Has anyone got a fedge,a willow hedge in their garden?What do you think of them and would you recommend them?I'm looking to block off the bottom part of our garden to make a wildlife garden and thought this might be a fairly cheap way to do it as fencing panels etc would be expensive and hedging plants would take years to grow to a reasonable height.
Wendy
Fedges
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
-
Primrose
- KG Regular
- Posts: 8096
- Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2006 8:50 pm
- Location: Bucks.
- Has thanked: 47 times
- Been thanked: 324 times
I don't know whether the roots of willow hedges are the same as the roots of willow trees but I do believe the roots of willow trees can spread pretty extensively in the ground nearby and become fairly invasive. If this is the case and you have intensively grown borders or flower beds nearby, this might be a cause of nourishment leaching over the longer term. If you don't, it sounds like a good idea. Willow does grow fairly quickly so some regular pruning might be necessary if you don't want sunlight to be blocked out once it's reached the required height.
-
Jenny Green
- KG Regular
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:47 pm
- Location: East Midlands
I've got a willow igloo and tunnel and it was very easy to establish and has grown away and filled in nicely over the last five years or so. It supports a lot of wildlife (wasps included!) and is a pleasant feature. I spent the first few years weaving in the shoots and now I trim it with a hedge trimmer two or three times a year. I haven't noticed it impoverishing the soil around in particular but I only grow ornamentals or herbs around it anyway. It does cast a lot of shade however.
One piece of advice I would give is that it needs reasonable sunlight to grow well. The area of mine in the shade is quite bare.
One piece of advice I would give is that it needs reasonable sunlight to grow well. The area of mine in the shade is quite bare.
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
-
Jenny Green
- KG Regular
- Posts: 1139
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:47 pm
- Location: East Midlands
You're welcome Wendy. Pm me if you want further advice. I think the variety I used was an osier willow, planted about a foot apart at an angle. You can google for instructions as they're quite easily available on the internet.
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Hi Pwlynch
I think that fedges are one of those ideas which seem good when first encountered, but have many drawbacks when really thought through.
To look good, they take just as much maintenance as a hedge, and if neglected will look a lot worse- get top heavy and shade out bottom branches.
Willow (especially the hybrids) to my mind, looks quite alien unless growing in it's natural habitat or coppiced/pollarded.
If you do go for a fedge, I would use sallow (pussy willow) as it has round leaves, great wildlife value, and is not so vigourous - you might need 2 year old shoots to start with. We have a 10 year old sallow arbour which is trimmed twice in summer and once in winter. IMO tunnels/domes of osier look interesting, but not really attractive.
Native hedging plants can be bought at 90cm (3') high bare root in winter, and will grow away well if the ground is well prepared and good weed control is practiced. I would recomend hazel in particular followed by hawthorn and holly (slow). Spindle is good for decoration if it berries, but not a good hedge. I would not ever recommend blackthorn in a garden as it suckers. Field maple is ok, but vigourous, the wild roses good for wildlife. Privet gives good screening. Oak can be clipped too.
Hazel can give pea and bean sticks, bender/hurdle poles and nuts and is easy to lay. It is the commonest hedgerow tree around here, although most hedges are species rich.
Hope this is interesting to you
Mole
I think that fedges are one of those ideas which seem good when first encountered, but have many drawbacks when really thought through.
To look good, they take just as much maintenance as a hedge, and if neglected will look a lot worse- get top heavy and shade out bottom branches.
Willow (especially the hybrids) to my mind, looks quite alien unless growing in it's natural habitat or coppiced/pollarded.
If you do go for a fedge, I would use sallow (pussy willow) as it has round leaves, great wildlife value, and is not so vigourous - you might need 2 year old shoots to start with. We have a 10 year old sallow arbour which is trimmed twice in summer and once in winter. IMO tunnels/domes of osier look interesting, but not really attractive.
Native hedging plants can be bought at 90cm (3') high bare root in winter, and will grow away well if the ground is well prepared and good weed control is practiced. I would recomend hazel in particular followed by hawthorn and holly (slow). Spindle is good for decoration if it berries, but not a good hedge. I would not ever recommend blackthorn in a garden as it suckers. Field maple is ok, but vigourous, the wild roses good for wildlife. Privet gives good screening. Oak can be clipped too.
Hazel can give pea and bean sticks, bender/hurdle poles and nuts and is easy to lay. It is the commonest hedgerow tree around here, although most hedges are species rich.
Hope this is interesting to you
Mole