What is Box Hedging?
Best used for low, formal hedges and edging within a garden, such as along paths, around a rose border, or to divide areas in a parterre, the original Box is Buxus sempervirens.
Slow growing and shade-tolerant, with small evergreen leaves that clip beautifully, perfect for ornamental hedges and edging within the garden, and topiary.
Buxus sempervirens: Common Box is native and (along with Yew) has been a quintessential formal hedge plant for centuries, intended to be clipped with sharp edges or neat contours to provide structure.
- Common Box grows (very slowly) up to several metres.
- Grows well in full shade, very hardy.
- Requires good air flow to reduce risk of disease.
Sarcococca confusa: Sweet Box, looks a lot less box-like than the others, with larger, darker leaves and a less dense habit, which doesn't lend itself so well to a really formal look, although it's also slow growing.
- Few other shrubs grow so well in dry soil and full shade under other shrubs.
- Its sweet smelling winter flowers make it a classic alongside shady paths.
How many Box hedge plants do I need?
Common Box should be planted at 4 or 5 plants per metre (every 20 to 25cm) in a single row.
What size Box hedge plants should I buy?
Our Box Hedging comes in only two sizes, and there is not much between them.
- If you are working to a budget, we recommend starting with the smaller size.
- If you want to save time getting a mature box hedge, or are filling gaps in an existing hedge, then pick the bigger size.
Smaller plants are cheaper, easier to plant, and tend to establish better because they are dug up with most of their roots intact.
You can also clip them attentively and ensure a very bushy plant from the base up.
Your Box plants are delivered by mail order direct from our nursery, along with expert advice, friendly support, plus our bareroot Guarantee, and Free Returns on all plants, so you can give them a whirl with complete confidence.
Browse our full range of Hedging Plants, or have a look at our Ornamental Shrubs.