Putting new hedge in. Advice needed

sarah23

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2006
Messages
1,166
Location
Cambridgeshire
Visit site
I have a few houses back gardens that back onto my field and i want to put a hedge up as one of thems fencing is so bad my horses could put their heads in the garden and the other one hates the horses, so I thought i would put a nice hedge up (both are happy for me to do this by the way)

What I need to know is, what would be a good hedge to put up there. Need something that will grow fairly quick and not poisonous to horses. Looked into Laurels but they are very bad. I do have Hawthorne all around the outside of my field but this just takes so long to grow and i want it to grow quite tall, about 6ft so really need some advice.
 

teresagarsden

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 January 2009
Messages
786
Location
upNorth
Visit site
Silver birch and willow, both grow quickly and are not poisionous to horses. Dont go with conifer as although they do grow fast they are poisionous if eaten in quantity.
Good luck i planted a wildlife hedge 3 yrs ago alot of hawthorn and its all less than 3 feet high the wildlife just eats it!!
 

WelshD

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2009
Messages
7,973
Visit site
Buckingham Nurseries are so helpful when it comes to hedging and sell a wide variety of hiding plants

Even if you just approach them with a query I am sure they will help. Their website has a section on horse friendly hedging too

Not connected to them just a happy repeat customer
 

DuckToller

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2007
Messages
3,012
Location
Home Counties
Visit site
I'd contact one of the companies that specialise in hedging trees - they are usually listed in magazines or google them.

It's better environmentally to get native trees (good for wildlife for a start) although that does mean they will all grow at the same relatively slow rate, but you can cheat and buy older trees that cost a bit more but are already 5-6 years down the line - or have a mixture.

Just make sure you plant them accordingly to directions and remember to water during droughts. You will need to protect them from your horses otherwise they will just be tasty treats for them to chew on and the poor little saplings will soon die - a line of good electric fencing perhaps, or tree guards round each one - only problem is as soon as the shoots grow through the top, the horses bite the tops off, or even worse pull the whole thing out by the roots - my horse's speciality :).

We planted a hedge a few years back and it is lovely and tall now, just beginning to thicken out - we should have cut the tops more often to make them grow sideways but we forgot. Our favourites are the beech, as they hold their leaves for longer, I think we had small leaved lime, hawthorn, copper beech and a few others - a good mix gives a variety of colours and a choice of habitat and seeds for birds :)

Don't be tempted by the fast growing leylandii - they grow quickly but before too long you will be paying out a fortune to have them lopped off at the top as they just keep going and are not popular with neighbours as they block out the light :(
 

FairyLights

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2010
Messages
4,072
Location
UK
Visit site
Hawthorn and holly is best. not quickest of growers though. horses will eat willow right down . you need to plant the hedge then electric fence it off . we have done this. it has taken 5 yrs to get to a reasonable size and in another 5 yrs it will be a strong thick hedge. there is no quick solution.
 
Top