Hi all,
Just wanting to canvas opinion if possible please? - I'm looking to plant something around my lottie fences which will provide as much security - or as much of a deterent as possible - any suggestions?
I was thinking along the lines of a good old hawthorn hedge and/or some climbing rose bushes? - ideally I was hoping for something fairly quick growing to keep the yobos out!
Does anyone have any suggestions??
Thanks in advance
Sheddie ;D
I find a hawthorn hedge very effective, but you won't grow a decent one overnight. it's not that fast growing, and if you want a thick hedge you have to keep hacking it back mercilessly.
Brambles - fast growing and vicious but will spread into your plot. Dog Rose is pretty good too. Pyracantha (sp) are a favourite amongst security bods. I would go for a mix (with hawthorn), prevides dense hedging which wildlife will love and intruders won't.
Blackberries - fast growing, thorny, and tasty. Yum.
Rugosa roses. grow quick, very thorny and set roots like mad, very cheap try Buckinghams nursery you can buy them by the bundle XX Jeannine
That has prompted me to do a search:
Dog Rose (http://store.ashridgetrees.co.uk/Dog-Rose-Rosa-canina?category=5671): I have a huge soft spot for these.
Other Native Roses from the same site. (http://store.ashridgetrees.co.uk/SHOPPING-CATEGORIES/Wild-Roses?gclid=CKXJs9fIvpECFQtGQwodEBdmCg)
Yours is on that list too Jeannine. It's gorgeous!! :)
(http://store.ashridgetrees.co.uk/core/media/media.nl?id=1505&c=582525&h=327d5336a7255658264d&resizeid=-2&resizew=300&resizeh=300)
Pyracanthus - big thorns
Blackthorn! OUCH!
Old Bird!
;D
Triffids
I am sure one of the nurseries (Victoriana maybe) do a native hedge mix. Whilst probably not ideal for security in the short term as it does take time to grow - when it does it should add lots of interest for wildlife. I am considering doing this to provide wind shelter.
http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/securityhedging.html
Worcester berries are meant to be good - I have never grown them myself though.
for during the summer stinging nettles mayb........
Tayberries are nice and have thorns.
Or Japanese wineberry - a lot of thorns.
Although I am not sure how to grow these as a hedge.
Watch out or the chavs will sue you for staining their 'prison white' trainers with blackberry juice. ;D
Exploding cucumbers? ;D
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/cucumbers.html
Put up a wire fence and grow vigorous rambling roses over it. That way you'd get both a defence and the flowers.
Berberis - but slow.
I would go along with Hawthorn but there is a better one, and that is ME, so if any little or big scrumpers out there in LE13 are going to have a go at my allotment don't let me catch ya, or I'll cut em off with mi edging tool, :)
The best if you want quick is Quickthorn and makes a brilliant prickly hedge. I have berberis too but for speed of growing it has to be Quickthorn.
Sinbad
Hi All,
Thanks for the overwhleming response! - in terms of price - it looks like a mixture of hawthorn, brambles and climbing rose could be the way to go. There is a guy on E-bay selling 10 x hawthorns (40-60cm) for £5.50 inc delivey (or 50 x for £18 delivered) which seems to be a good price?
Pyracanthus seen a bit more expensive than bog standard hawthorn from what I can see - I've a pretty big plot, so want to keep the costs down as much as possible! ;D
The guy selling the hawthorns suggests they should be planted 30cm apart - is the about right or is he just trying to sell more plants?!
thanks again everyone
Sheddie
With thorn the closer you plant the sooner you get a good barrier... If you know a hedge layer 18" is best but in a double offset layer... once they grow up they are easily laid... plant them further apart and you get bushes which won't lay easily...
;D
Got alot of dogrose in my garden if you want me to pull some up for you??
Hi Gunnerbee,
Wow - what a very kind offer! - I'd been over the moon with some! - how would I go about covering your costs though?
Thanks again,
Sheddie
Got a lot of brambles on mine you could have ;)
Hi Bupster,
Yes please - great! - again, I really appreciate the generosity. How do I cover costs though? - I really appreciate the kind offers, but wouldn't like to see anyone out of pocket of course!
Thanks again - can't believe people are so generous!
Cheers
Sheddie
If you wait a little while longer, I'm sure Jon Munday will be along to tell you what he's got in stock !
I have no clue how I'd send this, but will have a look at the weekend and see what I can do - send me a PM!
Hi
If you go for hawthorn cut the plants down to 12" when you plant them. This gives a better root to shoot ratio and they establish better. They also bush out. When you see a leggy hedge that is bald at the bottom the person who planted it did not do this. This is a tip I picked up from a tree nursery man and I do it with all hedge plants that we plant at work now.
Gorse would make an impenetrable hedge!
Ivor