Garden hedging resources

Practical guides for choosing garden hedges, ordering the right size and looking after new plants.

Use the guides below to plan your boundary, choose suitable plants and work out your order. The planting and aftercare guides explain how to prepare the ground, plant at the right depth and look after the roots while the hedge establishes.

Planting

How to plant a hedge: Prepare the planting strip, set each hedge plant at the correct depth and water the roots thoroughly. Follow the steps for bare root, rootball and pot-grown hedging, including spacing and early aftercare.
Hedge spacing: how many plants per metre: Work out how many hedge plants you need for each metre of boundary. Compare planting distances for laurel, beech, Leylandii and other hedging, with advice on single and staggered double rows.
What to do when bare root hedging arrives: a step-by-step guide: Unpack promptly, check the roots and keep them moist. Get bare root hedging into the ground as soon as you can, ideally within a few days of delivery.
Bare root hedging: a practical guide to root types and planting seasons: Bare root hedging plants are lifted from the field with little soil on the roots and planted during the dormant season. Compare rootball and potted options for your hedge.

Choosing hedges

Types of laurel plants: cherry and Portuguese laurel compared: Compare the two main types of laurel plants grown as hedging. Understand leaf size, growth rate, spacing and care before you choose cherry or Portuguese laurel.
Conifer trees for hedging: Leylandii, yew and golden choices compared: Compare conifer trees for hedging, from fast Leylandii to neat English yew. Find the right hedging conifers for your boundary, with practical planting and trimming advice.
Best hedge plants: how to choose the right one for your garden: Find the best hedge plants for your garden by comparing evergreen and deciduous options, growth rates, soil needs and maintenance requirements.
The best evergreen hedges for UK gardens: Compare the best evergreen hedges for year-round privacy and colour, from fast-growing laurel to classic yew, with planting and care advice.
The best hedges for privacy: a practical guide to screening your garden: Choose a privacy hedge that matches your garden's conditions, height needs and maintenance time. Compare evergreen and deciduous options for year-round screening.
Pieris japonica planting and care: a practical guide for UK gardeners: Pieris japonica planting is straightforward with the right site and soil. Learn where to position Forest Flame and Mountain Fire, how to use ericaceous compost, and how to handle frost damage and pruning.
How to plant and grow a lavender hedge: A lavender hedge gives a low, fragrant edge to paths and borders. Learn which lavender to choose, spacing, planting, pruning and winter care for a neat, long-lasting display.
The best alternative to box hedge for a lasting formal garden edge: Box blight and box caterpillar are driving gardeners to find reliable replacements. We compare yew, holly, euonymus and hebe so you can choose the right alternative to box hedging for your space.
Plants for a Hedgerow: The Best Species and How to Plant Them for a Lasting Boundary: Choose the right plants for a hedgerow to create a wildlife-rich boundary. Discover the best species mixes, planting advice, spacing and care for a thriving native hedge.

Care and pruning

Looking after a newly planted hedge: Give your planted hedge the right aftercare in its first two growing seasons. Covers watering, feeding, weed control and early pruning.
When to cut hedges: the hedge cutting season: Plan hedge cutting around species, growth and nesting birds. A month-by-month guide covers legal rules, best timing and safe techniques for common garden hedges.
When to prune laurel hedge: month by month timing and expert technique: Prune cherry and Portuguese laurel hedges in late spring or early summer after the first growth flush, with a lighter trim in late summer if needed. Avoid autumn cuts that expose soft shoots to frost damage.
Is laurel poisonous? A practical guide for gardeners and pet owners: Laurel hedging is popular, but all parts of cherry and Portuguese laurel contain toxins. Learn which parts are harmful, the risks to dogs, children and livestock, and how to handle clippings safely.
How tall does laurel grow and how fast can you expect results?: Cherry laurel grows 30 to 60cm a year, reaching 5 to 8 metres tall if left unpruned. Portuguese laurel is slightly slower. Learn about growth rates, sensible hedge heights and how to speed up establishment.
When to trim a beech hedge: when to cut for a tidy hedge and winter leaf cover: Trim a beech hedge in late August for a single annual cut, or in early June and again in late August for a formal finish. Hard pruning is best done in late winter.
When to trim Leylandii and how to keep it healthy year round: Trim Leylandii two to three times a year between April and early September. Never cut into old brown wood or it will not regrow. Read our full care guide.
Ericaceous Compost and Acid Loving Plants: A Practical Guide: Ericaceous compost is a specialist growing medium for acid loving plants. Learn which shrubs need it, how to test soil pH, and simple ways to keep lime-hating plants healthy in pots and borders.
Rhododendron care: expert tips for healthy, blooming plants: Practical rhododendron care advice covering planting, flowering times, pruning, deadheading and growing in pots. Get the best from your acid-loving shrubs with our straightforward guide.

Garden law and boundaries

What is the law on boundary hedges: a clear guide for UK gardeners: Understand hedge law clearly. This guide covers boundary ownership, the high hedges complaints system, what your neighbour can cut, nesting bird rules and farm hedgerow regulations, with practical planting advice.

Shrubs and borders

Small Evergreen Shrubs for Pots: Year-Round Colour and Structure: Choose small evergreen shrubs for sunny patios, sheltered entrances and partly shaded corners. Compare dwarf conifers, hebes, euonymus and acid-loving shrubs, with practical advice on compost, watering and winter protection.