Forsythia Intermedia Spectabilis Hedging

Forsythia intermedia Spectabilis is the most widely grown variety of Forsythia. It makes a wonderful early spring specimen shrub as it is covered in the most gorgeous golden yellow blossom in March and April, lighting up gardens wherever it is grown. Its beauty is unfussy, as forsythia will grow in most soils and in any location providing it gets sun. It is perfectly hardy in the UK where it can grow 4 metres in perfect conditions. For other spring choices, have a look at our full range of hedging.

If you have the room, grow it in a mixed border or shrubbery and if you are worried that it might look a bit... boring after it has flowered, then think about using it as a host for a smaller clematis which can ramble through its branches and flower, depending on variety from May onwards. Underplant the base with snowdrops and you have a 6-8 month show. Fabulous.

We only sell Forsythia as barerooted plants so delivery is during the planting months of October - April. The sizes shown - as with all our hedge plants - are in centimetres and measured as if the plant was already in the ground (the roots don't count).

Spacing Forsythia hedge:

As a specimen plant, Forsythia needs a bit of room to let it get to full size so allow about a 2m width (although with pruning you can get away with a good bit less). It makes an unusual hedge as well in which case you would plant at 2-3 plants per metre, 33-50 cms apart.

History & uses:

Forsythia x intermedia is a hybrid of Forsythia suspensa and Forsythia viridissima. This particular cultivar was discovered in 1906.

Growing Forsythia plants:
Once it is established, your plants will do well in the dry, poor soil which is often found next to houses. They don't like wet soil or deep shade - half a day of full sun is enough.

Prepare your site before planting:
It is good to dig over the area where you plant a hedge several months in advance, especially if the soil is poor. Destroy the weeds first: nettles, brambles and ground elder are tough and a glyphosate based weed-killer is the best way to remove them. Then dig the soil over; remove rocks, roots and other rubbish. Mix in well rotted compost or manure down to the depth of about 2 spades. If your soil is rich, you don't have to dig it over, but killing all the weeds is still necessary.

Watch our video on how to plant a garden hedge for full details. The plants in this video are delivered pot-grown, but planting out bareroot stock is essentially the same.
Remember to water establishing plants during dry weather for at least a year after planting.

Hedge Planting Accessories:
Prepare your site for planting by killing the weeds and grass with Roundup weed killer.
You can buy a hedge planting pack with sheets of mulch fabric and pegs to hold it down.
If you are planting in an area with rabbit and/or deer, you will need to use a plastic spiral guard for each plant, supported by a bamboo cane.
If your soil quality is poor, we recommend using mycorrhizal "friendly fungi" on the roots of new trees and shrubs.
You can also improve your soil with bonemeal organic fertiliser and Growmore.

Read our full terms and conditions here.

Delivery: Our standard delivery charges are:

Small box (Orders containing only seedlings or rooted cuttings) £7.20 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Standard box (Bareroots up to 1.2m) £11.40 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Large box (Pots up to and incl. 7.5L) £15.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £100 inc VAT)
Trees & Hedging (Bareroots & trees 1.2m+) £18.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £120 inc VAT)
Pallets (Root balls, large pots, trees etc) £60.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £240 inc VAT)

*Surcharges to the Highlands and Islands still apply.

Because couriers sometimes experience delays, we schedule delivery by week, not by day. Therefore, please plan your planting day for the weekend at the end of the delivery week or for the week following delivery, at the earliest.
We will email you the day before your plants are due to arrive.

Payment: We do not charge your card until we begin to prepare your order for packing.

Guarantee: If any plants die within a year, we will replace them. We only ask that you follow our planting & growing instructions and sent us clear photographs of the dead plants in situ, so we can help to make sure that the replacement plants succeed. You only pay for the delivery of the replacements.

Please note that our guarantee is void if there is a hosepipe ban in your area: your newly planted hedging must be watered in dry weather while it is establishing. The best way to water is very thoroughly every few days: at least once a week in summer if there is no heavy rain.

Our nursery has been supplying container grown and bareroot hedging plants to gardeners, farmers and town planners since 1949. Our website started in 2003, so we do understand the concerns that you may have about buying hedging plants online. If any of your plants are damaged when they arrive or if you are otherwise not satisfied with your order after you inspect it, please repackage it and contact us. We will give you a refund or send replacements and send a courier to come and collect the unwanted plants.

Misc	Shrub, Wildlife Value
Area	Exposed Windy Areas, Frost Pockets, Scotland & The North
Soil	Good, Well Drained, Alkaline/Chalky
Colour	Yellow/Gold
Type	Hedging, Screening
Flowering	Mar, Apr

	Buy 11 or more bareroot plants and save

SIZES	1-10	11-50	51-250	251-1000	1001+
60/80 cm Bareroot	Out of Stock £3.54	Out of Stock£2.83	Out of Stock£2.48	Out of Stock£2.30	Out of Stock£2.12
	Prices include VAT

Spectabilis Forsythia Hedge Plants

Forsythia x intermedia Spectabilis

Forsythia Intermedia Spectabilis Hedging

Spacing Forsythia hedge:

History & uses:

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April
Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?

How to use Hostas in the Garden

LATEST VIDEO

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Spectabilis Forsythia Hedge Plants

Forsythia x intermedia Spectabilis

Forsythia Intermedia Spectabilis Hedging

Spacing Forsythia hedge:

History & uses:

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?

How to use Hostas in the Garden

LATEST VIDEO

Sign up!

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April
Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?