Hedging your bets

HEAVEN SCENT The beautiful white blooms of Philadelphus ‘Virginal’, the double flowered mock-orange plant, create a beautiful scent.

Multi-species hedging provides food and shelter for our wildlife as well as a beautiful backdrop

Frank Steffens

We all know the feeling we get when we want to divorce our neighbours because of the Leylandii hedge they’ve planted; that is understandable and probably the right thing to do.
When it comes to hedges, many people think only in terms of it being one dimensional, a green wall that provides privacy or creates some shelter against wind or animals. These days, when you can’t even win a lookalike competition without mentioning bio-diversity at least once, it make sense to plant a hedge that will actually do some good.
Most one species hedges have the ecological value of a frozen brick. That is why I strongly recommend to plant multi-species hedging. There are a lot of pros to this style of planting, like providing food and shelter for wildlife as well as a beautiful backdrop.

Getting started
To start with, you have to know how much space you have available. I always recommend three rows of planting. Besides creating a dense visual barrier, it also allows you to vary flowering times and sizes with a mix of evergreen and deciduous plants. Of course, if you don’t have the space, two rows or even one row will do too.
For my own hedge I spread a thick layer of mushroom compost on the area and covered it with Mypex to keep the weeds down. I’d recommend that you leave the Mypex down for the first few years until the hedge has been established. For planting, you just have to cut a cross or circle into the membrane then dig a hole for your plants.
I also put two foot netting around the area to provide a windbreak, obviously for the wind so that the plants won’t be rocking around but also to keep hares out. As cute as these furry fellows are, they can do a lot of damage to young plants.
I have probably mentioned it in every article so far, but know your soil! It always amazes me how little even garden designers know about it. It’s most important, you can compare it with the foundation of a house and don’t forget, most of us will spend a lot of our time being dead in it. If you have this soil information, a good nursery can help you with suitable plants.

My hedge
All the following were planted last year  using in my mixed hedge. You will notice that these vary in height and shape. Since it is an informal multi-species hedge the pruning advice is different. Basically, you don’t even have to by a hedge trimmer. A descent secateurs and handsaw will do the job.
Betula papyrifera: planted in a group of three makes a nice statement with its white bark. Since these are trees, they might not be suitable for small gardens.
Berberis julianae: Nice yellow flowers followed by berries that provide food for bees and birds. They are thorny so mind your fingers.
Cornus alba: A shrub of winter interest with its red bark. Cut it down to 50cm in late winter.
Corylus avelana: The common hazel. Provides food for our animal friends but also for us.
Crataegus monogyna: We all know whitethorn, which gives shelter, nectar and fruits in the winter. Apparently fairies live in whitethorns, so always ask before pruning!
Deutzia magnifica: Its white flowers produce pollen and nectar for bees and other insects, and besides, it is nice to look at.
Forsythia intermedia: Brightens up the garden with its early yellow flowers after a long winter. The benefit for insects is rather limited though.
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’: A low-growing shrub with yellow flowers which provide food for our bees.
Philadelphus ‘Virginal’: It’s always a good idea to add some scent into your garden, the Mock Orange is one way to do it.
Ribes sanguineum: Its pink flowers are loved by bumble bees and and indeed other types of bees.
Rosa: rugose, glauca and virginiana; most people love roses and this rather simple flowering species is loved by insects too.
Sambucus nigra: Another native, small tree on the list, its flowers are great for pollinators and wine making and the fruits are a great source of vitamin C.
Spirea arguta: Attractive white flowers which are pollinated by butterflies and bees.
Weigela ‘Bristol Ruby’: With its nectar and pollen-rich red flowers it is another source of food for our insects.
This mixture contains non-native plants, as you already might have guessed. Personally, I don’t believe in the doctrine of only planting native plants. After all, I’m a gardener. Most people mistake gardening for nature, but it is not, it is culture and we are just using and sometimes abusing nature for our own purposes.
Still, it is not as black and white a topic as some people might suggest. Most plants, even non-native ones, will have benefits for our wildlife. My hedge is, as much for me as it is for nature. If you plant a hedge in an area away from your vista, I would recommend pure native species.

Other considerations
The best time to plant would be from late November until late March when all above mentioned plants are available bare-rooted and therefore much cheaper.
Everything in pots and containers can pretty much be planted 12 months of the year. The limiting factor here would be frozen ground. If you plant in the height of summer you also have to consider watering. The root system of container pLants is limited and doesn’t reach far so they will dry out very quickly.
In the end, if you put all this into consideration you should have a long lasting and good relationship to your neighbours. At least if they are nice people. If they are not, I’m afraid I can’t help you.
My next article might be about poisonous plants and how to use them.

Frank Steffens, is head gardener at Drimbawn Garden in Tourmakeady. Drimbawn is a member of the Clew Bay Garden Trail, a chain of beautiful and unique private gardens that open to the public during summer to raise funds for charity (see www.clewbaygardentrail.ie for more).