Elveden Instant Hedges

Berberis Leaves Shot 1

Berberies

A natural intruder deterrent, this robust, easy to maintain, slow-growing deciduous is ideal for exposed sites, tolerating poorer soils.

Elegant, compact and hardy to -200C, the Japanese Barberry or Berberis offers a stunning array of seasonal interest, ideal for those seeking a low-level hedge with ornamental value.

Smooth, 2-3cm obovate dark green leaves borne from thorny stems, are joined in spring by scented, nectar, rich yellow cupped flowers. In early autumn beautiful glossy scarlet-red berries appear, matched by a dazzling display of foliage, turning orange, red and purple before dropping in winter.

Placement

Berberis grows well in virtually any well-drained soil and is tough enough to withstand both exposed inland and coastal sites, whether in full sun or partial shade.

Uses

In addition to making a highly attractive formal hedge, worthy of most planting schemes, Berberis’ vicious thorns ward off humans and animals alike, making it a functional security hedge also. With that in mind it is advised that protective gloves are used when pruning.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Green Beech

A classic low-maintenence native, compact in habit and shade tolerant, providing year-round interest and privacy.

Marvelled for its beauty by gardening enthusiasts, the Green Beech, whilst deciduous, clings to its leaves during winter until the new growth pushes through in the spring.

In spring, low-branching stems bear lustrous, lightly veined 4-9cm limegreen leaves, wavy edged and fringed with silky hairs. Maturing foliage darkens and becomes more leathery, changing to a glorious buttery-yellow in autumn and rich russet in winter when the hedge is dormant.

Beech Leaves Shot 3

Placement

Green Beech excels in a moist but well-drained soil, so heavy clays or those prone to waterlogging are best avoided. Suitable for exposed sites, tolerating full sun or partial shade

Uses

Ideal as a formal hedge, its lush, light reflecting foliage provides the perfect contrast to many planting schemes. Clipping in late summer will aid leaf retention in winter, enhancing its value as a barrier to pollution and wind with the addition of providing a decorative privacy screen.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Hawthorn Shot 1

Hawthorn

A versatile, fast-growing native deciduous, with an impenetrable dense, thorny nature, ideal for wetter soils and exposed sites.

Rich with seasonal interest and wildlife value, the Hawthorn, with its thorny dense nature and rustic charm, possesses all the qualities of a fine undemanding hedge.

Its distinctive heavily lobed 3-5cm glossy, dark green leaves are joined in spring by sprays of almond-scented, nectar-rich creamy-white blossom. Clusters of bright red fruits known as ‘haws’ follow in autumn which often remain on the branches long after the leaves have fallen.

Placement

Hawthorn thrives in any well drained soil and withstands both exposed inland and coastal sites whether in full sun or partial shade.

Uses

Historically linked to farming, this prevalent countryside hedge boasts multiple applications. Traditionally used for securing farmsteads from unwanted visitors and for livestock containment, the Hawthorn also serves well as a windbreak or privacy screen in addition to providing a rich source of food for foragers.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Hornbeam

A dense, fast-growing, native deciduous, boasting dramatic architectural foliage, tolerant of boggy, exposed sites and shade.

A true ‘country house classic’, the Hornbeam offers a great solution to those seeking an attractive formal hedge in more demanding situations.

Deeply furrowed and heavily toothed 7-12cm bright green, ovate leaves are joined in spring by clusters of large, greenish-yellow catkins. These develop into papery green winged nuts that ripen to brown. Stunning yellowy-orange autumnal foliage, later turning a coppery-grey, often clings to its branches well into winter.

Hornbeam

Placement

Hornbeam excels in moist, heavy soils but will grow in virtually any, provided its roots aren’t waterlogged. Suitable for exposed inland and coastal sites, although frost pockets are to be avoided. It performs equally well in full sun or shade.

Uses

Hornbeam, like Beech, benefits from a quick trim in late summer to aid leaf retention in winter which enhances its value as a barrier against wind, noise and pollution with the addition of providing privacy screening.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Native Mix (Snow)

Native Mix

A native deciduous mix with season-long appeal.

The sheer diversity of this native mix both in its array of seasonal interest and the wildlife it supports, make this undemanding hedge worthy of inclusion in most planting schemes.

The 8 species have been specifically selected to provide a hedge mix with real appeal. From nectar-rich spring blossom to a wide variety of leaf colour change as summer moves into autumn – with blue, black and red berries abundant, providing a winter-long food source for wildlife.

Placement

This native mix grows well in nvirtually any well-drained soil and is tough enough to withstand both exposed inland and coastal sites in full sun or partial shade.

Uses

Whether clipped to a formal shape or left wild for a more rustic feel, it can significantly help to reduce both dust and noise pollution. Its vicious thorns serve well to those seeking a security barrier, while its density acts as an ideal windbreak and privacy screen.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Purple Beech

A dense, moderate-growing, native deciduous boasting a dramatic, low branching broad leaf, offering year-round privacy and interest.

Elegant, hardy and undemanding, the Purple Beech with its majestic foliage is ideal for those seeking a formal hedge with ornamental value.

In spring, shiny 4-9cm greenish purple leaves emerge, wavy-edgedand fringed with silky brown hairs. The leaves mature to deep purple. Tassel-like catkins and reddish brown beech nuts, housed in woody cups, follow. In autumn, foliage softens to coppery brown, remaining on the branches well into winter.

Copper Beech Shot 1

Placement

Purple Beech, excels in a moist but well-drained soil, so heavy clays or those prone to waterlogging are best avoided. Suitable for exposed sites, tolerating full sun or partial shade.

Uses

Ideal for garden and landscaping projects, its rich colour provides a contrast to other planting schemes. Clipping in late summer will aid leaf retention in winter, enhancing its value as a barrier to pollution and wind with the addition of providing a decorative privacy screen.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Cherry Laurel Shot 2

Cherry Laurel

A versatile, fast-growing, hardy evergreen, boasting excellent year-round screening, tolerant of very dry sites and pollution.

The Cherry Laurel or Common Laurel remains a highly popular go-to hedge and not without reason. Its incredible density, robust nature and lush foliage makes for a highly functional barrier hedge or decorative screen.

Glossy, bright green, 10-15cm ovate leaves with a slightly serrated edge are joined in spring by an abundance of sweetly fragrant, nectar-rich, white flowers on long, erect racemes.These are followed by small red fruits, later turning black in the autumn.

Placement

Cherry Laurel will thrive in all but waterlogged or chalky soils. Hardy to -150C, it’s suitable for exposed sites in full sun or the deepest shade.

Uses

Equally attractive whether trimmed into a formal box-shape or left more natural, it provides a wonderful aesthetic feature to any planting scheme. Quite often seen planted by roadsides, its impenetrable nature offers the perfect protection against environmental pollution in addition to making a fabulous privacy screen.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Dutch Holly

A versatile, slow-growing, evergreen, with an impenetrable dense, prickly nature, tolerant of drought, wind and pollution.

Strong growing, low-maintenance and fully hardy, this dense and prickly ornamental hedge offers a wealth of seasonal interest and function – a great hedging solution where security is paramount.

Beautifully glossy, dark green broad leaves 5-10cm long with irregular spines which are less prickly than native holly. These are joined during summer by small white flowers. In autumn, an abundance of spherical red berries appear if a male plant is nearby, providing a feast for visiting wildlife.

Holly (Limsii) Leaves

Placement

Dutch Holly thrives in a well-drained soil in a sunny position, although it will tolerate shade and some drought. Tough enough to withstand exposed spaces, coastal sprays and pollution – ideal for demanding sites.

Uses

A great addition to both a relaxed or formal setting where it can be clipped for a more formal feel or topiarised for additional interest. A fabulous security hedge, privacy screen and pollution barrier. Prune back hard in Summer if reshaping is required.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Eastern White Cedar

Eastern White Cedar

A vibrant, slow-growing, hardy evergreen, providing excellent year-round screening, tolerant of full sun and pollution.

A superb statement hedge, requiring little to no maintenence. Favoured for its vibrant aromatic foliage, hardy dense nature and resistance to pests and diseases. Highly effective and equally dramatic whether left natural or clipped for a more formal setting.

An eye-catching golden yellow leaf bright and zesty during spring and summer, softens to a slight bronze autumn onwards. The flat sprays of leaves with their scale-like texture and small cones provide an almost ‘pineapple’ or citrus scent to the hedge and surrounding area.

Placement

Ideal for moist, well drained soils, preferring full sun or partial shade. Capable of surviving the coldest of prolonged winters but it is intolerant to drought and dry winds. Hardy enough to withstand exposed spaces, coastal sprays and pollution.

Uses

Eastern White Cedar is the perfect choice for privacy screening in hard to reach areas. Capable of with standing pollution, this is ideal for a front garden or close to areas of heavy vehicle traffic where screening is also required.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Evergreen Spindle

A highly resilient, low-maintenance, dense evergreen that provides excellent screening for exposed sites or coastal regions.

An incredibly hardy and resilient offering with an ability to thrive in almost any soil – incredibly versatile due to being fully frost hardy and its resistance to pests and diseases.

A busy and dense foliage of dark oval glossy green leaves 3-7cm long with a finely serrated margin. The nectar rich flowers are small and green in colour, with orange and pink fruits – which are rarely produced.

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Placement

Evergreen Spindle thrives in full sun but can also withstand partial shade – where the strikingly dark foliage will not lose its appearance due to lack of light. Wind and salt spray tolerant – ideal for coastal areas.

Uses

Suitable for a wide variety of applications from providing privacy screening to a pollution barrier. Can be clipped for a more formal scheme or left natural for an informal look in cottage gardens, and gravel beds. Ideal for creating a low level edge to borders and paths.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Common Holly Shot 2

Holly

A versatile, slow-growing native evergreen, with an impenetrable dense, prickly nature, tolerant of drought, wind and pollution..

Dense, robust and undemanding, the holly offers an excellent solution to securing more problematic sites, whilst providing ornamental value.

Glossy, dark green undulated leaves with unusually deep, spiny edges provide contrast to the clusters of small white, nectar-rich flowers that appear in late spring. The bright red berries which follow in autumn are a welcome sight, often remaining on the branches well into winter.

Placement

Holly excels in any well-drained soil and is tough enough to withstand both exposed inland and coastal sites in full sun or very deep shade

Uses

In addition to making a highly attractive formal hedge worthy of most planting schemes, the holly’s prickly foliage will ward off humans and animals alike, making it a highly functional security hedge also. It is advised that protective gloves are used when pruning.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Holm Oak

A dense, easy to maintain evergreen, boasting magnificent season-long interest, tolerant of salt spray, strong winds and drought.

The Holm Oak takes its name from Holm – an ancient name for holly – due to the shape of its leaves. Ideal for providing year-round interest, especially in the winter months. It supports plenty of wildlife with its dense foliage creating an ideal shelter for birds.

Glossy, dark green, ovate leaves, are contrasted in spring by silvery new growth, which becomes darker green and leathery as the foliage matures. A stunning display of golden catkins adorn the hedge in early summer, followed by green acorns that turn brown in autumn before falling.

Holm Oak Leaves

Placement

Mediterranean in origin, the Holm Oak thrives in sunnier situations and any soil, provided it is well-drained. Suitable for exposed and coastal sites, although inland frost pockets are best avoided.

Uses

A stunning addition to traditional and contemporary planting schemes, clipped into formal lines or topiary. The robust nature and dense habit provides excellent privacy screening and a barrier against pollution. The wood can also be used for smoking foods – slow burning with an even glow, it adds a fine, nutty aroma, ideal for barbeques.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Holly (Aquifolium)

Japanese Holly

A dense, slow-growing evergreen, providing year-round colour and structure to formal schemes on drier exposed sites.

A fantastic, hardier alternative to Box or Buxus hedging but with a similar appearance. Japanese Holly benefits from being more resistant to pests and diseases and is less prone to leaf scorch when pruned. Capable of regenerating from old wood – perfect for re shaping if
neglected over time.

Dense and compact with alternate small glossy 1-3cm, dark green, wavy margined leaves are accompanied by a smattering of white flowers in spring and very small black berries in autumn.

Placement

Japanese Holly performs best in a moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in full sun or partial shade. Avoid areas with heavy shade or those prone to waterlogging. Suitable for coastal areas due to its wind and salt tolerence.

Uses

An aesthetically pleasing hedge – ideal for formal planting schemes, either used low-level to edge borders and paths or for showcasing brighter plants. Its density provides excellent privacy screening and barrier against noise, dust and wind pollution.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Oval Leaf Privet

A dense, fast-growing, versatile semi-evergreen, tolerant of wind, shade and heavy pollution, ideal as a formal hedge for urban environments.

Semi-evergreen, the Oval Leaf Privet remains a highly popular choice for both its dense screening and topiary value. Whilst it may lose some of its internal leaves in cold winters when exposed, the outside face often remains evergreen in appearance.

Lustrous, dark green, 7cm oval leaves provide the perfect backdrop to the abundance of nectar-rich, scented white flowers that emerge in early summer, later followed by shiny spherical black fruit.

Berberis Leaves Shot 1

Placement

Thriving in virtually any well-drained soil, the Oval Leaf Privet is tough enough to withstand both exposed inland and coastal sites whether in full sun or heavier shade.

Uses

In addition to making a fabulous formal hedge that can be clipped to smooth curves or split-level designs, the Oval Leaf Privet makes a highly effective barrier against wind, dust and noise pollution. A great choice for more demanding urban sites that require privacy screening.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Copper Beech Shot 2

Photinia

A bushy, upright, low-maintenence evergreen, boasting spectacular year-round foliage, tolerant of full sun and mild drought.

Highly decorative, the elegant and hardy Photinia ‘Red Robin’ offers a stunning array of seasonal colour, making it an ideal specimen hedge.

Glossy, elliptical, 10cm dark green broad leaves are complemented in spring and summer by the flush of new pink growth. Once matured, these leaves become a dazzling vibrant red before turning to bronze then dark green. Panicles of small, creamy-white flowers appear in late spring, often followed by red berries.

Placement

Photinia ‘Red Robin’ thrives in most soils, except for heavy clays or those prone to waterlogging. Whilst happy in both sun or partial shade, the red foliage will emerge more vibrant when in full sun.

Uses

Whether kept sharp and formal or left as a more rounded screen, this hedge will provide a wealth of colour and interest to any planting scheme. Its bushy nature makes an excellent privacy screen and offers protection from wind and mild pollution.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Potuguese Laurel

An incredibly robust, compact evergreen, providing year-round interest and privacy, tolerant of wind, shade and drought.

Portuguese Laurel, with its dense spreading foliage and resilient nature makes an elegant, formal hedge – ideal for more demanding situations.

Glossy, elliptic, 8-10cm deep green leaves, borne from striking, plum-red coloured stems, provide the perfect backdrop to the vibrant green new growth in spring. These are joined in early summer by racemes to 25cm in length bearing scented, cup-shaped, creamy-white flowers. Decorative, slightly pointed red fruits follow in autumn, ripening to dark purple.

Holly (Limsii)

Placement

Suitable for any well-drained soil, Portuguese Laurel thrives in drier, more challenging conditions than Cherry Laurel. It performs equally well in full sun or deep shade and is ideal for exposed sites.

Uses

Highly versatile, its compact foliage makes for a highly effective privacy screen, impenetrable boundary or windbreak. Ideal for more formal planting, it responds particularly well to clipping, making it an ideal candidate for topiary.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

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Wild Privet

A hardy, fast growing, semi-evergreen native, ideal for screening in urban environments and suitable for clipping into decorative designs.

A versatile native with a Victorian heritage – popular in inner city gardens due to its density and robust nature. Internal foliage may drop in very cold winters; however, outside faces often remain green. Ideal for poor dry soils.

If left untrimmed, the lustrous dark green, 2-3cm lance-shaped leaves provide the perfect backdrop to white summer flowers. Dark, glossy purple berries in autumn, provide another source of seasonal interest.

Placement

Wild Privet thrives in sun or partial shade in any well drained soil – especially chalk. Tough enough to withstand coastal winds, yet also decorative enough for cottage and informal gardens. Perfect also for wildflower meadows.

Uses

Clips with ease to create decorative curves or split-level designs. An effective privacy screen and barrier against dust and noise pollution, – ideal for busy urban sites and coastal regions.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Yew

An Elveden speciality, this robust, highly versatile, slow-growing evergreen, boasts excellent wind, shade and drought resistance.

A ‘classic country house’ hedge, the Yew, which oozes decadence when formally maintained, is a long-living native conifer providing year-round interest and screening.

Flat, dark green, needle-like glossy leaves which grow in two rows upon stems are joined in spring by bright green, fresh new growth. In summer, clusters of insignificant yellow scaly flowers appear, which if pollinated turn into vibrant, fleshy red berries during autumn.

Hedge planting

Placement

Yew tolerates drier conditions and excels in most well-drained soils, except those that are highly acidic or prone to waterlogging. Suitable for exposed sites (not coastal) whether in full sun or deep shade.

Uses

This ‘King of hedges’ clips beautifully into classic lines and spectacular topiary features, providing aesthetic value to formal settings. Its dense habit makes for an excellent privacy screen and barrier against noise, wind and dust pollution.

Available Height 1.2m | 1.5m | 1.8m

Get in touch to discuss any requirements