Considering Lleyandii Hedge

Lemlin

I've been reading threads on here regarding hedging and see that Lleyandii has a terrible rep.

That said, I'm wondering if it would suit my situation.

I'm living in a rural area and have an acre around the house so space isn't a problem.

Wind is though. Our house is across from a large hill so the wind literally comes sweeping down the hill across from us and thumps into the front of the house in windy conditions. Therefore I want something that is a good windbreaker to place at the top of the garden and try to temper some of this wind.

The other factor is privacy. Our front garden and laneway are adjacent to the lane of a farm area which has trucks going up and down it most days. We'd like to put up a decent barrier as truck drivers often think our house is connected to the farm area and stop with delivery dockets or queries. We have a fence in place but they sometimes just jump it.

The farm area is also the right of the house and while away from us it is visible and we'd like something that grows 6 to 8 foot quickly and blocks out the view.

The other factor is time. If we had our way, the hedge would already be there but, due to other projects, we simply didn't get round to planting it yet but will this planting season.

So, is Lleyandii the right match?
I realise people seem to hate it but from my research it sounds right for us.

Other options I have thought about are Laurel or Green Privet.

Calahonda52

Laurel yes: we maintain ours at 8 feet, clip the top every year from a small platform, job done
Tapered from widest at bottom to thinest on top for light at base.
Put wind screen on the fence to help it get started
Lleyandii no, it will become unmanageable, been there done that dug them out.

Lemlin

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Laurel yes: we maintain ours at 8 feet, clip the top every year from a small platform, job done
Tapered from widest at bottom to thinest on top for light at base.
Put wind screen on the fence to help it get started
Lleyandii no, it will become unmanageable, been there done that dug them out.

How long will Laurel generally take to grow to 8 foot?

Roadtoad

No, please. Or buy mine? Really nice one.

Try beech or yew. At least if you miss a year or two cutting you can do a deep prune back to a sensible level. Think of your children, and theirs!

Lemlin

Roadtoad wrote: »

No, please. Or buy mine? Really nice one.

Try beech or yew. At least if you miss a year or two cutting you can do a deep prune back to a sensible level. Think of your children, and theirs!

Beech is too slow to grow from what I'm told.

looksee

Or plant a hedgerow. I think a row of identical trees looks a bit odd in the countryside. A mix of hawthorn, (in a staggered line) allowed to grow, and trees would be wind diverting, maybe not quite as quick as leylandii but it would give a nice hedge.

Lemlin

The one thing I did forget to mention is that my father is a farmer so he has a tractor and a hedgetrimmer for it.

Therefore, if I get him to trim the Leylandii each year, will them overgrowing be such a problem?

There's a large coniferous forest area at the back of our house and other coniferous forest areas in the region so they wouldn't look that out of place to be honest.

Macy0161

I personally don't have an issue with Lleyandii, once everyone is going in with their eye's wide open of the potential problems. We planted it, on our north boundary (just fields beside us, no neighbour), with mixed trees inside it - we'll suck up getting them taken out in future years, but in the meantime it's given us privacy from a busy road relatively quickly, whilst the mixed planting grows.

One possible issue in the circumstances maybe that it may be too dense for a wind break?

Laurel will do the privacy job too, but slower growing. It has the advantage of being able to be cut right back though.

Red Alder is a fairly dense deciduous option (grows to a similar size to birch, but with a less open structure and bigger leaves) - it's done well for us. We went with it as animals don't eat it, and the deer haven't gone near it (and they've damaged a lot of my planting over the years). They're starting to send out suckers now, which I imagine will thicken up the line for us, but may be an issue if you wanted a more formal line.

We've had a lleyandaii hedge for 20 years. The first 5 or so it was a bugger to trim. Now, however it barely grows, is at a manageable height and is no bother.

ShiverinEskimo

Lleyandii will stain your roof tiles, window frames, cars in driveway etc with a dull green residue. The pollen it gives off turns everything green - especially if you're going to be down-wind as you describe.

You will rue the day you planted it if you go ahead.

cannotcope

I do not buy into the leylandii paranoi. But consider portuguese laurel

Tefral

My dad has it planted around our house out the country also. It was great at the time as it made the ground around it bone dry and it shot up. Now though that he is getting on I do the trimming of the hedge with him and its an absolute nightmare. One year we cut an average of 4 feet off them and less than two years later they were back to the same height.

I wouldn't recommend it for anyone. I tried to dig one out with our 3 ton mini digger one day! One of the hardest jobs i every had to do with a tree. Their resilience is astounding.

gardeninghobby

I found Lleyandii good for hedging. It grows vigorously and provides good shelter from the wind.

Roselm

Lemlin wrote: »

I've been reading threads on here regarding hedging and see that Lleyandii has a terrible rep.

That said, I'm wondering if it would suit my situation.

I'm living in a rural area and have an acre around the house so space isn't a problem.

Wind is though. Our house is across from a large hill so the wind literally comes sweeping down the hill across from us and thumps into the front of the house in windy conditions. Therefore I want something that is a good windbreaker to place at the top of the garden and try to temper some of this wind.

The other factor is privacy. Our front garden and laneway are adjacent to the lane of a farm area which has trucks going up and down it most days. We'd like to put up a decent barrier as truck drivers often think our house is connected to the farm area and stop with delivery dockets or queries. We have a fence in place but they sometimes just jump it.

The farm area is also the right of the house and while away from us it is visible and we'd like something that grows 6 to 8 foot quickly and blocks out the view.

The other factor is time. If we had our way, the hedge would already be there but, due to other projects, we simply didn't get round to planting it yet but will this planting season.

So, is Lleyandii the right match?
I realise people seem to hate it but from my research it sounds right for us.

Other options I have thought about are Laurel or Green Privet.

If you get yellow ones they are not as dark looking.
Once they get to the height you want you need to religiously keep them trimmed each year to keep them as a hedge as they will keep growing and growing and that's when they become unmanageable.
They do act as a good windbreak if planted as a hedge and kept well trimmed to keep them dense.

Norfolk Enchants_

looksee wrote: »

Or plant a hedgerow. I think a row of identical trees looks a bit odd in the countryside. A mix of hawthorn, (in a staggered line) allowed to grow, and trees would be wind diverting, maybe not quite as quick as leylandii but it would give a nice hedge.

+1 to this.
There is nothing that looks as odd or out of place than a leyandii hedge in the open countryside, you might as well just bulid a block wall and paint it green, at least that way you won't have to maintain it.
Plant a mixed hedgerow, with hawthorn, blackthorn, ash and perhaps some hollies, it'll be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye plus you'll be providing a habitat for wildlife.

Lemlin

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

+1 to this.
There is nothing that looks as odd or out of place than a leyandii hedge in the open countryside, you might as well just bulid a block wall and paint it green, at least that way you won't have to maintain it.
Plant a mixed hedgerow, with hawthorn, blackthorn, ash and perhaps some hollies, it'll be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye plus you'll be providing a habitat for wildlife.

How long will those take to grow though?

Macy0161

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

+1 to this.
There is nothing that looks as odd or out of place than a leyandii hedge in the open countryside, you might as well just bulid a block wall and paint it green, at least that way you won't have to maintain it.
Plant a mixed hedgerow, with hawthorn, blackthorn, ash and perhaps some hollies, it'll be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye plus you'll be providing a habitat for wildlife.

Depends on the locality - around us (as with the OP) there's a lot of forestry. Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Leylandii, other cypress varieties or spruces/ pines used in forestry in my experience (of boring people to death trying to talk about trees!).

Lemlin

Macy0161 wrote: »

Depends on the locality - around us (as with the OP) there's a lot of forestry. Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Leylandii, other cypress varieties or spruces/ pines used in forestry in my experience (of boring people to death trying to talk about trees!).

That's the thing exactly. There's a lot of bog area in my locality and it has coniferous trees planted on it so I don't think people will notice the difference much to be honest.

gk5000

Go best of both worlds.
Plant 2 lines:
- something nice, permanent and slower growing
- and then a line of lelandi as a quick grower which you then cut out/dig in 7 - 10 years when the other is well established

Norfolk Enchants_

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

+1 to this.
There is nothing that looks as odd or out of place than a leyandii hedge in the open countryside, you might as well just bulid a block wall and paint it green, at least that way you won't have to maintain it.
Plant a mixed hedgerow, with hawthorn, blackthorn, ash and perhaps some hollies, it'll be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye plus you'll be providing a habitat for wildlife.

Just want to say I love your user name. It's Suffolk and Good.

my3cents

Lemlin wrote: »

The one thing I did forget to mention is that my father is a farmer so he has a tractor and a hedgetrimmer for it.

Therefore, if I get him to trim the Leylandii each year, will them overgrowing be such a problem?

There's a large coniferous forest area at the back of our house and other coniferous forest areas in the region so they wouldn't look that out of place to be honest.

You can't cut Leylandii successfully with a tractor mounted hedgetrimmer.

cannotcope

http://www.instahedge.com/

Lemlin

cannotcope wrote: »

http://www.instahedge.com/

They are located in Northampton so can't see them coming to Cavan. I would also imagine the cost would be large.

Macy0161

my3cents wrote: »

You can't cut Leylandii successfully with a tractor mounted hedgetrimmer.

My father in law gets his lawson's cypress hedge done by tractor every year - I would have assumed any of the cypress varieties and crosses could be done that way?

Norfolk Enchants_

Lemlin wrote: »

How long will those take to grow though?

Depends on the finish height you require, but going on the 6/8 feet you mention in your OP then about 5 years, although it can take less time if you look after the trees in the early years, i.e. keep the ground weed free.

Macy0161 wrote: »

Depends on the locality - around us (as with the OP) there's a lot of forestry. Most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference between Leylandii, other cypress varieties or spruces/ pines used in forestry in my experience (of boring people to death trying to talk about trees!).

Comparing a trimmed leylandii hedge to conferious forestry is like comparing chalk and cheese, there is no comparsion.
IDK if you like the look of a big green wall, then go for it, personally I think it looks unnatural, but if that's your thing then go for it.

Lemlin wrote: »

That's the thing exactly. There's a lot of bog area in my locality and it has coniferous trees planted on it so I don't think people will notice the difference much to be honest.

You're probably right, the vast majority of people probably won't notice it, but are you doing for them or yourself?.

my3cents

Macy0161 wrote: »

My father in law gets his lawson's cypress hedge done by tractor every year - I would have assumed any of the cypress varieties and crosses could be done that way?

Cut it back too far just once and thats an end of green growth from that part of the plant. Its just too easy to cut too hard into a hedge with tractor mounted equipment.

Edit> Then how do you do the garden side of the hedge? You'd always need to leave tractor access down both sides of the hedge.

Lemlin

Has anyone any idea of the cost of Leylandii? I have 160 metres of hedging needed. That's 16000cm and the estimates I've seen say a tree every 80cm so that's 200 trees.

A price I have seen online is €5 for trees grown in containers that are 80 to 100cm high.

Is that what they normally cost?

my3cents wrote: »

.
Edit> Then how do you do the garden side of the hedge? You'd always need to leave tractor access down both sides of the hedge.

Well in my case I'll wait until the ground is dry and just drive the tractor onto the garden. Not preferable but needs must. I'm not particularly a person hugely into gardening. I view my garden as something for the kids and once it looks anyway acceptable I'm happy.

Roselm

Norfolk Enchants_ wrote: »

+1 to this.
There is nothing that looks as odd or out of place than a leyandii hedge in the open countryside, you might as well just bulid a block wall and paint it green, at least that way you won't have to maintain it.
Plant a mixed hedgerow, with hawthorn, blackthorn, ash and perhaps some hollies, it'll be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye plus you'll be providing a habitat for wildlife.

But very little in the way of wind protection in winter if its deciduous.The onlyevergreen thing mentioned is holly and that's a really slow grower.
Maybe a mixed evergreen hedge could work though...

Norfolk Enchants_

Roselm wrote: »

But very little in the way of wind protection in winter if its deciduous.The onlyevergreen thing mentioned is holly and that's a really slow grower.
Maybe a mixed evergreen hedge could work though...

Don't know where you are getting the notion the evergreen equals the only wind protection/break available, that's simply not correct. While there is slightly less of a wind break effect with deciduous over evergreen in winter that is more than counter balanced by the increased light levels, the benefits of which are not to be underestimated.

Lemlin

Another suggestion I have had is Hornbeam. Not as quick to grow but will make a good full hedge I am told in about 3-4 years.

Also suggested that some thorn could be mixed into it.

my3cents

Lemlin wrote: »

Another suggestion I have had is Hornbeam. Not as quick to grow but will make a good full hedge I am told in about 3-4 years.

Also suggested that some thorn could be mixed into it.

Hornbeam makes a nice hedge, recommended iirc for exposure and heavy soils and keeps a lot of its dead dry leaves on the stems overwiinter? However I wouldn't say its any faster growing than say a beech hedge. Again and to get the best of the winter retention effect you don't really want to be cutting it with a flail mower.

tommo22

I have Lleylandii hedge all around my garden and it looks great. I did let it go for a good many years (and have learned my lesson) then it was a nightmare to cut. I took about 7 feet off the top and trimmed the sides back. It looked terrible afterwards but recovered really well. This year is 2 years since that, and it has developed beautifully.
You absolutely need to trim it every year, that way if forms a dense hedge. Trimming is really easy now, because you just trim as far as the dense carpet that formed where it was last cut. That way you always cut it to the same place and it only gets thicker there. Any shoots that grow outwards will only be green "leafy" shoots, and are simple to cut.
Once you cut it every year it becomes really quick and easy to trim, and the lack of woody parts means it rots into great compost.
So, if you are willing to spend an afternoon every year without fail, you will have the best windbreaker by far, and it looks awesome with its mix ox green and green/yellow.
Any people that say it will grow out of control must have not kept it in check, like myself a few years ago.
Just trim the sides lightly while you are waiting fro it to reach the desired height. Then Trim the tops, you may have gaps in between, but you will literally see these filling in by the week.

Good luck.

my3cents

No one has yet mentioned how much room a Leylandii hedge takes up. If you have a one acre garden then you can probably afford to loose the two or more metres it will take up.