Choosing and planting potted hedging

Container-grown hedging plants are perfect for planting all year round. Generally speaking, hedging is put in the ground over winter, using young bareroot plants when they are dormant. However, some circumstances call for a more instant, mature hedge – which is where container-grown (or potted) hedging plants play their part. Why choose potted hedging? Among… Continue reading Choosing and planting potted hedging

Freezing weather & bareroot plants

Most of the damage caused to bareroot plants in cold, freezing conditions is to the delicate roots themselves. The roots are fine, fibrous structures with a high water content: moving them, or even the slightest touch whilst frozen, can cause damage. Almost all of a shrub or a tree’s energy reserves are stored in the… Continue reading Freezing weather & bareroot plants

When to clip, trim & prune hedges?

Winter and Summer Winter is generally the best time to prune woody subjects and it certainly is the best time to trim the hedge plants you have just planted. Hedges must be clipped and sometimes pruned. Fruit trees need some pruning to maintain the best crops. Older ornamental trees can need pruning if they are damaged or… Continue reading When to clip, trim & prune hedges?

Photinia Leaf Spot – Don’t Panic!

Photinia Red Robin makes a really photogenic hedge plant, with blazing red young leaves that can be persuaded to reappear all summer with regular trimming and simple but lovely white flowers. However, just as the most handsome face can be marred by acne, the prettiest Photinia bush can can be disfigured by an unpleasant looking… Continue reading Photinia Leaf Spot – Don’t Panic!

Escallonia – A Winter Surprise

Everyone knows that Escallonia gets badly frostbitten. Every book says that Escallonia is a tender hedge plant. Every list of plants that “only grow in the south-west” (it used to be “in the Scillies”) contains Escallonia. Every article says it should only be used as coastal hedging. I even read a piece in a reputable gardening magazine that… Continue reading Escallonia – A Winter Surprise

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