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Native Mix Instant Hedge
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Instant Hedge In Focus: Native Mix Hedge /in , /by

Why Plant a Mixed Native Hedge?

Native mix instant hedges are the perfect hedging option for a natural look. They contain plants that are all native to the UK and as such emulate traditional country hedgerows found throughout Britain.

Top 5 features of Mixed Native Instant Hedges

  1. Seasonal year-round interest
  2. A great natural windbreak and reduces noise
  3. Will thrive in all but the coldest or waterlogged locations
  4. Increased security, such hedges have kept livestock in check for centuries
  5. Attract wildlife to your garden.

Mixed native instant hedges will create a natural look and contain a variety of colours and textures, which provide a rich living collage for excellent seasonal interest.  From the structural beauty of bare winter twigs, to the early spring blossom and lush summer foliage. The autumn brings fruits, berries and wonderful golden colours.

All kinds of wildlife will be attracted to these native hedges.  They provide food, shelter and nesting places for birds, mammals and invertebrates.

Native mixed instant hedging, by its very nature, will thrive on most soil types and can be planted in all but the deepest of shade.  It will tend to grow quite quickly at some 20 – 40 cm per year and will require pruning once a year, ideally in July. It can also be left un-pruned, when it will prove even more wildlife friendly.

British Grown Native Mix Instant Hedging

Our homegrown native mix hedge generally contains roughly equal quantities of the following species:

  • Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
  • Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
  • Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
  • Hazel (Corylus avellana)
  • Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)

Our Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge™ has also been used in many award-winning Show Gardens at RHS Flower Shows, from Hampton Court to Chelsea. Grown at our nursery in Iver, Bucks.

We currently have this Practical Instant Hedge™ available in heights of 1 to 1.2m, 1.5 to 1.8m and 1.8 to 2m high, in ready to plant trough bags.

Email hedge@pracbrown.co.uk us if you would like a quote for this instant hedge. Or buy online here. 

Species Latin Foliage Pruning Annual Growth Aspect Soil preference PH Leaves
Native Mix n/a Deciduous Once in July Fast30-40cm Sun to partial shade All except the poorest Neutral to slightly acidic Various
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1.8m high Native Mix Hedging available now! /in , , /by

Native Mix Instant Hedge

Native Mix hedging is one of the most popular in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. Hedgerows are a common sight in the British countryside and are part of our rich heritage. Hedges are usually planted to define property boundaries and provide privacy or to give shelter from prevailing winds. Our Native Mix Instant Hedging contains plants that are all native to the UK and as such emulate these traditional country hedgerows.

Mixed Native hedges create a natural look and contain a variety of colours and textures which provide a rich living collage for excellent seasonal interest from the early spring blossoms to fruits and berries in the autumn.  Hedges made from flowering and fruiting native plants are a massive boon for wildlife too, as many will be attracted by the food and shelter opportunities.

Even if you only have a relatively small garden, a native hedge can look very attractive, especially if your garden backs onto open fields.

Native hedging, by its very nature will thrive on most soil types and can be planted in all but the deepest of shade. It will tend to grow quite quickly at some 30 – 60 cm per year and will require pruning once or twice a year, ideally in the summer. A native hedge can be kept to a formal shape if clipped regularly, or it can be left to have a wilder look, when it will prove even more wildlife friendly.  However this hedge is cared for, the mixture of plants gives it plenty of interest at different times of the year.

Practicality Brown’s Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge generally contains roughly equal quantities of the following native species: Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Hazel, Hornbeam and Privet.

Blackthorn

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) has long spikes that make a good deterrent to unwanted intruders while wildlife benefits from the early white spring flowers and fruit known to gardeners (and gin drinkers!) as sloes

Hawthorn

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is a native hedging staple. Its dense habit and thorny growth give it excellent stock-proofing properties and a good site for birds looking for somewhere discreet to nest or roost. Creamy-coloured flowers are followed by red berries.

Hazel

Large, downy leaves of hazel (Corylus avellana) support a range of moth caterpillars, while the flowers attract many bee species. The fruits (nuts) are popular with squirrels.

Hornbeam

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) has significant wildlife value as a food, shelter and roosting site.  It does not shed all of its leaves in winter, which can provide shelter throughout the winter months. While the catkins are a rich food source for insects, birds and mammals.

Privet

Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) is attractive to wildlife. Bees visit the clusters of cream flowers and birds feed on the black berries. Privet Hawk Moth, the UK’s largest resident Hawk-moth, feeds on the nectar and whose caterpillars can be found on the foliage.

 

Practicality Brown’s award-winning Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge is available from 1m to 2m high. This mixed native instant hedge has been used in award-winning RHS Flower Show Gardens. For more details, see the project page on our website.

For more details, including a quote, please email trees@pracbrown.co.uk or call 01753 652022 for more information

 

Close of Blackthorn hedge with ripe sloes growing on branches

Blackthorn hedge with sloes

Native Mix Instant Hedge growing at Practicality Brown's nursery in Iver

Native Mix Instant Hedge growing at Practicality Brown’s nursery in Iver

close up of Mixed Native Hedging showing leaf detail

Mixed Native Hedging close up

Childrens Garden at Kew Gardens
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Kew Gardens now with Practical Instant Hedge /in , /by

Practical Instant Hedges are on Kew

Royal Botanic Gardens required a mature hedging solution along the perimeter of their planned Children’s Garden at Kew Gardens. The hedging was needed for immediate impact, to create the boundary of the garden, with the intention of leaving only one main entrance and exit to the garden.

The Children’s Garden is a major new feature being the first significant development within the Kew Gardens estate for over a decade. and aims to inspire children to love and care for plants, gardens and open-air play. The completed garden is over an hectare in area and includes play structures and extensive planting among the existing trees,

Practical Instant Hedge

Practicality Brown won a competitive tender to supply 190 metres Green Beech and 200 metres of Mixed Native instant hedge. We grew our Practical Instant Hedges™ for Royal Botanic Gardens, here at out nursery in Iver. The Instant Native Mix Hedge was made up in equal quantities of

  • Dogwood – Cornus sanguinea
  • Field Maple – Acer campestre
  • Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna
  • Hazel – Corylus avellana
  • Hornbeam – Carpinus betulus

As with all our dense, pre-planted and ready grown Practical Instant Hedges™, this was produced in 1m long bags of continuous root strips for easy, stress-free planting all year round.  In addition to the original tender, we also supplied Quercus Ilex Instant Hedge and as well as additional Beech and Native Mix.

The Children’s’ Garden has proven really successful for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew with over 25,000 positive reviews. Our 400 metre Practical Instant Hedges™ contribute to the overall ambience, providing a safe and secure environment for the children to play and explore nature.

Award Winners

This project has been awarded the British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious Grand Award at the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards 2019. Planted and managed by specialist landscaping company, Ground Control, this scheme also won the Community and Schools Development category.

Congratulations to Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, Ground Control and everyone involved; we are proud to associated with The Children’s’ Garden.

 

Beech instant hedges at Chatsworth
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Garden Flower Shows 2018 /in , , /by

Flower Shows 2018 focusing on Instant Hedges

June

Congratulations to everyone at the June Flower Shows, Practicality Brown proudly supplied instant hedges to:

  • The Brewin Dolphin Installation designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes won People’s Choice at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
  • Inspiration in the Raw designed by Peter Cowell awarded Gold Medal at BBC Gardeners’ World Live

The Brewin Dolphin Installation

Inspired by a past landscape of the Chatsworth Estate, this conceptual garden echoes a ‘lost’ village that once stood in the shadow of Chatsworth House before being removed to make way for Capability Brown’s famous landscape. The planting references the indigenous landscape combining native plants with decorative varieties introduced in later years.

Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, this garden affirmation from the public with The People’s Award for Installation at RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. We supplied Elveden Instant Beech Hedge for this garden.

Inspiration in the Raw

The garden focuses on using natural materials to create a more peaceful area to live in the garden. With an emphasis on recycling and reusing materials, this garden caters for a family, the garden is divided into sections by sliding barn doors. At the rear of the garden there is a dedicated play area with rope swing and playhouse, meanwhile, parents can entertain in the free-form concrete seating and dining area or relax in a quiet corner.

This garden was awarded a Gold Medal by the judges at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live. We supplied Practical Instant Native Mix Hedge for this garden.

July

At RHS Hampton Court, we are supported three out of the four Lifestyle Gardens, as well as a trade exhibit.

And Paul Richardson’s Garden Steel Sculptures – see blog here for more details

If you would like a garden inspired by Flower Shows please contact us on 01753 652022 to talk to our friendly Horticultural team.

Instant native hedge
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RHS Chelsea Flower Show – World Horse Welfare Garden /in , /by

World Horse Welfare Garden

Practicality Brown are proud to have supported Show and Artisan Gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2017 by supplying top quality large hedging plants to talented Garden Designers.

The World Horse Welfare Artisan Garden creates a moving story; designed by Woolcott Smith and built by Conway Landscapes, the garden celebrated the 90th  anniversary of World Horse Welfare charity and highlighted the plight of ‘invisible’ abandoned, neglected and abused horses in the UK and abroad.

Background

A traditional wildflower garden, it told the story of Clippy, a 12hh dapple grey pony who was rescued from terrible conditions.  The small, derelict stable surrounded by plants that are dangerous to horses, represents that actual place where he was found. Thankfully rescued by World Horse Welfare, Clippy’s journey concludes by him being re-homed and moving into an open and safe meadow surrounded with horse friendly plants including native mix hedging.

Central to the garden is a life-sized sculpture of Clippy, made from reclaimed horseshoes by Tom Hill Sculpture, standing upright and proud looking to a future filled with contentment and hope.  The sculpture has been made from horseshoes donated by nearly 40 famous equines; including Her Majesty The Queen’s Windsor grey horses and Olympic gold medallists Big Star and Valegro.

The real Clippy travelled to London on Monday to pose with the garden at the Chelsea Flower Show Press Day where he met celebrities including Kirstie Allsopp, Clare Balding, Charley Boorman, Sara Cox, Monty Don, Susan George, Peter Kay, Deborah Meaden, Rachel Riley, Victoria Pendleton, David Seaman and Nigel Slater.

Awards

This Artisan Garden was awarded a Gold medal by the RHS, making it four Gold medals for Adam Woolcott and Jonathan Smith and also won affirmation from the public with The People’s Award for Best Artisan Garden at Chelsea.

To find out more about World Horse Welfare and the RHS Chelsea Garden, click here

Practicality Brown are proud to have supplied native mix hedging plants for this award winning garden.

The BBC created a film about the garden and its designers, as part of their Chelsea flower show coverage, which can be seen here

Practical Instant Hedge for Woolcott Smith Chelsea

Chelsea 2017 World Horse Welfare native hedge

Chelsea 2017 World-Horse-Welfare Gold crop

Chelsea 2017 World Horse Welfare Gold

Clippy the inspiration for the garden

Chelsea 2017 World-Horse-Welfare clippy

Chelsea 2017 World Horse Welfare Garden

Chelsea 2017 World-Horse-Welfare

native mix Practical Instant Hedging

Native Mix Practical Instant Hedge – Chelsea 2017

Chelsea 2017 World Horse Welfare Garden

Chelsea 2017 World-Horse-Welfare Garden Peoples Choice winner