planting hedge wet ground

countrywoman

I have an area of approx 200foot long that I want to plant. It is along a fence and ground is very wet. Want a hedge type effect.

I was thinking of a hornbeam hedge but the last few days I wss thinking a mixed hedge might be nice. Dogwood, hornbeam, willow, alder are my options. Any ideas on how I might plant these/in what order

Many thanks.

looksee

If you are happy that the ground is not too wet for any plants, then I would suggest you do not stress over the order. Its a matter of taste, but I personally hate the 'striped hedge' effect where someone has planted three of something then three of something else, then made it worse by trimming it! I would suggest you go for entirely random, though you could allow one type to predominate a bit, possibly the hornbeam.

vinnie13

looksee wrote: »

If you are happy that the ground is not too wet for any plants, then I would suggest you do not stress over the order. Its a matter of taste, but I personally hate the 'striped hedge' effect where someone has planted three of something then three of something else, then made it worse by trimming it! I would suggest you go for entirely random, though you could allow one type to predominate a bit, possibly the hornbeam.

I agree the striped looks terrible and trimming it makes it look like a farmer's ditch
I would go all the same maybe brake it up with a tree every 20ft or so and let it grow up while trimming the rest

Oldtree

I used alder for this type of hedge, very versatile in that it can take a harsh pruning, thrives on damp ground, good source of food for the birds, etc.

countrywoman

Thanks vinnie and looksee, I dont like the striped look either but the area looks out on a very ugly area so I was thinking it would be thr lesser of 2 evils!,

Oldtree - Re the alder....do you mean alder trees? I have some plantef in the area but I cant imagine them as a hedge....

looksee

Oh have the multi-bush hedge by all means, its when they are trimmed and cant make their mind up whether they are a wild and natural hedge or a garden one! :-) I like the wild and natural look myself.

countrywoman

Thanks look see

Oldtree are you talking about alder trees?

Oldtree

countrywoman wrote: »

Thanks look see

Oldtree are you talking about alder trees?

yes both Grey and Italian (slightly different bark color and catkin colors. Alder can take water around its roots for up to 6 months of the year and can take a severe hacking if necessary. Italian would not be as strong growing as the Grey. It would not suit as small hedge but once you set up the faces and prune back to that point every year it behaves much like any other hedge. Mine is about 4 foot wide.