Shrub/hedge advice

[RandomMess]

I’m looking for some recommendations for hedging that will only grow to about 4’ high.

I’m getting 40cm raised bed planters and want to create a hedge between us and the neighbours. Our garden is windswept so trellis and climbers are not surviving 😔 It doesn’t need to provide complete privacy but a decent amount and something that flowers preferred.

It doesn’t need to be evergreen.

Beech not evergreen but can be cut to height every year.

or euonymus which is evergreen, Very hardy and will only need a prune every year to keep it tidy.

Photinia,very attractive leaves, white flowers,low maintenance.

I have red Robin already and spend a lot of time picking up leaves!!

Hawthorne has flowers. Not evergreen but very pretty im spring/summer.

Are these planters open to the soil at the bottom? Either way you are committing yourself to quite a bit of watering firstly to get them established and then to keep them alive. A planter is also going to construct the roots . Is there any reason the plants can't go in the ground? Griselinia makes a nice hedge in a windy location.

Obviously privet etc CAN grow higher, but plenty of people keep it cut to 4ft. Bare root privet is pretty cheap and it will fill in quickly. Holly is also very pretty (there are loads of different types, some spikier than others). In fact ilex crenata is slow growing and might suit you? Or beech is a classic, looks lovely and quite low maintenance.

You are going to need to cut a hedge once a year regardless of species unless you want it sprawling everywhere, so honestly I’d just pick something you like the look of.

My assumption was the planters were going in front of the hedge, not the hedge inside the planters.

OP, if you were planning on putting the hedge inside the planters, don’t. A 40cm planter with a 4 ft hedge in it will tip over for one, and the roots will be constricted and prone to drying out.

Ah could be! Tipping over is a good point too!

No they need to go in the planters, most of them will be open bottomed. One will be on top of paving.

This is why I’m asking for play ideas. I need some screening for the summery months rather than a dense hedge.

We live in a wet area so the watering isn’t an issue. I’m replacing planters with trellis that aren’t stable enough as they have been lifted with bricks and as wood will rot.

Try searching for hedging / shrubs for coastal gardens and see what comes up. Anything in that category will tolerate windswept conditions. I wouldn’t worry about shrubs being too tall as you can cut them back and being in a container might restrict them anyway. Obviously you need to make sure the whole thing doesn’t tip over in the wind so might need to add some rocks or concrete slabs or something. Especially if the soil dries out a bit so the planter is less weighty.

Also wondering if tall grasses might be an option? They might be more inclined to bend rather than the whole pot tipping over? But not sure about how they do in containers.

Grasses is a good idea. I’m also wondering about sturdy trellis behind the planters. Yes everything can be secured to the brick wall.

We have beech hedges and keeping them to 4 ft when they are mature would be difficult. I’d maybe try Berberis. Easily trimmed. Or perhaps box.

Remember that a quick growing hedge will often need annual trimming, whereas slow growing wont- but will take longer to reach height. Buy bare roots in winter will be cheaper than potted.

I have one of these in a pot, but recently saw one as a hedge. It was about 3-4ft high, but the suttons site says they are only 60cm high. Maybe the one I saw as a hedge was a different colour/variety of escallionia? They produce a very pretty, pink flower.
www.suttons.co.uk/escallonia-red-dream_MH8112?feed=shopping&source=SUSN3305&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21886631915&gbraid=0AAAAAC7Svtp_sLwcvsQ5brCBSKpx5-Gsd&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi8nRBhDhARIsAHZf_pYJ59YgK615zB2wGYVilvPIlEwqWo6V916Iy3n60tWmDXkt0YsXSioaAvq6EALw_wcB

I don’t mind slow growing.

Grasses are prairie plants,they like hot and dry. How about Skimmia Japonica,lots of variety, lemon scented white flowers