Garden Privacy Screening Suggestions

[hawleybits]

We planted a beech hedge 4 years ago in order to create some privacy from the roadside. We had to plant non-evergreen to comply with restrictions and the hedge, although growing tall, is still not very private during the winter months when the leaves turn brown.

I wondered whether it might be possible to weave another plant through it but I have read that it would compromise the health of the beech. Is there anything else I could do? Maybe weave some mesh or something else? We're not supposed to put up a fence, hence the hedge. All ideas good and bad welcome!

Are you cutting it so it gets thicker? We planted a native hedge and cut it probably twice a year so it gets bushier rather than just tall.

Yes, we are and it is quite healthy and has good growth so far. It is just during the winter when the leaves turn brown and a few gaps appear.

I have a beech hedge about 5 years old and I understand your problem. It's fine in summer when we want to sit outside but there is less privacy in winter.
Actually I don't mind, it's a quiet country lane and it's lighter.
I do grow verbena bonariensis through the hedge, but that's no help in winter.

Ours is all about screening out the passers by and even the possibility of (small) animals getting through in the odd spot. I am wondering whether weaving willow through might work, or would that damage growth?

Could you interplant (is that even a word?) with copper beech. They hold their leaves right through until new ones push them off in the spring.

The leaves of the beech don't fall off in winter, they just turn brown and shrivelled, which is when the gaps are more obvious. The new leaf growth appears in the spring and pushes the brown leaves off.

There's not much space for extra hedge planting but I had considered planting something at one end and letting it ramble through, but I am worried about damaging the hedge after reading the advice of those in the know.

Traditionally beech is planted in a zigzag two rows deep for this very reason.

SpringSquirrels, I was worried about having a really fat hedge, so purposely avoided planting a double row. Beginning to wish I had now.