In the light of COP26, the importance of preserving the UK’s natural ecosystem has never been more prevalent. At Harrods Outdoor, we understand this and we are always looking to improve our ecological impact. We know our customers care too and we know that hedging offers a great alternative to wooden or metal fencing in terms of its environmental benefits and aesthetic effect. For those customers who are looking to encourage UK wildlife into their gardens, Native Hedging is always a great choice.
Native Hedging has the benefit of being widely tolerable of UK weather conditions and soil types and so requires minimal care and maintenance to help with its success and growth rates. You can plant Native Hedging like Privet, Hornbeam, Hawthorn and Beech individually or you can opt for a Mixed Native Hedging which is always very popular with our customers. Mixed Native Hedging is a great way to increase biodiversity into your garden, allowing your hedging to offer the same benefits of the hedgerows and woodlands this country is loved for. The combination of colours and foliage also creates a stunning addition to any garden, which is only heightened by the butterflies and bumblebees they attract which again are key pollinators that help to combat climate change.
For single species Native Hedging, these are our favourite Native Hedging plants and how they can add to your garden:
Privet hedging has the benefit of being semi-evergreen, meaning it can keep its stunning green leaves if planted correctly in closer proximity of the other plants, helping them be better protected against harsher weather conditions. This allows the hedging to offer good protection and privacy as it grows very densely when it is well established. It also has a fast growth rate and so does not take long to establish itself and if brought as root balls then will offer some good, instant hedging that is extra bushy for great protection.
Green and Copper Beech are a great option for those looking to add more colour into their gardens, especially when planted together as the foliage combine to make an impressive mix. The Copper Beech will bloom beautiful, purple leaves which are even more striking when planted against the Green Beech’s classical green leaves. Beech also grows quickly and so can create a good hedging very quickly if cared for correctly. Beech is a deciduous species that can keep its foliage despite having browned all the way throughout winter until more foliage will grow.
Hornbeam adds a traditional green colour to any garden with its deciduous foliage that is replaced with new growth in the springtime. It is a medium growing hedging and so easy to maintain at the height you prefer. Hornbeam’s unique selling point is its benefits for paddocks and natural areas where livestock will graze and the catkins it produces in late spring will transform into berries loved by British birds. Hornbeam is a good option for those with clay and damper soils as the plants grow well in this moisture. Hornbeam was also awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s renowned Award of Garden Merit.