I am going to plant a lovely mixed hedge - what have I forgotten to include?

[SarahAndQuack]

I have a boundary between my land and the local primary school, which is currently marked by a fence. I would like a little more privacy, not least because DD now attends the school, so whenever I go into that bit of the garden, she can see me and shrieks!

I want to plant a mixed hedge, ideally with native trees (I'd vary it a bit if an alternative were particularly gorgeous). I want it as a good habitat and a decorative thing, rather than just to make a fast-growing barrier. And because there's a school on the other side, I mostly don't want it too prickly, though there's a patch where a few prickly things could be. I'm thinking:

• hawthorn
• blackthorn
• smooth-leaf holly
• elder
• guelder rose
• rowan
• beech
• crabapple?
• golden hop (yes, I know, not native and it might just swamp everything, but they are so pretty!)

What do you think? And do you have any tips for hedges? I know how to lay a hedge, but I've never had to establish one from scratch and don't know which things might out-compete others.

Salix gracilistyla 'Mount Aso' - might work in a hedge

Sounds lovely!

Ooh, that sounds lovely, @parietal! Thank you.

Rosa rugosa.
Prickly but lovely, and vigorous.

Sorry, not actually native. Excellent hedge maker though.

I've cherry plum in mine.

I know very little about this plant, but it's in a hedge near me. It smells divine today. Quite heady, like Lily of The Valley.

Eleagnus x ebbingei.

@Gruelle - ooh, yes! And the hips are good for cooking, I know. I'm not super fussed about it being native - I just want it to be a good habitat, but I'm sure rugosa would be fine. Thank you!

@Summerhillsquare - how do you find that works? Does it end up a bit 'gappy'? I've got cherry plums on the other side and they don't seem to take very well to being pruned tight?

There were insects on the sliverberry (Eleagnus x ebbingei.) today.

Field maple and hazel.

You can get 'hedge packs' from lots of companies, because the proportion of different species in a hedge is important. Depends on where you are in the country, what you want the hedge for and if it will be laid. Different techniques to hedge laying too!

Pyracanthus - lovely berries

Yes! How could I forget field maple? I love it.

I have hazels for coppicing elsewhere, so I don't think I want more there.

I don't want to get a pack because, although I think they usually look good, for me the fun is in choosing things!

My hedge is only 3 years in so very loose so far.

Hornbeam
Wild service tree
Native honeysuckle
Native privet

Elaeagnus ebbingei. Not native, I'm afraid but non prickly, evergreen, scented flowers in autumn and drought tolerant, that is getting more important. Not cheap, unfortunately. Hawthorn and blackthorn you will curse when you cut them. Bay trees are not native but have been here, apparently, since 1562. Privett - I hate it but its native.

Sounds lovely, some of the hedging companies online do mixed hedging varieties as a bundle, they suggest ones that are good for the wildlife, different berries, good for nesting, etc, .
I am going to grow a hedge of hydrangea limelight next. YouTube have some good videos on hedging, l like the before and after ones.

Evil thorns

@Summerhillsquare - ah, right. Makes sense! Must be lovely to anticipate the fruit, though!

@EndlessMagpies - ooh, yes, service tree would be lovely! I didn't think of hornbeam as I'm more familiar with it as a big tree, but I'm sure it'd be lovely in a hedge. I won't go for honeysuckle as one of the other hedges is entirely made of honeysuckle (which is not ideal!) and so I'm a bit 'done' with it. I don't hate privet but I'm not wowed by it either.

@anyolddinosaur - Elaeagnus ebbingei does sound really pretty, but I am quite cheap! Where I'm planting them the water table is quite high, so I am not worrying too much about drought. I do take your point about cutting hawthorn/blackthorn - but I think i will probably cope if it's only a couple of plants in a mix? Bay is lovely but I don't think it makes for a good hedge. I am with you on not fancying privet. I don't mind it as a tree - I think it's actually a bit underrated; the blossom can be quite nice - but when you clip it it gets so dusty and is unappealing.

If you want to keep the devil away Sambucus nigra, commonly known as elderberry. Vigorous and seeds everywhere, not sure if native but probably.

Personally I would avoid the blackthorn. The sloes are great but the trees have a habit of producing runners and coming up everywhere with prickly stems coming out of the ground - very nasty if you have children.

Hazel?

Yep, elder's in the mix as per my OP! I love the pink colours on the leaves in autumn.

Also, if you are next to a school, please avoid anything with poisonous berries! Elderberry and hazel are great choices.

Thank you! I didn't know it tended to produce runners - really useful to know. Would you suggest anything else as alternative? I wondered about bullaces or similar?

I am expecting to keep it in order so it's not coming over past the fence, and school are pretty good about teaching children not to eat berries. They already have eg. honeysuckle on site.