[aine]

hi,
sorry if this topic has been done before but i did a search and couldn't find anything

my back garden is wet. it really needs to be drained but finances will not allow.it dries out during the summer. at the minute there are many rushes coming up through the ground

i need to sow a hedge. i don't like the natural/mixed hedges i like more formal ones that i can clip in a few years

would also love evergreen, but i know that may not be possible

i like beech hedging....would beech survive?

any ideas?

[walltoall]

You need to look at osier, sally, willow, salix they are all the same thing. There's a very detailed post by yours truly SOMEWHERE in the archives of this forum on how to make almost instant hedges with willow. Also you could look at alder. I know it is a tree but it is also evergreen and can make a very effective screen growing to maybe 15'. it loves wet ground. Thye one thing among all others that beech needs is a well drained soil.

[kindredspirit]

Evergreen and wet ground.

One answer: Laurel.

[walltoall]

Yeah! but that is more than just wet ground? rushes? dries out in Summer? More like bog? And probably acid ? and deficient in nutrients? But as long as it does not cost too much for a few plants. suck it and see? Have YOU grown laurel in such soil or are you going by a book? lol

[kindredspirit]

Shaun,

Rushes grow in limey soil as well.

Not going by a book, just looking across the fields to houses situated in wet land, where most of the people are gowing laurel hedges.

A few now are throwing out their hedges and building stone walls instead. Fashions change!

[walltoall]

Well that is all good observation Kevin and will be very useful to the inquirer. I knew laurel was robust but I didn't know it worked in really wet ground. But I am very pleased to learn a new trick any day. All the high numbers good buddy

[aine]

thanks for all the advice guys

i really must do a ph soil test and then at least i can determine what will grow in it...i really like laurel too so maybe that will be an option

i thought it was limey but there is an area of bog few fields way so maybe its acidic after all

thanks again

[James Kilkelly]

This would be my choice Native Guelder rose ... Viburnum opulus ... An Chaor Chon
Ideal for a hedge on damp, limey soils.
it's not evergreen however and can be hard to keep formal and get the benefit of its large white flower clusters and follow on red berries.

I would avoid beech hedging in wet conditions, as it would be like throwing money away.

All that being said, most hedges will thank you for improved drainage, so maybe look at that first or else create a bank of soil and plant anything you want into that..... beech and laurel included.

[aine]

thanks for that james...i like the look of that hedge, anything with flowers is nice

its just the back garden here so so wet, it depresses me to look out at it

i would love to get it drained properly but to be honest there are other projects that i need to do here in the house first

whats a bank of soil...maybe you have a link?

[James Kilkelly]

[walltoall]

Áine
If you can find this post by me nearly two years ago, you'll have a means of getting a hedge going this year which will be fully established in less than two years, will be dense and yet let wind through it. Clippable and controllable. I have actually done this fence a number of times during my life.

Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject: A living hedge

I totally support James' suggestion to use guilder rose but I would just put a few in at about 10' intervals and make the willow work. The viburnum will give colour, shape and interest and although it is not suitavble for clipping it can be pruned in espalier form if you want and you'll still get the flowers and berries.

The willow will drain the end of your garden for you. Willow takes prodigous amounts of water out of the ground by expiration. Up to 10.000 gallons a year has been estamated for a mature willow tree (60' high though! lol)