-sloe-hedge-plants-prunus-spinosa\"\u003eBlackthorn\u003c\/a\u003e to give it more structure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWild roses aren't often used as specimen shrubs, probably because there are so many \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/rose-bushes\"\u003eamazing ornamental roses\u003c\/a\u003e to choose from, but if your priority is helping wildlife, then they're the best choice by far.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther common names include dog, hep or bird briar, cankerberry, and cat whin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you see roses in medieval era heraldry, they're usually based on this one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe oldest known specimen is the Tausendjähriger Rosenstock, the Thousand-years rosebush, growing up the side of Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany. It's about 9 metres tall and survived the carpet bombing by Allied forces that destroyed the cathedral itself in 1945, regrowing from the roots well before the cathedral was rebuilt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's on the RHS list of plants for pollinators.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992627466566,"sku":"ROSACAN-40\/60","price":1.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992627499334,"sku":"ROSACAN-60\/80","price":1.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/dog-rose-rosa-canina-rose-flowers-1-2.jpg?v=1755264997"},{"product_id":"elder-hedge-plants-sambucus-nigra","title":"Common Elderberry \/ Elderflower Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Elderberry \/ Elderflower Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eCommon Elderflower \u003c\/strong\u003eor \u003cstrong\u003eElderberry tree\u003c\/strong\u003e,\u003cstrong\u003e Sambucus nigra\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a large native shrub or small tree with graceful, fern-like leaves. It produces deliciously scented white flowers and purple berries, which are both edible. It can be used as a rough, rugged country hedging plant and will grow almost anywhere. \u003cbr\u003eLeft alone, Elderflower makes a verdant tree about 6 metres high: for more ornamental value, have a look at our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/golden-elder-plants-sambucus-nigra-aurea\"\u003eGolden Elder\u003c\/a\u003e or the lovely cultivar \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/black-lace-elder-plants-sambucus-nigra\"\u003eBlack Lace\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/native-british-hedging-plants\"\u003enative hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bareroot plants are delivered during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 6m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Grows anywhere, shade tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Rough native hedging, wildlife cover.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 2\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEdible, fragrant flowers and fruit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Elderberry\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's indestructible and will grow practically anywhere in the UK, including piles of construction rubbish, and very sandy coastal soils. In full shade, it'll become sparse and produce few flowers, but otherwise be fine. Few shrubs are easier to grow. I once hacked an old elder to smithereens to remove it, and dumped the pieces into an area of the garden that was left to grow wild with plenty of nettles and brambles: two years later, there was an Elder thicket there, already higher than the weeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing an Elderflower hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003eBeing such a bulky beast, a 50cm spacing is fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis plant makes a nice solid hedge by itself, but it's aggressive and is \u003cstrong\u003enot recommended for a mixed hedge\u003c\/strong\u003e. It'll never form a tidy, formal hedge and looks best when it's allowed to get a bit overgrown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElder is included in some mixed hedging packs although isn't really suitable for planting in the middle of a native hedge because it'll aggressively grow into the plants beside it. You can control this with hard pruning, but to save you the effort we recommend using it only at the end of a hedge, on a strip by itself, or planting it away from the hedge and letting it grow as a large shrub or small tree. Letting it grow freely will also give you a lot more flower heads and then berries. A farm near us has about 100m of solid elder hedge that they cut back in alternating 2-3 metre sections every year, so that there is always a good crop of flowers on the sections that were not trimmed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe leaves are poisonous to most domestic animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur own \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/blog\/elderflower-cordial-recipe\"\u003eElderflower cordial recipe\u003c\/a\u003e makes a fabulous soft drink, and easy to prepare. With a bit more work, you can also make \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/blog\/elderberry-syrup-recipe\"\u003eElderflower syrup\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/blogs\/blog\/elderflower-champagne-recipe\"\u003eElderflower champagne\u003c\/a\u003e. It is widely used in alcoholic drinks across Europe, such as types of Hungarian brandy and Swedish snaps. You can also try battering the flowers and quickly frying them for a cheap but exotic snack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is usually the case with widespread native plants that are also useful to humans to have a lot of common names from various regions, which include: acte, arn, boon, bur, boor and pipe tree.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992627630406,"sku":"SAMBNIG-60\/80","price":2.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/common-elderberries-sambucus-nigra-2.jpg?v=1755634318"},{"product_id":"elegantissima-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba","title":"Elegantissima Red Dogwood Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eElegantissima Red Dogwood Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a vigorous shrub with red young bark and variegated leaves. Cornus alba Elegantissima is generally used as an ornamental shrub. A wonderfully easy, fast-growing plant, this shrubby dogwood has variegated foliage. Its leaves have a jagged, creamy margin and an olive green centre and it produces small white flowers in May and June, which are followed by white fruit that sometimes has a hint of pale blue. Neither of these is very showy, however, and most gardeners grow Cornus alba Elegantissima for the glistening red bark of its new stems, which can transform a frozen winter landscape, especially when planted en masse. Dogwoods love moisture and are perfect plants to go on a river bank, in marshy areas or a bog garden. It makes a fine hedge plant, but \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/red-siberian-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eCornus alba\u003c\/a\u003e is cheaper and just as good.\u003cbr\u003eCornus alba Elegantissima will reach 3 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwoods for sale\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCornus alba Elegantissima plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April). All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety was bred at the turn of the 20th century. It won the RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2002.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992627728710,"sku":"CORNALBEL-60\/80","price":3.9,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/elegantissima-red-dogwood-cornus-alba-berries-1.jpg?v=1755470157"},{"product_id":"european-larch-sapling-trees-larix-decidua","title":"European Larch Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eEuropean Larch Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe European Larch tree, Larix decidua, is a \u003cstrong\u003edeciduous conifer\u003c\/strong\u003e, a large, graceful specimen tree that looks lovely in early spring, when the first new leaves and bright little pink-red female cones appear at the same time. The needles are richly scented and turn rusty orange in the autumn. \u003cbr\u003eMature trees produce large numbers of miniature cones with seeds that feed several bird species, and the thick, scaly bark is good for insects. The old cones stay firmly on the branches for several years, which is handy for making Christmas wreaths.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo 30-35 metres with a very narrow habit with young, spreading to a pyramid. \u003cbr\u003eYou can also buy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/japanese-larch-sapling-trees-larix-leptolepis\"\u003eJapanese Larch\u003c\/a\u003e to create a wild looking group of trees. \u003cbr\u003eBrowse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003elarge garden trees\u003c\/a\u003e, or all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Larch trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 30-35 metres\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeciduous conifer. Looks good interplanted with evergreen ones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVivid spring foliage, pink catkins\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttracts birds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well drained except chalk. Full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Larches\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWet sites or chalky soil aren't suitable. Larches are vigorous, light hungry trees that will shed old, low down branches if they're in the shade too much. \u003cbr\u003eYour trees can reach 45 metres, but about 30 metres is the norm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEuropean larches of Alpine origin seem to be susceptible to canker and have been replaced in production with other strains of the species from parts of Europe where resistance is high, including trees in Scotland who came from Germany originally. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627827014,"sku":"LARIDEC-40\/60","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/european-larch-cones-larix-decidua-2.jpg?v=1755634396"},{"product_id":"field-maple-hedge-plants-acer-campestre","title":"Field Maple Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBareroot Field Maple Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Country hedge, specimen tree, windbreak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 20m as tree, clips to any height as hedge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium. Dense, bushy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Most soils, including chalk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Native deciduous tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Acer campestre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBareroot Delivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nov-April Only\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot Grown Delivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Year-round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField Maple is, along with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-hazel-hedge-plants-corylus-avellana\"\u003eHazel\u003c\/a\u003e, the most commonly used country hedge plant after \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna\"\u003eHawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/blackthorn-sloe-hedge-plants-prunus-spinosa\"\u003eBlackthorn\u003c\/a\u003e, featuring in pretty much every mixed native country hedge. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a tree, it reaches up to 20 metres with a great thick trunk and wide rounded crown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe small, deeply lobed leaves are bright green in summer, turning buttery yellow in Autumn. \u003cbr\u003eThe corky bark develops attractive ridges and fissures with age, providing a bit of extra interest in Winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField Maple produces dense, bushy growth that clips beautifully, creating thick, impenetrable hedges. \u003cbr\u003eBeing thornless, it's great beside gates and along pathways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt excels as traditional country hedging, windbreak planting, and specimen trees. The dense, twiggy growth provides decent privacy even in Winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe small, insignificant flowers in late April are followed in autumn by Winged helicopter seeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/field-maple-trees-acer-campestre\"\u003elarger Field Maple trees\u003c\/a\u003e for instant impact.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBrowse other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/native-british-hedging-plants\"\u003enative hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e, our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/countryside-stewardship-grant-hedging-plants\"\u003emixed country hedge packs\u003c\/a\u003e, other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/maple-trees-acer\"\u003eMaple trees\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedge plants \u0026amp; sapling trees\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tolerates most soils, including chalk and clay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Drought tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Totally waterlogged soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim annually\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy, excellent wind resistance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField Maple thrives in most soil types, including shallow chalk where many other plants struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's drought tolerant once established, ideal for dry, exposed sites and coastal windbreaks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse Field Maple for traditional mixed country hedging, combining with hawthorn, blackthorn, and dog rose for a secure barrier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect as specimen trees in wildlife gardens, where the autumn colour and corky bark provide year-round interest. \u003cbr\u003eIt can be coppiced every 5 to 10 years to control its size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcer campestre is Britain's only native maple, growing wild in ancient woodlands and hedgerows throughout England and Wales, particularly on chalky soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wood burns well after 12 months of seasoning, with a good burn rate and minimal smoke and sparking. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was never an important timber tree, but the hard, fine-grained wood polishes well and was widely used for bowls, cups, musical instruments, and various decorative items. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eField Maple is great for wildlife, supporting about 15 species of moth and butterfly caterpillar, with many more feeding on the nectar. \u003cbr\u003eThe seeds feed birds, especially tits and finches, and pretty much all rodents.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992627990854,"sku":"ACERCAM-40\/60","price":1.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992628023622,"sku":"ACERCAM-60\/80","price":1.6,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992628056390,"sku":"ACERCAM-90\/120","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 150\/175cm","offer_id":54992628089158,"sku":"ACERCAM-150\/175","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 60\/80cm - 3 Litre","offer_id":54992628121926,"sku":"ACERCAM-60\/80-3L","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 120\/150cm Potted","offer_id":54992628154694,"sku":"ACERCAM-120\/150-5L","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/maple-field-acer-campestre-hedging.jpg?v=1756674929"},{"product_id":"field-rose-briar-hedge-plants-rosa-arvensis","title":"Field Rose Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eField Rose Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRosa arvensis\u003c\/strong\u003e,\u003cstrong\u003e Field Rose\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a good country \u003cstrong\u003ehedging plant\u003c\/strong\u003e, suitable for any soil. It's best used in combination with other native hedging plants which can include a range of wild roses if you wish. But a simple mix might be part hawthorn, part blackthorn, part hazel and part field rose for example. The field rose is one of the prettiest of the native British wild roses. It's under-used and not appreciated as much as it deserves and because it's so well suited for use in mixed hedges up to about 3 metres tall it should get more attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/wild-rose-plants\"\u003erose hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003cstrong\u003ethorny \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/thorny-hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing hedge containing Rosa arvensis:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf grown as a single species hedge, you should plant Rosa arvensis at 3 plants per metre (i.e. 33cm apart) in a single row. Cut it back hard after planting and again a year later to encourage a thick hedge from ground level up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever Field Roses are more usually grown as part of a mixed hedge - maybe making up 10% of the mixture. The whole hedge is then planted at 6 plants per metre in a staggered double row, with 33cm between each plant along the row and 40cm between the rows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Rosa arvensis plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dense growing native shrub is commonly found in country hedgerows. It's covered in single flowers in summer which are then followed in autumn by masses of shiny red hips. Grown on its own a field rose makes a rather mounded specimen, but it also rambles happily and so is an excellent addition to a mixed native hedge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRosa arvensis hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003cbr\u003e All our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 50\/80cm","offer_id":54992628187462,"sku":"ROSAARV-50\/80","price":3.72,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/field-rose-rosa-arvensis-flowers-3.jpg?v=1755634408"},{"product_id":"flaviramea-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sericea","title":"Golden Twig Dogwood Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGolden Twig Dogwood Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCornus sericea Flavimarea, also known as Golden-Twig dogwood (or sometimes Cornus stolonifera Flaviramea), is a vigorous, suckering shrub. Its young stems are a clean golden yellow colour and developing an olive-green tinge as they reach the end of their first year. Which is perfect, because that is when you cut them back. The golden-twig dogwood is usually grown with other dogwoods in an ornamental display. We would suggest three colours (red, purple and yellow go very well together) with three plants of each variety occupying about 3 sq metres. It'll light your garden every day from late October to the end of March unless the flower arranger of the house gets there first... Cornus sericea Flavimarea loves growing in damp ground and will reach 3 metres eventually if it's not coppiced.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave a look at our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood shrubs and hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCornus sericea Flavimarea plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April) and are graded by their height in centimetres above the ground when planted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety was bred right at the end of the 19th Century. It has won an RHS Award of Garden Merit so it has stood the test of time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992628220230,"sku":"CORNSTOFLA-60\/80","price":2.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54992628252998,"sku":"CORNSTOFLA-40\/80-CN","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/golden-twig-dogwood-cornus-sericea-flaviramea-bark-1.jpg?v=1755470159"},{"product_id":"goat-willow-hedge-plants-salix-caprea","title":"Goat Willow Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGoat Willow Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGoat Willow trees\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSalix caprea\u003c\/strong\u003e, are one of the \u003cstrong\u003ePussy Willows\u003c\/strong\u003e, which have fluffy silver catkins which appear in early spring, while the branches are still bare, and have a lovely silver, silky coating of hairs before they ripen. These are great for bees and Salix caprea is well known for being a favourite with many species of caterpillar. The goat moth also lays its eggs around the trunk of this tree. Goat Willow is unlike other willow trees, with its oval leaves and its ability to grow on dry, chalky soil. It also doesn't propagate well from cuttings (these are grown from seed). It can be grown as a screening tree up to about 10-15 metres high. It's a decent windbreak tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGoat Willow plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April). All of our young trees and shrubs are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Names: \u003c\/strong\u003eGoat Willow, Great Sallow \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSalix caprea\u003c\/strong\u003e means Goat willow and this name probably comes from an illustration in a famous \"herbal\" (an old name for a book on plants) by Hieronymus Bock, published in 1546. The picture showed a goat grazing on the tree and this book was still around when the tree came to be named with the modern system over 200 years later. It seems likely that this was the inspiration for the name, rather than the tree being especially popular with goats, who are known to eat almost anything!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis European tree has been naturalised in Britain since Roman times.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992628351302,"sku":"SALICAP-60\/80","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/goat-willow-trees-salix-caprea-4.jpg?v=1755634439"},{"product_id":"golden-privet-hedge-plants-ligustrum-aureum","title":"Golden Privet Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGolden Privet Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGolden Privet Hedging, Ligustrum ovalifolium Aureum\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a variety of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/privet-hedging-plants-ligustrum\"\u003ePrivet\u003c\/a\u003e with rich yellow variegated edges to its leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a popular hedge plant, especially for the inner city, and it's suitable for topiary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt every bit as tough and tolerant of poor soils as the other privets, although we recommend using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-garden-privet-hedge-plants-ligustrum-ovalifolium\"\u003egreen privet instead\u003c\/a\u003e if your site is in full shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGolden Privet is good for hedges up to between 3-4 metres high, but can reach a full 6 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGolden Privet hedge plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen you are ordering Golden Privet plants for a hedge, we generally recommend that you use smaller plants. They're cheaper than large plants, easier to handle and they'll establish well in poor conditions. Use larger plants if you want a taller hedge quickly, or if you want to clip them for topiary.\u003cbr\u003eAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots or pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Golden Privet hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Golden Privet hedging at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Golden Privet plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGolden Privet is a large, vigorous bush with bright leaves that clip easily into a formal evergreen hedge. It's great for growing in trouble spots in the city. It does really well on poor or dry soils, in partial shade and it isn't affected by air pollution. It can grow in exposed sites near the sea, although constant wind will slow its growth.\u003cbr\u003eIf it's grown as a specimen shrub, it'll produce good sized cones (called panicles) of scented white flowers in summer that attract butterflies. These will mature into shiny, bitter little fruits that are eaten by several types of songbirds.\u003cbr\u003eOld privet hedges respond very well to hard pruning.\u003cbr\u003ePrivet can lose its leaves in harsh winters: this is normal and doesn't hurt your plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Japanese plant was recorded by Western botanists in 1862 and introduced to Britain soon afterwards. You may see it listed in some old books as Ligustrum ovalifolium Aureomarginatum. It has won an RHS Award of Garden Merit for handsome plants that are easy to grow.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/40cm","offer_id":54992628515142,"sku":"LIGUOVAAUR-30\/40","price":2.45,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992628547910,"sku":"LIGUOVAAUR-40\/60","price":3.6,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992628580678,"sku":"LIGUOVAAUR-60\/80","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54992628613446,"sku":"LIGUOVAAU-2L","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/golden-privet-leaves-ligustrum-ovalifolium-aureum-1.jpg?v=1755543156"},{"product_id":"gorse-hedge-plants-ulex-europaeus","title":"Gorse Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGorse Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGorse, Ulex europaeus, is a viciously thorny native evergreen bush that makes excellent rough barriers and provides screening up to about 2-3 metres high. It's great for butterflies and small nesting birds as well as providing cover for larger wildlife including deer.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a member of the pea family - you can see this in its flowers - gorse \u003cstrong\u003efixes nitrogen \u003c\/strong\u003efrom the atmosphere into the soil. This means that it both can grow in very poor terrain and improve it while doing so.\u003cbr\u003e\nIt has strong wiry roots that anchor it in windswept locations and that help stop soil erosion.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGorse is famous for its striking yellow flowers that blaze open in April and May, with their intoxicating fruity scent and are much loved by bees and other pollinators. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGorse is naturally an uneven, lumpy bush, so don't try to clip into a tidy shape; just enjoy it for what it is! You can hard prune down to the ground after flowering if you decide it needs renovating.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nGorse plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered pot-grown\u003c\/strong\u003e, year round.\u003cbr\u003e\nAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots don't count!).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eVery thorny evergreen\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eFragrant yellow flowers\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eNative\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eRough hedging\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eFixes nitrogen\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThrives on dry, poor soil \u0026amp; the coast\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eExcellent for wildlife\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eMax. Height: 3m\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003ePot Grown: Year Round Delivery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrowse all \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/coastal-salt-tolerant-hedging-plants\"\u003ecoastal hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Gorse hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlant Gorse at 2 plants per metre, 50cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe flower buds are edible: pickle them and use them in the same way as capers. Gorse wood is oily and burns very well, although it's too thorny to be a convenient fuel for a hearth fire. Gorse is also called \u003cstrong\u003efurze\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003ewhin\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992628777286,"sku":"ULEXEUR-30\/50-CN","price":5.45,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 20\/30cm","offer_id":54992628810054,"sku":"ULEXEUR-20\/30-CN","price":4.45,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/ulex-europaeus-gorse-flowers.jpg?v=1755543157"},{"product_id":"gouchaultii-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba","title":"Gouchaultii Red Dogwood Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGouchaultii Red Dogwood Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCornus alba Gouchaultii\u003c\/strong\u003e is a vigorous shrub with coloured young bark and variegated leaves. Dogwoods are popular because they're fast growing, happy in almost any soil and have a great winter colour. Gouchaultii boasts all of those qualities and adds to them with its variegated, pink-tinged foliage. With large, wrinkled leaves that have margins ranging in colour from cream to yellow and random wine coloured splashes, this is possibly the most interesting dogwood to look at during the summer months. If left unpruned, it'll produce small white flowers from May to June, which develop into pretty white berries that are sometimes shot with blue, like a mature cheese. However, it's the shiny red bark, rather than the flowers and fruit, that is of interest to most gardeners. Few plants can light up a winter scene like dogwood, once their leaves have fallen. They can be used to great effect dotted around the garden or in big clumps and go well beside a pond or river. Cornus alba Gouchaultii will reach 2-3 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood hedging and shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCornus alba Gouchaultii plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April). All our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots don't count...).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese plants hail from the lands between Siberia and North Korea. This particular variety was bred in the 1880's. It's one of the best dogwoods for frost pockets and cold areas.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992628941126,"sku":"CORNALBGOU-60\/80","price":4.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/gouchaultii-dogwood-cornus-alba-bark-2.jpg?v=1755470159"},{"product_id":"green-garden-privet-hedge-plants-ligustrum-ovalifolium","title":"Green Privet Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGreen Privet Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGreen Privet \u003c\/strong\u003emakes a tough and resilient evergreen hedge plant that can grow to 4 metres if left to its own devices and it does it super efficiently. It grows quickly, clips neatly and manages to flourish even in poor, compacted soil or when in the shade. All this makes it the most popular member of our range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/privet-hedging-plants-ligustrum\"\u003eprivet hedging\u003c\/a\u003e. It seems to be oblivious to pollution and so is perfectly happy next to a busy road, occluding street lights. As a result, it's THE most valuable hedge for that tricky combination of an urban area and poor soil. The only thing that Green Privet doesn't enjoy is being waterlogged so make sure that you give it decent drainage. The leaves are small, oval-shaped and slightly pointed at the end. They're a matt green, uniform in colour and knit together to make a lovely, luxurious hedge that will fill a gap or form a boundary in no time at all. In about July the plant is swathed in long, sweet-smelling, white flowers. If neglected, green privet can be rejuvenated by hard pruning back down to the ground from where it'll rise, phoenix-like, over the next couple of seasons. In a very hard and frosty winter, green privet may lose its leaves but soon recovers them once spring arrives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLigustrum ovalifolium makes an excellent boundary hedge, especially where you want protection from traffic noise and light (not to mention the odd passer by) all year round. It grows fast and so will quickly screen out an unsightly low building or wooden fence. Because it's so tough you can plant privet where you may have despaired of ever being able to do better than bare soil. If you are growing it where there is some light then add in a bit of Rosa Rugosa - another tough hedging plant that will produce pink or white flowers in the summer and gorgeous hips in the autumn. And while you are planting your hedge, add a few clumps of Narcissi at the edge of the trench to bring some spring cheer (it also saves you digging twice). For the more artistic, you can also do some pretty fancy topiary with privet. Generally, the long hedge clipped in the form of a dragon or a reclining lady is made from Green privet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinal Height: 75cm to 4m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: any soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Formal\/clipped\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 3\/m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: green\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUrban hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePollution resistant, shade tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreen privet is a Japanese plant that was introduced to Britain in 1885. The Victorians fell in love with it because it grew happily in their polluted, smoggy inner cities. Birds love the berries in autumn and it's a stick insect's essential diet in the UK!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992629039430,"sku":"LIGUOVA-40\/60","price":2.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992629072198,"sku":"LIGUOVA-60\/80","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54992629104966,"sku":"LIGUOVA-2L","price":14.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/green-privet-hedge-ligustrum-ovalifolium-1.jpg?v=1755634452"},{"product_id":"green-holly-hedge-plants-ilex-aquifolium","title":"English Holly Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eEnglish Holly Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Green Holly\u003c\/strong\u003e (Ilex aquifolium) is familiar to everybody and risks being taken for granted. Which would be a mistake: it's a special plant, holder of an RHS Award of Garden Merit, and here's why. Holly will grow into a beautifully shaped, medium-sized tree if left to its own devices, or it makes a dense and glossy hedge all year round. It makes the best possible wind break, due to its densely packed, stiff, and contoured leaves. It's a highly responsive plant for clipping into almost any formal shape. Add the fact that it's stock proof and can provide a lifetime's supply of Christmas wreaths and berries, and everyone should have some in their garden in one form or another. Simply one of the best all-round \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedge plants\u003c\/a\u003e that we grow and sell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to grow English Holly\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIlex aquifolium is so easy going, settling in well on all soils from acid to alkaline, sandy and dry to claggy clay. Holly will thrive in shade, on the coast, or next to the pollution of a busy road and, once established, is immune to long, hot, drought-ridden summers. It won't grow in the middle of a swamp, but it's fine next to one where the soil is wet most of the year and gets waterlogged periodically. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStart small. Ilex and its varieties grow away much more strongly when started off young: setback from transplanting increases with age. The amazing textural effect it achieves can be contrasted with yew or laurel to create a tapestry hedge. As with all evergreen hedges it's the perfect backdrop for a mixed and colourful herbaceous border - try to include some bright winter reds to tie in with the berries - Skimmia rubella, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/westonbirt-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eCornus sibirica\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/spaethii-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eCornus alba spaethii\u003c\/a\u003e would all be obvious choices. Hollies also lend themselves to having their lower trunk stripped of branches so that you end up with a lollipop; an avenue of these look stunning. Especially so if you use a variegated variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung plants are a target for \u003cstrong\u003erabbits, \u003c\/strong\u003eand they like to chew straight through the stem. If rabbits are present, younger 40\/60cm and 60\/80cm holly plants will need protection with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/planting-kit\"\u003espirals or tree guards\u003c\/a\u003e for the first couple of years. Bigger sizes have thicker stems and are unlikely to be targeted by a rabbit with other options.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSize: 15 m as a tree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: prickly hedging\/topiary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: 3 per metre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: dark green and shiny\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeature: red berries on female plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOur Holly is a natural mix of male \u0026amp; female plants, approx 50:50\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolly wood is prized by fine furniture makers who use the pure white wood for inlay work. The bits of holly that you cannot use for furniture make good firewood. Mature holly bushes and trees are a popular habitat for many birds and insects, especially robins, thrushes and blackbirds who have a built-in berry canteen. And while nothing is immune to honey fungus, holly is on RHS list of resistant plants.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 20\/40cm","offer_id":54992629596486,"sku":"ILEXAQU-CN-30\/40","price":6.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992629629254,"sku":"ILEXAQU-40\/60-CN","price":7.92,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/holly-trees-hedging-ilex-aquifolium-potted-bushes.jpg?v=1756739466"},{"product_id":"grey-willow-hedge-plants-salix-cinerea","title":"Grey Pussy Willow Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGrey Pussy Willow Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrey Pussy Willow\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSalix cinerea\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a large native shrub or a small, stubby tree that is found in boggy ground and riversides across the country. Along with goat willow, Salix cineria is often referred to as Pussy Willow because of its beautiful catkins. Before they ripen, they're covered in neat, silver-grey hairs that look equally lovely on the bare branches or in a vase... Salix cinerea can be coppiced and pollarded: it tends to form a fairly low tree anyway but if you want more upright growth, keep removing the lower side branches each year. Pussy Willows are the earliest to flower, providing a key source of early nectar and pollen to bees as they gear up for the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGrey Pussy Willow plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April). All of our young trees and shrubs are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Names: \u003c\/strong\u003eGrey Willow, Pussy Willow, Grey Sallow\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrey willow is often planted along loose banks to stabilise the soil with its fibrous roots.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992629694790,"sku":"SALICIN-60\/80","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/willow-grey-salix-cinerea-catkins-1.jpg?v=1756594794"},{"product_id":"guelder-rose-hedge-plants-viburnum-opulus","title":"Guelder Rose Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eGuelder Rose Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGuelder Rose\u003c\/strong\u003e, Viburnum opulus, is one of Britain's most beautiful native shrubs, often used in a mixed country hedge. The flowers are quite unique, with a ring of dainty little smooth star shaped flowers rising above a bed of even smaller, bud-like blooms. The smaller flowers will ripen into blood-red fruit in time for the autumn display. The large, three lobed leaves (like a maple, which has more lobes) colour up in autumn with a jumble of pink, yellow \u0026amp; red tones (depending on the soil) that bleed together in a rough, rustic manner. It can grow to about 5 metres high.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt's a natural companion to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/wayfaring-tree-hedge-plants-viburnum-lantana\"\u003eViburnum lantana\u003c\/a\u003e in a mixed hedge, and we grow two more ornamental varieties that can also make good hedges, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/dawn-viburnum-bodnantense-plants\"\u003eViburnum bodnantense Dawn\u003c\/a\u003e and the evergreen \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/eve-price-viburnum-tinus-plants\"\u003eViburnum tinus Eve Price\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\nBrowse our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/native-british-hedging-plants\"\u003enative hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGuelder Rose hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e When you are ordering plants for a hedge, we recommend smaller plants if you aren't in a rush. They're cheaper and easier to handle than large plants, and will give you a bushy hedge with little effort.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eGood for mixed country hedges.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eAlmost any soil, happy in quite wet conditions.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eVery shade tolerant, but needs sun to flower well.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eWhite flowers in May-July\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eRed fruit \u0026amp; nice warm autumn colours.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHeight: To 5m\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eExcellent for wildlife.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eBareroot Delivery Only Nov-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGrowing Guelder Rose\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn the wild, it's often found in dappled woodland shade, but it needs full sun to give you the best show of flowers. It'll grow pretty much anywhere, including shady sites under large trees and chalky soils. It prefers a moist soil and will tolerate periods of waterlogging.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a specimen shrub, it'll need little attention, just prune out the oldest stems from time to time.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Guelder Rose\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ehedge: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt makes an excellent mixed hedge plant, typically with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna\"\u003ehawthorn\u003c\/a\u003e to provide thorns and more strength.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGiven full sun, it's a fine, low maintenance ornamental shrub for any garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt isn't a rose at all, it is closely related to the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/elder-hedge-plants-sambucus-nigra\"\u003eelderflowers\u003c\/a\u003e. The name probably comes from the Dutch region of Gelderland.\u003cbr\u003e\nOther common names include\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eWater elder, Cramp bark, Gatten, Whitten, and the European cranberry bush.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTheir berries were one of the secondary food sources that our ancestors depended upon in hard times. Although it is possible to make jam with them, we don't recommend eating them fresh, as even slightly unripe fruit will cause stomach upsets.\u003cbr\u003e\nWhen civilisation collapses again, and you find yourself living in the woods with nowhere to charge your phone, you could certainly feed yourself by boiling up them up into a soup. Until then, we would leave the berries for the birds: bullfinches and mistle thrushes (which have the most charming scientific name: Turdus viscivorus) are especially partial to them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn parts of Eastern Europe and Russia, the berries represent the beauty of a young woman and are a standard subject for Khokhloma painting. There is a song traditionally sung at weddings that begins:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003eGuelder rose, guelder rose, guelder rose mine!\u003cbr\u003e\nIn the garden there is raspberry, raspberry mine!\u003cbr\u003e\nUnder a pine, under a green pine\u003cbr\u003e\nLay me to sleep!\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFour of its cultivars hold an RHS Award of Garden Merit, so in our eyes it does as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBees: \u003c\/strong\u003eIt is on the RHS list of Plants for pollinators, beloved by bees and butterflies.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992629760326,"sku":"VIBUOPU-40\/60","price":1.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992629793094,"sku":"VIBUOPU-60\/80","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992629825862,"sku":"VIBUOPU-90\/120","price":4.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/guelder-rose-viburnum-flowers.jpg?v=1755264763"},{"product_id":"hawthorn-hedge-plants-crataegus-monogyna","title":"Hawthorn Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHawthorn Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHawthorn, known as quickthorn or whitethorn in some parts, grows into a pretty and impenetrable hedge in a hurry. Unlike many hedge plants, it's blessed with three seasons of interest. Spring boasts a froth of simple, white slightly scented flowers that stand out against the blackness of the wood. Summer is a mass of healthy, dark green, lobed leaves, and then autumn sees astonishingly red haws. In winter, the spiny silhouettes of the black branches look spectacular on a frosty day. It's extremely tough and easy to grow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSold as Bareroot whips and older plants ranging in size from 40-120 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinal hedge height: 1 - 6m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Just about any, except fully waterlogged or pure sand.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Stockproof, vandal proof, informal and farm hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSingle Row: plant at 3 per metre.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDouble row: plant at 6 per metre in a zig zag\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: mid green leaves with white flowers and red haws\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVery tough, disease resistant and thorny\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Hawthorn Hedges\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's easier to ask: where won't Hawthorn grow?\u003cbr\u003eIt won't grow at water level in a swamp like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/willow-hedging-plants-salix\"\u003ewillow\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood\u003c\/a\u003e, or in pure sand on the beach like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/tamarisk-hedge-plants-tamarix-tetrandra\"\u003etamarisk\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/roseraie-de-lhay-shrub-rose-plants\"\u003erugosa roses\u003c\/a\u003e, and it'll grow slowly in full shade compared to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/wild-common-privet-hedge-plants-ligustrum-vulgare\"\u003ewild privet\u003c\/a\u003e or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-hazel-hedge-plants-corylus-avellana\"\u003ehazel\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith that said, we have seen wizened old hawthorns growing:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eon a small raised mound in the middle of a bog less than one metre above the water\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eon poor, sandy soil just behind a beach with no cover from the salt winds,\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ein between buildings on industrial estates where it probably got three hours of sun in midsummer at most.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpacing a Hawthorn hedge:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard country hedging: plant at 3 per metre, 33cm apart in a single row, or 6 per metre in a staggered double row, which has a W shape viewed top-down.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHawthorn's charm is its informality and its virtue is its resilience. Once established, you will have a thick, wiry hedge that no intruder would care to breach. For this purpose, it's fine on its own, but for the most pleasing and natural look, it should be mixed up with your favourite country hedge plants, which you can design yourself or buy ready to go in our six-species \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mixed-conservation-hedge-plants\"\u003emixed conservation hedging packs\u003c\/a\u003e (these include Britain's most beautiful wild shrub, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/guelder-rose-hedge-plants-viburnum-opulus\"\u003eGuelder Rose, Viburnum opulus\u003c\/a\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a top choice as a specimen tree (ideal for small gardens) in particularly exposed, windy or coastal conditions, where it typically takes on a sculptural, gnarled shape that looks fantastic in winter, and we recommend the more \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hawthorn-trees-crataegus\"\u003eornamental Hawthorn varieties\u003c\/a\u003e for this purpose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver 150 insects will call your hawthorn home, from the bumblebee, lacewing, ladybird and earwig to the hawthorn shield bug, all of which provide valuable food for blue tits, wrens and garden spiders. Greenfinches, chaffinches, yellowhammers, fieldfares and many more birds feast on the haws in the autumn and many, like the wren and blackbird, will nest there too: slow worms and toads love a nice, wide country hedge as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCrataegus monogyna is a true native plant and, because it is so widespread and so useful, it has a plethora of local names: Haw, Hawthorne, Quickthorn, Whitethorn, Maythorn, Mayblossom, and May Tree. In country hedge jargon, the abbreviation \"thorn\" usually refers to Hawthorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHawthorn is literally synonymous with hedging: Haw, which also refers to the fruit, is derived from the Old English word for hedge. The blossom is known as May, as in \"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and summer's lease hath all too short a date\" or \"Ne'er cast a clout till May be out\", which means that one should not start leaving ones warm winter clothes (clouts) at home until the hawthorn is flowering. The nursery rhyme \"Here we come gathering nuts in May\" is probably a corruption of \"knots of May\", meaning bouquets of hawthorn blossom (there are no nuts to harvest in Spring).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was probably a hawthorn hedge through which the handsome prince had to hack his way to reach Sleeping Beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992630022470,"sku":"CRATMON-40\/60","price":0.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992630055238,"sku":"CRATMON-60\/80","price":1.39,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 90\/120cm","offer_id":54992630088006,"sku":"CRATMON-90\/120","price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 120\/150cm","offer_id":54992630120774,"sku":"CRATMON-120\/150","price":4.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/hawthorn-hedging.webp?v=1776770280"},{"product_id":"holm-oak-hedge-plants-quercus-ilex","title":"Holly \/ Holm Oak Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHolly \/ Holm Oak Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHolm \u003c\/strong\u003eor\u003cstrong\u003e Holly Oak, Quercus ilex\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a lush evergreen tree will grow in any well drained soil and is equally happy by the sea or in the middle of a city. \u003cbr\u003eThe dark-green mature leaves look a little like young holly leaves, although they're grey on the undersides; in spring, the young leaves are silvery-grey all over and this display is followed by golden brown catkins in early summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's very hardy, and evergreen in much of the UK, but it tends to drop its leaves in harsh winters in the North and Scotland. This is normal, although it may not come into leaf until late the following spring. For this reason, we like to recommend \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/portuguese-laurel-hedge-plants-prunus-lusitanica-angustifolia\"\u003ePortugal Laurel\u003c\/a\u003e instead as hedging for colder regions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolm oak is quite fast-growing in sunny locations and shade tolerant. It's an excellent hedging plant and makes a good subject for topiary. It'll reach 20-25 metres if it grows freely as a tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/coastal-salt-tolerant-hedging-plants\"\u003ecoastal hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHolm Oak hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered pot-grown\u003c\/strong\u003e, year round and are graded by their height above the compost (the pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Holm Oak hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Holm Oak hedging at 2 plants per metre, 50cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolm Oak is a Mediterranean tree and its range extends eastwards as far as Pakistan. It was introduced to Northern Europe in the 1500's, and it's naturalised in parts of Ireland's \u0026amp; England's Southern coasts. \u003cbr\u003eThe timber is both hard and strong; in the past it was prized for heavy-duty uses like carts and roof beams.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 80\/100cm","offer_id":54992630219078,"sku":"QUERILE-80\/100-CN","price":39.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 100\/125cm - 10 Litre","offer_id":54992630251846,"sku":"QUERILE-100\/125-10L","price":71.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/holm-oak-mature-tree.jpg?v=1757067308"},{"product_id":"hornbeam-hedge-plants-carpinus-betulus","title":"Hornbeam Hedging Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eHornbeam Hedging Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHornbeam \u003c\/strong\u003eis probably the most popular deciduous hedging plant in the country for shadier and damper sites where \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/beech-hedging-plants-fagus\"\u003ebeech\u003c\/a\u003e won't grow: they're very similar looking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's extremely tough and easy to grow. Many times down the years, we've heard from people who didn't water a garden's worth of new plants in Summer, and most of them died ... except the Hornbeam! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts leaves are the most brilliant of greens in spring; Monty Don says that the colour makes his \"eyes dance\". The veins on each leaf are separated by a corrugated trough so that the leaf with its serrated edge looks a bit crinkled which gives the hedge an interesting texture. The trunks and bark of hornbeam are always well shaped and slightly ridged. In the autumn (unless it has been exceptionally dry) the leaves turn a clear yellow before becoming pale brown for the winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSize sold: 40-175 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 1m to very tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: all soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Formal\/Native\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: green\/brown\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeature: tolerant of damp, heavy soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"Impossible\" to go wrong!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Hornbeam\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHornbeam will thrive in almost all soils, unless it's completely waterlogged all year, but prefers a well-drained rich soil. It'll grow more slowly and a bit less luxuriantly, but happy nonetheless, in close to full shade. In open, sunny conditions, it's fast-growing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust like with beech, if you trim the hedge in mid-summer, the winter leaves will be 'everciduous', meaning that they stay on the branches until next spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eSpacing a Hornbeam hedge:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeciduous formal hedging like Hornbeam and Beech gives the best privacy at 4 plants per metre in a staggered double row, planted 50cm apart along each row with 40cm between rows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhere privacy isn't an issue, the normal 3 plants per metres in a single row is fine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's as an excellent hedging plant, and the best alternative to \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-green-beech-hedge-plants-fagus-sylvatica\"\u003egreen beech\u003c\/a\u003e. Saplings shoot up if well-watered, so within a year or two you will have a tight-knit, low hedge, and over a few more years the potential to possess a tall hedge. A solid, trimmed hornbeam hedge can stand alone in a formal garden with little to distract from it, or can be used behind a mixed border to focus attention on the flowers by providing a consistent, green background.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's not a specimen tree for a small garden, because it reaches 20 metres without difficulty. It does make for a great park or woodland tree, look at Hatfield and Epping Forests, though, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/upright-hornbeam-trees-carpinus-fastigiata\"\u003eCarpinus fastigiata \u003c\/a\u003ewith its wonderful, slim column of leaves is suitable for most gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHornbeam responds well to training. Use it to create tunnels, alleys or more commonly to act as a pleached hedge where the hedge part is raised above the bare trunks. Pleached hornbeam hedges are an elegant boundary wall that divides a garden into different 'rooms', without the enclosed feeling of evergreen hedges. Ham House has a good example of a tunnel of pleached hornbeam emerging from a low-growing yew hedge. Grown in this way, you can cover up the bare trunks at the base, with a combination of forget-me-nots and tulips for the spring and small peonies for summer, or just good old lavender if there is enough sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has been a highly valued tree for many years because its timber is the hardest grown in this country. There is a venerable tradition of hornbeam being used to create butcher's chopping blocks, piano hammers and pulley blocks. It was often grown as wood 'pasture', leaving room for cattle to graze around the pollarded trees, which were pruned every few years for firewood and small objects like handles. The density is excellent for firewood and for making charcoal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo see hornbeam at its most splendid, take a trip to Het Loo in Holland to see the Queen's garden, a labyrinth of covered walkways, caves and tunnels all fashioned from hornbeam grown over an oak trellis.\u003cbr\u003eThe best example of a pleached hornbeam hedge can be seen at Hidcote Gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 150\/175 10 Litre","offer_id":54992630317382,"sku":"CARPBET-150\/175-10L","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992630350150,"sku":"CARPBET-40\/60","price":0.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992630382918,"sku":"CARPBET-60\/80","price":1.19,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 80\/100cm","offer_id":54992630415686,"sku":"CARPBET-80\/100","price":1.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 100\/125cm","offer_id":54992630448454,"sku":"CARPBET-100\/125","price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 120\/150cm","offer_id":54992630481222,"sku":"CARPBET-120\/150","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 150\/175cm","offer_id":54992630513990,"sku":"CARPBET-150\/175","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Trough \/ 150\/175cm 1m Trough","offer_id":54992630546758,"sku":"CARPBET-150\/175cm1m Trough","price":199.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/hornbeam-hedge-carpinus-betulus-1.jpg?v=1755634482"},{"product_id":"japanese-larch-sapling-trees-larix-leptolepis","title":"Japanese Larch Tree","description":"\u003ch2\u003eJapanese Larch Tree\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eJapanese Larch\u003c\/strong\u003e is a deciduous (non-evergreen) conifer. It has a vibrant autumn colour that lasts for a few weeks, as the needles take some time to fall. It looks really bright in spring, when the needles are grass green and the branches are studded with small, creamy young cones and male flowers. \u003cbr\u003eIn areas where canker is a problem for the European Larch*, this disease resistant tree is often planted instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can interplant with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/european-larch-sapling-trees-larix-decidua\"\u003eEuropean Larch\u003c\/a\u003e to give natural looking variety to a mixed stand of trees. \u003cbr\u003eBrowse our variety of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003elarge trees\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Larches are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small plants are cheaper and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for ornamental use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our sapling trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 20-30m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Well drained, moist, high altitude sun.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Coast, soil reclamation, timber, mixed woodland\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttractive new foliage in Spring, yellow autumn colour.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Japanese Larches\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChalky soil isn't suitable. Your trees are happy in exposed, wind-blasted places and at altitude. Their native range is mountains where rainfall is high and drainage is good, so they dislike dry sites and love a moist soil, but not low-lying areas that get waterlogged in winter. \u003cbr\u003eLarches are vigorous trees that need plenty of light to look good. They'll tolerate quite a lot of shade, but they'll grow sparsely and look disappointing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLarix kaempferi's wild range is a just small part of Honshu, the central island of Japan. Their Japanese name is Karamatsu. It is now grown all over the world in temperate regions and has been used widely in British forestry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was introduced by John Veitch in 1861. The name kaempferi is in honour of the German scientist Engelbert Kaempfer, who visited Japan for a few years in the 1680's and 90's. Apart from a handful of port quarters, the country was closed to foreigners during this period, so his visit was exceptional and his writings were some of the only information that Western world had about Japan until the Americans nudged the country to open up with gunboats in 1854.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*European larches of Alpine origin seem to be susceptible for canker and are also being replaced with other strains of the species from parts of Europe where resistance is high.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992630808902,"sku":"LARILEP-30\/50","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/japanese-larch-leaves-larix-kaempferi-1.jpg?v=1755543165"},{"product_id":"kesselringii-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba","title":"Kesselringii Purple Dogwood Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eKesselringii Purple Dogwood Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCornus alba Kesselringii\u003c\/strong\u003e is a vigorous shrub with fabulous deep purple, almost black, young bark rich green foliage that turns a deep wine red in autumn. \u003cbr\u003e\nIt's usually hard pruned as a specimen shrub, but like any dogwood it could go in a mixed hedge to add a little colour.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eVery dark bark makes exciting contrasts in a mixed group of dogwoods such as golden-green \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/flaviramea-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sericea\"\u003eFlaviramea\u003c\/a\u003e and bright red \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/westonbirt-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eSibirica\u003c\/a\u003e. Striking when there is snow on the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe dark stems are also great for arranging with cut flowers. It prefers a sunny spot and is suitable for any soil but will grow happily in a bog. Cornus alba Kesselringii will reach 3 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eView our full selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nCornus alba Kesselringii plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April). Their height is measured in centimetres above the ground (roots or pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis variety was bred at the start of the 20th century and is a flower arranger's favourite.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992630907206,"sku":"CORNALBKES-60\/80","price":4.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/cornus-kesselringii-purple-dogwood-bark-1.jpg?v=1755391708"},{"product_id":"king-edward-flowering-currant-hedge-plants-ribes-sanguineum","title":"Flowering Currant Plants, King Edward VII","description":"\u003ch2\u003eFlowering Currant Plants, King Edward VII\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRibes King Edward VII\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a pretty flowering shrub that makes a good informal hedging plant. It'll grow on any soil with decent drainage.\u003cbr\u003eRibes King Edward VII is good for hedges up to about 2-3 metres high.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e It does produce edible fruit, but honestly we would leave them for the birds: they're nowhere near as nice as the big crops of delicious currants you'll get from our varieties of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/currants-bushes\"\u003ered, white or blackcurrant plants\u003c\/a\u003e!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRibes King Edward VII hedge plants are delivered bareroot during winter (Nov-April) and pot-grown year round.\u003cbr\u003eBareroot bushes are cheaper than pot grown plants. Pot grown plants are available in the largest sizes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003ehedge shrub plants\u003c\/a\u003e or view our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen you are ordering Ribes King Edward VII plants for a hedge, we generally recommend that you use the smaller, bareroot plants. They're cheaper than the larger, pot-grown plants, easier to handle and they'll establish well in poor conditions.\u003cbr\u003eUse the bigger, pot-grown plants if you want a taller hedge quickly or for instant impact as a specimen shrub.\u003cbr\u003eAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots or pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Ribes King Edward VII hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Ribes King Edward VII hedging at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Ribes King Edward VII plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis \u003cstrong\u003eornamental currant\u003c\/strong\u003e is an elegant shrub carrying strongly scented dark pink, almost purple, flowers in April and dark berries in summer. These are edible, but they don't taste as good as a proper fruiting currant.\u003cbr\u003eThis is an excellent plant for difficult positions as it grows in just about any soil. It can be used as a specimen shrub or an informal single species hedge. For a secure hedge, we advise interplanting it with a tough, thorny plant like hawthorn or blackthorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis North American species has been growing wild in Britain since the first half of the 1800's. This variety was bred during the reign of Queen Victoria, but she died before it was released, and it was named after the new king.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992631038278,"sku":"RIBESANKIN-60\/80","price":3.48,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54992631071046,"sku":"RIBESANKIED-3L","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992631103814,"sku":"RIBESANKIED-40\/60","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/king-edward-ribes-sanguineum-flowers-1.jpg?v=1755466818"},{"product_id":"korean-fir-sapling-trees-abies-koreana","title":"Korean Fir Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eKorean Fir Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Specimen tree, screening, not for hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 15m - slow growing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow. Compact, straight trunk, bushy Christmas tree shape\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep, slightly acidic, well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small evergreen conifer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Urban pollution, exposed sites\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Abies koreana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAwards:\u003c\/strong\u003e RHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bareroot only, Nov-March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKorean Fir is a beautiful, slow-growing evergreen conifer that develops into an attractive screening tree with a distinctive straight trunk and bushy, compact form. \u003cbr\u003eUnlike its giant relatives, Abies koreana reaches a manageable 8-15 metres at maturity, suitable for most gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe attractive, dark green, glossy needles have silvery-white undersides, creating a vibrant two-tone effect when the foliage moves in the breeze.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis species has a classic Christmas tree silhouette when young, maturing into a columnar form with distinctive whorled branches. The bark becomes furrowed with age, and the growth habit remains neat and compact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKorean Fir is prized for its ornamental purple cones, which appear upright on the branches like candles before maturing to brown and breaking apart while still on the tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt excels as an architectural specimen tree, providing year-round structure and evergreen interest. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003elarge garden trees\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/conifers-evergreen-trees\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003econifers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003etrees\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep, neutral to slightly acidic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun preferred\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Moist but well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Urban pollution, very exposed sites\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Minimal - no pruning required\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy (H7)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKorean Fir thrives in deep, neutral to slightly acidic soils with good drainage and consistent moisture. It performs best in cooler climates and needs shelter from cold winds, particularly when young.\u003cbr\u003eUnlike many conifers, it's sensitive to urban pollution and performs better in rural environments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in full sun for best development, though it tolerates partial shade. The slow growth rate means minimal maintenance once established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect for focal points in lawns, framing views, and as a backdrop and windbreak for a large flower border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse Korean Fir as a specimen tree in prominent positions where its architectural form can be appreciated year-round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate elegant evergreen groupings by planting several Korean Firs at 5-8 metre spacing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe compact mature size is ideal for most gardens, where larger conifers would be overwhelming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbies koreana is native to the mountains of South Korea, where it's called Gusang namu and grows in cool, moist conditions at high altitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroduced to Britain in 1905, Korean Fir quickly gained recognition for its ornamental value, enhanced by producing cones at a young age compared to other firs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn its native habitat, Korean Fir is endangered. The slow growth rate that is so garden-friendly makes it vulnerable in the wild, where faster-growing species outcompete it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wood isn't commercially important due to slow growth, softness, and susceptibility to rotting outdoors.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 20\/40cm","offer_id":54992631136582,"sku":"ABIEKOR-15\/30","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/korean-fir-cones-abies-koreana.jpg?v=1755543170"},{"product_id":"large-rootball-english-yew-tree-instant-hedging","title":"Rootballed Yew, Large Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eRootballed Yew, Large Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese large \u003cstrong\u003erootballed yew trees\u003c\/strong\u003e are the largest sizes that you can order from us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThey're the nearest thing you can get to an \"instant\" yew hedge.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThey're also great for planting singly in a border to become topiary specimens.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eFor smaller, cheaper plants, have a look at our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/yew-hedging-plants-taxus\"\u003eyew hedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eYew is an extremely hardy and disease resistant native tree. Its lush evergreen needles clip beautifully into a formal and functional privacy hedge that should add value to any property's garden. Unlike other conifers, it produces red, berry-like \"fruit\" instead of cones in early winter.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrown as a tree, it'll reach between 10 and 20 metres depending on how much it spreads, but probably not in any of our lifetimes. Old trees have attractive, rusty-brown bark that flakes off, providing housing for insects.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBrowse our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e, our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rootballed Yew hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered during winter\u003c\/strong\u003e (November-April) and will be delivered on a pallet.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e With big, comparatively expensive plants like these rootballed Yew, it's really up to your budget to decide which size you want. Smaller trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones.\u003cbr\u003e\nAll our rootballed trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHeight: 10-20m as a tree\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eClips beautifully into a formal evergreen hedge\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eOne of the best hedges for adding value to a property\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well-drained, shade-tolerant\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eNative\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGrowing Yew\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eYew will grow in any well-drained soil, and it tolerates deep shade.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA yew hedge can be clipped and pruned hard if necessary: it makes new shoots from old wood, so recovers from mistakes with shears and trimmers.\u003cbr\u003e\nNeglected yew hedges that have been allowed to become sparse can be cut back hard to encourage dense new growth. You can do this in one go, but if you have time then it's best to do it in chunks over two or three years, so that new shoots have time to develop from the bottom of the trunk.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing Rootballed Yew plants in a hedge:\u003c\/strong\u003e These large Yew plants have quite wide rootballs, so they should be planted 60-75cm apart along the hedgerow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the age of our animist ancestors, the Yew tree was a god of death and rebirth. It lives for thousands of years, growing in the darkest heart of the forest and on freezing mountain slopes. Old yew trees tend to spread outwards and slump a bit as their heavy branches pull open their centre, often creating a thick, wide evergreen canopy quite close to the ground. As the original, main trunk gradually splits apart and rots away, these low branches can root where they rest on the soil, thus resurrecting. It is easy to imagine clans of Stone Age humans constructing homes under them, perhaps using the long, low, rigid branches as ceiling beams, sheltering from the late Autumn winds and fending off famished bears. The sacred quiet beneath the oldest Yews was a place of reverence. It housed the wizened, gnarled face of the god itself: a massive, brooding creature that did not suffer cold or time. The red flesh of Yew's fruit was a nourishing treasure to our ancestors in winter, but anyone who bit down on the seed inside could have been paralysed and possibly killed, which surely added to the awe that this unique tree inspired.\u003cbr\u003e\nThese \"berries\" have an interesting flavour and an unfortunately slimy texture, however, it is essential that you \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003espit the seed out without chewing it. If you swallow one by accident, it won't be a problem as long as you didn't bite into it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTaxus \u003c\/em\u003eis Latin for Yew, and \u003cem\u003ebaccata\u003c\/em\u003e means to have berries, \u003cem\u003ebacca\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYew is superb firewood, but it needs to be split and then seasoned for several years before it will burn beautifully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"He that in winter should behold some of our highest Hills in Surrey, clad with whole woods of these two last sort of trees, yew and box, might without the least violence to his imagination, easily phansie himself transported into some new, or enchanted Country.\"\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Evelyn, 1662\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Rootball \/ 80\/100cm","offer_id":54992631234886,"sku":"TAXUBAC-RB-80\/100 RB","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Rootball \/ 120\/150cm","offer_id":54992631267654,"sku":"TAXUBAC-RB-120\/150 RB","price":69.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Rootball \/ 100\/125cm","offer_id":54992631300422,"sku":"TAXUBAC-RB-100\/125","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/rootballed-yew-hedge-plants.jpg?v=1755543209"},{"product_id":"lawsons-cypress-hedge-plants-chamaecyparis-lawsoniana","title":"Lawson's False Cypress Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eLawson's False Cypress Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLawsons Cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana\u003c\/strong\u003e, is an evergreen, coniferous \u003cstrong\u003ehedging plant\u003c\/strong\u003e or large, quite narrow tree. \u003cbr\u003eLawsons Cypress can reach over 40 metres if it grows freely as a tree.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLawsons Cypress hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003cbr\u003eAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergeen hedging\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a Lawsons Cypress hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Lawsons Cypress hedging at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Lawsons Cypress plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes called False Cypress, this is a large, fast growing evergreen tree that makes an excellent screen or windbreak. It clips very well, so it can be grown as a hedge, but it must be clipped regularly because overgrown hedges can't be hard pruned. The slightly drooping foliage is darker than that of leylandii.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough this natural species variety doesn't hold an RHS Award of Garden Merit, it has produced an exceptionally high number of cultivars, about 30, that do. Since these differ only in appearance, you could say that this variety is an honourary holder of the award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tree was discovered in Northern California in the 1850's during a search for a missing botanist called John Jeffrey. The first seeds raised in Britain were grown at the Lawson Nursery in Edinburgh. The timber of this tree is very popular in Japan for building coffins. In its native range this tree can reach 70 metres tall.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992631333190,"sku":"CHAMLAW-30\/50","price":1.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/lawsons-false-cypress-mature-tree.jpg?v=1755542990"},{"product_id":"leylandii-hedge-plants-cupressus-leylandii","title":"Leyland Cypress Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eLeyland Cypress Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e× Cuprocyparis leylandii\u003c\/strong\u003e is the world's most vigorous coniferous tree. \u003cbr\u003eTo achieve privacy for a garden or large scale operation within a couple of years, plant a Leylandii Cypress hedge!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts shaggy fronds of bright evergreen foliage have a softness not found amongst most conifers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeft to become a mature tree, Leylandii will reach 40m in forty years and has an elegant, columnar shape that tapers towards the top. However, it's mainly grown as a hedge or screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: up to 40m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpread: 2 m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: bright, matt green\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpacing: 60-150cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFoliage: soft evergreen fronds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFastest-growing formal hedge - requires regular trimming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou cannot fail to have a wonderful hedge quickly using Leylandii cypress that will cut out ugly views and light disturbance from roads or neighbours. It makes an effective break from prevailing winds allowing you to plant more tender plants in your protected garden and will screen ugly buildings. It's also a quick solution to creating different 'rooms' in your garden so you can have areas of contrasting atmosphere and planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/formal-hedging-plants\"\u003eformal hedge plants\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen hedge plants\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003eall hedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Leylandii\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt'll thrive in almost any soil, immune to pollution, sturdy in and sea winds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spacing is dictated by your desired height. For an easily maintained 3-4m tall hedge, plant them close together at 60cm apart. Plant them further apart if you are growing them tall to screen out a large building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou must clip hedge twice a year to keep it under control. If you can do this, you will keep your Leylandii at a manageable and practical height that won't involve the added expense of special equipment or tree surgeons. If you let the regime slip, it's almost impossible to regain the shape you wanted, and the taller it gets, the harder it's to clip. \u003cbr\u003eIf you need an evergreen hedge that is easier to control, consider using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/yew-hedge-plants-taxus-baccata\"\u003eYew \u003c\/a\u003einstead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeylandii is delivered pot-grown all the year round and is best planted in early to mid-spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey're pest and disease free; stressed trees can develop bacterial cankers when they're cut back too hard or dry out in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeylandii was created accidentally: the two American species of Cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis and Cupressus macrocarpa) cross-fertilised in Wales, and the consequent hybrid was recorded in 1888 by CJ Leyland. The resulting tree was propagated by clones. By 1911, when more were discovered, it was clearly a special tree, with high-quality structural timber, attractive commercially. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Law of the Leylandii\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLeylandii can grow a metre a year - almost unheard of for conifers, except the giant redwoods. This phenomenal growth engendered a new law: The \u003cstrong\u003eHigh Hedges Act\u003c\/strong\u003e, drawn up to give people legal recourse against neighbours who let their Leylandii get out of hand. \u003cbr\u003eThe law applies to any evergreen hedge over two metres, but it became necessary when Leylandii became popular!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOlder sources may list is as Callitropsis × leylandii. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 90\/120cm - 3 Litre","offer_id":54992631398726,"sku":"CUPRLEY-90\/120-3L","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54992631464262,"sku":"CUPRLEY-P9","price":4.74,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992631497030,"sku":"CUPRLEY-60\/80cm","price":12.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/leylandii-cypress-leaves.jpg?v=1755543136"},{"product_id":"midwinter-fire-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sanguinea","title":"'Midwinter Fire' Dogwood Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003e'Midwinter Fire' Dogwood Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCornus Midwinter Fire\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a medium-sized, deciduous shrub with dense, upright growth and blazing red, gold-yellow and orange winter bark: the closest thing to coral this side of the sea, surely one of the most striking of the shrubby dogwoods!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe summer leaves are green, turning an excellent orange-yellow in the autumn, with small white flowers in May and June. \u003cbr\u003eWhich is all nice enough, but its real glory is in winter, when it'll light your garden up on the dismal days between November and March. It'll reach 2 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt really has no rival, and every garden should have one! No other garden shrub radiates such light and beauty over such an extended period of time, from the end of October through to late March\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/dogwood-hedging-plants-cornus\"\u003edogwood shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dogwood plants are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStunning bark in winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: To 2m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Loves wet sites.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Specimen shrub, ornamental hedging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCut back hard yearly to get the best display.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Recommendation for bees \u0026amp; other pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Cornus Midwinter Fire\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike all dogwoods, it loves damp ground, but once it's established it'll grow happily on a dry bank. It'll grow faster in the sun, but partial shade is fine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo keep those beautiful new stems coming, coppice them by cutting them down to the base every Spring: cut above the third bud up from soil level on new plants. Mature plants will develop a stool, and you can use your own judgement about how much you remove, depending on how you like to manage your plants. Give them a nice mulch afterwards to help them bounce back vigorously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf all the dogwoods, this one lights up the garden in Winter, wonderful as a stand-alone shrub in a small garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe think Midwinter Fire Dogwood is at its best in a massed planting, with or without other dogwoods to set it off like the purple \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/kesselringii-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eKesselringii\u003c\/a\u003e or the red \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/westonbirt-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-alba\"\u003eWestonbirt\u003c\/a\u003e. It's not as vigorous as the other dogwoods, so plant it at the front if you are using it in a mixed patch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt goes well with pretty much any \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen\u003c\/a\u003e as a backdrop, and because you chop it down yearly, all sorts of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/spring-flowering-bulbs\"\u003espring flowering bulbs\u003c\/a\u003e can be deployed to provide interest while it regrows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's an interesting choice for an ornamental hedge that has no security or privacy purpose, because it needs to be cut close to the ground yearly (if you want that winter bark). For this purpose, a 50-75cm spacing is fine, because you aren't trying to make it into a proper barrier. For a real hedge, we would use \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/common-native-dogwood-hedge-plants-cornus-sanguinea\"\u003ecommon dogwood\u003c\/a\u003e instead.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/40cm","offer_id":54992631759174,"sku":"CORNSANMIDFI-30\/40","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54992631791942,"sku":"CORNSANMIDFI-CN-50\/70","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/midwinter-fire-dogwood-cornus-sanguinea-winter-1.jpg?v=1755634596"},{"product_id":"green-ivy-plants","title":"Common Green Ivy Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Green Ivy Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Green Ivy\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eHedera helix\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a native climbing plant that will grow almost anywhere. It's ideal for very shady sites with poor soil and can be used as ground cover or as screening. It can grow up trees and walls to about 15-20 metres, although old plants in sunny, fertile sites can go even higher. Green Ivy plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered pot-grown\u003c\/strong\u003e, year round as are all our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/ivy-climbing-plants\"\u003eivy plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/ground-cover-plants\"\u003egroundcover plants\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e options.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIvy as Ground Cover: \u003c\/strong\u003ePlant at 18\" \/ 45cm spacing to get a thick blanket of Ivy quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMaking an Ivy Hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOld ivy plants become very woody and can support themselves almost as well as any shrub. All you need to make an ivy hedge is a temporary fence made of the cheapest wood you can find for the Ivy to grow over. By the time the fence has begun to rot, the ivy will have formed a woody cage over it that is self-supporting. This is usually done to make quite low, decorative borders. It'll still work for taller projects, but the end result won't be hugely strong: if a heavy person tried to climb over it, it would probably collapse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Hedera helix plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA very useful ground cover plant that will grow in dry soil and deep shade. Ivy is a powerful climber. Contrary to some rumours, it'll not damage modern brickwork, only very old and crumbly mortar or loose woodwork, although it'll clog a gutter pretty quickly. It'll also not directly damage trees that it grows up, but it might compete with them for light and soil nutrients enough to weaken the trees if they're young or just not very big.\u003cbr\u003e Ivy flowers and fruits in the winter months, attracting wildlife to your garden and giving bees a lifeline when they're active on warm winter days.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54992631857478,"sku":"HEDEHEL-P9","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/common-ivy-leaves-hedera-helix-1.jpg?v=1755543129"},{"product_id":"new-zealand-privet-hedge-plants-griselinia-littoralis","title":"New Zealand Privet Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eNew Zealand Privet Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew Zealand Broadleaf \"Privet\", Griselinia littoralis\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a large shrub that makes an excellent evergreen coastal \u003cstrong\u003ehedging plant\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cbr\u003eIt's hardy (see below) and will thrive in the worst soil as long as it's well-drained. It's a dense, bushy plant that prefers full sun. It can also be grown as a small, upright tree.\u003cbr\u003eNew Zealand Privet is good for tall evergreen hedges up to about 8 metres high.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew Zealand Privet hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered pot-grown\u003c\/strong\u003e, year round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen hedging plants\u003c\/a\u003e or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen you are ordering New Zealand Privet plants for a hedge, we generally recommend that you use plants that are graded at 40\/60cm or 60\/80cm. They're cheaper than large plants, easier to handle and they'll establish well in poor conditions.\u003cbr\u003eUse the larger, 80\/100cm tall plants if you want a taller hedge quickly, if you want to clip them as topiary or for instant impact as an ornamental shrub.\u003cbr\u003eAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing a New Zealand Privet hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant New Zealand Privet hedging at 2 plants per metre, 50cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis versatile evergreen bush has thick, leathery, glossy green leaves that clip nicely into a formal hedge and make a good windbreak. Its flowers are too small to notice and ripen into little purple fruit that birds will eat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGriselinia tolerates a bit of partial shade, but it needs full sun to grow vigorously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt'll grow on any well drained soil, including shallow chalk and very poor, sandy soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGriselinia is suitable for exposed, windy sites around Southern and Western UK, but we recommend using \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/portuguese-laurel-hedge-plants-prunus-lusitanica-angustifolia\"\u003ePortugal Laurel\u003c\/a\u003e instead if you live in colder North East coast or inland Scottish regions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGriselinia is \u003cstrong\u003efully hardy\u003c\/strong\u003e, but the worst winter winds can cause to cosmetic damage to the leaves. \u003cbr\u003eIt's resistant to honey fungus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmart evergreen hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGlossy leaves, nicer than privet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoves sun \u0026amp; good drainage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAny soil. Good for the coast.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNot recommended for Northern exposure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePot-grown only: Delivery all year.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGriselinia is a New Zealand native, where it's called Kapuka.\u003cbr\u003eIt's commonly known as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/green-garden-privet-hedge-plants-ligustrum-ovalifolium\"\u003eprivet\u003c\/a\u003e in English because of clever marketing: British gardeners already knew privet well, and the association helped Griselinia quickly became popular in the UK after it was imported in the 1850's, especially for exposed coastal gardens.\u003cbr\u003eLike privet, it's easy to propagate from cuttings at most times of year.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 40\/60cm","offer_id":54992631890246,"sku":"GRISLIT-40\/60-CN","price":16.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/new-zealand-privet-hedge-leaves-griselinia-littoralis-1.jpg?v=1755205290"},{"product_id":"nordman-fir-sapling-trees-abies-nordmanniana","title":"Non-Drop Christmas Tree Saplings","description":"\u003ch2\u003eNon-Drop Christmas Tree Saplings\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Specimen tree, tall screening\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNot suitable for clipped hedging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Up to 60m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slow to medium. Straight trunk, perfect Christmas tree shape\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep, moist, well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Large evergreen conifer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Abies nordmanniana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBareroot Delivery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nov-March Only\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot grown Delivery: \u003c\/strong\u003eYear-round\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance, Growth \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNordmann Fir is a magnificent evergreen conifer that develops into an impressive specimen tree with a distinctive straight trunk and perfect Christmas tree silhouette. \u003cbr\u003eThis majestic tree reaches up to 60 metres in ideal conditions, but is quite slow growing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dense, glossy, dark green needles create an attractive layered appearance on the symmetrical branches, maintaining an elegant architectural presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt maintains its classic conical form throughout its life. The bark becomes attractively furrowed with age, and the overall form remains impressively columnar and neat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt excels as a tall screening tree, providing year-round privacy and wind protection, although it's not recommended as a frontline windbreak tree in very exposed areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elarge garden trees\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/conifers-evergreen-trees\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003econifers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003etrees\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep, well-drained soils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to partial shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoisture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tolerates various moisture levels once established\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvoid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Waterlogged or very dry soils, urban pollution\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Minimal once established\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very hardy, reasonably wind resistant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNordmann Fir thrives in deep, well-drained soils, preferring a moist, acidic site.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt won't grow on shallow chalk, but should tolerate mildly alkaline soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's not suitable for dry sites or polluted urban areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYoung trees are shade-tolerant, but want to grow up into the sun reasonably quickly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse Nordmann Fir as a magnificent specimen tree in large gardens where its full height and perfect symmetry can be appreciated. \u003cbr\u003ePlant as a single focal point or in small groups at 4-6 metre spacing for dramatic landscape impact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerfect for framing views and creating vertical structure in large garden designs. \u003cbr\u003eThe dense foliage provides year-round screening and privacy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbies nordmanniana is native to the mountains of Turkey, Georgia, and the Caucasus region, where it grows in cool, moist mountain forests at high altitudes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroduced to Britain in 1848, it became the preferred Christmas tree species from the 1950's, when its excellent needle retention after being cut down was widely known. \u003cbr\u003eOn the living tree, each needle remains for up to 20 years, longer than any other fir species.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's named after Alexander von Nordmann (1803–1866), a Finnish Professor of Botany in the Russian Empire (Finland became independent from Russia in 1917). \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn its native habitat, Nordmann Fir can live for over 500 years. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe timber, classed as a whitewood (as opposed to redwood), is used for construction and paper production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 15\/30cm","offer_id":54992631955782,"sku":"ABIENOR-15\/20","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992631988550,"sku":"ABIENOR-30\/50","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54992632021318,"sku":"ABIENOR-3L","price":8.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/nordmann-fir-tree-abies-nordmanniana-2.jpg?v=1755634624"},{"product_id":"norway-spruce-hedge-plants-picea-abies","title":"Norway Spruce Sapling Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eNorway Spruce Sapling Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Common Norway Spruce, Picea abies, is what most people call the traditional \u003cstrong\u003eChristmas tree\u003c\/strong\u003e, although the \"non-drop\" \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/nordman-fir-sapling-trees-abies-nordmanniana\"\u003eNordmann fir\u003c\/a\u003e has become popular. When it's grown out in the open, with full sun, it'll take a classic Christmas tree shape, with a broad base of spreading branches close to the ground and a gently tapering shape towards the top. It decorates itself with quite long, cigar shaped cones that hang down from the branches.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIf it's grown in a forest situation, it'll lose its lowest branches as they're shaded out and concentrate on growing straight up. Eventually, it'll become a tall, slender tree to 40 metres with a clear trunk for over half its height and quite a small, narrow canopy.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBut when \u003cstrong\u003eclipped as a hedge\u003c\/strong\u003e, it makes an excellent windbreak.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eYou can also buy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/colorado-blue-spruce-sapling-trees-picea-pungens-glauca\"\u003eBlue Spruce\u003c\/a\u003e for more ornamental foliage.\u003cbr\u003e\nBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreens\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging and saplings\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spruce are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-April inclusive.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHeight: To 40m\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well-drained except chalk\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eGood formal evergreen hedging\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-April\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch3\u003eGrowing\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003eChalky soil isn't suitable. Your trees will grow in any soil type that is fairly moist and fertile. When the trees are young, they'll tolerate quite a lot of shade and simply grow slowly, working their way into the light. Exposed, windy locations are fine.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eWhat Tree is a Christmas Tree?\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eNorway Spruce, Abies picea, is a cheap option that \u003cstrong\u003esmells great\u003c\/strong\u003e, but drops its needles quite quickly indoors, so it's better for outdoor use or when buying an indoor tree last minute.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe most traditional Christmas Tree in the UK is the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/scots-pine-sapling-trees-pinus-sylvestris\"\u003eScot's Pine\u003c\/a\u003e, Pinus sylvestris, which holds its needles pretty well, but is no longer in demand compared to the other species.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/nordman-fir-sapling-trees-abies-nordmanniana\"\u003eNordman Fir\u003c\/a\u003e, Abies nordmanniana, known as the Non-Drop Christmas tree, has become the \u003cstrong\u003emost popular for indoor use\u003c\/strong\u003e, especially for people buying their tree early.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 30\/50cm","offer_id":54992632086854,"sku":"PICEABI-30\/50","price":2.55,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/norway-spruce-hedge-picea-abies-2.jpg?v=1755634626"},{"product_id":"oleaster-hedge-plants-elaeagnus-angustifolia","title":"Elaeagnus (Oleaster) Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eElaeagnus (Oleaster) Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElaeagnus angustifolia, Oleaster \u003c\/strong\u003eor \u003cstrong\u003eRussian Olive,\u003c\/strong\u003e is a big \u003cstrong\u003edeciduous \u003c\/strong\u003ethorny shrub that thrives in poor soil by the sea and is able to grow on almost pure sand.\u003cbr\u003eElaeagnus angustifolia is good for hedges up to about 4 metres high.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eElaeagnus angustifolia hedge plants are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered bareroot\u003c\/strong\u003e, during winter (Nov-April).\u003cbr\u003eAll our \u003cstrong\u003ehedge plants are measured\u003c\/strong\u003e by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing an Elaeagnus angustifolia hedge:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant Elaeagnus angustifolia hedging at 3 plants per metre, 33cm apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eGeneral description of Elaeagnus angustifolia plants:\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a hardy hedging plant for poor soils and windy sites on the coast. It's thorny and has silvery, fragrant foliage. The small, abundant yellow flowers aren't very showy, but they have a good scent that carries well. These mature into small silver-orange berries, which are edible, although they don't have much flavour and tend to be quickly picked off by birds. As a shrub, Oleaster is also good for small gardens. Oleaster's roots \u003cstrong\u003efix nitrogen\u003c\/strong\u003e, so it'll thrive on the worst soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/coastal-salt-tolerant-hedging-plants\"\u003ecoastal hedging\u003c\/a\u003e plants or see our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants\"\u003ehedging\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon Names: \u003c\/strong\u003eOleaster, Silver berry bush, Russian olive, Wild olive\u003cbr\u003eElaeagnus angustifolia's native range is from Russia to Iran, where its berries are dried, powdered and added to milk for drinking. It has been grown in Britain since the 1500s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 60\/80cm","offer_id":54992632119622,"sku":"ELAEANG-60\/80","price":3.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/elaeagnus-angustifolia-berries.jpg?v=1755543139"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/collections\/crataegus-monogyna-hawthorn-flowers.jpg?v=1756544535","url":"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hedging-plants.oembed?page=31","provider":"Ashridge Nurseries","version":"1.0","type":"link"}