Introducing...

Hedges

Hedges make beautiful, versatile and wildlife-friendly living screens, edgings or boundaries that enhance any garden. They can be large or small, formal or informal – the choice is yours. Simply select hedging plants to suit your site and style. Regular clipping once or twice a year will keep any hedge in fine shape.

Looks

Hedges are rows of closely planted shrubs, and come in all shapes, styles and sizes. They range from neatly clipped and uniform to informal and varied, depending on the plants and how often they’re clipped.
 

Likes

There are hedging plants to suit most sites, so take care to choose shrubs that enjoy your specific conditions. Typical hedging plants thrive on being clipped regularly and knit together well.
 

Dislikes

Few traditional hedging plants enjoy permanently wet or very damp soil, and most will struggle in deep shade. Overgrown conifer hedges don’t usually regenerate if cut back hard into the older, bare wood.
 

Did you know?

Hedges are valuable wildlife corridors and provide shelter and food for a wide range of creatures, from birds and insects to small mammals, including, of course, our native hedgehogs.

Growing guide

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.