Native Hedging

nicecupotay

I need to plant some hedging,and was thinking of using some native plants that I could use from an adjacent wood land(I know the owner).

I know that there is beech trees,and along with them some smaller saplings growing there,and also holly trees.
I could use the beech saplings,but what about the holly?
If I took come cuttings or even some young plants,would they be suitable to create a thick hedge(about 5-6 feet tall) if they were kept cut down?

Also,are there any other native species I could use for creating a thick hedge?

paddy147

Hornbeam is a lovely hedge.

It has lovely pointy green leave,its goes golden brown in winter and it also grows a bit quicker than beech hedge.

Its also a hardier hedge too.

nicecupotay

paddy147 wrote: »

Hornbeam is a lovely hedge.

Is that a type of Hazel?Because there is also Hazel growing there

shawnee

Whitethorn is what was generally used as a native hedge, it is thorny and hard to penetrate but makes a great hedge when shaped and bent

yellowlabrador

If you have a greenhouse or a propagator you could take some hardwood cuttings, cut off most of the leaf and dip in hormone rooting powder, you an do this with hazel, willow, whitethorn, blackthorn, etc. out of 10 cuttings expect about 5 to 7 to take. This is a slow process though. Nurseries sell hedging plants at a reasonable rate and your hedge would be much quicker to establish itself. Seedlings can take a long time to grow to any height and then you also need to protect from rabbits etc.

mattjack

id agree with shawnee ..whitethorn looks great...natural,native wild hedge

Zuiderzee

In my part of Connemara, red flowered and purple belled fuscia is very common as hedging around older cottages.
I don't think its a total native, but like Sycamore it has become a part of the landscape.
Makes a good hedge

planetX

with regard to taking saplings from your friends woodland, I doubt many would survive - certainly not now that they've leafed up. The chances of you digging them out without a lot of root damage is slim. Beech maybe, but holly definitely doesn't transplant well at all.

Sonnenblumen

Zuiderzee wrote: »

In my part of Connemara, red flowered and purple belled fuscia is very common as hedging around older cottages.
I don't think its a total native, but like Sycamore it has become a part of the landscape.
Makes a good hedge

Agree Fuchsia is so common around the Corrib near Oughterard etc it would be hard not to consider it indigenous! What a sight as well to walk down a country lane flanked on bothsides with Fuchsia in full bloom, absolutely stunning.

In the wild it flourishes alongside many other more traditional species, including black and whitethorn, even hawthorn. An endless medley of all sorts. Why even in some areas Rhododendrons and Bay Laurels are also to be seen in the wild.

Why would the prolific and wild growing hedgerow (Cork, Kerry and Galway) Fuchsia riccartonii not be considered native?

nicecupotay

planetX wrote: »

with regard to taking saplings from your friends woodland, I doubt many would survive - certainly not now that they've leafed up. The chances of you digging them out without a lot of root damage is slim. Beech maybe, but holly definitely doesn't transplant well at all.

What about Hazel?
And what would be the best method/time of year to plant?

I'm in no immediate rush as it is just for screening,doesn't need to be stock proof or anything

planetX

Hazel is pretty tough - autumn after the leaves have dropped would be the best time. But if you could dig them out without too much disturbance it might be possible now. Try one or two, if the ground is rocky and you can't dig the roots out without a lot of damage it might be better to wait. If you can get them out fairly intact, and plant them straight away keeping them well watered, it should be ok.

planetX

ps - garden centres are selling off their bare-root stock cheap now as it's the end of the season. You could pick up native species for next to nothing, easier than digging them out!