Planting laurels vs beech

kala85

Is it too late in the year to plant a laurel or beech hedge and which one would you recommend planting

macraignil

Planted a hundred common laurel hedge plants four days ago and they are doing fine so its not too late but it could be difficult to buy the bare root stock at this stage with the end of the bare root season so close. Beech can be nice as well but the most recent larger hedge I planted was a mixture of hornbeam and white thorn which might be more resilient than beech. Hornbeam is particularly better if the soil is wetter as beech can take a dislike to this type of ground. It depends on where you are planting but if you have the space a mixed hedge row with a variety of trees and shrubs can be better for wildlife and look more interesting in my opinion.

kala85

Thanks for your reply

magicbastarder

i think laurel looks a little monolithic, would personally go with beech instead any day of the week.
might not be so difficult to get bare root beech as i suspect sales have been slower than normal, but i'd treat it gingerly and pamper it well till you get it into the ground.

Squiggle

kala85 wrote: »

Is it too late in the year to plant a laurel or beech hedge and which one would you recommend planting

Laurel is evergreen, beech isn't. If you want year round privacy don't sow beech. You can plant potted hedging all year round. Bare root hedging, which is cheaper ,and still readily available ,can be sown up to about the end of this month.

GreeBo

Squiggle wrote: »

Laurel is evergreen, beech isn't. If you want year round privacy don't sow beech. You can plant potted hedging all year round. Bare root hedging, which is cheaper ,and still readily available ,can be sown up to about the end of this month.

beech hold their leaves until the new ones push the old ones off, they still give cover.

magicbastarder

if you're considering beech, hornbeam may also be an option. more expensive and harder to source, though - but i believe it breaks bud earlier.

Aboppy1

Laurels are the best for privacy. If they ever get out of hand they can be cut back hard and will rejuvenate nicely. Hornbeam don't hold their old leaves as good as beech in the winter, but they are a native Irish tree. They will bud earlier than beech and stay green for longer.

JustAThought

Laurel can get very gappy snd woody when mature and cut back. My neighbour planted a combination of laurel and camelia which is lovely before the flowers bloom -white works far better than red of pink which imo just looks garish. On the backroads from kildare there us an estate with low evergreen hedge about 5 ft high and betula -silver birch -and nigeris trees planted in behind it -looks just beautiful snd really gives the bees and wildlife a chance. + 1 for suggestions on native Irish trees -our environment and feeding ecosystems needs all it can get.

Tullys do great bare root and graded mature trees and shrubs -used to serbe the construction industry only but ooened to the public a few years back. You can slso arrange a delivery.

Squiggle

GreeBo wrote: »

beech hold their leaves until the new ones push the old ones off, they still give cover.

Little or none. If you want year round privacy OP don't sow a semi deciduous hedge like beech or hornbeam.

magicbastarder

Aboppy1 wrote: »

Hornbeam don't hold their old leaves as good as beech in the winter, but they are a native Irish tree.

not that i'm aware, they'd be considered naturalised rather than native.

anyway, my father in law has a beech hedge and it still has its leaves. to a casual passerby, you can't see through it.