[earnie]

I would like to know if anyone has ever created a banking on which to plant a hedge to create instant height, rather than just starting the planting at ground level.
On one side of my site a new house is being built and is going to intrude on our privacy a wee bit. I am in the process of getting my site drained, ditches cleaned, etc and whilst there is machinery on site I would like to move some of the soil to create a banking with maybe a height of 3 feet for approximately 150 metres.
I will be getting bare root hedging from Coillte and would like to plant a double row of mixed native hedges.
I would like to know if anyone has done this and could offer advice on do's or dont's.

Many Thanks

[Macy]

Against my better judgement, I was talked into having a bank down one side of our site. On it we planted a mixed native hedge too. To be honest it's been a bit of a disaster and we're actually probably going to save whatever plants we can, level it and start again. Plan was to have more decorative shrubs the house side with native hedge on the other. Maybe if you planted along the top, it would work better. Also I suppose it depends on the height and the gradient but some of the problems we found...

- Awkward to plant on the bank - we were trying to plant just over the brow it you get what I mean. Working from the low side or the high side both a pain. I suppose you could plant on the top but might not be easier to maintain.
- Too difficult to put down weed protection, or plastic as is recommended. It is fairly exposed so we'd need a fairly solid weighting down system. No experiments really work. Again could be avoided if you're on the flat at the top of a bank I suppose.
- Working on slopes makes maintenance harder - weeding, trimming, even checking. Something to consider if you are working on the flat - how are you going to cut it in the future.
- Something I didn't think off until a local farmer said it was that it will be slow growing as it takes longer for the roots to get down to ground water. So that means watering (for how many years) or a wait. Ours certainly haven't thrived, whereas the lower decorative ones have.
- Working on slopes for fencing and/or wind protection is awkward.

imo, with easier maintenance and at ground level our hedge would've been up to were it is now after the couple of years it's been since they were planted. Plants haven't really died, just haven't grown (I assume as the roots grow down looking for water).

I wouldn't necessarily rule it out, and it is fair to say we could've put in more effort, but do think about how you'll work on the slope (or give yourself a wide "top" at the start), and how you'll cut the hedge when it gets to the required height.

[earnie]

Thanks for your advice.

The plan is to make the bank approx. 1m high ( I don't want it to be steep on the sides for access to the plants) and then the make the top of the bank level and approx. 1m wide for double row planting.
I take your point about the possibility of slow growing as the roots take longer to get ground water ( I had not considered that and I will have to get more advice on it).
The original idea was to create instant height, but if the growth time is delayed by your experience then it may as you said be better to start off at ground level.

Do you know what the height/growth stages are of a mixed hedge of Laurel, Hazel and Hornbeam?? Would it reach 8 foot over 4/5 years?

Thanks again

[GPI]

Under good growing conditions you could expect laurel, Hazel and Hornbeam to grow up to 0.45 mtr (1 1/2 ft) per year.
So say 5 to 6 years if everything is in order.