Consider cherry laurel where an evergreen screen is required and the planting strip has room for a broad hedge. Set a manageable finished width before ordering. Its vigorous growth makes access for regular trimming an important part of the specification.
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Commercial hedging for schools, sites and developments
A hedge beside a service yard may need to hide stored materials, while planting at a customer entrance must leave signs, doors and sightlines clear. On a commercial site, those different requirements affect the species, planting position and eventual width. Mark out what each boundary needs to do before settling on the plants.
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All hedge plantsStart with the site conditions and intended height. Compare the supplied size and minimum quantity before you order.
Yew is an option for a defined, clipped boundary on well-drained ground. Compare the available plant sizes with the project timescale. It is toxic if eaten, so the setting and access by people or animals must inform the choice.
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Green leylandii can be considered for a substantial evergreen perimeter where there is room and a reliable maintenance programme. Its fast growth is a reason to plan regular trimming, especially where the hedge borders neighbouring land or a public route.
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Business premisesChoose office hedging that works for entrances, frontages, staff areas and service boundaries. Compare low planting for clear sightlines with taller screening where privacy matters on a commercial site.SchoolsChoose hedging for school grounds by location and purpose. Plan boundaries, quieter learning areas and planting projects around supervision, clear views, plant hazards and the school’s maintenance arrangements.Listed buildingsPlan hedging for listed buildings and historic gardens with the existing layout in mind. Compare replacement plants, formal boundaries and practical care requirements before agreeing the order.Car parksPractical hedging choices for car parks and parking boundaries, planned around sightlines, pedestrian routes and maintenance access.Housing developmentsPlan hedge planting for new homes, plot boundaries and communal grounds. Compare available plants with the landscape specification, then order the sizes and quantities required for each phase.Trade & contractorsCompare hedging plants for trade buyers, with supplied sizes, root formats and minimum quantities on each product. Build your order around the planting schedule and prepared site.Hotels & hospitalityHotel hedging shapes the arrival experience, screens service areas and gives guest gardens a sense of enclosure. Compare evergreen species, starting sizes and spacing before you order, so the finished hedge works with your grounds team’s maintenance routine.Holiday parks & campsitesChoose hedging for holiday parks, campsites and caravan parks by matching plants to pitch layouts, shared spaces and maintenance routes. Compare species while keeping access, visibility and growing space in the plan.Sports grounds & clubsChoose hedging for sports grounds, clubs and golf club boundaries. Plan around playing areas, spectator routes and grounds equipment, then compare plants against the available space and maintenance budget.
Keep the approved landscape specification beside your planting measurements. Check the required species, starting heights and root types against the available stock, particularly where a project has several boundaries with different requirements. If you need to discuss an order, send the planting schedule with the lengths and quantities for each area.
Give each part of the site a clear purpose
Walk the proposed hedge line with a plan of the premises. Mark entrances, loading areas, parking spaces, paths, signs and the views that must remain open. On a larger project, divide the work into lengths with similar conditions. Cherry laurel may have room to develop along a broad perimeter, while a narrow bed beside an entrance may need a smaller clipped shrub. Record those differences before combining quantities.
Write down the height and width you intend to maintain, rather than choosing by the height of the plants in their pots. Allow space for trimming from both sides. Where a hedge adjoins another property, establish the boundary line and agree how maintenance access will work before the plants go in.
Compare the plant with the maintenance plan
Evergreen commercial hedging keeps foliage through the year, which can be useful around storage areas and overlooked boundaries. Cherry laurel offers broad leaves and a substantial screen where there is room to manage its spread. Yew can be considered for a clipped, formal boundary on well-drained ground. Both have toxic parts if eaten, so consider who can reach the planting and how cuttings will be collected, particularly near children, pets or grazing animals.
Fast growth can be useful on an open perimeter, but it also creates trimming work. Leylandii needs regular control and cannot be cut back into old, bare wood with the expectation that it will regrow. Ask who will maintain the hedge, what equipment they can use and how often they can attend. These answers should influence the plant choice as much as the initial budget.
Turn the plan into an accurate plant order
Measure the actual planting lengths, leaving out gates and permanent openings. Calculate quantities using the spacing agreed for the chosen species, stock size and intended hedge. For example, a 20 metre run at two plants per metre needs 40 plants. That calculation illustrates the method; it is not a spacing recommendation for every hedge.
Check the supplied height, pot or root type, pack size and any minimum quantity on each product. A pack of plants and a single plant are different ordering units. For phased work, keep a separate schedule for each area so you can check the number of plants against the drawing without having to reconstruct the whole order.
Arrange aftercare before planting starts
Name the person responsible for watering and inspection, including weekends, holidays and changes of contractor. Make sure they can reach a water supply and the full planting strip. Bare soil beside new hard landscaping may need more preparation than it appears to from the surface, so investigate compaction and drainage before ordering.
Keep a record of the species, sizes and quantities used in each area. Add the planting date and the care instructions to the grounds maintenance file. Photographs taken at planting are useful for later comparisons, particularly if different teams are responsible for buying, planting and looking after the hedge.
Common spacing and quantity guide
For cherry laurel, English yew and green Leylandii, the table shows estimated plant counts for single-row hedges. A staggered double row can require roughly 50 percent more plants, depending on the agreed layout. Use the specified spacing and supplied stock size to calculate the final quantities.
| Species | Typical plants per metre | Plants for 5m | Plants for 10m | Plants for 20m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry laurel | 2 to 3 | 10 to 15 | 20 to 30 | 40 to 60 |
| English yew | 2 to 3 | 10 to 15 | 20 to 30 | 40 to 60 |
| Green Leylandii | 2 to 3 | 10 to 15 | 20 to 30 | 40 to 60 |
Planting seasons at a glance
The right planting time depends on the root type. This calendar shows when each type can normally be planted in the UK. Bare root plants are only available and planted in the dormant season, roughly November to March.
| Root type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bare root | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rootball | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Potted | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Questions about commercial hedging
What is the best hedge for a commercial property?
There is no single best plant for every commercial site. Start with the required screen height, available width, soil and maintenance access. Use the sector pages to compare the needs of your setting, then check individual plant details before deciding.
How many hedging plants do I need for a large site?
Break the scheme into measured runs and apply the agreed spacing to each one. Deduct openings and check whether each listing is priced per plant or per pack. Keep the calculations with the landscape plan so that changes to one area are easy to track.
Can I choose a fast-growing hedge to reduce the starting cost?
You can compare smaller plants with larger stock, but include watering, weed control and future trimming in the decision. A fast-growing species still needs time to establish. It may be a poor fit where the maintenance team cannot keep its eventual height and width under control.
What should I send when asking about a project?
Send the site postcode, planting lengths, desired finished height and width, soil or drainage information and any specified species. Include the sizes and quantities on an existing planting schedule. Clear photographs of the ground and nearby access points can help explain the setting.
What are the three types of hedging?
Hedging plants are usually grouped by how they hold their leaves. Evergreen hedging keeps foliage all year, giving a permanent screen. Deciduous hedging drops its leaves in autumn and grows fresh leaves in spring, which can let in more light during winter. Semi-evergreen hedging holds some leaves but may thin in a cold winter or exposed site. The choice depends on how much year-round cover the site needs.
Is there a legal height for hedges in the UK?
There is no single legal height limit for hedges on commercial land, but planning conditions or a landscape specification may set a maximum. If a hedge grows too tall and blocks light to a residential property, the local council can investigate under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. Check the approved plans for the site and keep the hedge within the height written into the maintenance schedule.
Do you offer volume pricing for large hedging orders?
Some garden shrubs are sold in multipacks, while the main hedging options are listed as individual plants. Check the selected size, quantity and price rather than assuming that a larger order automatically qualifies for a discount. For a substantial planting scheme, send us the species, sizes and total quantities so the available options can be discussed.
Can you deliver to a site on a set date?
If your planting programme depends on a particular arrival date, contact us before ordering to discuss the required species, sizes and quantities. Confirm the available delivery arrangements before booking the planting team. Bare root plants are seasonal stock, normally supplied during dormancy from roughly November to March, so account for that when planning the work.
Which hedging is best for public spaces?
For public spaces, check how closely people will come into contact with the hedge, whether its foliage presents an ingestion or contact hazard, and how the grounds team will maintain it. Cherry laurel and yew create a dense screen but are toxic if eaten, so they need a careful risk assessment where children or animals are present. Deciduous native hedging such as hawthorn can be a robust choice for open boundaries, though it drops its leaves in winter. Match the plant to the level of public access and the maintenance the grounds team can provide.