Hedge Planting
With decades of firsthand experience in supplying the holiday park industry, as well as expert horticultural knowledge and advice, Wykeham Mature Plants are experts in supplying instant transformations tailored to the site conditions and to the requirements of your business.
Developing ongoing relationships with clients is key in helping them to grow their business and to provide their guests with an experience that they will want to revisit time and again. Supplying the trade with high quality large trees, specimen shrubs, instant hedging and screening plants for over forty five years, Wykeham Mature Plants spans over 150 acres of nursery, located in a frost pocket ten miles from Scarborough; the Yorkshire-grown stock is guaranteed to be hardy and free from imported pests and diseases.
Nationwide delivery is available, and for sites located within a hundred miles or so from the nursery, site visits are available to provide consultations on your site and, if required, a professional and guaranteed expert planting service to help give your scheme the best possible start, as well as ongoing advice regarding their aftercare.
As all successful operators know, a holiday park business cannot rely solely on their location or the surrounding countryside and must provide attractive, functional spaces to make their site a destination in itself. Failing to understand the business need for well-maintained outdoor spaces, especially in failing to see them through the eyes of your customers, will lead to poor budgetary decisions and missed opportunities – and failing to understand the conditions on site prior to planting may lead to costly mistakes.
At Wykeham Mature Plants we have real hands-on experience of planting and growing in a wide range of different conditions on different leisure sites for different purposes and for different business reasons.
As well as guiding you to the best planting options to thrive in the growing conditions on your site, we can also help you to identify the areas on which to prioritise spending, ie on what is essential and urgent, such as security, privacy and shelter planting and also on planning issues, then on what is urgent and of benefit, such as an attractive entrance and reception/office area, then on what is essential but less urgent (such as areas where you can afford to plant smaller stock and wait for them to grow), and only then look at the “nice to haves”. Don’t get carried away allocating budget on highly ornamental areas if security and privacy issues haven’t yet been addressed or if messy bin areas need to be screened off!
The importance of hedges
Around the British countryside, screening and shelter has traditionally been provided by hedgerows – and since many leisure sites have been developed from farmland, these country hedges persist on the majority of holiday parks. As well as marking boundaries and providing security, these hedges provide a haven for wildlife and absorb CO2 from the air, helping to combat climate change.
From a more practical stand-point, hedging makes sense as it doesn’t require planning permission, is far less likely to blow down than a fence and provides better security as it is harder to climb over. It absorbs sound, often cutting down noise far better than a solid screen such as a fence or wall, and rather than having to be replaced every few years, such as is invariably the case with fencing, a hedge can outlive its owner!
Obviously, there can never be a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to what plants should be used for hedging as different conditions on site will dictate what will grow there, and what the hedge is to be used for will also dictate plant selection, just as importance and urgency to the business versus budgetary limitations may also affect the size and maturity of the plants used, as will the level of aftercare (such as watering) required.
Boundary hedges
These are often the starting point to the landscaping and planting of most sites as they often predate the business by many years. However, do not neglect or ignore their importance. Boundary hedges are often your site’s primary security barrier to deter trespassers, they may provide shelter (especially in exposed and/or coastal locations) as well as to screen unsightly views. However, it is important to be considerate to your neighbours when planting on boundaries to avoid potential legal disputes (we can guide you through issues such as the High Hedge Legislation but for specific cases you should always seek professional legal advice) and may also be a factor in any planning applications you may make. For boundary hedges it is especially important to consider the possibility of grazing by livestock on adjacent land as well as to plant sympathetically to the surrounding landscape.
Traditional “field” hedging
Field hedges in Britain have most commonly been predominantly Hawthorn (as it is easy to grow from cuttings, is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, and forms a dense, thorny hedge to contain livestock) into which other species colonise over time. Hawthorn would normally be planted as bare-rooted whips during the winter, which is certainly the cheapest way when there are long distances to plant, but when something more instant is needed, such as to extend an existing hedge or to replace damage from a vehicle collision, we supply Hawthorn in 20ltr pots, with three or four plants per pot for increased density, to be planted two pots per metre for an instant hedge, starting at 150cm (5ft) and above.
Security hedging
Whether for deterring trespassers and potential thieves at the boundaries of the site or for discouraging curious guests from private “employee-only” areas within the site, hedges provide a simple security solution. In most cases a hedge tall enough to not see over and dense enough to not see through or push through is usually sufficient. Therefore, something fast-growing, or planted at a more mature size, fits the bill. For higher risk areas an additional deterrent may be necessary, so thorny or prickly options may be required.
Conifers
Conifer hedging, especially fast-growing Leylandii, may have a bad reputation at times but that’s largely due to it being planted in the wrong situation and is often poorly maintained, if at all. If regularly pruned, conifer hedging can certainly be a useful option in the right place… but there are downsides and they will not tolerate soggy ground. We stock a range of hedging conifers in different sizes and varieties, starting from about 6ft tall and upwards.
Laurel
Common/Cherry Laurel is fast-growing, responds well to pruning (can be cut back hard into old wood if it gets too big and will still grow back), makes a really dense hedge that can’t be pushed through and is easy to look after. Like all evergreens, Laurel won’t tolerate waterlogged ground. It is sensitive to salt, so not suitable for seafront hedges or where splash from road salt could be a problem, and isn’t suitable around livestock as it is toxic to grazing animals. However, in the right place, Laurel is one of the most versatile and cost-effective options for hedging. We stock container-grown Laurel bushes in large sizes but, for a truly instant hedge, ask about our Instant Laurel Hedge Blocks which have been grown and pruned in our fields for many years.
Thorny Hedges
The traditional thorny hedge would of course be Hawthorn, possibly mixed with some Blackthorn. For something a little different you could opt for Berberis but for the ultimate deterrent Pyracantha, which is also known as “Firethorn”, has vicious thorns, evergreen foliage, summer flowers that will attract pollinating insects and attractive berries of yellow, orange or red to attract birds. It can be used to scramble through an existing, thinning Hawthorn hedge or, for a new freestanding hedge, can be given additional support with stakes and/or wire until it has sufficiently knitted together. We occasionally stock slightly smaller (5ft+) plants but our main crop of Pyracantha is over 2m tall and grown in 36ltr containers.
Ornamental hedges
For more high-profile areas you may want to add some real “wow” factor with more formal and manicured planting. Privet is certainly an option but the ultimate formal hedge would be Yew. Sometimes called the King of Hedges, Yew makes the perfect formal backdrop to ornamental planting – we sell Yew hedging in a range of sizes from 125cm (4ft) and upwards from our fields during winter. However, as well as being very, very sensitive to having soggy roots, Yew is toxic so be sure to talk to us about its suitability before ordering.
For a less formal way to add interest why not plant a flowering hedge? There are lots of flowering shrubs which make attractive hedges, such as Forsythia, Deutsia, Viburnum, Cotoneaster, Spirea and many others. To discuss options from our range of specimen shrubs suitable for hedging don’t hesitate to ask.
For the perfect combination of formality and flowers, an evergreen plant that can be formally clipped but also has beautifully scented white flowers in spring, is Osmanthus burkwoodii. This is ideal for an ornamental hedge to be maintained between thigh height and chest height (so a good alternative to Privet or taller Box hedges), although it will eventually grow to be taller if allowed.
Hedges for specific conditions and potentially “problem” areas
Choosing hedge plants, just as for all plants, should firstly be based on what will grow and thrive in the conditions. However, there are some growing conditions that are more challenging than others, so here’s a quick list of options for some that come up frequently:
Coastal conditions
Salt-laden winds (or splash from road salt for that matter) will scorch the leaves of most plants so the selection for coastal parks can be a bit more limited than on sites inland. Useful salt-tolerant hedging options include:
Eleagnus Tough, leathery, evergreen leaves and small but strongly scented flowers in September. Rabbits love the leaves of this so if you have a lot of rabbits on your site it’s best to plant more mature plants but be aware that Eleagnus hedges will eventually have bare stems (ie no leaves) in the bottom 18”! Eleagnus ebbingei has grey-green leaves but variegated forms are also available.
Griselinia, Succulent apple-green evergreen leaves. Hardy enough for most coastal sites but not suitable for planting in a frost pocket.
Escallonia Small evergreen leaves with attractive flowers in late spring or early summer. Prune annually to maintain density and to prevent it becoming too woody.
All of the above prefer sunny, well-drained conditions and are (subject to seasonal availability) available from Wykeham Mature Plants in 36ltr containers – for other sizes just ask and we’ll see what we can do.
Soggy ground
Roots need to breathe and, unfortunately, nothing evergreen will tolerate being waterlogged for long.
Willow or Alder are options for the wettest of areas but they won’t give very much winter cover. For very wet areas these would best be planted in winter as bare-rooted transplants or whips as compost or soil rootballs might go sour.
Hornbeam is a reliable hedging option which, although it won’t grow in permanently waterlogged ground, is an ideal solution for heavy clay and areas that may be seasonally soggy or with temporary standing water after heavy or prolonged rain. More importantly, Hornbeam retains brown leaves in winter (a lot like Beech hedging does but will take soggier conditions than Beech and leafs-up earlier in spring) making it a useful option to give winter cover on ground too wet for evergreen hedges. Hornbeam can be planted as bare-rooted transplants but, for a more instant option, at Wykeham Mature Plants we supply trimmed Instant Hornbeam Hedge Blocks from our fields during winter at over 2m tall.
Chalk/limy ground
Strongly alkali soils, such as those on shallow soil over limestone or on the chalk hillsides of the Wolds or Downs, cause significant problems for the bio-chemical processes within most plants but there are some which have evolved in these conditions.
Hedging options suitable for limy soils may, to varying degrees, include Hawthorn (perhaps mixed with Blackthorn and Field Maple), Leylandii, Privet, Hornbeam, Beech and others. For sites that aren’t too soggy and not too salty, and not accessible to grazing animals, arguably the best evergreen option for hedging on limy soils is Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica). Slower-growing than common Cherry Laurel, so easier to prune for a semi-formal hedge, yet still vigorous enough to grow into a solid, dense hedge in an economical timescale, Portuguese Laurel has attractive spikes of creamy-white flowers in June, burgundy-coloured leaf stalks in winter, and glossy dark-green foliage. We grow Portuguese Laurel in a range of “large” sizes in containers for planting at any time of the year (subject to availability) as well as dense, instant hedge plants supplied as rootballed stock from our fields in winter.
For more information regarding what shrubs, hedging or trees would be suitable for your project or, if you’re within a hundred miles or so from the nursery, to book for us to visit you at your site for an onsite consultation or to discuss our professional planting service, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Wykeham Mature Plants can be found within the Estate walled gardens adjacent to the main house of Wykeham Abbey, signposted from the A170 approximately seven miles west of Scarborough.
Open Monday – Friday 9.00am to 4.30pm.
You’re welcome to walk round the 6 acres open to the public but for personal attention it is strongly recommended that you phone in advance to book an appointment slot. For further information, call 01723 862406 or visit www.wykehammatureplants.co.uk .
To discuss the planting services or to book a site visit email m.howe@wykeham.co.uk .
