Portuguese laurel v Ordinary laurel

mayoman1973

For reasons I cant figure out our neighbours want me to leave the current scrub/whine bushes hedge in place as opposed to just ripping it out and sowing a new, clean hedge. It looks like nothing. Just briars, ivy, whine bushes, basically anything that grows without it having to be planted. Anyways we are going to have to plant the new hedge up tight against this as dont want any aggro over a silly hedge. So question is. Which is better , portuguese or ordinary laurel at competing for light and stuff when planted up against another existing hedge?

looksee

By ordinary Laurel I guess you refer to Cherry Laurel aka Common Laurel? Either Portugese or Cherry Laurel will grow in shade. You will not stop brambles and ivy growing through either of them.

If you live in an urban area it is quite likely that the proposed laurel hedge could look more appropriate than the wild tangle that is there at present. However if you live in a very rural area then a tidy laurel hedge might totally overwhelm the landscape and look entirely out of place. In that case a mixed hedge of such native trees as hawthorn, spindle, ash and so on would be far more appropriate.