Is planting a laurel hedge bad for Irish Environment

loughlin20 · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Hi,
My family recently planted a laurel hedge for its hardiness, screening and growth rate benefits. I am however aware of its invasive impacts in irish woodlands and its lack of homing and preserving native irish insects. It is because of this I am wondering if it should have been planted as we do not wish to contribute to its invasiveness and encourage loss of biodiversity.

Also what are the best native irish heges for hedging whilst complimenting and enhancing irish wildlife/insect life

Hope ye can help.

kindredspirit · Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject:

I don't see anything wrong with planting a laurel hedge.

In your garden, it's not going to be invasive. I know for a fact that blackbirds and sparrows like to nest in laurel.

I can't see how it could possibly contribute to loss of diversity. Beech trees are not considered native but Ash is. Beech is a beautiful tree that is home to lots of wildlife and, in my opinion, Ash is an invasive weed that should be dug up at every opportunity. So who's right and who's wrong?

I like Sally hedges but they're a lot of work initially as they have to be layered for a good few years at first. They're deciduous of course so you won't get the privacy that a laurel hedge will give you in the winter.

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:35 pm Post subject:

it's not necessarily going to be very *good* for the environment, anyway.

there is not necessarily a single species which is going to be good for the environment; i suspect a mixed native hedge is of more value than the sum of its parts.

medieval knievel · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:47 am Post subject:

coincidentally, i just started 'weeds' by richard mabey this morning, and he mentions in it that his two least favourite weeds are cherry laurel and oilseed rape.

James Kilkelly

walltoall · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2011 2:40 pm Post subject: laurel hedges and biodiversity

Loughlin20
I totally support you in planting a laurel hedge and living with it, if that is what you want and it does not wind up neighbours (think leylandii for a mo) I would be at one with KindredSpirit here. However if your conscience is bothering you James has given you a great solution. Intersperse the laurel with shrubs form the native list. I can visualise a magnificent hedge if the laurel was interspersed with hawthorn. Both are eminently clippable as they grow and I've a feeling you could even layer the mix although I must admit I have never actually layered laurel. Do what is best for yourself. It's far better than leaving the garden untended.

walltoall

Greetings Kneivel! We made it through the winter then.

I wonder does this Richard Mabey you are currently reading know that within say three miles of my house here in Essex there's a total of over 2000 acres of weeds sorry oilseed rape this year and every year. the actual sites move around using a system of weed rotation. Weed rotation works much like crop rotation except that you can't use cherry laurel.

My Portuguese Laurel standard outside the front door is wondering what all the fuss is about, but he's from Madeira so he wouldn't understand.

loughlin20 · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Cheers for the feedback everyone. I think I will definitely take your advice James and interplant with natives.

One question that still stands however; Is laurel that is bought from your local garden centre invasive? It just annoys me so much when I read newspaper articles and see gardening advise that promotes the use of non-native planting. Even if the plants are non-invasive it is so important to foster out native plants and in turn biodiversity.

medieval knievel

ormondsview · Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 5:15 am Post subject:

How to get rid of Laurel?
It is too easy to grow from cuttings.I put some in as a shelter and in the wrong spot in a small bed. If you try to saw it down it'll survive no matter what. So how to kill the big root system that just goes down, unlike a tree that dies when you cut the tap root (don't mind sallies) this thug is a massively fact grower. So what to do? Paint with bleach and cover with plastic some debris and wait for it to rot?

Blowin · Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 6:14 am Post subject:

Unless there's been some sort of glitch in the dating system for posts, I rather think eight years between could mean the previous participants have gone away?

Greengage · Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:23 am Post subject:

And if they planted a Laurel hedge the now see the errors of their way, but sure you cant explain to some people when your explaining your loosing.

tagwex · Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:25 pm Post subject:

It's life Jim but not as we know it.